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REVIEW: Eaglemoss XL — USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E

Ken Reilly
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REVIEW: Eaglemoss XL — USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E

Our look at Eaglemoss’ Official Star Trek Starships XL Edition line of model spacecraft continues today with their killer Sovereign-class release: the USS Enterprise-E, which debuted in Star Trek: First Contact.

Captain Picard’s second Enterprise made its first appearance in the 1996 film, and the John Eaves-designed starship continued its big-screen run (with modifications made for each new appearance) in both 1998’s Star Trek: Insurrection and 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis, transitioning from a physical ILM-built studio model to an all-digital CGI design across the three films in which it appeared.

Eaglemoss’ original 5.5″ Enterprise-E was released back in mid-2014, and three years later the ship has been scaled up to almost double in size, with their new XL Enterprise-E measuring more than 10.5″ in length; the warp nacelles on the new model are almost as long as the original model in total.

This edition of the ship (and its 2014 predecessor) are themed in color and design based upon the Insurrection version of the ship — rather than the darker-hulled Nemesis Enterprise-E — and while it’s certainly a well-detailed design, it would be nice to see Eaglemoss revisit the ship with a Nemesis-style variant at some point.

LEFT: The studio model built for ‘First Contact.’ RIGHT: The CGI model from ‘Nemesis.’

The XL scale of this model really gives it the heft those subscriber-sized ships don’t always have: with most of the saucer section and upper half of the primary hull cut from die-cast metal, the Enterprise-E is certainly a front-heavy design.

That added weight, however, is well-managed with the grip of the display stand that comes with this starship — and unlike some of the other model releases from the line we’ve seen, this ship is perfectly balanced when on display, and never threatens to be accidentally knocked off of the dock.

The hull markings on this model are also nicely crisp and clear — from the dozens of escape-pod hatches, to the grey-toned aztecing of hull plating, to the tight text of the starship name and registry number — but while it’s not quite as easy to see as the original Enterprise model, there are still a number of places where painted-on window markings don’t align with etched windows in the metal hull.

It’s nice to have the texture of ‘real’ windows, but at a certain point, one must wonder why these model designs aren’t simply updated to make these windows paint-only details, rather than trying (and failing) to fill in these tiny divots with coloring.

To be honest, though, the misaligned windows can get a bit lost in the overall set of hull markings on the Enterprise-E model; you do need to look somewhat closely to identify the issue.

Aside from that one small deficiency, the overall craftsmanship of this model is quite impressive, and that includes the the molded-plastic sections of the Enterprise-E.

The underside of the saucer and primary hull are filled with detail, from raised hull plating and the captain’s yacht to the golden deflector dish and Starfleet pennants. Bright red and blue plastic inserts add a nicely-saturated bit of color to the ship, each translucent which allow them to almost appear to glow in the right lighting.

The underside of the saucer and the paired warp nacelles each have a little bit of flex to them, but past that, there’s nothing to suggest any bit of delicacy in this model.

The XL USS Enterprise-E retails from Eaglemoss at $74.95 in the USA (and £49.99 in the UK shop) when buying individually, but drops to $59.95 if you subscribe to the Star Trek Starships XL program for ongoing delivery.

We’ll be back with reviews of the XL USS Enterprise-D and XL Enterprise NX-01 soon, along with more coverage of the Official Starships Collection throughout the month of December.

What are your thoughts on the Enterprise-E? Sound off in the comments below!

In Eaglemoss’ US store, TrekCore readers can use promo code TREKCORE at checkout for 10% off any ‘Star Trek’ collectible purchase $50 or greater (Starships, Plaques, Binders, Graphic Novels).

Trek Comics Review: “Boldly Go #14”

John Kirk
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11
Trek Comics Review: “Boldly Go #14”

In the second issue of Boldly Go’s “I.D.I.C.” , we see a little bit more background of the female version of the iconic Starfleet captain in Mike Johnson’s latest installment of this innovative and entertaining story arc of Star Trek: Boldly Go #14.

…and I think I’ve developed a crush on Captain Jane T. Kirk.

While she isn’t the main focus of this book, she serves as a very visible introductory point in this chapter of the story that highlights the entire thrust of this story, and that’s in a universe where we know of two divergent yet simultaneously occurring planes of existence, there are, as Mr. Spock has been known to say, always possibilities.

Sure enough, when we see Jane Kirk recalling her father’s words of advice “anything is possible,” on the central viewscreen we also see a background of USS Enterprise variants that proves the maxim true.

In the first issue of this arc we were introduced to a variant of the universe that has Captain Pike in charge of the Enterprise seconded by Simon Grayson, a half-human, half-Vulcan relentlessly pursued by a version of James T. Kirk who was kidnapped and raised by Klingons. Known as “The Orphan,” this Kirk rose through the ranks of the Klingon Fleet to become its most feared commander who has sworn vengeance against Grayson for some unknown reason, that I am sure we can look forward to learning about as this story develops.

In this issue, we meet and learn more about the other variants, namely the aforementioned Captain Jane T. Kirk and the cybernetic JTK-1701.

But then after a brief skirmish with the lone Klingon vessel commanded by the Orphan, resulting in some sort of electrical discharge, the crews of these ships somehow wind up transported to the surface of an unknown planet in scattered, mixed crews that have to work together, despite their differences.

