TrekInk: Review of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #6

uhura Chris Roberson’s tangled tale of temporal treachery reaches a barechested climax, followed by a reflective coda, inspired by and worthy of the original series. The final issue of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes from IDW Publishing is at your local comic shop this week. Spoilers and other Star Trek comics news after the break.

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #6 (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

In the present, the Emperor introduces his Starfleet and Legion guests to the tender mercies of the agony booth to learn where their colleagues have traveled in time. In the distant past, the other Starfleet/Legion team must free an all-powerful and somewhat sarcastic being from his prison, while under attack by cavemen and their savage beasts. Kirk stalls for time by getting under the Emperor’s skin, while Brainiac 5 and Spock deduce how to release the prisoner. And the timeline is repaired. Flint, now an old man who passes the time painting, receives a visit from an ancient adversary, and has a quiet chat.

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That Kirk! Always the diplomat.

After an exciting penultimate issue, I was afraid the final installment of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes might be a bit of a letdown, but I’m happy to say I was mistaken. Chris Roberson’s finishing touch is done in classic Trek style. Kirk takes a beating, loses his shirt, and takes on the villain with conviction instead of a phaser. Spock has his moment of logic and clarity under pressure. McCoy and his trusty hypospray get in on the action too. If anything, Roberson’s pays much closer attention to Trek memes than Legion memes. Or maybe I’m a little to close to the Star Trek universe. It doesn’t matter. I really enjoyed Roberson’s work. He concludes the mini-series with an unexpected epilogue featuring Flint, whose conversation with an old foe is touching. It’s too bad we don’t have any broadcast Star Trek right now. I think Roberson would do a great job writing episodic Trek.

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Spock and Brainiac 5 can’t believe their green ears!

Artists Jeffrey and Phillip Moy put their heart into all six issues of Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes. In the conclusion, tattered tunics and bare chests are the order of the day; a classic Trek television meme. Uhura wasn’t given much to do in the mini-series, but thanks to the Moy brothers, she remains a vision. Their Legion characters are treated with equal care and consideration. I hope IDW brings them back to Trek comics soon. Colorist Romulo Fajardo, Jr. did a tremendous job too. Roberson’s story ranged across time and space, from cityscapes to stone huts, from the dinner table to the agony booth, and Fajardo worked them all with skill. Kirk, the Emperor, and a certain all-powerful being had a lot to say in this issue. Kudos to letterer Chris Mowry for his efforts.

There are three covers for Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #6. Cover A by Phil Jimenez, with colors by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., is a tribute to the original series crew and the Legion. All six of Jimenez’ covers have a cinematic feel that ties together his contributions to the mini-series. Jeffrey Moy’s psychedelic art rendering of Uhura, Shadow Lass and Saturn Girl for Cover B reminds me of a classic Star Trek poster by Jim Steranko from the 1970’s and is a noteworthy finish to his work on the mini-series. The retailer incentive cover is by J. K. Woodward. Late last year, Woodward demonstrated how he painted this cover on his blog and it’s worth a look. Everyone who worked on the crossover did an outstanding job. I recommend Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes to everyone interested in a good Star Trek tale.

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Cover A: Art by Phil Jimenez, color by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., Cover B: Art by Jeffrey Moy

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Cover RI: Art by J. K. Woodward

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #6 is at your local comic shop this week. A hardcover collection of all six issues will be published July 2012 and can be pre-ordered at your local comic shop and from Amazon. IDW Star Trek comics can also be purchased online at TFAW.

