After a delay of several months, Brannon Braga’s bewildering Borg brawl to end all Borg brawls concludes this week, with the fourth and final issue of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Hive. Spoilers, nanoprobes, green Borg goo, Seven, and a poll ahead.
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Hive #4 (of 4)
Story by Brannon Braga, script by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, art by Joe Corroney, ink assists by Matt Fillback and Shawn Fillback, colors by Hi-Fi, letters by Shawn Lee, edited by Scott Dunbier
Story
Data has gone back in time 500 years with a weaponized nano-virus programmed into his neural net. He convinces Picard that the virus can destroy the Borg within hours. To deliver the weapon, Picard must allow himself to be assimilated by the Borg Queen. He asks Seven for assistance. Picard, Data and Seven beam aboard the flagship of the Borg armada. The Borg Queen welcomes Locutus with a passionate injection of nanoprobes while Seven injects Picard with her own nanoprobe filters to conceal the nano-virus from the Queen. The Borg Queen is reduced to a puddle of green goo and the collective begins dying. While the Enterprise stalls for time, Seven attempts to free as many Borg from the collective as she can. Ultimately, Seven saves thousands, but at the cost of her own life. The Borg survivors are given a new colony of their own and Picard is alone with his thoughts at last.
¡No más!
Review
As I was reading the conclusion of the Borg story to end all Borg stories, my mind began to wander, and when the Borg Queen and Locutus are reunited, I began thinking of Arlo Guthrie’s lyrics to Alice’s Restaurant because everyone was getting injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected and selected (although not necessarily in that order). In the end, I had to ask, Picard, have you rehabilitated yourself?, then wait for the tune to come around again on the guitar to join in the chorus. Really. As I said in the teaser, Brannon Braga’s story, scripted valiantly by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, is bewildering. Maybe I’m just all Borged out. On the plus side, the art by Joe Corroney, the Fillbach brothers and Hi-Fi is sumptuous. You heard me right. Sumptuous. Opulent. Extravagant. Corroney and crew had a blast with this issue. There’s even a near-NSFW page featuring Picard and Seven to go along with the moderately suggestive storyline. Ok, enough of that. I really don’t know if I can recommend this comic. The art is good. The story is weird. Your mileage may vary.
Cover A features the artwork of Joe Corroney. His portrait of Picard, Seven and the Queen is worthy of a movie poster. The photo cover features Locutus and the Queen. The retailer incentive cover by David Messina was cancelled. You can find Hive #4 at your local comic shop this Wednesday, February 27. Don’t forget bag and board protection for this issue. The trade paperback collection of Hive is scheduled for release in April.
Cover A: Art by Joe Corroney, Cover B: Photo cover
Preview of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Hive #4
Which would you prefer for viewing the comic previews provided by IDW Publishing, all the pages together in one PDF file, or each page in a separate JPEG file? Please let me know in the comments.
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Hive #4 Preview (PDF)
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Hive #4 Preview (JPEG)
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.
So, having read the entire story, I’m not sure I really need to buy the comic, or even read it.
However, I like the idea of new Trek comics.
Brannon had one idea, and rode it to death.
Destroying the Borg with a nano virus.
Hasn’t that been done before?
I like the PDF.
Just read the previous 3 Hives. It’s a concentrated version of all the Voyager and Enterprise cliches and double-crosses.
I thought that Data was obsolete in the Borg order?
I’ve liked the JPEG format since they can be clicked through on the same page.
I’m of the opinion that the borg story to end all borg stories had to have been the Destiny Trilogy.
True TNG. The mandatory Prime Directive debate, anf the technobabble solution. Shall we dance?
i will be getting the last comic,as i have brought the other issues, however i was never ever holding my breath,or could not wait until the next issue,no ways as good as the recent next gen/dr who crossover, kept asking why i am putting even more cash into Brannon pocket,for me the main person who brought star trek to an Holt
From the reviews and pages, it just seems like another typical Braga TNG/VOY story, except that 7 dies. More time travel, more Borg, more magical tech tech tech fixes to pull everyone’s tails out of the fire.