Which is, of course, the draw for this story. It’s a lot of fun to play with variations on a theme. After all, the permutations of the different universes is a theme in sci-fi that originally started with Star Trek; well, at least it was the first for me. “Mirror, Mirror” was the first time in science fiction that I had ever been introduced to the concept of alternate realities, and I think it was for a lot of other people as well.

In this case though, Johnson is throwing it all into the mix. Megan Levens’ beautiful double-page spread of the different Enterprises careening around in space gives us an idea of just how many variations there are for Johnson to have fun with, because, let’s face it: that’s exactly what he’s doing.

Though the only thing that struck me as out of place about this spread is how the Enterprises were all variants on the Kelvin Timeline’s Constitution-class. I’d have loved to see a familiar, round-nacelled NCC-1701 from the classic Trek television series in the melee somewhere. If this is an intersection of alternate timelines, then why not?

Speaking of infinite diversity, there is in this story also applies to villains as well as our heroes — and when you see the end of this issue, December’s Boldly Go #15 will seem so far away to you!

Seeing all of these timelines converge is also an opportunity for more fun for cover artists on this book; well, at least the first two, in any event.

  • The ‘A’ cover for the regular edition is drawn by none other than the vastly talented Tony Shasteen. His work is nothing short of astounding. In fact, the Jane T. Kirk in this picture, with her friends in tow, is enough to send my Starfleet-loving heart into a frenzy. Intelligent, creative, gorgeous AND she commands a starship? What a recruitment poster! Sign this Trek-nerd up.
     
  • The ‘B’ Cover by Piotr Kowalski is technically quite good. Very evocative and filled with tension. I am curious as to why Kowalski would place McCoy in the captain’s chair with Kirk standing over it though. The positioning of the characters aside though, it’s a good opportunity to see the work of an artist whose work I’m not overly familiar with.
     
  • The retailer-incentive ‘A’ cover is a simple photo cover of Karl Urban’s McCoy. I honestly can’t see why this would be considered an incentive cover, and I wish someone would explain it to me. After all, comic art needs to be on the cover of a comic. Also, this image really doesn’t relate to the story other than in a generic sense.
     
  • The retailer-incentive ‘B’ cover by Yoshi Yoshitani is a highly-stylized rendering of Spock and Uhura in hurried transit. It’s a bit abstract and very figurative and not the best example of Yoshitani’s work, in my opinion. Like the photo cover, it’s also a very generic piece of work that doesn’t connect to the story.
     
    Consider me old-fashioned, but the cover needs to introduce the reader to the story or at least tease him or her into reading it. These last two covers were not only lacking in that requirement but also fairly disappointing.

The entertainment in seeing a few of these infinite and diverse combinations made manifest makes this probably one of Johnson’s best stories, in my opinion. There is so much material to play with that I can see this as expanding past the six issues of this arc and into a second one.

However, for now, I’ll be content with Boldly Go #14 while counting the days until Issue #15 hits the shelves — and in the meantime, staring lovingly at my Tony Shasteen rendition of Captain Jane T. Kirk.

Trek Comics Review: “DISCOVERY — Light of Kahless” #1

John Kirk
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2
Trek Comics Review: “DISCOVERY — Light of Kahless” #1

Just what are the Klingons aboard the Ship of the Dead eating in the first page of IDW’s latest Trek comic, Star Trek: Discovery — The Light of Kahless?

Whatever it is, there’s a distinct type of barbarianism that really elevates the Klingon mentality in this iteration of Klingons in Star Trek: Discovery, and if I were to be so bold, venture that I really didn’t take that into full consideration when watching the show.

Hmm… I think I just identified what I really liked about this book!

Written by a great pair of scribes — Discovery staff writer (and Voyager novelist) Kirsten Beyer and Trek comic veteran Mike Johnson — the aim of this first Star Trek: Discovery comic tale isn’t to supplant the show but rather, compliment it. It’s a companion story that seeks to give the audience a better understanding of the Klingons and their ways in this new iteration of Klingon culture.

We knew that the focus of the show was going to be on the relationships between the Klingons and the Federation, but it’s fair to say that the new portrayal of the Klingons took fans by surprise. There was some controversy over how they appeared, the emphasis on subtitles as the actors laboured to express proper Klingonese — or tlhIngan Hol — through prosthetics, and the changes in their appearances and their ships.

These were a lot of differences for the fans to take in, and as a result, there was a great deal of attention to these differences.

But what about the similarities?

That’s where the story arc of The Light of Kahless comes into play. Set during the period between “Battle of the Binary Stars” and Kol’s arrival in “The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry,” the Ship of the Dead is floating crippled in space, commanded by Voq, T’Kuvma’s apparent successor after the ‘Klingon messiah’ was killed by Michael Burnham.

Disheartened by his apparent failure, Voq turns to L’Rell who seeks to inspire him by telling him the tale of T’Kuvma’s origins and rise to power. This is set against the backdrop of Klingons feasting over some sort of… dead meat.

That’s the first similarity to the Klingons we know from previous incarnations of Star Trek. While these Klingons may look different, they still have a savage camaraderie that comes out when they eat together. They also disparage their enemy as they mock the Starfleet body armour during this meal. They are violent and bestial – and that’s something that hasn’t changed.

As the story progresses, we learn more about T’Kuvma’s humble origins; his family and his place in that family. We learn more about his family history and how low they have fallen in contrast to the other houses.

