IDW'S Star Trek #2

[Turtletrekker]

Sales of previous IDW comics show that "the more devoted fans who have watched and loved TOS" you mention didn't care enough for IDW's previous TOS, TNG or DS9 comics either.

What did sell extremely well for IDW were any comics related to the JJ Abrams-directed movie: "Countdown", "Spock Reflections", "Nero", and the film's adaptation in comic form.

Not really, not always. The worst-selling issue of Wrath of Khan sold around 8,300 copies, whereas the best-selling issue of the new film adaptation sold around 6,400. And here I was sneering at IDW's timely choice of publishing a Khan tie-in.

I buy very little of IDW's Trek output, but I bought the The Wrath of Khan adaptation. I had adaptations of all of the other TOS movies and was thrilled that someone finally was filling in that gap.

Hmmmm. IDW has recently started up a G.I. Joe book that picked up the old Marvel continuity where they left it off all of those years ago and ran with it. They recently announced plans to do the same with the old Marvel continuity of the Transformers. Given the apparent success of these "retro" projects, I wonder if IDW would give any thought to clearing up the hanging story threads from Marvel's Starfleet Academy and Early Voyages books? They wouldn't really even need a full on-going series to do it, just a mini or one-shot.

 

[Christopher]

Hmmmm. IDW has recently started up a G.I. Joe book that picked up the old Marvel continuity where they left it off all of those years ago and ran with it. They recently announced plans to do the same with the old Marvel continuity of the Transformers. Given the apparent success of these "retro" projects, I wonder if IDW would give any thought to clearing up the hanging story threads from Marvel's Starfleet Academy and Early Voyages books? They wouldn't really even need a full on-going series to do it, just a mini or one-shot.

I'm not sure there'd be enough of a market for that. The Marvel Transformers and G. I. Joe comics ran for years and racked up a sizeable number of issues. Marvel's Trek comics had much shorter runs, much less of an impact on fandom overall.

 

[Pauln6]

For those who are pissed they're doing remakes, I think it's worth keeping in mind that the stories are going to be a mix of new stories and remakes, and we don't even know yet what the proprotions of each will be.

And I'm not sure the "remakes" really will be remakes. The impression I got from the news releases is that these might be very different takes on concepts, characters, or elements from TOS episodes. For instance, maybe in this version of the Gary Mitchell story, the edge of the galaxy isn't involved at all, and it's a different kind of story about Gary Mitchell getting godlike powers from a different source, and maybe with a different outcome. At least, that's the impression I got, that they aren't retelling the specific episodes so much as approaching the premises of those episodes from new angles. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but we just won't know until they actually come out.

I'm very pleased that they are not rushing the 'retelling' of the stories. Taking more time might let them plug the plot holes that existed in the original versions. The idea of possession by an entity is not original but it probably makes more sense than wondering why we don't have an army of psychic supermen running around the Galaxy.

I'll be even more interested if they keep some of the guest characters around beyond the only stories in which they appeared. Imagine if Dr Denher, free of alien influence, nevertheless retains some limited psychic abilities? Straying into Kes territory but it could have legs.

Obviously as a fan of Rand, I'd like to see her featured. I would be irritated if evil Kirk ended up molesting Uhura just because she is the only woman in the cast. I'd like to see Rand carry on beyond her 8 episode run as a recurring 'guest star' too.

 

[Christopher]

I'll be even more interested if they keep some of the guest characters around beyond the only stories in which they appeared. Imagine if Dr Denher, free of alien influence, nevertheless retains some limited psychic abilities? Straying into Kes territory but it could have legs.

Obviously as a fan of Rand, I'd like to see her featured. I would be irritated if evil Kirk ended up molesting Uhura just because she is the only woman in the cast. I'd like to see Rand carry on beyond her 8 episode run as a recurring 'guest star' too.

The filmmakers seem to want to ensure that the movies take the lead when it comes to introducing anything new to the film universe on an ongoing basis. If a new recurring character like Rand were to be added, it would probably happen in a film, not a comic. Although if they decide they're going to introduce a character in the next film, they may work that character into comics that come out before the film does as a form of cross-promotion. But it will still be the films leading the way and the tie-ins following.

 

[Pauln6]

The filmmakers seem to want to ensure that the movies take the lead when it comes to introducing anything new to the film universe on an ongoing basis. If a new recurring character like Rand were to be added, it would probably happen in a film, not a comic. Although if they decide they're going to introduce a character in the next film, they may work that character into comics that come out before the film does as a form of cross-promotion. But it will still be the films leading the way and the tie-ins following.

I think that is true up to a point but I don't think it will apply to the introduction of new crew members who don't really need a complex introduction. Orci will no doubt give them some guidance but I don't see that a desire to use a character in the movies will bar them from appearing in the comic beforehand. In TOS, Rand was introduced by just striding into Kirk's room to serve him dinner and he grumbled about being assigned a female yeoman. The fact that the episodes are often aired out of order without affecting that first appearance in any way shows that 'origin' episodes don't need to be convoluted or complex. Riley, Chapel, MBenga, Kyle, Mulhall, Noel could be used the same way despite the possibility of being used in future movies. I'd be quite keen to see them appear in 'episodes' that they didn't appear in originally, especially a versatile character like Mulhall whose talents could more easily be utilised by modern storytellers.

