Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.reviews,rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: DSN Graphic Spoiler: "Behind the Scenes"
Date: 2 Aug 1993 14:30:16 GMT
Lines: 87

Star Trek Comics Review: "Behind the Scenes"
Review by Mark Martinez
============================================

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR CURRENT STAR TREK COMICS AHEAD

Publisher: Malibu (Hero Premiere Edition 1)
   Series: DSN Limited Edition Preview
   Number: 1
     Date: June 1993
    Title: Behind the Scenes: A Sneak Preview
   Writer: Tom Mason (editor)
Penciller:
    Inker:
    Cover:
 Stardate: 

 Synopsis: Interviews with Mike W. Barr and Gordon Purcell;
sample script, pencil breakdowns, and art for Preview #2;
ST:DSN logo on cover in gold foil. There may be a variant with the
logo in silver rainbow foil.   

    Grade: s/na, a/fr, c/fr

Publisher: Malibu (Hero Premiere Edition 1A)
   Series: DSN Limited Edition Preview
   Number: 2
     Date: July 1993
    Title: Hostage Situation
   Writer: Mike W. Barr
Penciller: Lurene Haines
    Inker:
    Cover:
 Stardate: 43256.9
 Synopsis: A Klingon bird-of-prey docks at DSN so that a
prisoner being transported to Qo'Nos can receive medical
attention. After an escape attempt thwarted by Odo
shapeshifting into a Vulcan Sehlat, Bashir examines the
prisoner, but is overpowered and held hostage in sickbay.
Sisko resolves the situation when he discovers that the
Klingon captain set up the hostage situation so that the
prisoner would be killed.  

    Grade: s/gd, a/fr, c/fr

REVIEW

There is not much to preview in #1 except a page of art from #2 and
some pencil sketches. The interviews of veteran Trek writer
and artist, Barr and Purcell, are very brief. This item is for
the completist collector only.    

   

I hope that the artwork for the regular series will be more
polished. The painted style of #2 (on glossy paper stock) is a
nice change from other Trek comics but it is not clear that this
style will be used for the regular series. The characters seem
familiar enough, but their likenesses are inconsistent from
one page to the next. Odo's shapeshifts are depicted as if
illuminated by a strobe. This comic is really too short to make
any judgements about the  regular series, but I am looking
forward to the regular issues. The cover has an inset photo of
the DSN cast.   

  

============================================
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 -- near perfect in every way
nm      Near mint -- minor imperfections only
vf      Very fine -- outstanding
fn      Fine -- above-average with no serious defects
vg      Very good -- average
gd      Good -- readable
fr      Fair -- ragged
pr      Poor -- falls apart
na      Not applicable/available