Space… The final frontier. These are the voyages of the I.S.S. Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to conquer strange new worlds, to enslave new life and new civilizations… To boldly go where no one has gone before!
Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Through the Mirror #1
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Written by: David Tipton and Scott Tipton
Story A art by Marcus To
Story B art by J.K. Woodward, colors by Brittany Peer
Cover by J.K. Woodward
Being bad is good business for IDW. With the success of last year’s Diamond Gem Comic Book of the Year Award nominee “Mirror Broken” series, the longtime Trek publisher wasted no time returning to Terran space. Announced back in February, the 5-issue “Through the Mirror” series is a direct sequel to “Mirror Broken,” except this time, the jacked-up TNG crew crosses over to the Prime Universe, looking for strange new worlds to conquer.
One of these strange new worlds is Naia VII, a Starfleet mining facility first introduced in the Star Trek/Dr. Who Assimilation 2 crossover. This “water world” has been building up its defenses and supplies ever since the Borg attack at the Battle of Wolf 359. The facility is one of Starfleet’s most valuable resources for essential minerals including dilithium and Worf is leading a team on an inspection of a security breach. It turns out that some materials have vanished (and you can see where this is going).
The search is on for the thief, but where do you even start? Well, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about the mirror universe so far is that beards are indeed evil – so make sure to start with any that are particularly suspicious. That is, unless your name is Riker. This might be a good segue to introduce my TNG mirror universe conspiracy: The reason Riker has a beard in season two of TNG is because he’s mirror Riker. Discuss. But, I digress.
What’s interesting and different from the previous mirror series is that this issue is separated into two parts. Part one is the Worf-centric bearded manhunt, with art by Marcus To. Much like his clean-shaven face, To’s art is clean, representing the order of the Prime Universe. Part two takes place in the mirror universe several months earlier – with art by JK Woodward. A direct contrast in styles, Woodward’s art is dark and gritty – did I mention he has a beard? Hmmm.
Speaking of beards, the “search” is on in part two for a certain bearded Vulcan (no, it’s not mirror Sarek). In an agony booth on the three-nacelled mirror Enterprise-D, a Bolian thief confesses that he’s working for said Vulcan who is very much alive. As we head into next week’s issue #2 (each issue comes out weekly), I’m curious to see how the Tiptons can top the incredible Mirror Broken series.
5-page preview
Click thumbnails to enlarge
Issue #1 Available today, full series to be released in May
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Through the Mirror #1 was Wednesday, May 2nd. It retails for $3.99. You can order it at TFAW with a discount. Issues #2-5 will be released weekly during May, and can be pre-ordered at TFAW.
Keep up with all the latest inked Star Trek in TrekMovie’s Comics Category.
I really love the MU stuff. I’d like to see a whole series of it, or is that too much?
How is Worf a not a lieutenant if this is pre-Generations and the Enterprise-D is still in service?
Maybe I’m old. Or tired of our real life MU here in the good ole’ US of A. I’ve had quite enough of evil Trek now. Does anyone remember when being an explorer was a virtue, not a weakness?
Didn’t Picard say the same line in Insurrection? I think people just gave up on exploration and findings things on their own because they got used being spoon fed everything. Even students are doing less and less research assignments now, at least in my country (I don’t know the situation in U.S.A so I can’t really comment on that)
I’m sick and tired of the MU. Feels like it’s become a crutch for the comics writers. I mean, fine – if other people like it, I’m not gonna say MU stuff shouldn’t be made. But man, I’m just off the MU now.
They really need to give the mirror universe a rest. It’s become everyone’s go to when they run out ideas.
That was my EXACT SAME reaction on reading the header- “Oh, no. NOT the MU AGAIN”.
Nearly EVERY Trek series has fallen back on the MU at some point. It completely loses its’ luster when it is constantly brought back and watered down. Remember what a threat the Borg were in their first appearance? They appeared virtually UNBEATABLE. Then they were getting beat down by everybody. Hell, >>> I <<< could probably beat the Borg at this point. The original story was special. It should have STAYED exclusive. I don't have to know Yoda's species to appreciate him – in fact, the mystery makes him even MORE interesting. The MU (AND the Borg) should have stayed that way – not being dragged out once again every time some writer has a lack of ideas.
I expect at some point we'll get the story of Mirror Spock's Evil Goetee.