Obviously, if they have already decided that they want to give Rand a big introduction and then kill her off, it's likely she won't be in the comics, although that would be no bar to using Smith, Mears, or any other yeoman in place of Rand in the comic.

 

[nickyboy]

I am looking forward to this

 

[Therin of Andor]

I just noticed that that's Tobias Richter's Enterprise on the front of issue 2. I hope they pay him!

I'm getting Joe Corroney's alternate cover for #2: a recruitment poster:


IDW Star Trek (ongoing) #2 - by Joe Corroney by posted by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

See more info at:
http://trekmovie.com/2011/08/09/fir...s-cool-alternative-cover-star-trek-ongoing-2/

 

[8of5]

I'm getting Joe Corroney's alternate cover for #2: a recruitment poster

I hope to too, although I rarely get much choice as I'm pretty much my comic book guy's only trekkie customer!

 

[Pauln6]

If it's just meant to be a recruitment poster then we may not get an andorian security guard in the actual story and I'd feel cheated!

Out of interest, where do women display their rank on these short sleeved uniforms or are we just assuming that there are no women officers and they are primarily there as eye candy to serve Kirk coffee?

 

[Christopher]

If it's just meant to be a recruitment poster then we may not get an andorian security guard in the actual story and I'd feel cheated!

The TrekMovie article does indeed say that the "poster" is not representative of anything specific to the issue's story.

Out of interest, where do women display their rank on these short sleeved uniforms or are we just assuming that there are no women officers and they are primarily there as eye candy to serve Kirk coffee?

McCoy's short-sleeved tunic didn't have rank stripes on it either, so it's not a gender thing.

 

[Therin of Andor]

If it's just meant to be a recruitment poster then we may not get an andorian security guard in the actual story and I'd feel cheated!

I think the article already says it's not reflective of the content. And Mr Corroney can cheat all he likes!

 

[F. King Daniel]

That's a shame, coz an Andorian in place of Dr. Dehner (sp?) in this timeline would be a vaguely interesting twist.

Awesome alternate cover.

 

[JD]

If it's just meant to be a recruitment poster then we may not get an andorian security guard in the actual story and I'd feel cheated!

Out of interest, where do women display their rank on these short sleeved uniforms or are we just assuming that there are no women officers and they are primarily there as eye candy to serve Kirk coffee?

If it's just meant to be a recruitment poster then we may not get an andorian security guard in the actual story and I'd feel cheated!

The TrekMovie article does indeed say that the "poster" is not representative of anything specific to the issue's story.

Out of interest, where do women display their rank on these short sleeved uniforms or are we just assuming that there are no women officers and they are primarily there as eye candy to serve Kirk coffee?

McCoy's short-sleeved tunic didn't have rank stripes on it either, so it's not a gender thing.

I just checked the Starfleet Uniform (2250s alternate reality) page, and it does show two pictures of women in long sleeves. So apparently it's just one of multiple options, not the default female uniform. And like Christopher said, McCoy wore a short sleeve uniform somewhere, so apparently they available to both sexes.

 

[Christopher]

^To be clear, I was referring to Prime-timeline/TOS McCoy's short-sleeved medical tunic which he often wore in sickbay, e.g.:

http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/2x10hd/journeytobabelhd1367.jpg

I think maybe it was supposed to be his "scrubs" outfit or something.

 

[JD]

Oh, my mistake, I'm sorry.

 

[Pauln6]

If it's just meant to be a recruitment poster then we may not get an andorian security guard in the actual story and I'd feel cheated!

Out of interest, where do women display their rank on these short sleeved uniforms or are we just assuming that there are no women officers and they are primarily there as eye candy to serve Kirk coffee?

The TrekMovie article does indeed say that the "poster" is not representative of anything specific to the issue's story.

Out of interest, where do women display their rank on these short sleeved uniforms or are we just assuming that there are no women officers and they are primarily there as eye candy to serve Kirk coffee?

McCoy's short-sleeved tunic didn't have rank stripes on it either, so it's not a gender thing.

I just checked the Starfleet Uniform (2250s alternate reality) page, and it does show two pictures of women in long sleeves. So apparently it's just one of multiple options, not the default female uniform. And like Christopher said, McCoy wore a short sleeve uniform somewhere, so apparently they available to both sexes.

[/QUOTE]

Ah cool. But there is still potential to confusion in the chain of command during a crisis. Why no rank epaulets?

 

[MatthiasRussell]

I hate the look of the new Enterprise, but for some reason, I think it looks pretty good in that poster. The lines of the secondary hull and neck somehow look better.

 

[Yevetha]

I liked the issue, but i really missed the psychologist lady.