Our Trek Comics editor Patrick Hayes returns with a review of November’s edition of New Visions, IDW Publishing’s Star Trek photobook comic series.

Order New Visions #9

Spock is front and center of this issue’s cover, and looks to be intense pain, actually making a fist with one of his hands. To his right is Dr. McCoy, who looks as though he’s saying something of concern to the Vulcan, and to Spock’s left is James T. Kirk, who is concerned at what his best friend is enduring. Behind all three is a luminescent blue mass with a pulsing pink center. Tendrils resembling that of a jellyfish writhe out from its center, perhaps seeking to entwine the iconic trio?

A great image that suggests much but reveals nothing, created by John Byrne. Having this image underneath that classic Trek font is like the cherry on top. I want this as a poster/print.  Grade: A+

The Enterprise is making its way through space when Spock receives a message from a civilian channel that causes him to ask for a rare leave of absence for personal reasons. Respecting his privacy, Kirk allows his first officer to go. Once off the ship, Spock books a private shuttle and goes to the source of his message.

It takes him a few days to get there and in the meantime McCoy and Kirk are having a drink in the captain’s quarters where the doctor expresses concern at the Vulcan’s leave. Kirk’s response is fantastic, “The issue is Spock’s privacy…and that is something I will not violate.”

Spock gets the focus of this issue, but it’s punctuated by Kirk and McCoy wondering if Spock’s mysterious trip might need their help, with the captain battling his desire, and McCoy’s suggestions, to see what the Vulcan is up.

I liked these brief reminders that Spock has a group aboard the Enterprise — a family — that is concerned about him. Uhura is the first one to question him about his message before the captain or the doctor chime. It’s this sense of family, Spock’s safety net, that he’s abandoned to go far away on his journey. It’s always great to see the crew looking out for each other.

I can’t, and shouldn’t, reveal who has called him, but it’s a supporting character that meant much to Spock on one of Trek’s famous television episodes, and just seeing her sent my heart soaring, as it must also do to Spock. The reason he’s gone to visit this character is revealed at the bottom of Page 12 and it’s a, pardon the phrasing, fascinating reason.

The position he’s been placed in is a problem for which there seems no way he can assist, and he states as much on 17. However, some dramatic irony has occurred just before this moment and the reader is drawn further into this tale by John Byrne to see what Spock’s reaction will be. The dialogue between Spock and the character on Pages 22 – 25 is pure Trek joy; it’s completely original, but has the feel of an episode.

The solution to the problem is not smooth for the characters, with the final two pages of the story being undeniably moving. All that was missing was the music to accompany it. Another fantastic story from Byrne.  Grade: A+.

The photomontage skills of John Byrne are as slick as all of his previous issues, and this installment seems to have the most original content yet. Two pages of scenes on the bridge, which feature the five core members of its crew, transition to a new location with a neat panel at the bottom of Page 2.

The third page contains the opening narration of the series with the title and introduces a new setting with a design that fits smoothly with the show. Helping to make it so is not just the setting itself, but the clothing on the individuals that share the panels with Spock: I really like the young couple in the center, the couple off to the right, and the individual that Spock speaks with — such a cool design on that uniform.

The location that Spock goes to share similar elements of settings from the show, but has just enough differences to make it different. It’s similar to what set designers on the show had to do: recycle as much as possible, but change just enough to make it a new environment.

With the exception of the clothes worn, the individual that has summoned Spock looks exactly the same. I love the lighting on this character in the second panel on Page 10; this panel had me hearing the music that accompanied this person. There is a new character in this story and there are several scenes involving him. It’s really neat to see this character fit into the scenes with these characters from the 1960s and I really liked him on 23 – 25.

Coloring becomes key to this character and it continues to make the reading experience similar to watching an original episode. There are several scenes that would have been financially impossible for the show to accomplish, let alone attempt, and Byrne makes them showstoppers when they appear: Pages 21, 22, 27, and 32 — which is a sweet highpoint. Grade: A+.

Dialogue, captain’s log and narration (same font), opening series’ narration, title, credit and dedication, writing on a ship, sounds, and yells are all created by John Byrne. I like that on Page 2 Byrne uses a different font and colors to visually show the difference between dialogue and other forms of communication.

