TrekInk: Mission’s End #3 Review + Previews of Alien Spotlight: Romulans & Spock Reflections #1

McCoy and Chekov have been captured by giant millipedes, Kirk and Spock are trying to find out why the spider creatures are acting so strangely, and the Federation is insisting that things get sorted out quickly for a new member. Find out more in our review of the new third issue of the "Star Trek Mission’s End" comic. We also have previews of next week’s "Alien Spotlight: Romulans" and July’s "Spock Reflections"

 

MISSION’S END #3 REVIEW

After a relatively long break since the second issue, the third issue of "Mission’s End" has now arrived in stores. We left off with McCoy and Chekov being split from the rest of the Enterprise crew and lost in the jungles of Archeirnar IV. Elsewhere on the planet, Kirk, Spock, and Cassady are going through a funeral service for the officers lost in the destruction in the last issue.


Just because McCoy is older than Chekov doesn’t mean that he has to rub his nose in it all the time… (click to enlarge)

It turns out that the creatures that have captured McCoy and Chekov turn out to be intelligent, moreso than prevously thought. The two quickly revert to their natural instincts and McCoy tends to some injuries as they discover that the creatures worship machine parts – parts of the Machine of the Gods it seems. On the other side, the king spider continues to act oddly around Kirk and Spock. We also re-encounter the man from the prologue of issue #1, now assigned to the Enterprise by Section 31 (actually spelled out in text this time). Finally, Kirk has a plan that is put into jeopardy almost as soon as he begins to implement it.

The artwork in this issue by Stephen Molnar does not seem quite as sharp as the first two issues, and some parts almost seem a bit rushed. The colors jump out off the page bringing a lot of life to the page due to John Hunt’s work. One thing that really struck me was the use of sunlight beams coming through the jungle overhead, something that is not obvious until you look at the panels closely. Robbie Robbins letters this issue, and one thing that really strikes me is the lettering of the various insects. I personally find it difficult to read as the font is squiggly and crooked, and the bubbles are jagged.


This is one redshirt that’s survived more than one mission… (click to enlarge)

Joe Corroney is providing all of the primary issues for this series, and like #2, there is only the one cover. This one features a good look at McCoy and Chekov at the alert as the millipede/cockroach creaturees sneak up behind them. Of course, this one isn’t really all that accurate to what actually happens, but it is definitely eye catching.

This issue does not play quite as well as the first two issues, but the prologue from the first issue finally comes back into play here. It also ends with a cliffhanger, but things are starting to fall into place… for the most part. There are two more issues for Ty Templeton to show us what he can do.



Cover for "Mission’s End" #3
(click to enlarge)

Star Trek Mission’s End #3 is available in comic stores now.

You can #3 order it from TFAW as well as picking up previous issues and pre-ordering the final two.

Star Trek Mission’s End Series

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

$3.59
(avail. now)

$3.59
(April)

$3.59
(May)

$3.19
(June)

$3.19
(July)

 

IDW STAR TREK COMIC PREVIEWS

Alien Spotlight: Romulans (May 20) – 5 page preview
Coming up next week from IDW is the second Alien Spotlight on Romulans. This time Ian Edginton presents his take on a veteran Romulan looking to get into politics. IDW have sent us a preview of the first five pages, check it out.

 

 
(Alien Spotlight: Romulans cover & first five pages – click to enlarge)

Look for our review of this issue on Wednsday

The Romulans issue of Alien Spotlight can be pre-ordered from TFAW. The Klingons issue is still available, but Tribbles is sold out.

#1
Tribbles

#2
Klingons

#3
Romulans

#4
Q

#5
??

#6
??

     –      

     –      

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sold out

$3.59
(available)

$3.19
(May)


(August)


(TBA)


(TBA)


Spock: Reflections 3 page preview

Also coming up soon is David Messina’s two issue "Spock: Reflections" story. This looks into the details as to why Spock chose to try to reunite Vulcan and Romulus and what lead to him spending so much time on Romulus before traveling back in time with Nero.
IDW have sent us pages 2, 12, and 15, all without dialogue, to show off some of the art from the upcoming issue.

 
 
(Spock: Reflections cover & pages 2, 12, and 15 – click to enlarge)

You can pre-order the first issue of Spock Reflections from TFAW

Spock Reflections

#1

#2

$3.19
(July)


(August)

 

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Looks good to seethe original crew in some new advatures

ST Countdown was the first comics I ever read.
I think I’m going to buy more now!
Graphics seems great, I hope stories are good as well.

