TrekInk: Review of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1 and #2

earth 30th-century Legionnaires of the United Planets find themselves on the wrong Earth with 23rd-century Starfleet officers of the United Federation of Planets in the first two issues of a six-issue crossover mini-series from IDW Publishing and DC Comics. Time travel, an evil empire, spoilers and impressions after the break.

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (of 6)
written by Chris Roberson, penciled by Jeffrey Moy, inked by Philip Moy, colored by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., lettered by Robbie Robbins, edited by Chris Ryall

While an Imperial Planets fleet bombards Durla, forcing the shapeshifting species into submission, a team of young adventurers from the 30th-century is returning home in a time bubble, and the Enterprise is recalled to Earth. The time bubble is caught in a vortex and must make an emergency landing. Kirk and his crew beam down to San Francisco. Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, Chameleon Boy, Braniac 5 and Lightning Lad find themselves on 23rd-century Earth, but it’s not their Earth. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Sulu and Chekov find themselves on 23rd-century Earth too, and it’s not their Earth either. The humans living on the heart of the Imperial Planets are the most rapacious and power-hungry sentients in recorded history.

when where

Who?! What!!?? (Click to enlarge)

Our Legionnaires and Starfleet officers are in double trouble. We sense that as soon as we see the emblem of the Imperial Planets which has twice as many broadswords piercing the Earth as the emblem of the more familiar Terran Empire. I get the feeling that writer Chris Roberson is very comfortable in the Trek universe and enjoys the job of melding two comics franchises. If he’s having a good time, I think readers will enjoy the results. Is he doing the Legionnaires justice? I only have vague memories of the Legion from its earliest incarnation as backup to Superboy. Saturn Girl, Mon-El and Brainiac 5 are the only characters I remember from those long-ago days. Given Roberson’s pedigree as a science fiction and fantasy writer (including Star Trek: Myriad Universes: Echoes and Refractions), I trust he’ll treat them right.

This issue merely sets the stage for the story to come, but it has some interesting layouts and panels. The brothers Moy, who previously worked on Star Trek comics for Wildstorm and Marvel, explore several thousand years of human history in a few pages with great attention to detail and Fajardo’s colors are perfect, subtle when they need to be, vibrant when it’s right for the story. Robbie Robbins seems to letter everything IDW publishes. I wonder if he ever gets a vacation? A nice job by everyone involved. I’m ready for the next installment.

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #2 (of 6)
written by Chris Roberson, penciled by Jeffrey Moy, inked by Philip Moy, colored by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., lettered by Chris Mowry, edited by Chris Ryall

The unseen emperor of the Imperial Planets announces victory over Durla and a threat analysis of Organian, Controller, Klingon, Khund and Borg relations. The Legionnaires escape from a mob, but have to leave their damaged time capsule behind. On the other side of the continent, Kirk and his crew steal a shuttle and escape security forces, giving Spock time to study the history of this Earth. Brainy detects another time anomaly and directs the Legionnaires west to the site, setting up a confrontation between Legion and Starfleet personnel. Meanwhile, Imperial security takes an interest in the abandoned time capsule.

emperor

The emperor speaks.

Roberson begins to move the story along in issue #2, showing us the resourcefulness of Legionnaires and Starfleet officers. He also provides a fascinating look at familiar adversaries of the empire, its history, and introduces the emperor without showing his face. Basically, he’s done a nice job of ratcheting up suspense and my interest in this story arc. The Moy brothers get down to business showing individual characters in action across both inner city and arid desert landscapes. This very dynamic issue is also highlighted by Fajardo’s colors. And Robbie Robbins finally got a break. Chris Mowry competently handles lettering for this issue. So we have three good teams at work here, the Legion, Starfleet, and these creators. I’m wondering of Kirk or any of his crew will get to try out flight rings?

The covers and more …

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1 ships with six covers, with a seventh cover (a second printing) on the way. All the covers are striking in their own way. My favorite is Keith Giffen’s tortured battle landscape with a battered and bruised Spock, waiting tensely with phaser ready. Its got absolutely nothing to do with the story in this issue, but it’s a great cover. Spock is all over the covers for this issue. Does Spock sell comics? One of the covers is a Hastings Exclusive. For those of you who don’t live in the Mid-West or Western US, Hastings Entertainment is a brick & mortar chain based in Texas, selling books, music and movies in small to medium-sized cities. Last year they jumped into direct market comics retailing with both corporate feet and have been featuring monthly comics with exclusive covers from various publishers.

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Cover A: Phil Jimenez, color by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., Cover B: Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish, color by Romulo Fajardo, Jr.

