Our Trek Comics editor Patrick Hayes returns with a review of this month’s first issue of IDW Publishing’s new Star Trek photobook comic series New Visions.

A classic gathering of the main Trek characters has been shattered by a dagger from the Mirror Universe! In the broken pieces of the image, one can find the crew as the fans know them, mixed with fragments of their doppelgangers from that twisted alternate reality. Sulu and Chekov look the best to me.

This is a great way to get readers excited about the story. I know it hooked me!  Grade: A+.

Here in “The Mirror, Cracked,” a glitch has been discovered in the transporter room and Scotty and Mr. Kyle are doing their best to find it. After a mild chiding from Mr. Spock, all three leave to check out the main junctions. Once they leave, however, the transporter controls activate on their own, and Captain Kirk appears on the pad proclaiming, “It worked!”

Kyle returns to the room alone and is greeted by the brusque captain, who exits quickly, saying he’s looking for Scott. In the busy walkways of the Enterprise‘s interiors, Dr. McCoy asks for a minute of his captain’s time. The good doctor is concerned about the first officer whose behavior is “odd,” acting as if he’s “distracted.” Kirk angrily replies, “…noticing something ‘odd’ about a Vulcan is redundant!” The captain walks off, leaving McCoy to wonder, “Did everybody get up on the wrong side of the bunk this morning?”

Meanwhile, on the bridge, Mr. Scott informs Captain Kirk that the problem is almost solved in the transporter room. “This is starting to sound disturbingly familiar…” says the captain, who immediately orders Chekov to check the ship’s computers to “tell us where I am.” What follows is an absolute classic story that grows in scope, with familiar faces and action, to be the most entertaining Star Trek story of the year.

Writer John Byrne had me smiling like a madman at seeing the crewmember on Page 7, the character on the viewscreen on Page 14 was a joy, I gasped out loud at Page 15’s surprise, and was absolutely beside myself with the appearance of the famous character that appears on 22. The action that starts on Page 25 is as classic Trek as one can hope for. I barked a harsh laugh at the second panel on 35, loved the speech at the bottom of 40, and grinned at the justice of the final panel on 43.

I couldn’t stop smiling as I read this.  Grade: A+.

Using captured images from many episodes of the original Star Trek series and his encyclopedic knowledge of every scene of the series, John Byrne truly brings Star Trek back to life. This new tale is astounding to look at.

The subtle shift in moods between panels two and three on Page 3 is fantastic, as is the captain’s look at the bottom of the same page. The fifth panel on 7 made me terrified for one character. The face on the viewscreen on 14 is beautiful, and the action at the bottom of the same page dynamite.

The most terrifying moment comes at the bottom of 15 which made me wail–I just couldn’t believe I was seeing “that.” The new setting that is initially shown on 22 expands lavishly to become a fan’s dream come true.

The ship combat is wonderfully epic, and  the final two panels are a delight. Every image, be it old, tweaked, or created, is like falling in love all over again with this series.  Grade: A+.

Bottom line:
Five words that will rock the industry: John Byrne has topped himself. It’s only May, but with New Visions, Christmas has come early with the arrival of this masterpiece of “missing” Trek.

This series is going to be bi-monthly, which might just be the is the best thing to happen to Star Trek since James T. Kirk took command of the Enterprise. It’s a must-read, must-own issue, and I can’t wait to see what is yet to come.

I give “The Mirror, Cracked” my highest possible recommendation.  Grade: A+.

– Reviewed by Comics Editor Patrick Hayes

Order New Visions #1: The Mirror, Cracked