Some letterers will use the same font for dialogue, thoughts, and narration, but it should be differentiated because they’re all different. I’m glad Byrne does so, and I’m also extremely glad for the sound effects he employs. Sounds are often not in books, but I relish their use and I’m glad they’re here. Grade: A+.

Order New Visions #8

It’s a blast from the past as Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew revisit a classic adventure in New Visions #8, the next chapter in IDW Publishing’s Star Trek photobook comic series.

It must be difficult to answer the question “How may we serve you?” when asked by one of several Andrea androids. All that’s missing from this cover is Spock looking at Captain Kirk with a raised eyebrow and Dr. McCoy looking at the captain with wide eyes.

One version of Sherry Jackson is fantastic, but having this many looks like heaven! This terrific cover by John Byrne nicely sets up the story within.

“The Survival Equation” by John Byrne begins on Wrigley’s Pleasure Planet with McCoy and Kirk about to begin a period of R & R, but one girl instantly has the captain’s attention.

Turning her around, Andrea is revealed, the female android created by Dr. Roger Korby from the episode “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” Kirk asks if she remembers him, she doesn’t and responds with “On Wrigley’s, formal introductions are not needed.” She then gives him a passionate kiss. McCoy is impressed with Kirk being “quick out of the gate,” but the captain has no humor for the situation.

He asks the doctor if the woman is human; Bones doesn’t have his medical equipment on him, but is sure she is. That’s not good enough for Kirk, who contacts the Enterprise and has himself, McCoy, and Andrea beamed aboard. Scotty and Kyle are surprised at the unexpected addition that has beamed aboard, and Bones thinks Jim has crossed a line, but the captain is having none of it — he wants her scanned. However, another crew member arrives on the scene and tells the tragic tale of Dr. Roger Kory.

The story nicely goes through some twists and turns before revealing who’s responsible for Andrea’s creation. Before that’s told there’s the return of a famous member of the crew on Page 6, a hitherto never seen character on 11, and the reveal of the individual who’s been making Andreas on 14 — I laughed out loud when this character was named, because trouble always follows this person, and I was looking forward to what Byrne would have this character do.

Before this character is met yet another famous character is encountered and his inclusion brought me so much joy. I love this character and getting to see him again in this story is fantastic. The tease at the bottom of Pages 21 and 22 made the character’s introduction awesome. Why the Andreas are created is completely justified by the insane logic of the issue’s antagonist and how Kirk and crew triumph is great.

This is not a story solved entirely with words, as an antagonist is much more forceful than he was allowed to be in the 1960s, which Page 33 can testify to — I gasped at his horrific scene. The ending wraps things up well, with one crew member finally getting the last fun line.

Though only shown for six pages, the scenes set on Wrigley’s live up to all the insinuations it’s had for decades. There is every type of person present, some newly created by John Byrne and others from famous episodes, such as the Tellarite on 2 and the tweaking of Yvonne Craig on 11 and 12.

Having Sherry Jackson in this story was outstanding. Her outfit, or lack thereof, makes her famous in the series’ run and it was neat to see what Byrne could have her, and her sisters, do. As always, Bryne was able to find just the right image of his characters to act out the scene and he has her emote fantastically in this new story, such as in the second panel on 10.

The walking scene at the top of 13 was great to see and had me wishing this had been an actual episode. There’s another famous character who appears, whom I’ll leave unnamed, and he was as magnificent in this story (Pages 21 – 23, 25, 26, and 28 – 35) as he was in the episode, with the large panel on 33 being frightening.

My favorite character visual of the issue is the eye roll in the first panel on 39 which continues to make me smile as I look on it.

This issue also has a famous actor making an appearance as a new character. Bryne includes a one page explanation of how comedian and actor Scott Adsit (pictured), most famous from his role as Pete Hornberger from NBC’s 30 Rock, was cast in this issue.

It was fascinating to see this modern day actor side by side with the classic crew from the 1960s. He seemlessly melds with the others, holding his own alongside Shatner and Nimoy. The door is open for his character to return, and I’d be more than happy to have him do so.

Besides the appearance of Wrigley’s World, there are two familiar settings visited: the bridge of the Enterprise and a location from a previous episode. The familiar settings from that installment are shown, but Byrne also creates some new locations, such as a stunning one on Page 20.

This image is a technological jaw dropper which the television program could never have created. It’s a spectacular, awe-inspiring visual that embraces the “strange new worlds” concept that the crew is continually seeking.