There is a battered pride in T’Kuvma that never really has the chance to be explained in the series due to his short tenure in the pilot episodes, yet we get the opportunity in this story to see that background. How often have we seen Worf wrestle with matters of damaged pride in Star Trek: The Next Generation? It’s a familiar Klingon theme and it finds ground in this story.

This comic gives us the chance to see a side of the Klingons that we couldn’t because of story constraints, meeting new Starfleet characters and establishing the norms for this new Trek tale. While also distracted by the external features, we are focused on too many of those variances but in The Light of Kahless we see the religious fervor that Klingons bear in their hearts, longing to bring pride to their houses through battle and devotion to the teachings of Kahless, the First Klingon.

Tony Shasteen gives us his all in his pencilling skill. It’s not an easy task as these Klingons have many challenging details: the ridged armour, the various folds in clothing that hide all sorts of shapes and Tony Shasteen gives us his all in penciling this book. It’s a prickly task to render all of that texturing but Shasteen has risen to the challenge. One of the joys of reading this comic is the knowledge that Tony Shasteen is drawing it.

  • Both the regular and retailer-incentive covers have been created byy my all-time two favourite Star Trek artists, Tony Shasteen and J.K. Woodward. The reason is clear if you compare both of their works to the photo cover for the B variant; their work is virtually indistinguishable from the photographic image of T’Kuvma – even right down to the scaling on the tunic. The colour is the same, the ridging on T’Kuvma’s head – it’s all there.
     
    I think this is the first time I’ve appreciated a photo-cover on a comic. It’s allowed me to compare the work of these two brilliant artists to a photograph of the actual subject. I don’t know if this was an intentional idea, but it’s provided readers and fans of these two artists a unique opportunity to get a real sense of how talented these two gentlemen are. In my opinion, this alone justifies buying the book.
     
  • Declan Shavley’s cover of the USS Shenzhou on the B variant of the retailer-incentive cover is also a brilliant piece of work. If you’re a starship aficionado like me, then this is a delightful and relevant cover that won’t disappoint; watch for more ship-themed variant covers in the future issues of Discovery‘s comic.

Beyer and Johnson combine their talents to give us a better understanding of T’Kuvma. We get to see more than just two episodes of T’Kuvma – we get his background, his origin story, if you will, and a greater sense of his character.  However, in doing so, they also provide us a reminder that despite their altered appearance, the character of the Klingon race is still present in this iteration of Trek.

Star Trek: Discovery — The Light of Kahless #1 shows us that they are proud, aggressive and see adversity as a means of advancement, rather than cooperation. In that sense, we are also reminded that we should be looking for the values of Roddenberry’s Star Trek instead of the differences.

Your Guide to Upcoming STAR TREK Books and Comics

TrekCore Staff
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3
Your Guide to Upcoming STAR TREK Books and Comics

We’re into the final weeks of 2017 already, and there are no less than twelve new Star Trek publications due out before the year is up — from the continuing journey of the Kelvin Timeline crew to Admiral Riker and the USS Titan and more — plus even more coming to print as we head into 2018.

Here’s your rundown of all the Star Trek you can add to your bookshelf in the coming months!

IDW’s Star Trek: Waypoint Collection (November 28)

IDW Publishing has collected the series spanning six-issue comic series into a new 160-page paperback trade; be sure and check out all of our reviews from this title if you missed them.

Star Trek: Titan — Fortune of War (November 28)

David Mack returns to print one final time in 2017 with the newest adventure of the USS Titan crew, as Admiral Riker and his team revisit the secrets of the long-deceased Husnock race, introduced to Trek canon in TNG’s “The Survivors.”

Star Trek: Prometheus — Fire with Fire (November 28)

The first English-language publication of the Prometheus novel trilogy, first released to German audiences in 2016 by Cross Cult Publishing, arrives in the US from publisher Titan Books and is a sequel to the 2014 novel miniseries “The Fall.”

Star Trek: Discovery Official Collector’s Edition (November 28)

Titan Magazines, the publisher of the official Star Trek Magazine, has collected a series of Discovery cast interviews – along with the Discovery concept art featured on tour this summer – into a collectible magazine available now in a 96-page hardcover format.

IDW’s Star Trek: Discovery #1 (November 29)

IDW Publishing’s first chapter of the Star Trek: Discovery comic tie-in series, “The Light of Kahless,” arrives this week and centers around the now-deceased T’Kuvma and the Klingon Empire in the years leading up to “The Vulcan Hello.”

IDW’s Star Trek: Boldly Go #14 (November 29)

The continuing Kelvin Timeline comic storyline keeps moving forward with “I.D.I.C., Part 2,” the second in a six-part story arc where Captains Kirk and Starships Enterprise from different folds of the multiverse converge for one big adventure.

The Art of Star Trek: The Kelvin Timeline (December 5)

This long-awaited, trilogy-spanning, Star Trek Kelvin Timeline behind-the-scenes reference book finally hits stores in December, bringing with it imagery and production secrets from 2009’s Star Trek, 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, and 2016’s Star Trek Beyond.

IDW’s Star Trek: Mirror Broken #5 (December 6)

The next chapter in Scott and David Tipton’s Next Generation-centric Mirror Universe comic arrives: with the newly stolen I.S.S. Enterprise-D caught between the forces of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance and a trio of Imperial warships, Jean-Luc Picard finds himself in unexpected territory.

