Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.reviews,rec.arts.startrek.current Subject: TNG Graphic Spoiler: "The Worst of Both Worlds" Date: 16 Aug 1993 18:38:01 GMT Lines: 177 Star Trek Comics Review: "The Worst of Both Worlds" Review by Mark Martinez ============================================ WARNING: SPOILERS FOR CURRENT STAR TREK COMICS AHEAD Publisher: DC Series: TNG Number: 47 Date: June 1993 Title: The Worst of Both Worlds--Part One: The bludgeonings of chance Writer: Michael Jan Friedman Penciller: Peter Krause Inker: Pablo Marcos Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Jerome Moore Stardate: Synopsis: While delivering supplies to a planet near Wolf 359, the Enterprise is drawn into a time-space anomaly. Data determines that the ship is still in the same sector of space but in a parallel universe. Sensors indicate that an approaching vessel is the battle section of a Galaxy-class starship. The entire bridge crew is transported to the battle section where they meet Capt. Riker and the remaining members of his Enterprise crew. They are the last Federation vessel still operating in defiance of the Borg, who have assimilated most of Earth's population. Capt. Riker asks for help to free Earth from the Borg. Grade: s/vg, a/fn, c/vg Publisher: DC Series: TNG Number: 48 Date: July 1993 Title: The belly of the beast Writer: Michael Jan Friedman Penciller: Peter Krause Inker: Pablo Marcos Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Jerome Moore Stardate: Synopsis: Commander Shelby, Wesley Crusher, O'Brien and several others from the battle section beam aboard the bridge of the Enterprise to take command. Shelby reluctantly continues to take orders from Capt. Riker. Picard decides to help Capt. Riker and asks that Dr. Crusher beam over to the battle section also. O'Brien and Wesley find Dr.Crusher with Keiko and Molly. Molly thinks O'Brien is her daddy but Keiko and Dr. Crusher recognize them as different people. Wesley escorts the doctor to the transporter. Dr. Crusher learns that Wesley's mom has probably been assimilated by the Borg and she vows to help. Picard and Data volunteer to find Locutus aboard the Borg ship and bring him back. While the Enterprise and the battle section provide cover, Picard and Data board the Borg vessel only to discover that Locutus is not present. Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/fn Publisher: DC Series: TNG Number: 49 Date: August 1993 Title: The armies of the night Writer: Michael Jan Friedman Penciller: Peter Krause Inker: Pablo Marcos Cover: Jason Palmer Cover: Jerome Moore Stardate: Irrelevant Synopsis: Picard and Data barely escape the Borg ship. Locutus is found on Earth, at Starfleet Headquarters. Capt. Riker and Picard decide to send a larger away team to try and bring back Locutus. Shelby, on the Enterprise, is assigned the task of decoying the Borg vessel. She is willing to go along but is also planning independent action. Picard, Commander Riker, Data, and both Worfs beam to Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco where they witness humans being assimilated. They find Locutus, but must fight to get to him. After capturing Locutus, the away team beams out, but the Borg wound, and perhaps kill one of the Worfs. Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/fn Publisher: DC Series: TNG Number: 50 Date: September 1993 Title: And death shall have no dominion Writer: Michael Jan Friedman Penciller: Peter Krause Inker: Pablo Marcos Inker: Romeo Tanghal Cover: Jason Palmer Stardate: Synopsis: Worf, from the battle section crew, has died like a warrior. The Borg ship begins chasing the battle section. Both Rikers head for the bridge to deal with the Borg ship while Picard, Data, and the others attempt to link with the Borg mind-net through Locutus, as they did once before. Data gives the "sleep" command, but this mind-net has better access barriers and it fails. Judging Capt. Riker's plan a failure, Shelby mutinies. She abandons the battle section to its fate and turns the Enterprise back to Earth. Wesley and O'Brien defy her orders and are forced to stun her. Concentrating on destroying the battle section, the Borg ship leaves itself open to attack from the rear, by Enterprise. Determined to enlist the aid of the imprisoned spirit of his counterpart, Picard whispers something to Locutus. Picard/Locutus responds with the word "eat". Data sends the "eat" command to the Borg consciousness. All Borg activity stops as every Borg tries to feed, draining all power from the Borg ship and destroying the mind-net link to Earth. Capt. Riker reassures Picard that he will help the Enterprise return to its own universe. The crews of each ship make their farewells. In the battle section sickbay, Picard's counterpart awakens and warns Picard that the rift is closing. Picard/Locutus had used the power of the Borg consciousness to create the rifts, hoping that someone would come to help. Both ships rush to the closing rift. On board the battle section, O'Brien is found in a cargo hold, stunned by a phaser. His counterpart has beamed aboard the Enterprise to be with a family once again, but he gives himself up and returns to the battle section. With their O'Brien safely aboard, the Enterprise returns home. Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/vf REVIEW In spite of the slightly overused "perilous alternate universe" plot device, _The_Worst_of_Both_Worlds_ is an enjoyable story. The only notable inconsistency is the whereabouts of the rest of the Enterprise crew. After the battle section boarding party arrives on the bridge of the Enterprise, they immediately have complete control of the ship. The Enterprise is generally pretty helpless when the story requires such behavior. With a crew of 2000 (more or less ?), you would think that there are other competent people aboard, but then they would have to create some new characters and the payroll of the Star Trek universe would expand beyond Paramount's ability to cope. Enough, back to the story. Among the nice touches are appearances by O'Brien's family and not one, but two Worfs. Commander Shelby's mutinous activities are also interesting. Picard's whispered words to Locutus tie the comics to past television episodes convincingly. The artwork is worthy of the story, particularly the Borg ship, Borg individuals and Locutus. The painted cover for this double-issue features four crewmembers and is suitable for framing. I can recommend this series of comics to any Trekker. ============================================ Grading Key (adapted with tongue-in-cheek from "The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide" and subject to revision with little or no provocation) s Story a Art c Cover art mt Mint: perfect in every way nm Near mint: minor imperfections only vf Very fine: outstanding fn Fine: no serious defects vg Very good: presentable gd Good: readable fr Fair: ragged pr Poor: falls apart na Not applicable/available