Our Trek Comics editor Patrick Hayes has his review of IDW Publishing’s final City on the Edge of Forever comic adaptation, based on writer Harlan Ellison’s original teleplay.

A great pair of images closes out this series.

The regular cover is by Juan Ortiz. It’s similar to the image he made a few years ago: a profile of Edith Keeler and some stylish loops to show her hair, but actually comprise a star field complete with Enterprise. One change in this illustration is the addition of Kirk’s silhouette where her chin meets her neck. A fantastic image that looks like a book cover from the 1960s.  Grade: A+.

The subscription cover by Paul Shipper is also a knockout, featuring Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Rand, and McCoy. The likenesses are great and the top has a terrific Enterprise. Like Ortiz’s work, this would be sensational as a print or on a tee shirt.  Grade: A+.

Working from the original teleplay by Harlan Ellison, Scott & David Tipton close out this series handsomely. Every fan knows how this story ends, but few know the road it takes in getting there. The story opens on a street corner with a legless veteran of Verdun selling pencils and apples. Kirk approaches him and asks to buy some information about someone on the streets.

The veteran is suspicious of Kirk, but money greases the wheels. Dinner at Edith’s doesn’t go well because Jim tells her he may be leaving. Just as Kirk confesses his loves a knock at the door ends their moment. The next four pages are pretty intense with a surprise on 7 that made me gasp. I couldn’t believe the Tiptons were allowed to have “that” happen! Kirk’s final line on Page 9 was so sad.

When the climax occurs it’s as gripping as the one shown on television, yet the transition back to the correct time is very different. The dialogue on Page 15 is brutal in regards to one individual’s fate, with the sixth panel being heartbreaking. A solid stunner occurs on 16, with 17 revealing the ultimate damnation for a character–sick and cool simultaneously.

The final three pages are the story’s coda. This is a much more satisfying ending than the television episode had time to give. Kirk’s commentary on mankind as a race is brilliant. He speaks words one would wish all leaders would say. Spock gets the final words of the series. They are not as long as Kirk’s but they are just as profound and as strong as his captain’s, and they will haunt him, and readers, forever. Brilliant.  Grade: A+.

This is the series that J.K. Woodward was born to illustrate. His love of this story and these characters shines on every page he’s painted. The new character of his story, “the little man without legs,” was instantly identifiable — it’s Harlan Ellison! Who else could play this character? The expressions Woodward gives him are great.

I was momentarily worried that the artist was stalking the writer to get such emotional references. Exceptional images of this character can be found on Pages 2, 3, 6, and 19. Kirk and Spock also look tremendously drawn by Woodward. Kirk’s highlights are Pages 2 – 4, 10 – 15, and 18 – 20, and Spock’s are 9, 13, 15, and 18 – 20. Edith is a heartbreaker throughout, but especially on Pages 4, 5, and 11 – 13.

As happy as I was too see such an excellent job done on the characters, I was ecstatic to see such a superb job done on the settings. Often forgotten in comic storytelling, Woodward has enormous talent in rendering the past. Outstanding settings occur on pages 2, 3 ( I would love to see more of that final panel), 4 (Edith’s apartment is so detailed), 6 (a great back alley for the homeless), and 11 and 12’s terrific street. Woodward is also successful with the future, such as Page 14 (Beautiful!), 17, and that final shot on 20.

I can only hope that Woodward can find another Star Trek project he cares as much about. For him not to return to these characters would be a crime. Grade: A+.

Dialogue, the Guardian dialogue, and sounds are provided by Neil Uyetake. Where I once felt the Guardians’ speech to be one of ancient wisdom, their font becomes quiet terrifying on Page 17.  Grade: A+.

Bottom line:
You can’t call yourself a real Star Trek fan without experiencing this work. Chapter Five, and the entire City adaptation, earns my highest possible recommendation.  Grade: A+.

Order Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever #5