Comics Review: Star Trek Ongoing #4

Apes! Damned dirty apes! Oh wait, wrong franchise! Stranded crewmembers, an uppity commissioner, and no Statue of Liberty. Seems like a Star Trek story to me! But apes? Just how do they play into it? Find out below in the TrekMovie review of the ongoing Star Trek comics issue #4 where the new movie crew finish up their take on "The Galileo Seven".

 

STAR TREK ONGOING #4 REVIEW

This fourth issue of IDW’s ongoing series presents the final half of "The Galileo Seven". For the first time in this series, the story has diverged significantly from the original. Is that a good thing? Hard to say for certain.

Picking up where the last issue left off, the Federation High Commissioner is insisting that Kirk abandon his crewmembers on the shuttle somewhere in the quasar-like formation, and Kirk insisting that they’re still alive. Some unspoken communication between Uhura and Kirk leads to her leaving the bridge and missing Kirk pulling a reverse of the "I’m taking command" scene.

This is the first time in the ongoing series that we actually get to see any really significant changes to the original stories. The first story had a slightly different denouement, but nothing major, but the ending of this story is vastly altered. The care that Kirk has for his crew shows in the way he stands up to the Commissioner and quotes regulations at him. His insistence on referring to Spock in the present tense and noting his qualities as an officer stand out too, as do his final actions in the story.


Kirk and Uhura share some weird eye staring. For a whole page. A. Whole. Page. (click to enlarge)

The fact that this issue has begun presenting what feels like an original story helps and gives hope that future issues will diverge even further, never mind the upcoming original tales expected in the new year. The best sequence in the entire issue is the way Kirk reacts to Commissioner Ferris and his demands. It shows an honest respect for his crew and his growth as a commanding officer. Tales along this line are what the original Trek was all about, and this series is finally starting to gain that footing.

Artists Stephen Molnar and Joe Phillips continue to work together, but their roles are more defined this go-around: Molnar provides the layouts, while Phillips provides the pencils and inks. The faces continue to be recognizable, but some of the exterior views of the shuttles look odd. As most of the issue takes place on the planet or onboard one of the ships, there isn’t much opportunity to give any large scale visuals, but the interiors do look sharp. The only really disappointing panel for me was the final one, as it looked too cartoonish for my tastes.


If it was made more clear what the penalties for violating the Prime Directive were, I’m sure more people would follow the rules… (click to enlarge)

John Rauch and Neil Uyetake continue to do the colors and letters, as they have for every issue in the series thus far. There isn’t much to do for either of them in this issue as the majority of the issue takes place inside a white Enterprise or shuttle Gallileo, with only a few panels on the planet. Uyetake uses four sound effects in the entire issue, but could have possibly used more during the early ape attack.

The primary cover is once again provided by Tim Bradstreet, in the same style as the prior covers, all based around the Starfleet delta. This is his darkest cover of the lot, almost feeling like it would suit a forensics TV series such as Bones. The alternate cover is done by Joe Corroney, and is another in his Starleet propaganda series. Not as fun as the one on the last issue, but the giant venus fly-traps are a nice touch. The retailer incentive covers feature a black and white version of Bradstreet’s main cover and a photo of Chekov.


Covers for "Star Trek Ongoing #4"
(click to enlarge)

Star Trek Ongoing #4 available now

Star Trek Ongoing #4 is available in comic stores now. You can order it from TFAW, along with picking up some back issues and pre-ordering future issues. (Note: Issues 1 & 2 are in their second printing).

Star Trek Ongoing
#1
Star Trek Ongoing
#2
Star Trek Ongoing
#3

$3.99

$3.99

$3.19
September October November
Star Trek Ongoing
#4
Star Trek Ongoing
#5
Star Trek Ongoing
#6

$3.19

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December 28 January February

If you can wait, the first volume compiling the first individual issues will be released on March 13th. You can pre-order it at Amazon.

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Just downloaded it! Now I’m just hoping they make a new Trek Animated series!

“Some unspoken communication between Uhura and Kirk leads to her leaving the bridge and missing Kirk pulling a reverse of the “I’m taking command” scene.”

I don’t understand…

What a pointless series. Besides this being a blatent cash-grab by Orci and company of the classic episode screenplays written by TOS great writers (who are not seeing a dime here!), we get weird changes and direction and bizarre scenes like the Kirk-Uhura stare-down.