NOTE: The release date for Mirror Broken #6 has not yet been announced.

IDW’s Star Trek: New Visions #19 (December 13)

John Byrne’s ongoing Original Series photonovel comic continues with “The Hunger,” a tale about an alien force from the outer edges of the galaxy which has learned of the banquet of populous planets near the heart of the Milky Way, and is heading there at terrifying speed… with only the Enterprise standing in its way.

IDW’s Star Trek: Boldly Go #15 (December 20)

“I.D.I.C” continues in the third chapter of this cross-universe tale, as the mastermind behind the colliding realities is revealed! Can the multiple Kirks and their crews unite in time to save all of their universes? Find out in this issue!

IDW’s Star Trek: Discovery #2 & #3 (December 27)

The Light of Kahless continues at the end of December with two issues of the ongoing Star Trek: Discovery comic series scheduled for the final Wednesday of the year.

Note that this date may be tentative and Issue #3 may be yet rescheduled.

IDW’s Star Trek: New Adventures Volume 4 (January 16)

If you’ve been collecting the trade paperback sets of IDW’s Kelvin Timeline comics, here’s the next addition to the series with comic issues #35 – 47 reprinted in one book, covering the storylines “The Q Gambit,” “Behemoth,” “Eurydice,” and “The Tholian Webs.”

IDW’s Star Trek: Boldly Go #16 (January 31)

Chapter 4 of “I.D.I.C.” arrives in January: The epic voyage through the Star Trek multiverse continues, as the villain behind it all is revealed… and their vendetta against Captain Kirk threatens to end all realities!

IDW’s Star Trek: Discovery #4 (January 31)

The fourth and final chapter of The Light of Kahless concludes, as Klingon leader T’Kuvma embraces his destiny and fights to unite the many Houses of the Klingon Empire… ultimately leading to epic conflict with the Federation!

IDW’s Star Trek: New Visions Volume 6 (January 31)

Issues 15-17 of John Byrne’s photonovel series arrives in a new paperback collection, which includes  “The Traveler,” “Time Out of Joint,” and “All the Ages Frozen.”

Star Trek: Discovery — Drastic Measures (February 6)

Dayton Ward’s first foray in to the world of Star Trek: Discovery comes in the form of Drastic Measures, the second novel in the DSC print line, hitting stores right near the end of the show’s first season. Set ten years before “The Vulcan Hello,” Drastic Measures centers on the crisis at Federation colony Tarsus IV.

IDW’s Star Trek: Boldly Go #17 (February 28)

The penultimate chapter of the “I.D.I.C.” storyline arrives with an ominous cover filled with multiversal variants of our Starfleet heroes… and inside the pages of this comic, the the villain behind it all now threatens to wipe out all realities!

IDW’s Star Trek: New Visions #20 (February 28)

John Byrne’s New Visions series hits its landmark 20th issue with “Isolation,” where Kirk and crew find themselves trapped on empty versions of the Enterprise. Captain Kirk has found himself all alone on the Enterprise before — but what happens when each individual member of the crew finds themselves in a similar state?

Star Trek: The Next Generation Cats (March 27)

The 24th Century sequel to illustrator Jenny Park’s hit Star Trek Cats from earlier this spring arrives, where the feline fun has moved ahead to the crew of the Enterprise-D.

Star Trek: Voyager — Architects of Infinity (March 27)

Author Kirsten Beyer’s been busy in the Star Trek: Discovery writers room for the last year, but she makes her return to the Trek print world in her follow-up to 2016’s A Pocket Full of Lies.

As the Starship Voyager continues to lead the Full Circle Fleet in its exploration of the Delta Quadrant, Admiral Janeway remains concerned about the Krenim Imperium and its ability to rewrite time to suit its whims. Janeway hopes that digging into an old-fashioned scientific mystery will lift the crews’ morale, but she soon realizes that the secrets buried on this world may be part of a much larger puzzle — one that points to the existence of a species whose power to reshape the galaxy might dwarf that of the Krenim.

IDW’s Star Trek: Discovery — The Light of Kahless (May 8)

The trade reprint of the full Light of Kahless comic miniseries will be available from IDW in May, and is already available for preorder for those of you looking to add this to your collection in one paperback set.

Star Trek: Prometheus — The Root of All Rage (May 29)

The second Prometheus novel arrives in English. From the publisher’s description:

A dangerous evil is flourishing in the Alpha Quadrant. In the Lembatta Cluster, a curious region of space, fanatics who call themselves the Purifying Flame are trying to start a galactic war, and the warlike Klingons are baying for blood. The Federation have sent the U.S.S. Prometheus to settle the crisis, and the crew must contend with both the hostile Renao: the secretive inhabitants of the Cluster, and the Klingon captain of the I.K.S Bortas, who is desperate for war.

IDW’s Star Trek: New Visions Volume 7 (August 7)

The next three issues of John Byrne’s series — “What Pain it is to Drown,” “The Hunger,” and “Isolation” — are collected in this next paperback reprint due out in late Summer 2018.

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Look for our reviews of many of these books and comics over the next months!

DS9 Doc Update: Director Adam Nimoy Departs Project

TrekCore Staff
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10
DS9 Doc Update: Director Adam Nimoy Departs Project

It’s been several months since the last update on What We Left Behind – the in-production documentary feature focused on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – and since the production team presented to a packed house at the 2017 Las Vegas convention in August, there have been a lot of inquiries just wondering when this film will arrive.