Also released this week:

  • Star Trek Volume 1, trade paperback collection of the first four issues of the ongoing series

Released last week:

  • Star Trek 100-Page Spectacular 2012, a budget-priced collection of IDW Star Trek comics for new readers

And coming next week (originally planned for this week)

  • Star Trek #7, the first installment of a new two-part story that takes place shortly after the events of the last film

Coming soon to a comic shop near you (dates are subject to change):

  • Star Trek #8, 4/18/2012
  • Star Trek Classics Vol. 3: Encounters with the Unknown, trade paperback reprint of a Wildstorm collection of Star Trek comics
  • Star Trek #9, 5/16/2012
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who – Assimilation2 #1, 5/30/2012, the first installment of an eight-issue crossover mini-series with the eleventh Doctor and his companions
  • Star Trek #10, 6/2012
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who – Assimilation2 #2, 6/2012
  • Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes, 6/26/2012, hardcover collection of the six-issue mini-series (Note: the Direct Market first printing will be published with a Keith Giffen dust jacket)
  • Star Trek Volume 2, 7/31/2012, trade paperback collection of the next four issues of the ongoing series

Star Trek
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Star Trek
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Star Trek
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Star Trek
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Star Trek
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Star Trek
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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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Epic crossovers…

Might have to read these.

still not sure about it….

I’m trying…

Have to admit the teaser of Flint making an appearance at the end makes me want to see it.

Who is Flint? I’m not familiar with the character.

Please do not publish anymore of these ridiculous cross-overs!

True Star Trek fans do not want to read or see this rubbish!

@4 Flint is a character from original series episode *Requiem for Methuselah* See http://www.startrek.com/database_article/flint for more info

@5 Since IDW’s crossovers sell pretty well, we’re getting another in May ; an 8-issue mini-series featuring Next Gen/Doctor Who. Clearly there are Star Trek fans who like to read this kind of thing, myself included.

Maybe they will do a star trek meets santa clause next. Climax with Kirk going hand to hand combat against bobo the easter bunnies evil twin brother.

As long as their are a few winks to the original series it’s all good.

And while were reading it lets all pretend that we’re billionaires.

This miniseries is godawful. In my opinion, it’s IDW’s worst Star Trek title to date. I can’t even imagine how crossover crap like this gets greenlighted.

#6: Mark, you are a wonderful resource for Star Trek comics. Anyone who has not visited your site should do so immediately. So I very much value your opinion, as you’re a guy who clearly knows his Trek comics. But this crossover with League of Super-Heroes is complete and utter crap. If you like it, I respect your opinion, but for me, this sort of nonsense severely weakens the Trek franchise. It’s Star Trek/X-men all over again. Costumed superheroes do not belong in Star Trek, and if this is what IDW has in mind for Trek’s future, then they need to get out of the game and let another publisher take over that won’t publish crap like this.

@9 Thanks for the nod to the Star Trek Comics Checklist. I know that crossovers aren’t everyone’s cup of earl grey tea, but I think they help keep the publisher solvent and interested in publishing more Star Trek comics. Crossovers also put new eyeballs on Star Trek comics. Do they put off more long time fans than they bring in new fans? I don’t really know, but IDW still seems committed to publishing Star Trek comics, which keeps me happy.

i suppose Star Trek fans will always be Star Trek fans and if they choose not get involved with these crossovers for whatever reason then thats fair enough. They will still be Star Trek fans.

in a way it gets those people who have never got into Trek a chance to lay their eyes on it and maybe create more fans of Trek.

just an opinion.

still not sure about it but i am (and always will be) a Star Trek fan and will probably end up getting all the crossovers even though i am not sure about them.
somebody somewhere has really sucked me in (and no doubt seen me coming from a mile off!)

oh well, if that’s my lot in life… there’s a lot worse things i could be in to, of that there is no denying :)

the more Star Trek fans the better!

i suppose Star Trek fans will always be Star Trek fans and if they choose not get involved with these crossovers for whatever reason then that’s fair enough. They will still be Star Trek fans.

in a way it gets those people who have never got into Trek a chance to lay their eyes on it and maybe create more fans of Trek.

just an opinion.

still not sure about it but i am (and always will be) a Star Trek fan and will probably end up getting all the crossovers even though i am not sure about them.
somebody somewhere has really sucked me in (and no doubt seen me coming from a mile off!)

oh well, if that’s my lot in life… there’s a lot worse things i could be in to, of that there is no denying :)

the more Star Trek fans the better!

#6 – Ah okay, I remember him now. I thought Flint might have been a comic book character.

That caption under the first picture is hilarious.