I dunno. Maybe that’s the point of this series: TNG nostalgia. I get it, especially after all this time (I jumped this on B & B’s run after VOY).
But it kind of feels like Braga just fell back on familiar tropes and devices just like he did in VOY. It just doesn’t feel that this series is particularly noteworthy or original. I’m just not interested in reading it. I mean, if I’m nostalgic for TNG or VOY, I’d rather watch one of my DVDs so I can get a story very similar to what’s here.
A story from one of the guys who ruined Trek? Nah…
3:
” Destroying the Borg with a nano virus.
Hasn’t that been done before?”
Yes. “Independence Day.”
7–The Destiny novel series was great. I was glad Mack finally put an end to the Borg. Don’t get me wrong, the Borg were a great villain, probably one of the best (along with the Dominion), but like everything, it was starting to lose the luster. It was time to move on.
But the novel universe is different than the comic universe. For myself, I’ve chosed to go with the novels because I like to read. But even if someone weren’t so much into the novels, I’d still recommend Destiny. It really tied the Borg’s origins and their end together nicely.
3. Like in the Voyager finale?
The plot doesn’t make a lot of sense.
On top of that, Picard behaves very unPicardian. And poor Seven gets no favours from the story — she goes through hell (and is sent into the collective for years as a supposed plant, in a scheme hatched by Picard, who meets her as Voyager triumphantly returns and recruits her into his self-directed secret Borg spy mission).
And then there’s the magic reset at the end (except for 7 being dead, but hey, she was doomed the second she was assimilated).
I can see how some of these elements could be made to work, but this story doesn’t do that.
This reminded me of that Borg episode where 7 finds her dad is alive as a drone — and *we never ever hear about it again*
Somone might have posted this already, but could you imagine…if Wahlberg had actually gotten the part and was George Kirk??? Thankfully that bullet was dodged! http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/02/26/mark-wahlberg-star-trek/
#15
I doubt he was ever seriously considered. The guy has an ego the size of a skyscraper.
If this had had some callbacks to the recent TNG/DW crossover comic which ALSO involved the Borg and Time Travel I think this might have been a little more interesting. Remember, the end of the crossover series has the Borg wanting to master time travel so they could have used that to lead into this. I don’t get the wisdom in doing ONE epic Borg story with this now, after we JUST got another. Not to mention the Destiny trilogy, which was also all about the Borg. I wish there was some cohesion between the Trek novel/comics verse like there is with the novels so at least there would be some continuity. And then add in the Borg in Star Trek Online…which of these Borg extermination stories are we to believe? At least with the SW expanded universe they try to keep continuity. It’s like you have three separate continuities now: comics, novels and STO with Star Trek.
I eagerly await the next edition: BORG BORG BORG BORG BORG: PART BORG
17–The lack of continuity can be frustrating. You basically have to choose which you’ll follow, unless you want to get totally confused. Unlike Star Wars, there’s really no overseer of Star Trek that keeps it all together. I’ve just sort of learned to accept that there’s no way to reconcile the different time lines.
I will say it does look like the novels are trying to take some of the Countdown Comics into account (Picard has considered going into Diplomacy, Data’s return, though by different means). It will also be interesting to see the end of Romulus in the novel world and how that affects the Prime Timeline balance of power (in particular with the Typhon Pact). They’re up to 2384, so 3 more years.
Star Trek: Destiny seems to have the best “End of the Borg” story. Great novel.
#16 I know, but still…just imagine it… :)
Brannon Braga seems to being giving the star trek 2009 universe the middle finger by saying that 500 years into the future Picard/Locutus makes his move to destroy the Borg.
In which case Picard would have been assimilated before the Countdown comics begin.
Hive has been awful. I don’t even plan to bother buying the final issue.
I really have to wonder why IDW published this crap. Who’s holding the editorial reins over there?? They’re slipping.