Who want’s to bet one of the 3 redshirts dies?

It’s nice to know that the crew are well depicted in these new adventures.

IDW does trek comics right. I am really happy John Byrne is doing his turn at trek.

I actually liked this issue better than the previous two. I thought there was more action and we were finally getting to the bottom of what’s been going on. The art seemed to me to be not all that different from the previous issues.

By the way, I do want to say you folks are doing a great job covering the Trek comics. I’ve always wondered why people who like Trek on TV and in the movies can’t get excited about comics, which is a strongly visual medium. Thanks for the coverage!

So happy to see Saurians.

The Romulans Spotlight looks interesting. I might pick those issues up. The story sounds interesting and the art looks pretty good. I like the interior of the ship.

I’m looking forward to TWOK minni-series. I hope the art is out of this world!

MYSTERY OF THE LIGHTENING STORM

I’m sure many of us have things we liked and things we felt could have been done better. However, I was wondering if I missed something – the “Lightening Storm”.

When Nero’s ship emerged from the black hole I saw lightening. When Spock’s ship came through there were the flashes of light. HOWEVER, when Kirk hears the report of a lightning storm over Vulcan I began to wonder: Does Nero’s ship always produce this effect?

NO. When the Narada enters and exits warp, no spectacular effect is seen. So, how was it that the Vulcans reported a lightning storm? Was not the lightening storm effect reserved for the black hole passage? True, Vulcan did end up in a black hole, but when the attack began what storm were they referring to?

Was this an error in the script or did I miss something?

Wow, a Saurian …

One of Trek’s most widely talked about species, and they only got a background cameo in one of the huge group scenes in TMP.

Whenever I think of them now I think of Kiff Kroker from Futurama.

Those are some buff Romulans.

The artist for that issue, he didn’t by any chance work on a lot of superhero comics before this one, did he? :)

I found the first three issues of MISSION’S END to be rather lackluster. However, with the appearance of the Orions it looks like the last two issues may pick up the pace a bit.

Really looking forward to SPOCK: REFLECTIONS. It’s from the same writers/artist team that produced KLINGONS: BLOOD WILL TELL and MIRROR IMAGES.

This Alien Spotlight series has been spotty. The Klingon issue was well written, and the Tribble story novel enough that both are worth buying. The Gorn and Vulcan issues just had lazy, forced writing and are completely skippable.

The Romulan preview encourages me to skip it. The skin-tight body builder artwork is ridiculous…

http://img.trekmovie.com/images/comics/ASRomulans_3.jpg

…and a too common failing in Trek comics. Is the commander posing for a competition there? Did Rob Liefield draw this?

Sorry, I don’t usually post negative posts here, but there have been outstanding Trek comics (John Byrne, Peter David) and it’s disappointing when they’re done as a quick buck off the franchise.

Giant cockroaches and other monsters have no place in Trek. Leave them for the kiddies. Blah.

Their uniform shirt collars are looking more like the current movie’s collar with this issue of “Mission’s End”, especially the “baginess” below the black area…
BTW, I saw the movie for the fifth time today, caught a line that I had missed before, McCoy (off camera) saying “NURSE CHAPEL, ASSIST ME PLEASE” and Nurse Chapel replying “YES DOCTOR.” It was in the scene where Kirk is in sickbay and McCoy gives him a shot that knocks him out.

I still did not see R2D2 in it…

the art is a little stiff- the characters are spot on but the story seems a little unimportant for the crews last last mission- it seems to have no personal significance.
The “Red Shirt” moment is fun…

Yay, Romulans! :3

Can’t wait to see/get the Q Alien Spotlight.

That, and maybe Spock Reflections….

@15

Okay I won’t mention the Salt Vampire, the Mugatu or the Horta if you don’t!

-cs™

can’t wait for the Mission’s End trade paperback to come out :)
it has been a positive couple of years for Star Trek mini-series
:D

also Star Trek: Countdown is AMAZING!

Wow! This preview on Spock Reflections makes me wanna buy it – a soon as possible!

To #14 Rainbucket,

I absolutely agree with your statement regarding the skin-tight Romulan uniform. I was turned off by it to. I think the problem with a lot of comic book artists is the tendency to draw in a superhero style: skintight, spandex uniforms, muscular, and posed.

@10 isn’t the second lightning storm the arrival of Spock Prime’s jelly fish from the future, just as the first is the arrival of Nero’s Narada? I could be wrong but that was the impression I got.

meh dont think i’ll bother with spock reflections. countdown was suffient backstory.