This weekend, the DS9 documentary team released an update to backers of their IndieGogo fundraiser campaign in response to that question, along with news that the film’s director, Adam Nimoy, was no longer leading the project.

DS9 series executive producer Ira Steven Behr interviews a fan for the documentary.

First up, while the team is “deep in the editing process” now, they addressed how the addition of new interviews and expanded filming has altered the planned early-2018 release timetable.

While we wish we could be more definitive, at this time the film is very much still under construction, and release dates are still undetermined until the editing process is closer to being completed.

Our original estimates for the premieres and film release was roughly February, 2018 — this was long BEFORE the Indiegogo campaign exceeded all expectations, and the scope of the project grew. As such, our filming and editing schedule has expanded to include a number of new and exciting creative ideas.

While we still are aiming to have the film done in early 2018, it is likely these release timeframes will shift back (slightly) to accommodate. Please know that we have not forgotten you and will let you know the moment we have anything to announce.

Our team is committed to giving backers ample heads up (a couple of months) and will loop all eligible backers in on date options for the premieres as we begin to lock them in early next year.

In the meantime, we are far along into the editing process of the film — expect a video vault update coming soon from our editing team! — but that hasn’t stopped us from continuing to film additional material and events as they come up!

In addition, they teased an upcoming feature in Variety set to debut in the new year, a reunion of many of the Deep Space Nine cast and crew for special coverage of the series’ 25th Anniversary this January.

We were excited to gather a large group of the DS9 cast & crew recently for a photo shoot with Variety Magazine. Of course, our cameras were there to capture the reunion and this special celebration of DS9’s upcoming 25th Anniversary.

While we’ve promised Variety that we would save the full details until the article’s release in 2018, that doesn’t stop us from giving you a little sneak peak of some of the cast’s own behind-the-scenes photos from the day.

 

We’ll be watching for Variety‘s special coverage in early 2018 and will certainly bring you that as it arrives!

Adam Nimoy (right) leads the ‘DS9 Confessional’ fan interviews at STLV.

In addition to the above updates, the What We Left Behind team also announced that director Adam Nimoy, who joined the production in early 2017, will no longer serve in a leadership capacity in the documentary due to other commitments.

Recently, Director Adam Nimoy asked to step down from helming this project in order to focus on personal commitments and other creative endeavors. The Deep Space Nine documentary is continuing to move forward and we are grateful for Adam’s guidance and creative input on the film this past year.

The real creative force behind the DS9 documentary was well in place before I came along.

I was happy to lend them support and guidance to push the project along so that it could be completed in time for the 25th anniversary of the show which is coming up in 2018.

I wish the creative team all good things as they Boldly Go! – Adam Nimoy

While Adam will remain a producer and advisor on the project, 455 Films’ David Zappone and DS9’s Executive Producer Ira Steven Behr will step in and assume day to day directorial responsibilities as we push towards the completion of the film.

Zappone has been a longtime executive producer in the recent string of Star Trek documentaries including The Captains, Chaos on the Bridge, and For the Love of Spock, and Behr has been working to put this documentary project together for some time prior to 2017.

Keep coming back to TrekCore for more on this project as we head into 2018!

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BOOK REVIEW: Deep Space Nine — “I, The Constable”

Alex Perry
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4
BOOK REVIEW: Deep Space Nine — “I, The Constable”

With his Starfleet assignment temporarily on hold, Odo needs a distraction.

He welcomes Chief O’Brien’s offer to loan him some of the action-packed books that both men relish: tales about hard-boiled private eyes, threatening thugs, and duplicitous dames. Then Quark suddenly goes missing during a hastily planned trip to Ferenginar.

His concerned friends on Deep Space Nine feel that Odo, as the station’s former chief of security, is uniquely suited to track Quark down.

But once on Ferenginar, Odo learns that Quark is trapped in the seamy underbelly of a criminal enterprise that could have been ripped from the pages of one of O’Brien’s novels.

To find the bartender, Odo discovers that he must rely not only on his law enforcement background, but his knowledge of all things noir….

Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann return with their third e-book exclusive Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novella with this month’s “I, The Constable.”

Block & Erdmann have carved out a great niche for themselves of telling fun stories that focus on fan favorite character dynamics, and their stories supplement the larger Deep Space Nine narrative arc under the auspices of David R. George III.

The focus of their story this time is Odo, though the Ferengi supporting cast that the authors have focused on in their previous two stories have a central role. These stories feel a lot like the Ferengi-centric episodes of the main series, where hijinks and capers ensue. As a big fan of some of those episodes (like “Little Green Men,” “Body Parts,” and “The Magnificent Ferengi”) it is wonderful to see the humorous stylings of them recreated.

“I, The Constable” plays like an old-fashioned noir novel, with Odo serving as the central detective character as he attempts to unravel a mystery involving the disappearance of Quark on Ferenginar. Odo’s affinity for crime fiction is an established trait of the character during the series, including 20th century stories of Mike Hammer, by real life 20th century author Mickey Spillane. Block & Erdmann build upon that established trait to create their own Deep Space Nine detective noir story – and I love it!