Killing off Seven, is a douchebaggy move, as it’s quite clear that Braga enjoyed putting his ex’s character through hell. It’s like the character is a stand in for his feelings about Jeri. Beating up on Seven both by the script, and graphically…. is just a replay of a Voyager episode or two. Total CRAP.
There’s a reason why Moore, Goodman, Taylor, and others got the heck out of B&B Dodge City, and this crap series of comics shows why.
And Picard already solved his Borg issues during First Contact. Are we supposed to think everything Lily helped him work through is totally forgotten?
#25: Exactly, thank you. I honestly don’t understand how Braga could have so poor a grasp of Star Trek, given his intimate involvement with it.
JPEG please. as much as convience a PDF format maybe, it still requires a DOWNLOAD for viewing a PDF. JPEG still means less BS at the business end that matters: the viewer.
You can tell ST: Enterprise was an awesome prequel by how character’s named Archer turn up in comic books now.
Wow… I found myself tuning out of that review! You should have just stuck to a review of the comic and not going off tangent on the song running through your head. Sorry, but this is the worst review I ever read… you lost me as I was reading through it.
#29: I take it you’ve never been to any other review site, as Mark’s reviews, including this one, are better than much of what else is out there. I’m just going to chalk up your comment to melodramatic hyperbole, because there’s no way I can take it seriously otherwise.
30. BatlethInTheGroin
Seriously dude. I could care less about if he liked the comic or not. I just think the review was very poorly done. Almost rushed through and not completely thought out. I have read some of his reviews before and this was not up to his usual standard. It just seems he called this one in.
New Star Trek video game footage.
http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/wg8slm/star-trek-gc-2012–gorn-and-enterprise-interview
I am no longer quite so certain that Berman and Braga are totally responsible for the death of Trek TV.
Star Trek began its death plunge after Trek went back to a network. The Suits took control. After hearing the original proposal for Enterprise, I have to side with Berman and Braga, their idea was far better than what the Suits insisted must be the format.
These guys gave us 14 excellent years and at least 1 good movie, along with 2 passable ones. And face it, Insurrection and Nemesis would have been shining TV episodes, ones that would be there along with BOBW and Yesterday’s Enterprise [which should have been fleshed out and saved for the first NextGen movie.
I read the first two issues. They weren’t bad. But after reading the reviews of the third and fourth issues, I plan to skip buying them.
It might have been better to do a two-parter and leave it at that.
The first Borg story by IDW was actually really good. It was published about five or six years ago.
I wouldn’t mind giving the Borg a rest, although I’d be curious to see what Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman can do with them.
The best Borg episodes:
“Q Who”
“Best Of Both Worlds”
“Descent”
“Scorpion”
“Dark Frontier”
“Regeneration”
And of course, the movie “First Contact”.
Y’know what. I’m not so sure Braga has any fresh ideas for Star Trek. I think he hit the bottom of the well back during Voyager and has been running on fumes ever since.
@34. At this point I’d prefer that Orci and Kurtzman ignore the Borg. They have been nutered in the prime universe, and the events in Enterprise aside, they should not be showing up for another hundred years or so. It’s kind of a given in Trek that the ‘unstoppable’ villian will be stopped, so the only way the Borg get scary is strip them of the few redeeming qualities they have left…which basically means the Federation gets overrun.
Forward looking sci-fi was a good vehicle for imaging future, tech, and the unusual. Movies need to resolve conflict, would it be possible for Trek to look to exploting and resolving intrigue as opposed to destroying the villian of the week? I’ve enjoyed RDJr’s Sherlock Holmes, and would welcome some good sci-fi in a similar vein….
Here is my 6 y/o Drone
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZzKRl7BM0-4/UP5FVpa9BFI/AAAAAAAADro/jf84puo2WoM/s0/
I prefer the JPEG when it comes with a slide-over-to-next-panel option. Don’t like to download unless very necessary – would tend to skip if I have to download.
