Review: Star Trek Boldly Go #14
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Written by: Mike Johnson
Art by Megan Levens with colors by Marissa Louise & Triona Farrell
This is the second issue in the “I.D.I.C.” mini-series exploring the Star Trek multiverse, this time with the return of Captain Jane T. Kirk and an introduction to some non Soong-type androids. If you’ve been following the Kelvin timeline comics, you may remember Jane Kirk and crew from 2014’s “Parallel Lives” two parter, also written by Mike Johnson. It’s not required reading for this issue, but it helps fill in the gaps as to how the two doppleganger crews first met. In a way, I.D.I.C. is looking more and more like a sequel to “Parallel Lives”. I’ll preface this review by saying that this is a really fun issue, but keeping track of who’s who can be challenging, so I’ll try to break it down as best as I can.
After Jane and crew’s triumphant return last issue, Johnson gives us the Cliff’s Notes of her origin story. She, like Jim, was raised by a single parent after Nero destroyed the Kelvin, but instead of Winona and “Uncle” Frank, she was raised by a loving, inspirational George Kirk, who taught her that “anything is possible,” including becoming the youngest captain of the starship Enterprise. Parts of her backstory, including her middle name, Tiberia, were revealed in “Parallel Lives”, but it’s curious that even though Johnson is telling us that this is the same crew that we met back in 2014, this Jane Kirk’s middle name is Tiberius.
After one page of Jane’s backstory, we’re thrusted back into the action of the present – a section of space reminiscent of the TNG episode “Parallels,” – with hundreds (or even thousands) of Enterprises (and one Endeavour) converging together. The Orphan (the one-eyed Klingon-raised Kirk), as we’ve come to know him, is obsessed with pursuing hothead Starfleet officer Simon Grayson, who rejected his Vulcan heritage (and even surgically altered his ears to make him look human).
Just as Klingon-Kirk is about to fire on Pike’s Enterprise, they are stopped by yet another Enterprise from another universe. They are (stay with me) an entire race of androids, each with a unique designation representing the Enterprise crew – i.e. Commanding unit JTK-1701 and Sulu-1701.
After what’s described in technobabble as a “chronotronic event,” parts of the crews are mixed and separated into two groups, landing onto two separate planets. One group comprised of Jane, our Bones, Uhura-1701 and a parallel Spock lands on what appears to be Vulcan in a universe where Nero destroyed Earth instead of Vulcan. Still with me? The other group consisting of our Kirk, Sulu-1701, Grayson, and Pavela Chekov land on what appears to be a parallel Earth-complete with a (somewhat) familiar leader.
Overall, it’s another strong outing – I especially love Megan Levens’ take on the female doppelgangers. I just hope they are careful when adding even more characters from other parallel universes. It’s already starting to get a little crowded. That said, I’m enjoying the story so far and look forward to the next issue.
5-Page Preview: Star Trek Boldly Go #14
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Available Now
Star Trek Boldly Go #14 was released Wednesday, November 29th. It retails for $3.99. You can order it at TFAW with a discount.
And if you want to catch up, the trade paperback collection of Star Trek: Boldly Go (volume 1, collection of issues #1-#6) is available now. It retails for $19.99. You can order from Amazon for 32% off. The second collection (issues 7-12) is due January 9th, and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.
Keep up with all the latest inked Star Trek in TrekMovie’s Comics Category.
Instead of turning a male character into a female, why not create NEW iconic, strong female characters based on their own characteristics rather than just feminizing an established male character. Wouldn’t doing so give the character a bit more credibility? This goes for any genre, story, movie, film, comic, etc.
..yeah but the purpose is showing a reality where all the genders of the characters are swapped. So you have a female Kirk and Spock, a male Uhura and so on. That’s the goal. Another reality with another version of the iconic characters.
Agreed 1000%. It more of a political statement than anything to do with storytelling.
Its happening in Star Wars too, with Rey in Lukes role from original trilogy.
I know – I mean, really, how dare they have a female lead character who is a Jedi? I mean what is next? A woman flying an X-Wing?
But really, how could you possibly have a problem with the character of Rey? She is a wonderful character, and very well-acted.
In other words, DataMat is alt-right.
Be careful!
We will have a gay Kirk soon!
Wait? Kirks not gay?
Instead of whining and complaining about everything, why not actually enjoy being a Trek fan?
This is just stupid
Why do you say so?
Your post? Pretty much, yes.
Sex-reverse all the characters? There’s no doubt a tv-trope for that. One precedent is from “Red Dwarf” (“Parallel Universe,” 1988), in which male and female Lister knock boots (not a euphemism — part of the joke is that they awaken with a hangover and still wearing clunky boots). Given Rule 34, there has *got* to be Trek fanfic (probably long predating the IDW comic) in which the same happens with Kirk(s).
Why not Juliet Kirk?
Turnabout Intruder…the ongoing storyline. Pass.
these issues are so much fun!
Wow the masculinity is fragile in here. Gender-swapping is an old but fun trope, nothing more.
Yeah, there are clearly a number of guys here whose three-inch-long penises feel threatened.
LOL! That’s too funny,lol! But true.
Some guys are a bit heavily invested in the ‘captain, I’m afraid’ line. Never waste an opportunity to grab a good looking blond yeoman, now.
No, not Chekov. Rand.
Er… you do realize Chekov isn’t a yeoman, right? :)
Somehow I keep wondering if Kirk will seize this opportunity to make out with him/herself…
I’ll give this a big fat miss thanks!
Change is good. Why not a female Captain Jane Kirk, female Spock and female doctor McCoy. We need change for 2018. Women and females need to be in STAR TREK comics and movies.
The feedback from some in this discussion thread is… fascinating.
Remember: IDIC = Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
Welcome to what Gene Roddenberry, Gene Coon and other Star Trek production folks put into play during TOS.
THIS comic book is a GREAT example of IDIC. Don’t like it? Don’t buy it. However, it’s not diverging from one of the greatest philosophical concepts to emerge from Trek lore.
Some truly amateurish artwork here. Very disappointing.
Let’s be ridiculous to appease the politically correct suck hole that is destroying everything decent.
Oh please, this is one of the oldest tropes in Sci-Fi, but because people get their jimmies in a rustle that “OMG We’re not the only voice in the fandom now!” it’s suddenly bad. Grow up man.
It’s horseshit and your defense of it shows that you are just another troll who goes with the PC crowd. I am grown-up, child.
I have to admit, its kind of a shame the Kelvin films wasn’t made into a TV show when I see the kinds of things they done with their comics. The writers are so creative and always coming up with fun and interesting angles to tell a story, kind of what Star Trek is known for. ;)
I know a lot of the comic stories are waaaaaay too inside baseball for a general audience to get but its really too bad we can’t see these stories play out in live action the way its done here.
I’ve seen better story telling from 1980’s Saturday morning cartoons. Seriously. This is some lazy stuff, right here.