It’s fun to see Odo back in his role (albeit briefly) as a security officer solving crimes, and Block & Erdmann do a great job of capturing the essence of the character. It’s enjoyable watching Odo maneuver in curmudgeonly harrumph-ing fashion around Ferenginar, looking for his friend/nemesis Quark.

The last few pages may have leaned into the lingo of noir novels a little too hard for my tastes, and felt slightly out of character for Odo, but it was done with such love of the genre that I cannot help but enjoy it.

It’s also great that we get more development of the planet of Ferenginar, and continued depth to the characters of Quark and Rom. On previous visits to Ferenginar in Deep Space Nine, we were only exposed to the Tower of Commerce and the family home of Quark. In this story though, we travel to other parts of the planet and learn much more about the Ferengi culture.

There’s an important nuance to Ferengi stories that Block & Erdmann get right; while Ferengi characters are frequently humorous, they should never be treated disrespectfully. The Ferengi culture is very different, but it’s important not to look down on them. This was something that Armin Shimmerman struggled with during his time on the series – the writers of the show did not always handle the Ferengi characters with the respect that they deserved (for example, “Profit and Lace.”)

Block & Erdmann do a good job in their stories with making these characters humorous, but giving them motivation and agency that treats them with respect.

The relationship between and Quark and Odo was one of my favorites of Deep Space Nine. Given that David R. George III has chosen to focus on a larger narrative tapestry for the DS9 crew that frequently separates the characters, it’s fun to get these smaller stories that allow us to revisit some of the show’s best dynamics.

We’re blessed as Star Trek fans that the universe created by Gene Roddenberry is so rich and full of characters that we can get all kinds of stories that go beyond the simple science fiction adventure.

“I, The Constable” is definitely science fiction, it’s definitely an adventure, but it’s also a classic detective story in the style of your favorite detectives, starring Odo and Quark! I hope that Simon & Schuster continues their Star Trek e-book line, and give Block & Erdmann the opportunity to tell more of these stories.

If you liked I, The Constable, you should check out:

  • Lust’s Latinum Lost (and Found) by Paula M. Block & Terry J. Erdmann – Their first Quark-centric e-book novella, Quark must find a way to excite customers on the new Deep Space Nine, and does so through pursuing the latest installment of the popular holographic epic, Vulcan’s Love Slave!
     
  • Rules of Accusation by Paula M. Block & Terry J. Erdmann – In order to entice Ferenginar’s best and brightest to the station to dedicate the new Ferengi Embassy in Quark’s Bar, Quark convinces Grand Nagus Rom to bring the original scroll bearing the Rules of Acquisition. Hijinks ensue.
     
  • Star Trek Costumes by Paula M. Block & Terry J. Erdmann – I addition to their e-book novellas, Block & Erdmann are accomplished non-fiction writers. Their latest, Star Trek: Costumes, is a richly detailed book with great photography about the 50 years of Star Trek costuming.

Trek Comics Special: MIRROR BROKEN – “Origin of Data”

John Kirk
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6
Trek Comics Special: MIRROR BROKEN – “Origin of Data”

IDW Publishing’s Star Trek: The Next Generation – Mirror Broken miniseries concludes with its final chapter soon, but today we’re taking a look at a special Loot Crate-exclusive issue of this alternate universe tale, which was bundled in the subscription service’s September release: “Origin of Data,” a prequel shedding light on how this dark version of Data joined Picard’s crew.

If you haven’t been following this incredible series from IDW, this is David and Scott Tipton’s story of the captain and crew of the warship ISS Enterprise-D in the Mirror Universe. With Josh Hood on pencil duty – based on original illustrations by J.K. Woodward – this is an interstitial moment before Picard’s hand-picked crew of the ISS Stargazer ready themselves to take the Enterprise for their own.

Remember: that’s how things work in this universe, right? Assassination, revolution, usurpation – you name it. All the dirty tricks under the sun make for an ideal promotion in this reality.

Which makes it fun. Let’s face it: a captain like Kirk, who is prey to his impulses and baser instincts yet still retains his command training makes for an inverse character that Star Trek fans want to see. Likewise, the same goes for this version of Captain Picard. But this is a captain who isn’t just evil, he manages to think outside the box in order to secure his own priorities, yet can still also consider the welfare of the Empire.

Essentially, he’s an enlightened, intrinsically motivated version of the Jean-Luc we know and love, as Scott Tipton told me when I spoke to him about this special issue.

In some ways, he’s better with people than prime Picard, but he wouldn’t be as likely to be taking the moral high ground.

I find myself liking this Captain Picard more than the regular version. Why? Well, perhaps this iteration is releasing a latent aspect of Picard’s personality that Scott and David Tipton have seen and are capitalizing on that fans never thought about, at least, not consciously? Maybe it’s just that I like to see a completely uninhibited Picard who is willing to engage in tactics that our Picard would not stoop to because of a moral compass.

Of course, that’s the thing about being ‘bad’ isn’t it? It’s not just about letting go of those inhibitions and the beast within, but about knowing when is the right time to do it. The Tiptons’ Picard has all of these characteristics but also an enlightened sense of timing.

“Origin of Data” shows us how this universe’s Data came to join Picard’s command. It’s remarkably astute as we see the under-valued Data, toiling valueless in mines for his creator, Noonien Soong, and Captain Picard, considering the advantages a liberated android like Data would pose for him and his crew. Picard isn’t about evil choices – he’s about making high-yield, self-interested ones.