I enjoyed the review, being a fan of Arlo Guthrie and “Alice’s Restaurant,” and having the same sort of referential mind. So thanks for the laughs!
The issue does look sumptuously drawn; quite lovely, but Braga’s techtalk is so mind-boggling and well, silly, that I am as turned off as I was by the last three seasons of “Voyager.” So … guess I won’t be buying this series. Just as I didn’t watch “Voyager.”
“How long have we got, B’elanna?”
“Ten minutes, Captain. I have to bypass the persaminator and gullywhomp the blurglesnurd, but It’s going to take eighteen minutes.”
“Then get off the horn and make it happen” &c.
Bore, bore, bore.
I agree that the Borg should be left alone for awhile, but at the same time, I would be interested in K/O’s take on them.
And yeah, I also agree that after this movie comes out, that the whole “madman out for revenge” plot is retired for good.
Guys, he doesn’t really care for Trek. It’s a paycheck to him plain and simple. In an on camera interview during the crappy sci-fi series he did on CBS, he spoke about Trek and couldn’t remember what a tricorder did. Now, think about that. This was only a year or two after he left ENT. The man worked on Trek for 15 years. By osmosis he should have been able to get that down. I did a job I absolutely hated with people I hated for almost the same amount of time. I can tell the intimate and boring details of that job, it’s procedures, the kinds of equipment used, and so on till your eyes bleed. To me it’s sickening that he was allowed to ride the Trek boat as long as he did. I just wish he would have moved on after TNG and FC. I don’t hate the man, I just don’t respect him at all. I am glad he’s been successful. Good for him. Seriously. Both VOY and ENT would have been far better without his presence. Just sayin…
15 come on but then we could have been treated to this.
George Kirk- “Hey Nero, Hows it goin? I like your ears, that looks really great……… So your a Romulan right? Whats that all about?”
“Well ok, it was great to meet you, say hi to your mother for me ok”
Seriously though Whalberg would have been just fine in the part
Seven? Who is she? Do you mean Molly McBoobington? The lady with the tight clothes? By all means, kill her off. I am sure the rest of the Voyager cast would be happy, especially the Mexic- Native American guy.
It used to be that all things trek had some (albeit minor) continuity. The Destiny novels nicely took care of the Borg forever with Seven being alive. This story completely messes up the any chance of fitting into the rest of the Star Trek universe. Or should we call this another alternate universe?
Hive never happened–the events of this ill-conceived comic can be entirely ignored, on the ground that it sucks.
Suddenly, Morgan Gendel’s “The Outer Light” doesn’t seem so godawful…
Cool.
It’s sad when the people that come up with a good idea don’t understand why it’s a good idea. The Borg started out as an original concept that represented mankind being consumed by technology. Neither truly dead nor alive, being assimilated by a mindless horde was a fate worse than death!
By the time First Contact was released, with the addition of a queen, the Borg began to look like any army with a dictator as its head. It sucks to live under the thumb of a dictator, but there’s nothing unique or interesting about that premise in and of itself. By the time Voyager was facing the Borg, they were just the villain of the week.
The first 3 issues were good, but the 4th one I just read on the Comixology app sadly just fell flat on it’s face. It was just an odd ending.
Which is a pity because the art is so damn good
*finished reading the final issue*
Cripes, Brannon. What the heck were you thinking? I’ve never seen a crew member, let alone a bridge officer go completely ballistic where they pull out a phaser and start shooting at their superior officers. That completely took me out of the comic.
@47. Well, and to take Q’s comments at face value, they needed to be a terror the Federation could not comprehend, beings with no sense of the individual. The next time we see them, it’s hey, lets introduce a virus, problem solved…didn’t we see this in Independence Day (yeah, I know, different movie)…and apparently this comic? Voyager managed to elude them by being a bit clever, and god only knows how Romulan miners managed to get their hand on the Borg enhancements for the Narada. So, the Borg are this unstoppable force…except when they need to be stopped, of course.