Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current,rec.arts.startrek.reviews
Subject: TNG Graphic Spoiler: "The Victim"
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 10:16:41 -0400
Lines: 87

Star Trek Comics Review: "The Victim"
Review by Mark Martinez
============================================

=WARNING= SPOILERS for current comics ahead

Publisher: DC
   Series: TNG
   Number: 62
     Date: August 94
    Title: The Victim
   Writer: Michael Jan Friedman
Penciller: Rachel Ketcham
    Inker: Rick Burchett
    Cover: Jason Palmer
 Stardate: na
    Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/fn

Synopsis

Dazed and confused, Deanna Troi is confronted by the killer of
Dr. Crusher and Riker. When he kills her companion, Troi runs.
The killer chases her into a large building, taunting her as she
dodges his energy bolts. Running down one hallway after another,
Troi finds Worf's body and his phaser. She turns a corner and
finds the killer. As she holds him at phaser-point he advances,
but she can't bring herself to fire at him.

Troi awakens to find herself surrounded by her shipmates. Picard
reminds her that the Thrakkite ambassador has been murdered and
Troi was one of two suspects. Their hosts, the Talquosians tested
her innocence by inducing a dream scenario wherein Troi was
given every opportunity to kill the victim. The real killer
confesses and briefly puts up a fight, until Troi convinces him
to give himself up.

Review

Friedman has written a story with an interesting premise, quite
suitable for Counselor Troi. Although I'm not convinced that
dreams would be any more reliable an indicator of innocence or
guilt than our own system of justice, it's an entertaining
notion. The circumstances which demonstrate Troi's inability to
kill, even in a dream, are consistent with her character's
development throughout the television series and believable.

Newcomers to TNG art, Rachel Ketcham and Rick Burchett have done
a good job of bringing Troi and other TNG characters to life
(even though they are dead for most of the story). The cover by
Jason Palmer depicts Troi in jeopardy from an evil-looking
alien. This is a classic science fiction concept, but these
aliens were not really very interesting, serving only to get the
story rolling. Overall, this is a well-done TNG comic, for a
change. 


Notes

TNG Special #2, with stories by Chris Claremont and Michael Jan
Friedman, will be in comic book stores soon. It will be followed
by TNG Annual #5 in September, featuring a story by TOS series
writer, Howard Weinstein. Friedman reciprocates by providing the
story for TOS Annual #5, coming in August.

This month's issues have pushed the total count of Star Trek
comics published since 1967, to over 300. Isn't it amazing what
people will spend their hard-earned money on?

============================================
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: above average
vg      Very good: average
gd      Good: some defects
fr      Fair: ragged
pr      Poor: falls apart
na      Not applicable/available