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Covers RI-A-1 and RI-A-2: art and color by George Rodriguez

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Cover RI-B: a wraparound cover, art and color by George Rodriguez

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Cover RE: Hastings Exclusive by Phil Jimenez, Second Printing (coming in November), by Keith Giffen

There are a mere three covers for Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #2. Each B cover of this mini-series is drawn by a classic LSH artist. This issue features Steve Lightle, whose striking Good Girl Art style Uhura draws attention. George Rodriguez continues to pair up Star Trek characters with Legionnaires in mirror poses. Kirk and Cosmic Boy are featured on issue #2. Phil Jimenez provides a dramatic Kirk cover, surrounded by Enterprise crew and Legionnaires.

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Cover A: Phil Jimenez, color by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., Cover B: Steve Lightle, color by Romulo Fajardo, Jr.

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Cover RI: art and color by George Rodriguez

And if that isn’t enough Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes for you, IDW distributed a 4 in. x 6 in. signing card promoting the mini-series at this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con.

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2011 San Diego Comic-Con signing card, front and back

If you would like to know more about the creators, here are some links:

If you are a Legion newbie like me, information about their history (dating back to 1958) can be found out on the intertubes:

The IDW solicitation places this story in the Legion timeline after events chronicled in the Great Darkness Saga, written by Paul Levitz, with art by Keith Giffen and Larry Mahlstedt. As a Legion-challenged reader, I needed more information:

Many local comic shops sold out of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1, but the second printing will be at your local comic shop this week, along with issue #2. IDW Star Trek comics can also be purchased online at TFAW. A trade paperback collection will be published spring or summer 2012.

Star Trek
Legion of Super-Heroes
#1 of 6

Star Trek
Legion of Super-Heroes
#2 of 6

Star Trek
Legion of Super-Heroes
#3 of 6

Star Trek
Legion of Super-Heroes
#4 of 6

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$3.59
(Oct)

$3.19
(Nov)

$3.19
(Dec)

$2.59
(Jan)

Mark Martinez is an obsessive-compulsive Star Trek comics reader and collector. You can visit his website, the Star Trek Comics Checklist for more than you ever needed to know about Star Trek comics.

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Interesting stuff

This is off subject but…. 13 secs are missing from “Sins of the Father”. So they will upscale standard def to make up for it on the TNG Blu-ray sampler. I found a link with some info:
http://tvshowsondvd.com/n/16190#ixzz1d4ztdYxp

Could you guys find out anymore info?

I seriously hope this doesn’t happen often while re-mastering the rest of the series.

They should have comic that has the Kirk and crew working with the Justice League.

Quick Question: The new ST comics #1 and #2 deals with the TOS ep. “Where no men has gone before”. I noticed from the hightlights that there are some changes in the comics when compared to the original teleplay. For those who have read the comic did Gary Mitchells suffer an altered fate in the comic? Note that Bob said the comic events will hint at the plot for the new film and lead up to them. ST#3 and 4 will deal with “Galileo 7″ and #5 and 6 will deal with “Operation Annhilate”. In Trinidad there is no way I will ever get these comics. Please some help from our US fans on the plot point alterations seen in the comic series.

Aha. So this does not take place in the Mirror Universe, but in a parallel universe similar to it? Fascinating.

So are to believe that the unseen emperor is . . . Spock? Note the goatee and the deliberate concealment of the tops of the ears.

People need to learn how to draw TOS pants.

This is probably great for comics fans, but for me combining Star Trek with comic book superheroes is like combining oil and water. Next I expect to see a Star Trek – Lost in Space crossover story…

Long Live the Legion!

Wish they’d get Jim Shooter to write them again, though.

I for one would LOVE to see the Lost in Space robot on the Enterprise. And Dr. Smith would finally get what’s coming to him.
And Marta Kristen – she’d make a FINE replacement for Rand!

Everybody else they could just vaporize as far as I’m concerned. Especially that kid – he looks like he might wish everybody into a cornfield or something.

How about a Star Trek Battle Star Galactica crossover. Just saying.
Comics loo good.

Ugh. What a waste of talent. What’s next, a Bugs Bunny/Trek crossover? (Bugs saying to McCoy: “What’s up Doc?”)

I’d like to see a Doctor Who and Trek crossover, even though Star Trek is a fictional series in the Whoverse as well. I could forget the references made in the series if the story was a good one.

#11 People need to learn how to design and make (sew) decent looking pants for TOS male crew (good ones for the actors to wear). Even in Star Trek 09, the pants looked like they did not fit any of the actors properly.

私は非常に大きなペニスを持っている!

#19 – Hey! No cursing!

How about this.
How the Cylons became the Borg. Remember 150,000 Years ago a lone Cylon Base Ship left Earth and ended up in the Delta Quadrent.

@12

Some would say it was already done…

… and called ST: Voyager.

