Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.reviews,rec.arts.startrek.current Subject: TOS Graphic Spoiler: "Time Crime" Date: 3 Jan 1994 21:29:48 GMT Lines: 235 Star Trek Comics Review: "Time Crime" Review by Mark Martinez ============================================ =WARNING= SPOILERS for current comics ahead Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 53 Date: October 1993 Title: Time Crime Writer: Howard Weinstein Penciller: Rod Whigham Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Carlos Garzon Stardate: 8512.4 Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/vg Synopsis The Enterprise is investigating a temporal disturbance when a Romulan warship appears. The Romulan commander, Admiral Jaricus, recognizes Enterprise, but the Romulan Empire was destroyed fifty years earlier after a sneak attack on the Federation and the Klingon Confederation. The Romulans insist that theirs is the true reality. Enterprise Science Officer Lt. Worf has no answers and recommends an investigation. The Federation agrees and invites the Romulans to Earth with diplomatic status. At Starfleet Academy, Spock is asked to assist with the investigation. He recommends visiting the Guardian of Forever to learn whether or not time has been altered. Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 54 Date: November 1993 Title: Time Crime, Part Two: Nightmares Writer: Howard Weinstein Penciller: Rod Whigham Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Carlos Garzon Stardate: 8516 Grade: s/vf, a/fn, c/fn Synopsis On the planet of the Guardian of Forever, Kirk has nightmares about a Klingon killing his son. Spock and David determine that the flow of time has been altered in the Klingons' past. They record the original progression of events and the altered timeline to study. Spock informs Kirk that in the timeline they wish to reestablish, David has been murdered by Klingons. Kirk considers stranding David on the planet, where he will be insulated from changes in time. Lt. Worf is troubled by the changes that will come. Klingons are devoted to the arts and sciences, not the art of war. Ambassador Kor examines the time records with Spock. They learn that the assassination of a pivital figure in Klingon history never took place. Kirk volunteers to lead the team which will try to restore the original timeline. Going with him are Kor, Admiral Jaricus, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, and Lt. Worf. Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 55 Date: December 1993 Title: Time Crime, Part Three: Time to Time Writer: Howard Weinstein Penciller: Rob Davis Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Carlos Garzon Stardate: 8520.9 Grade: s/vf, a/fn, c/fn Synopsis Kirk says goodbye to his son, who will be dead in the restored timeline. The Romulans have no choice but to accept the Federation's offer to observe only, but they are wary. While Spock monitors the Guardian of Forever, Kirk and his team arrive in the Klingon homeworld's past to begin searching for Khartan and the palace guards planning to murder him. Kirk picks a fight with a guard and is arrested. He meets Khartan and is impressed by his intellect and spirituality, making his mission even more difficult. The Federation team finds the leader of the assasination plot but he and his henchmen are killed by a modern Klingon explosive device. Having failed to carry out their mission to ensure Khartan's death, Worf regretfully takes it upon himself to set matters straight, killing Khartan with a phaser blast. Upon returning to their own time, Kirk's team learns that time still has not been set right. Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 56 Date: January 1994 Title: Time Crime, Part Four: Call Back Yesterday Writer: Howard Weinstein Penciller: Rob Davis Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Carlos Garzon Stardate: 8526.8 Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/fn Synopsis Their mission to correct the timeline a failure, Spock concludes that more than one event in time has been tampered with. Further study indicates that the assassination of the brutal Klingon leader Baraga should never have occurred. Kor stays behind to continue studying the Guardian of Forever's records. The Romulan commander considers the Guardian's potential as a weapon while Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, Sulu and Worf go back in time once more. Kirk and Sulu get jobs as airplane mechanics to be near the site of Baraga's murder. Klingons from the future identify Kirk and his team and begin revising their plans. Baraga learns of the two new and very skilled mechanics, and makes them his own. Kirk and Sulu capture a Klingon trying to sabotage Baraga's plane, but are themselves thrown in jail for their trouble. Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 57 Date: February 1994 Title: Time Crime, The Conclusion: Seems Like Old Times Writer: Howaed Weinstein Penciller: Rob Davis Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Rod Whigham Cover: Carlos Garzon Stardate: 8545.1 Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/vf Synopsis Kirk and Sulu are brought before Baraga to tell their story. Baraga kills the would-be sabateur and goes ahead with plans to use his plane in an air show. The renegade Klingons from the future worry that their plan has failed until Baraga's plane explodes during the air show. They capture Kirk and his team, with plans to dispose of them. Kirk learns that the renagades, along with like-minded Romulans, attempted to alter history so that both the Federation and the Klingon Empire would both be weak, peace-loving societies, and ripe for conquest. At the Guardian of Forever, Spock confirms that the timeline has been restored, but since Kirk has not returned, he refuses to allow the Romulans to leave. After further consideration, he arrests the Romulans on suspicion of conspiracy to alter time. Ambassador Kor convinces the Klingon Imperial High Command that the situation still requires action. When the renegade Klingons learn that Baraga has survived, they beam back to their bird-of-prey with the Federation team, vowing another attempt to change history. Before they can kill Kirk, a battlecruiser hails them and orders their surrender. After a brief battle, the renegades are captured and Kirk's team boards the battlecruiser which slingshots around the Klingon sun to the present. Lt. Worf learns that he is a defense attorney in this timeline and plans to defend the renegades. Kor bids Kirk farewell and wonders if their common experiences and memories of the altered timeline will affect their future actions. Review I know that whenever someone trots out the old time travel plot device, stout-hearted Trekkers begin crying into their Romulan ale, but Howard Weinstein makes it work in this five-part story of Klingon honor and treachery, past and present. From the first issue to the last, this is an engrossing tale. Among the high points of the altered timeline: Kirk's relationship with his son; Lt. Worf (grandfather of TNG's Worf from ST VI: TUC) and Ambassador Kor ("Errand of Mercy", TOS episode #27) demonstrating that Klingon's have honor under any circumstances; and Kirk's Klingons, the Federation team disguised as Klingons. The artwork is fine from beginning to end, particularly the covers of the last two issues. Kirk and Sulu look right at home as Klingon warriors. The numerous scenes of Klingon past are well done and really quite interesting. If you like action-packed comics, I heartily recommend this series. My only complaint is that DC Comics' trade agreement with the Klingon Empire prohibits distribution of the Klingon language editions of these comics on Earth. Except for an occasional Klingon epithet, all dialogue is in English. Notes The forthcoming Star Trek Special #1 will have stories written by Mike W. Barr and Peter David, among others. Star Trek #58 begins a three-part story featuring Chekov, visiting Sulu on Excelsior and reminiscing about his first days serving under Kirk. QVC is selling 1000 copies of Star Trek Annual #4, numbered and signed by Leonard Nimoy, for $70.00 each. Comics are appearing more often on QVC's Star Trek shows. I am not sure what to make of their prices and "exclusive" deals. In January, DC will publish "The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation", a trade paperback which reprints issues #5, #6, #19, Annual #2, all by Michael Jan Friedman, and Annual #1, by John DeLancie. The latest version of the Star Trek Comics Checklist will be posted to rec.arts.startrek.misc in mid-January. ============================================ 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