Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.reviews,rec.arts.startrek.current Subject: TNG Graphic Spoiler: "A House Divided" Date: 17 Dec 1993 20:01:50 GMT Lines: 104 Star Trek Comics Review: "A House Divided" Review by Mark Martinez ============================================ =WARNING= SPOILERS for current comics ahead Publisher: DC Series: TNG Annual Number: 4 Date: 1993 Title: A House Divided Writer: Mike W. Barr Penciller: Jim Key Inker: Aaron McClellan Inker: Bob Smith Cover: na Stardate: 46759.2 Grade: s/vg, a/vg, c/vg Synopsis The Enterprise arrives at penal colony Tantalus VII in advance of a moving pulsar to evacuate a few remaining prisoners and staff. When Picard, Data, and Dr. Crusher beam over to the prison, an unidentified and heavily armed boarding party also beams aboard. Dr. Crusher is discomposed by the presence of Odan ("The Host"/197), her Trill lover, and still in a female host. Odan is there to oversee the transport of a dangerous Trill prisoner, Keb Dalor. While Dalor is being moved, a Romulan vessel uncloaks and attacks the Enterprise. The armed boarding party attacks and disables the away team and prison staff, but Dalor is critically wounded. Riker and the Enterprise destroy the Romulan ship, leaving the away team hostage on Tantalus. Trelia, the renegade Romulan commander, forces Dr. Crusher to implant Dalor into Picard. After the transfer, Dalor kills the remaining prison staff, orders the Enterprise computer to gas all decks, and takes over the ship. When Riker and the rest of the crew recover, they begin countermeasures, but Dalor manages to take his party, Dr. Crusher and Odan to the battle bridge and separate from the saucer section. Dalor is inexperienced at starship combat and can't subdue Riker and the saucer section in spite of having superior speed and weaponry. He is also weakening in Picard's body. Odan and Dr. Crusher do their best to reduce the odds but when Trelia is injured, Dalor plays on Crusher's morality to make her come to the battle bridge and render medical aid. Dalor takes Dr. Crusher hostage, sacrificing Trelia. Riker has lured Dalor back to Tantalus where he, Geordi, and Data beam aboard the station to use the prison's power to punch a hole in the battle section's shields. Once the hole is made, Data beams Dalor and Trelia from the battle bridge and uses the transporter to separate Dalor from Picard. Dalor is reassembled in Trelia's unconscious body where he is helpless. Dr. Crusher and Odan still have tender memories of one another, but for now, Crusher can't deal with anything more than memories. Review I liked Mike Barr's story for this Annual featuring Dr. Crusher, but it doesn't answer any of the interesting questions that were voiced when "The Host" aired during the fourth season. Crusher couldn't accept Odan as a woman then, and she doesn't in this comic either. I don't imagine that DC and Paramount would have permitted any other outcome. In spite of the failure to elaborate on Crusher's relationship with Odan, this is still a pretty good action yarn. The starship maneuvers and transporter techo-babble are even moderately plausible. In general the artwork is quite good. The action scenes flow smoothly and hold the reader's attention. Dr. Crusher is apparently suffering from a series of pencilling ailments. Her appearance changes substantially from one panel to another. Since she is a featured character, this is a little annoying. Dr. Crusher also appears on the cover with yet another look, although graphically, the cover is interesting. Overall, this comic is a decent read, with flaws that can be overlooked easily enough. ============================================ 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