Please join me in boycotting the purchase of these comics. Let’s send Orci and company a clear message that we want original stories and that we don’t support this morally bankrupt and ill-advised enterprise.

I will not join MJ, as I think his call is misguided and everyone is right to their opinion.

Please join me in reading these comics and enjoying a little bit of Trek fun each month.

The writers have now said that they are seeding some of these stories with clues and mentions of things that will come up in the next film, and I think that is fun .

No one is making or spending a fortune on these comics, and it is a pleasant way to revisit some of the classic Trek stories we all love.

I didn’t read the whole thing yet but I’m wondering what Kirk’s action to Uhura leaving her post is. I read it as he looked at her with a kind of “sorry, I know this hurts you but we have to leave,” not a “hey, take off in another shuttle craft and good luck” I mean why would Kirk be willing to allow another person he cares about to risk their life? One of the best scenes in the TOS takes place in “Who Mourns for Adonais?” When Scotty, being emotional, keeps going after Apollo (against Kirks orders) because Apollo is going after Scotty’s girl. In the episode Kirk flips out on Scotty tells himself to pull himself together and follow orders. After the verbal bitch-slap Kirk adds something that can translate to “besides I care about you, and don’t want to see you get hurt” I think it would be great if in this series Kirk had a moment like this with Uhura. Part of Kirks struggle was always the balance between being a strong leader and being lenient enough on people because he cared about them. I don’t know… from what I read so far this Kirk is more “I break the rules, so it’s cool if you break the rules, it’s all good bro.” Maybe I read this all the wrong way. Hopefully I did.

You know what would make this better? – shower scenes! Lots of them!

MJ. Cash grab?

I am paid exactly ZERO dollars for my participation in this series.

Um, bone to pick – this issue is NOT the first time the comic has diverged from the original series stories – the first story “Where No Man Has Gone Before” totally left out the Elizabeth Dehner (Sally Kellerman in the pilot) character – being relegated to a mere throw-away lie. Thus in the new Trek Verse she’s still alive and out there, while in the “Prime” universe she’s dead and buried along with Gary Mitchel and Kelso on Delta-Vega Part B.

I haven’t read it either, except for the recent sample panels from the issue.

From the samples, I took Kirk and Uhura’s stare as being more of a mutual sense of dread as to the fate of Spock.

Uhura basically left the Bridge to grab the shuttle, and Kirk’s reactions was a WTF reaction to Uhura suddenly leaving.

Kirk is likely to give Uhura an official slap-on-the wrist, while privately thanking her for saving his friend’s life, if that is how it plays out.

@7 Perhaps, but anything that builds the brand makes for more successful selling of the products you do get paid for, which is good. I have no issues with you guys making as much money as you can from your efforts. Nothing wrong with that, and as you seem to enjoy what you do, thats a bonus.

I’m totally enjoying this series. It’s just a little fun. I have no idea who gets what money or anything like that I just think it’s fun.
I think that Kirk looked at Uhura as if to say “I’m sorry we may have to leave Spock behind”. But She later thins “To heck with this!! I’m going out there!!” All on her own. I think he cares for both of them and is torn and gave her a look in that regard. Remember it’s Uhura who is in love with Spock and Kirk knows this. I don’t think Kirk’s feelings for Uhura ever got past the “flirt” stage. But I think he respects her greatly by now.

Uhura seemed to abandon her post frequently in Trek 09. Hopefully they will fix that problem in the next installment……

@7 Bob Orci.

Sadly, Trolls seem to be popping up everywhere.

As I follow the Prime Directive, I choose not to interfere with MJ’s primitive thinking. Perhaps there is some red matter in his soup.

Keep up the good, watchful guidance. You seem to be the great bird for a bit- and you are doing a fine job.

Oh, and while I’m at it-

@ 8 William Noetling

I am with you on the Dehner being missing thing (I’d noted it on another thread as a possible movie background theme)

Bones always got short shrift when it came to love interest(s) (Salt Monster and Yonada Chick aside) So it would be really cool if the new movie featured Bones’ ex being a key piece of new Trek Movie plot.

If I were writing Trek, and thought to myself- “what hasn’t been done….”
Bones’ backstory would be a natural go-to.

3/7

Wow. Had a good laugh.

I thought “Cowboys & Aliens” was the ‘cash-grab’ between Star Treks.

Or maybe a bit of “Hawaii Five-O” and “Fringe” for beer money.