There’s a great scene where we see Picard visibly intrigued by the possibilities a sentient android could offer his ship – and his own advancement. Yet it’s Noonien Soong who actively provides the groundwork for these thoughts while championing the merits of his own scientific achievements. In these panels, a plan is hatched and therein lies the basis of Data’s origins as a Starfleet officer under Picard’s command.

Of course, Picard has to deal with the same issues that the Prime Universe Picard had to deal with as Data discovers more about his sentience and his relationship to humanity. While we only get a few pages, it’s clear that the Tiptons had to explore this topic in great depth.

David and I thought a lot about these characters. We wanted to move away from just cartoon evil characters.

For a one-shot, it’s a book that gives the reader a lot to digest. Not only do we have to think about what other adventures Picard and Data have shared between his liberation and the moment before the seizure of the Enterprise, but we also have to think about what Data has learned as well.

As we saw in Mirror Broken #4, Barclay notices that Picard and Data have a special relationship. In the prime universe, Picard sees himself as a mentor to allowing Data to understand humanity better to relate to it. In this universe, it’s clear that Picard needs Data to understand humanity to better exploit its weaknesses for him.

It looked like a difficult book to write, especially given its unique positioning between issues. Scott shared some of his creative process with me.

It was assigned to us as a one shot after we had already plotted the series and Loot Crate really wanted something special to fit their android theme.

It had to come together fast, since we had a serious drop-dead date. It was a couple of days for the proposal, a few days of back-and-forth for the plotting, and then a couple of weeks for the scripting.

The toughest part was squeezing it between our deadlines for Issues 3 and 4.

There were a couple of other things that made this book really stand out as well. For one thing, the book’s nature — a full comic release exclusively for their subscribers — was a first for Loot Crate. Second, Scott and David managed to fit a bit of obscure fun for themselves into the book as well.

This book is a major coup for the Tiptons and Hood. A successful story in its own right, but does this mean that Loot Crate will consider doing more original stories like this?

We knew this was a great opportunity. Up until this point, Loot Crate had only done variant covers. This was all new content.

The other aspect to this book that Scott shared with me is that it allowed him and David a chance to play with some of the canonical aliens of the series and insert them into the story: Data crushes a Saurian in one panel, which is one of the writer’s favorite obscure Trek alien races.

It’s these little details that artists insert into their stories that you want to look for. They’re fun and they demonstrate a great deal of thought and care that went into the writing of this particular, interstitial book. In fact, should Loot Crate ever want to try this again, they know which team to call.

Though this is late, like I said, the quality of this book really stands out. I hope that IDW finds away to make this chapter available for wider release at some point; perhaps in the trade release of the Mirror Broken story next spring? Otherwise, fans may have to head to eBay or other resellers to track this issue down.

It’s an amazing story that lends more background to the developing relationship between Picard and Data that also gives us more to look forward in the regular Mirror Broken series.

Roddenberry.com Previews New STAR TREK Merchandise

TrekCore Staff
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9
Roddenberry.com Previews New STAR TREK Merchandise

Star Trek licensee Roddenberry.com has previewed a number of upcoming Trek products set to debut in the coming weeks and months from their online outlet, including one Next Generation prop replica we first saw at Las Vegas this past August.

First up is a TNG-era LCARS-themed keyset, to upgrade Cherry MX-compatible mechanical keyboards to Starfleet specs of the 24th Century.

The keycap set is in the preorder phase now to determine if enough interest is available for a full production run; while another week remains in the preorder window, early orders have already doubled the initial projection.

This keyset was designed in consultation with members of the mechanical keyboard enthusiast community GeekHack.org, who can be as die-hard as Trek fans when it comes to the accoutrements of their hobby.

Considerable effort has been taken, matching to actual screen-used translite graphics, to ensure fidelity to the spirit of the originals: we have chosen a flat key profile (all key rows are the same height) with rounded corners, and we are even custom-mixing one of the resin colors using the Pantone color-matching system to get just the right shade of yellow.

The LCARS keyboard cap set can be preordered for $109.00.

Moving from Starfleet to the Klingon Empire, Roddenberry.com has revealed an artisan-quality mek’leth to join their existing bat’leth product which debuted a year or so back.

The hand-held Klingon blade debuted in Star Trek: First Contact, and while redesigned for Star Trek: Discovery, the version due in December represents the mek’leth carried by Lt. Commander Worf.

Constructed of high-grade aircraft Aluminum, featuring a genuine leather grip; this is a truly substantial hand-made display piece. Measuring 18 inches in length, the Legacy Series Mek’Leth is the perfect compliment to our Bat’leth prop replica. Includes: Aluminum prop replica, cold-cast resin display stand featuring a gold plate Aluminium Klingon insignia, and certificate of authenticity.

This Mek’leth prop replica is designed to the specifications used for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The false edge blade is not sharpened, and the points have been dulled for increased safety when handling.

Roddenberry.com’s mek’leth is available for preorder at $299.00.

Last up is a replica we first spotted at STLV in August – see our prototype photo above – which is a recreation of the isolinear circuit boards from Captain Picard’s ready room.

One of several items seen on Picard’s desk — including his crystal which Roddenberry.com debuted earlier this year — these computer plates were never given a specific purpose on The Next Generation, but remained in the captain’s ready room throughout the series.

