Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.reviews,rec.arts.startrek.current Subject: TOS Graphic Spoiler: "The Alone" Date: Tue, 26 Jul 1994 16:52:42 -0400 Lines: 107 Star Trek Comics Review: "The Alone" Review by Mark Martinez ============================================ =WARNING= SPOILERS for current comics ahead Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 62 Date: August 1994 Title: The Alone Writer: Kevin Ryan Penciller: Rod Whigham Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Russell Walks Stardate: present and near the end of the first five-year mission (5992.4) Grade: s/fn, a/fn, c/vg Synopsis Kirk, McCoy, and Spock are discussing an upcoming visit and the past. Kirk believes that past is best left where it is. Years before, shortly before the end of its first five-year mission, the Enterprise arrives at Veneu II on an archeological study. The landing party finds a huge structure still showing power readings. Spock determines that the equipment they find is a transporter device designed for travel through time as well as space. The structure is attacked and Kirk is trapped inside while the others return to the Enterprise. Spock must negotiate with the Wumpar, who insist that the Enterprise leave. Meanwhile, Kirk has been transported to another planet. Finding himself alone, he begins exploring. While he spends more than 185 planetary days on his new home, Spock convinces the Wumpar to help search for Kirk. Publisher: DC Series: TOS Number: 63 Date: September 94 Title: The Alone, Part Two Writer: Kevin Ryan Penciller: Rod Whigham Inker: Arne Starr Cover: Russell Walks Stardate: present (8826.2) and past Grade: s/gd, a/fn, c/vg Synopsis Kirk battles wild animals and survives. One of the animals was pregnant and leaves a pup, which he begins to raise. In the future, Spock is ordered to give up searching for Kirk, but he has Chekov plot a course which will allow the Enterprise to visit every star system in the sector. The Wumpar accompany the Enterprise and learn about the Federation. Nearly extinct at the hands of the Draselle, the Wumpar believe themselves to be a dying race, but they are impressed by Spock's efforts to find his captain. Kirk grows old, with a beast his only companion. When he dies, he leaves behind his logs and a sign of his passing. The Draselle find the Wumpar and the Enterprise, but are turned away after a brief battle. The Wumpar, with renewed hope, continue to help look for Kirk. When they come upon the Gribbon system, Kirk's logs and 167-year old remains are found. Spock slingshots the Enterprise around the nearby sun and retrieves his Captain. The Wumpar settle Gribbon II and Kirk is profoundly affected by reading the logs of another lifetime that never happened. Review The exploration of Federation ideals and Kirk's lonely predicament held my interest right up until the end. What started out as an intriguing story ends with a dull thud, victim of yet another time travel rescue. To be certain, Star Trek in all its media forms, has used this plot device for more than 25 years, but it fails to rescue Ryan's story. On the other hand, the notion of Kirk as some sort of interstellar Robinson Crusoe probably didn't have any other suitable resolution for a continuing series. The cover features Kirk, presumably dead, but has little else to recommend it. The interior artwork is quite good, but I would have expected this from Whigham and Starr. It's too bad that the story didn't hold up. The folks who want Kirk dead may be the only readers pleased with Ryan's story ;-) ============================================ 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