MJ: Be nice to the writers/producers while they make your movie next year. We like having them around.

I’ve been enjoying these. It’s the rare exception to the fact Paramount doesn’t seem to really want to push merchandise from Trek09. Embrace it folks, this is the new normal for Trek and I for one am delighted; any chance to go aboard the Enterprise…

Now, how do we get Jolene Blalock as T’Pring?

Is everyone forgetting that Bones, Kirk’s best friend, is on the lost shuttle with Spock? I took the Kirk/Uhura eyeball exchange as mutual recognition, shared sorrow; no objection to it. It was a well executed plot turning point, I thought.

I liked Uhura’s stand alone performance, but wanted it to be believable. A single-handed 11th hour rescue, executed within a matter of minutes(?) after more than 24 hours of failed multiple, coordinated, fully crewed shuttle rescue searches, and with recognition of better odds finding a needle in a haystack, is silly.

The ending makes it clear that the S/U romance is blooming; so unless we get a dramatic break-up between now and the sequel, I’m guessing that relationship will be in full swing on the big screen.

Still love the comic series. If it’s this Trek or no Trek, I’ll take what I can get and won’t begrudge anyone making money on it. I just wish the writers would write the stories they want to write while showing some respect for plausibility.

#3

Are you forgetting the whole IDIQ thing, MJ? Hardly pointless, it’s giving some view to the events of the Alternate Timeline. I’m enjoying what I’ve seen so far, so, no, I won’t be boycotting them. In fact, I’ve probably convinced about three or four people I know to give them a fair shake at this point.

To each his own, eh?

Thanks boborci, and good luck with the production!

And before I forget; thanks, Bob, for contributing to the series. As stated, I’m enjoying it. I’m finding myself buying comics again — something I haven’t done in a long while — and anticipating their arrival. Hell, they’re even drawing the new ENTERPRISE in such a way I don’t want to retch every time I see it. ;-)

Was hoping for the same thing (i.e., revisiting the stories) but figured on novel format; this is quite good. Wouldn’t say no to an animated series (a la CLONE WARS) either.

That said, the next TREK is shaping up exactly as I hoped: the crew will have had years of experience together under their belts. I was thinking that a few years at least should have passed when the next TREK begins on the screen, and was hoping for bits of dialog in the next film to hint at this event (e.g., one of the crew to mention certain incidents that clue us in to TOS stories having had occurred, if that makes sense).

The TOS episode was more dramatically effective in never showing the faces of these creatures. Certainly they did not look much like extras in “Beneath the Planet of the Apes”!

I for one am enjoying the Comics. I would love to see a new Animated Series with the new crew doing all of the Tos Eps.

Hey Bob Orci. How many more Comics do you plan on doing before the new movie comes out.

I had a lot of fun with the “Where No Man” adaptation, but this one was pretty lousy. I don’t feel we learn anything new here, other than Uhura appears to have no problem abandoning her post whenever her boyfriend is in trouble.

That said, I’m looking forward to “Operation:Annihilate”.

who’s Bob Orci?

Not a fan of the reimagining of classic episodes with the new cast. I like to compare it to putting the cast of Twilight in Casablanca. I do like the idea of new stories in Star Trek comics with the new cast. The Vulcan comics look promising. I will wait till they bind all the issues together, I don’t go to the comic book store at all. I’m also looking forward to the video game and the new story there. Could it be a game as great as Mass Effect?

The http://img.trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/weird_innuendor_stare.jpg (Uhura/Kirk image) embiggen link doesn’t work. Please fix.

All in all, I just think Anton Yeltsin’s Chekov needs a new tailor to make some better fitting pants. Or take a tip from TOS and tuck them into his boots.

Oh, and Bob Orci, I think you at least should get some beer money for the use of your name. I think that’s fair. Thank you for being involved in Trek. Cheers!

I just want to be able to get hold of even one of the comics.

Yes, it could be a bit lame Uhura taking off in a shuttle to look for the missing crew, if the Enterprise, with all its sensors and speed, had not been able to find them. I guess Lt Uhura saw it as a last ditch attempt and she could no longer sit around, waiting and hoping. Rather impulsive though. It would be good to see how Captain Kirk deals with a communications officer leaving her post without being ordered to…

All the Starfleet uniforms need to have better tailors design and make them. The colours and materials are fine/great – the fittings not so good always.