While it won’t be available to order until December 1, the Roddenberry.com team did share some production photography of the cards in manufacturing on their Facebook page this week.

 

Keep checking back here at TrekCore for more Star Trek product news and reviews!

PS4 or Xbox One: Win a STAR TREK ONLINE Starter Pack!

Bob Stutzman
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2
PS4 or Xbox One: Win a STAR TREK ONLINE Starter Pack!

TrekCore is hosting a Star Trek Online contest to celebrate the recent release of Season 14 — Emergence — on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platforms!

This contest has ended and all winners have been notified.

The new season introduces a brand new featured episode starring LeVar Burton from Star Trek: The Next Generation, plus a host of new gameplay features for console captains. We’re giving away 25 Starter Packs for Xbox One, and a second set of 25 Starter Packs for PS4.

That’s 25 individual codes to unlock 3 starters packs (Federation, Klingon and Romulan) on the Xbox One, and 25 codes to unlock 3 starters packs (Federation, Klingon and Romulan) on the PlayStation 4.

Your character’s faction determines which starter pack you can use. (For example, only a Federation character can use the items in the Federation Starter Pack.)

Every code unlocks:

Federation Starter Pack

  • Tier 1 Constitution Class Starship
  • Plus a small XP boost, Borg Bridge Officer, inventory slots, bank slots, as well as very rare space and ground gear.

Romulan Legacy Starter Pack

  • Tier 1 T’Varo Light Warbird Starship
  • Plus a small XP boost, Borg Bridge Officer, inventory slots, bank slots, as well as very rare space and ground gear.

Klingon Defense Force Starter Pack

  • Tier 1 B’Rotlh Bird-of-Prey Starship
  • Plus a small XP boost, Borg Bridge Officer, inventory slots, bank slots, as well as very rare space and ground gear.

To enter the contest, just email us with your name and which platform you play on (Xbox One or PS4) by December 5.

On December 6, 25 names will be randomly selected to win one Star Trek Online Starter Pack for XBox One; and 25 names will be randomly selected to win one Star Trek Online Starter Pack for PS4.

All winners will be emailed the in-game code and instructions how to add the ship to your Star Trek Online XBox One/PS4 account. Good luck to all!

REVIEW: Eaglemoss’ S.S. Enterprise NX-Refit Model

Ken Reilly
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46
REVIEW: Eaglemoss’ S.S. Enterprise NX-Refit Model

We continue our look at the Eaglemoss Official Starship Collection special releases today with one of the more unique entries in their model series: the S.S. Enterprise, original NX-01 designer Doug Drexler’s take on a refit of the starship featured in Star Trek: Enterprise.

Meant to evolve the look of the NX-01 towards the two-section configuration of the classic Enterprise NCC-1701 seen in the Original Series, Drexler began to tease his work on this design to fans in early 2010, and finally debuted the finished redesign in the 2011 Ships of the Line annual Star Trek calendar. 2014’s revised Star Trek: Ships of the Line hardcover also features graphics depicting the NX-01’s extensive refit.

Drexler did clarify in 2010 that as far as use in Star Trek: Enterprise, there were “no official plans to refit the ship” but that this refit was “something that [he] would have liked to have seen” as an evolution of the NX-class.

While this model itself is about 3 inches longer that Eaglemoss’ subscription-size Enterprise NX-01, there are number of notable modifications to the ship itself in Drexler’s design that are immediately noticeable – the largest of which is the addition of a secondary hull, which is to contain a larger, more powerful warp engine.

The existing warp module (mounted on the NX-01 between the nacelles) has moved to that secondary section, and the nacelle struts have been extended to reach; the nacelle caps also now have spires, a similar design element later seen on “The Cage” version of the Enterprise NCC-1701.

The entire ship has also received a light blue wash, slightly changing the tone of the ship, save for the underside of the hull addition and the new plating on the outer sides of the warp nacelles – though it’s unclear why the bottom of the ship is still silver.

Both the secondary hull and warp nacelles now also carry the classic Starfleet gold-and-red markings, along with a stylized S.S. Enterprise tag on the side of the new engineering section.

One disappointing part of the upgrade is the new deflector dish, an untextured piece of molded plastic which almost seems to have been an afterthought; Drexler’s concept graphics for the ship seen in the 2001 Ships of the Line calendar, along with the Eaglemoss magazine for this release, show the deflector having the same ridged detail later seen on the Constitution-class Enterprise.

A final note on this release; the display stand for the NX-refit finally holds this design in place in a sturdy and stable manner. Unlike the original NX-01 model, the NX-refit is grasped by its stand on the outside of the nacelle mounts, finally keeping the ship in place for display.

Overall, the NX-Refit model is a nice, interesting part of Eaglemoss’ growing line of “non-canon” Star Trek ship models, along with the Titan and Aventine from the literary Star Trek line – and with more expected to follow, as Eaglemoss’ Ben Robinson told us back in August – and you can order your own edition at their web shop.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more of our Official Starships Collection reviews, including looks at the large-scale XL Enterprise-D Enterprise-E, and Enterprise NX-01 starships, space stations Deep Space 9 and K-7, another round of shuttlecraft releases, and more!

In Eaglemoss’ US store, TrekCore readers can use promo code TREKCORE at checkout for 10% off any ‘Star Trek’ collectible purchase $50 or greater (Starships, Plaques, Binders, Graphic Novels).

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