Reminds me of the attempted Star Trek/X-Men crossovers of the late ’80s (or early ’90s; can’t remember when exactly). I didn’t really care for the idea then, either. The hard scifi world of Star Trek doesn’t quite mesh with the fantasy universe of comic book heroes.

I like ST; I like comic books. But together? It’s kind of like peanut butter and sauerkraut.

I know that IDW can come up with better comics than what they’re giving us right now.

I flipped through this issue in the comic store. It was pretty cheesy and awful.

Bleegghh!

@23
This is a pretty funny review of the ST / XM comic
http://atopfourthwall.blogspot.com/2010/04/star-trekx-men-1.html

I must say that MALIBU´s comics “Deep Space Nine” series in the 1990´s were my favourite ST comics of all time.

@22

Good point concerning the Star Trek-Lost in Space crossover! LOL!

It would be cool to see a BSG / Trek crossover. Have the Galactica meet up with the Enterprise, or the Enterprise comes across the destroyed colonies.

And to think people have trouble taking comic books seriously.

29: “first world problems’, hehe

I’m shuddering. Maybe next we’ll have Jughead at the helm.

#28 For the sequel have Kirk and crew return to Earth because they learn of the Galactica and its fleet arriving and bringing the Cylons with them.

Or have Kirk and Crew meet O’Neill and SG-1.

Let’s have a pole. Who want’s to see Khan in the next movie? Who want’s the villain to be Klingons? And please…don’t get started on the “why does Star Trek need a villain” soapbox again! All comments welcome…you too Orci!

Or maybe Kirk could meet Kiss. Star Trek/Phantom of the Park crossover.

Breaking News!! We got a Star Trek clone series coming to Scifi from Robert Wolfe. I never really thought of it this way, maybe we don’t need the Star Trek name anymore and just do a general Scifi series set on an Earth Starship that isn’t from the Federation and Starfleet?

http://trekweb.com/articles/2011/11/09/Deep-Space-Nine-and-Andromeda-Producer-Robert-Hewitt-Wolfe-Developing-New-Untitled-Starship-TV-Series-for-Syfy.shtml

Sorry I meant Syfy Channel.

#35, yeah, maybe it will be as good as Andromeda that Wolfe also produced… EEK! I think I want to stick an agonizer in my rectum rather than watch anything like that again!

@ 18- I was cast as an extra in Trek 11. I was at the costume fitting and the cadet uniforms were horrible to try on. They gave me pants which seemed a size too small and the sweater (like Uhura wore) was about to strangle my neck. They were terrible costumes to try and put on and wear. I was going to be in the bar scene, but, they had enough extras, so, I was just at the fitting. I did get a check for the day (which I kept) it says ‘corporate headquarters’ on it! LOL! All I know is that they wanted to keep everything tight so, it would not wrinkle on Film. Roddenberry did the same thing with TNG Season 1 and 2.

How about a Grand Unified Movie? It’s the Death Star run by Cylons that blows up Vulcan but Sarek escapes through a Stargate to Pandora! OMG! (eyeroll)

#690, in August, the movie will still be in post. ZERO chance. Xmas ’12 at the earliest IMHO.

This is strange… the site is reloading, and I was putting that on the Del Toro thread. Sorry!

I personally think this looks awful. Star Trek and superheroes? It sucked when it was called Star Trek/X-men, and I’m sure it sucks now. The idea is just not a good one.

hey folks, Viacom’s CEO says we should be seeing Trek 2 sometime in 2013….
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/viacom-ceo-paramount-developing-ideas-260152

@43 so it’ll be summer 2013 then

what else is due out may/june/july 2013 – lets see…superman, Iron Man 3, F&F6, Pacific Rim, Thor 2, spielbergs robot film, Lone Ranger,

nothing THAT huge around (i.e. biillion $ grossers like TF, pirates, LOTR etc) so Star Trek 2 could be one of the big dawgs of the summer (that is if anyone remembers the first one by then ;) certainly less competition from the billion $ biggies than summer 2012 or 2011

I just finished reading #2, and it’s alright so far..Not the greatest..I’m hoping that it picks up soon.
I’ve never read the Legion of Super-Heroes before though lol
But so far it’s not too bad. Just a month to go for the next one..

PARAMONT, not Viacom, damn this split up has people confused as all get out

=P

Paramont = Movies

Viacom / CBS = Everything else

“J.J. Abrams is “focused on developing the next installment of our Star Trek franchise” for a potential release in 2013, the CEO said during his company’s quarterly earnings call. 
”

2013? Hold on guys, take your time. We don’t want to rush things…

The only reason comic companies do this is to cross-market their titles. Any time a character from one series shows up in another, it is a commercial.

“…to boldly go when no one has gone before!”

Whoever thought of this collaboration should be shot!

I’ve been a fan of Star Trek for over 40 years, so you will not see me buying this rubbish.