Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion

JD · January 23 2013, 04:26 AM

Since this comes out tomorrow, and we've already gotten one review, from Trekmovie. I thought it might be a good time to set up a thread for this.
Trek movie seemed to enjoy it based on their review.
They did review a pretty major spoiler, that should get an interesting reaction from the fandom. Apparently at least one of the series possible baddies is

.
EDIT: Oops, if a mod could change the thread name to Countdown to Darkness #1.... it would appreciated.

TJ Sinclair · January 23 2013, 09:25 AM

Doesn't TrekMovie enjoy just about everything?

I'll be picking this up tomorrow. Hope the LCS puts the right cover in my box, I wish IDW would stop with the photo versions.

King Daniel Into Darkness · January 23 2013, 01:05 PM

Here's a spoilerific montage of that long lost Trek character's appearances over the years.

JarodRussell · January 23 2013, 01:16 PM

Poor Uhura gets denied her sexy time. Kirk's chance!

Allyn Gibson · January 23 2013, 03:23 PM

The first issue is fine.

It reads fast. It feels a little thinner than most issues of the ongoing series (or even Countdown), but it feels more substantial than any issue of the recent Assimilation2.

In terms of story, it feels very retro -- strange new worlds and a Prime Directive puzzle. The character work is fun.

There's no indication as to where this is going or how it will lead into the film. It feels like it's simply the next issue of the ongoing series.

ATimson · January 24 2013, 05:44 AM

After seeing your spoiler-free reviews above, I decided to take the plunge and spring for the $4 issue (even though I normally wait for the price drop to $2/issue). Well, I have to say, I wasn't expecting that ending. They've got me hooked for the rest of the series.

Agent Richard07 · January 24 2013, 06:54 AM

Got the last issue on the shelf. They went fast. It was a quick read but the reveal of Robert April was a nice surprise and the Uhura art on the next page was pretty nice too. I didn't read Countdown when the first movie came out, so I don't know to what degree this will tie into the new one. I wondered if the planet they were on was the same one we saw in the trailer.

CaptainDonovin · January 24 2013, 08:49 AM

Agent Richard07 wrote:

Got the last issue on the shelf. They went fast. It was a quick read but the reveal of Robert April was a nice surprise and the Uhura art on the next page was pretty nice too. I didn't read Countdown when the first movie came out, so I don't know to what degree this will tie into the new one. I wondered if the planet they were on was the same one we saw in the trailer.

According to Bob Orci the movie begins where the last page of part 4 of this series ends, just like ST09.

I was surprised by April as well, very interested to see what his role is in all this. Wonder if that is who Peter Weller is playing.

Tosk · January 24 2013, 09:53 AM

King Daniel wrote:

Here's a spoilerific montage of that long lost Trek character's appearances over the years.

There's also a Gene-style pic of him in Federation: First 150 Years. Just thought I'd mention it in case you care.

Markonian · January 24 2013, 11:20 AM

According to Trekmovie, the planet in the trailer is Nibiru. The world in the comic is Phaedus.

Ronald Held · January 24 2013, 08:57 PM

Which universe's April is very it?

The Wormhole · January 25 2013, 02:48 AM

I just got around to reading it. It's okay, nothing particularly bad, but not really stand-out good either. It's so far better than Countdown, for whatever that's worth.

TJ Sinclair · January 25 2013, 04:33 AM

...

TJ Sinclair · January 25 2013, 04:34 AM

So sometime in the last five years

Not what I was expecting, but the writing seems at least a little cut above the usual Trek fare from IDW. And yes, it's better than Countdown so far. I'll stick with it.

Pauln6 · January 27 2013, 12:25 AM

I really enjoyed the comic. It takes its time to set up the story, provides sufficient background on each of its characters to set them up for their role in the story and even references the ongoing series as well as the first movie. I don't feel as though the story itself is going to be much more complex than a standard 2 issue story but they're taking more time, which is something I've wanted to see in the ongoing comic.

Characterisation felt solid and Kudos for giving Uhura the conn but that doesn't alter the fact that the comic is seriously top heavy with men. The ongoing comic has put some small effort into introducing a few more recurring women in the form of security guards but this issue doesn't bode well for the equality of the sexes in the sequel if it represents their approach to the supporting characters (and one extra female crew member isn't anywhere near enough to make up the difference). Apart from a dream sequence reflecting scenes from the first movie (and even then that was top heavy with men) Uhura is pretty much it for the gals.

Overall it's a good start to the series. There is certainly enough here to pique curiosity for the rest of the series and the sequel.

View Poll Results: Rate the comics
Excellent	5	14.71%
Above Average	13	38.24%
Average	10	29.41%
Below Average	2	5.88%
Poor	4	11.76%
Voters: 34. You may not vote on this poll

January 23 2013, 09:25 AM	#2
TJ Sinclair Captain Location: There and back again...	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion Doesn't TrekMovie enjoy just about everything? I'll be picking this up tomorrow. Hope the LCS puts the right cover in my box, I wish IDW would stop with the photo versions. __________________ "Social harmony is not a good goal. There's plenty of social harmony in a prison camp. The individual is the smallest and most oppressed minority..." -- Diane Carey, April 2001

January 23 2013, 01:05 PM	#3
King Daniel Into Darkness Admiral Location: KingDaniel has fallen Into Darkness (in England)	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion Here's a spoilerific montage of that long lost Trek character's appearances over the years. __________________ Star Trek Imponderables, fun video mashups of Trek's biggest continuity errors. Episode One Episode Two