23. Good question. I should ask Mike Johnson. Johnson? You lurking?

25. I am!

my partner alex and I wrote the first Trek, and then we teamed up with Lindelof to write and produce the next Star Trek.

Bob Orci, I apologize for being mistaken over your involvement in these. Whoever is cashing the checks here though should at least make an attempt to share what profits there are with the original series screenplay authors.

And for whoever is overseeing these comics, I do think it is a waste of creativity to do comics on the back of TOS episodes instead of new and original stories. I like TOS stories the way they are, and don’t need them tampered with. Besides, it is ludicrous to think the the Enterprise, with its current crew, given they are voyaging in different years and in different parts of space then the Enterprise of the prime timeline, would be running into the same “episodes” that they ran into in the original timeline. Red Matter is far more believable to me.

@13 “Sadly, Trolls seem to be popping up everywhere.”

You disagree with me. I get that. However, your simplistic response of name-calling against me undermines the credibility of your response. I have explained why I don’t like this concept for the comics; if you have an intelligent, reasoned contrary response beyond name-calling, I am all ears?

@15 “MJ: Be nice to the writers/producers while they make your movie next year. We like having them around.”

I stand corrected and apologized to Bob. There was an earlier article on this website that implied Bob had some control/lead role in these comics. I am very much looking forward to Bob’s work on the sequel.

@22 “I for one am enjoying the Comics. I would love to see a new Animated Series with the new crew doing all of the Tos Eps.”

Commodore, give me your agonizer. :-0

@26 “Not a fan of the reimagining of classic episodes with the new cast. I like to compare it to putting the cast of Twilight in Casablanca.”

BB, you are a man of good taste!

26 — ” I like to compare it to putting the cast of Twilight in Casablanca.”

Which is a lot scarier than anything “Twilight” itself has to offer!

7. Bob Orci, you are a noble Trekkie.
PS: got to see you on “Prophets of Science Fiction” last night. Finally, an entire show devoted to sci-fi writers.

Oh my… I’m dying to see the evolution of Kirk/Pine in the movie….

:-) :-)

The idea of reimagining of TOS episodes in this new universe wouldn’t be so bad if only they would also do new stories. I mean, wasn’t the idea of a new timeline supposed to allow writers to break free from canon?

The new series seems more like a ” Beatles Greatest Hits Remixed and Remade” Collection by Britney Spears.

C’mon guys, “I dare you to do better!”

Yeah man, mega cash grab. I’m sure Orci is in a smoke-filled room right now counting up the millions he makes from being an adviser for these comics. I can hear the maniacal laughter.

Mr. Bob Orci, Happy New Year… and please keep coming here when Trek sequel is “blasting” on the set in the coming months … :-) :-)

@40 “The idea of reimagining of TOS episodes in this new universe wouldn’t be so bad if only they would also do new stories. I mean, wasn’t the idea of a new timeline supposed to allow writers to break free from canon? The new series seems more like a ” Beatles Greatest Hits Remixed and Remade” Collection by Britney Spears. C’mon guys, “I dare you to do better!” ”

Well said! Be careful though RDR, or you might be labeled a troll for expressing such an outrageous opinion as this. :-)

Bob Orci:

It is awesome that you participate on this site! Trek is great and the fact that you give the fans a chance to interact with you is awesome.

Ralf Smith

I quite liked this one. The art was much smoother compared with the last issue, where it was obvious two artists with two different styles were sharing character duties. And I went ‘oh, SNAP’ when Kirk started quoting regulations (aka ‘sit down, shut up, I’m the captain here’). I appreciate it when the new Kirk is represented as smart and capable, because he is. I also thought the Spock/Uhura was very sweet, and the little interactions between the shuttle crew were nice (especially with Scotty and Bones).

I hope there’s a Bones-centered story in future. Do you know if there’s one planned, Bob (or any other creators who might be lurking)?

32. boborci – December 29, 2011
23. Good question. I should ask Mike Johnson. Johnson? You lurking?

Come on Mike. Are you hanging around here. lol.

#43.

Hey, you know as I do that the truth has to be told!

Hey MJ. You can have my Agoniser when you pry it from my cold dead finger’s.
Runs like Hell.

Ok. Bob Orci has my Agoniser. He asked to borrow it for something. Would not tell me what it was for. But I think he has special plans to use it on someone.

@33

Cheers mate.

Now I know! hee hee hee

Happy New ears, fella.

looking forward to the next installment of Star Trip.

:)