January 23 2013, 01:16 PM	#4
JarodRussell Vice Admiral	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion Poor Uhura gets denied her sexy time. Kirk's chance! __________________ lol l /\

January 23 2013, 03:23 PM	#5
Allyn Gibson Rear Admiral Location: South Pennsyltucky	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion The first issue is fine. It reads fast. It feels a little thinner than most issues of the ongoing series (or even Countdown), but it feels more substantial than any issue of the recent Assimilation2. In terms of story, it feels very retro -- strange new worlds and a Prime Directive puzzle. The character work is fun. There's no indication as to where this is going or how it will lead into the film. It feels like it's simply the next issue of the ongoing series. __________________ "When David Marcus cited the great thinkers of history -- "Newton, Einstein, Surak" -- Newt Gingrich did not make his list." -- 24 January 2012 allyngibson.net

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January 23 2013, 04:26 AM	#1
JD Admiral Location: Arizona, USA	Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion Since this comes out tomorrow, and we've already gotten one review, from Trekmovie. I thought it might be a good time to set up a thread for this. Trek movie seemed to enjoy it based on their review. They did review a pretty major spoiler, that should get an interesting reaction from the fandom. Apparently at least one of the series possible baddies is Rober April . EDIT: Oops, if a mod could change the thread name to Countdown to Darkness #1.... it would appreciated. __________________ Over the course of many encounters and many years, I have successfully developed a standard operating procedure for dealing with big, nasty monsters. Run away. Me and Monty Python. Harry Dresden - Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6) Last edited by JD; January 23 2013 at 04:28 AM. Reason: request to change thread title

January 24 2013, 05:44 AM	#6
ATimson Rear Admiral Location: Andrew Timson	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion After seeing your spoiler-free reviews above, I decided to take the plunge and spring for the $4 issue (even though I normally wait for the price drop to $2/issue). Well, I have to say, I wasn't expecting that ending. They've got me hooked for the rest of the series. __________________ Andrew Timson =============== "Niceness is the greatest human flaw, except for all the others." - Brendan Moody "...don't mistake a few fans bitching on the Internet for any kind of trend." - Keith R.A. DeCandido

January 24 2013, 06:54 AM	#7
Agent Richard07 The Tim Burton Version Location: Defying Logic	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion Got the last issue on the shelf. They went fast. It was a quick read but the reveal of Robert April was a nice surprise and the Uhura art on the next page was pretty nice too. I didn't read Countdown when the first movie came out, so I don't know to what degree this will tie into the new one. I wondered if the planet they were on was the same one we saw in the trailer. Last edited by Agent Richard07; January 24 2013 at 07:27 AM.

January 24 2013, 11:20 AM	#10
Markonian Commander Location: Cork, Ireland	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion According to Trekmovie, the planet in the trailer is Nibiru. The world in the comic is Phaedus. __________________ 1.000 years: University Leipzig, 1409-2409 Gorn to be wild!

January 24 2013, 08:57 PM	#11
Ronald Held Rear Admiral Location: On the USS Sovereign	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion Which universe's April is very it?

January 25 2013, 02:48 AM	#12
The Wormhole Admiral	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion I just got around to reading it. It's okay, nothing particularly bad, but not really stand-out good either. It's so far better than Countdown, for whatever that's worth. __________________ "Internet message boards aren't as funny today as they were ten years ago. I've stopped reading new posts." -The Simpsons 20th anniversary special.

January 25 2013, 04:33 AM	#13
TJ Sinclair Captain Location: There and back again...	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion ... __________________ "Social harmony is not a good goal. There's plenty of social harmony in a prison camp. The individual is the smallest and most oppressed minority..." -- Diane Carey, April 2001 Last edited by TJ Sinclair; January 25 2013 at 04:35 AM. Reason: Duplicate post, sorry!

January 25 2013, 04:34 AM	#14
TJ Sinclair Captain Location: There and back again...	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion So sometime in the last five years Robert April lands on Barsoom and goes all John Gill with the Thark? Not what I was expecting, but the writing seems at least a little cut above the usual Trek fare from IDW. And yes, it's better than Countdown so far. I'll stick with it. __________________ "Social harmony is not a good goal. There's plenty of social harmony in a prison camp. The individual is the smallest and most oppressed minority..." -- Diane Carey, April 2001

January 27 2013, 12:25 AM	#15
Pauln6 Commodore Location: Bristol, United Kingdom	Re: Countdown to Darkness - Review and Discussion I really enjoyed the comic. It takes its time to set up the story, provides sufficient background on each of its characters to set them up for their role in the story and even references the ongoing series as well as the first movie. I don't feel as though the story itself is going to be much more complex than a standard 2 issue story but they're taking more time, which is something I've wanted to see in the ongoing comic. Characterisation felt solid and Kudos for giving Uhura the conn but that doesn't alter the fact that the comic is seriously top heavy with men. The ongoing comic has put some small effort into introducing a few more recurring women in the form of security guards but this issue doesn't bode well for the equality of the sexes in the sequel if it represents their approach to the supporting characters (and one extra female crew member isn't anywhere near enough to make up the difference). Apart from a dream sequence reflecting scenes from the first movie (and even then that was top heavy with men) Uhura is pretty much it for the gals. Overall it's a good start to the series. There is certainly enough here to pique curiosity for the rest of the series and the sequel. __________________ Star Trek/Babylon 5/Alien crossover www.youtube.com/user/pauln6 Other Worlds Role Playing Game http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/produc...ducts_id=97631