IDW Star Trek Ongoing...

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

Some of these seem to be "adaptations" only in the loose sense of telling a different story built around the same idea as a TOS episode. I think there was an earlier issue involving tribbles that wasn't the same story as "The Trouble With Tribbles" -- and their first original story in issues 7-8 could be seen as a thematic parallel to "Balance of Terror" since it involved the first UFP/Romulan conflict since the war, and did involve a ship crossing the Neutral Zone with warlike intent, although it was in the other direction.

I like this approach to their "adaptations": they're familiar enough to cue up recognition in the long-time fans while having enough new elements or perspectives to make it interesting for those same long-time fans. It also helps the comic creators to side-step the differing timeframe issue of when the prime stories took place versus when the nuTrek stories are happening.

The comic series itself has been improving in large measures by avoiding the more straight adaptation stories of its beginning run of issues. The creators have been very successful with their recent standalone issues (the Keenser and red shirt stories) and I'm glad to see them experimenting more with the format in the solo-focusing issues that will lead up to the new movie.

All in all, the Star Trek ongoing is a fun read each month and I encourage anyone that didn't initially enjoy the book to give it another try. In particular, I recommend issues 13, 14 or the most recent issue, 15.

 

[Fer]

I can write off that the nu-Mirror-universe Enterprise looks like the 1701-A due to it being an alternate timeline. And I can easily disregard that the nu-1701 looks like it as an error.

But I have to admit, the ship is just plain drawn inconsistently. On page 19, the hull says NCC-1701-D on it, but the "D" is then gone on page 22. On page 15 the nacelle struts have extra angles to them and the nacelles themselves are rectangular but curved, but on page 22, they're all back to looking exactly like the 1701-A.

I'm totally cool with the nu-Mirror Enterprise being a unique design designated 1701-D... originally I simply figured this mirror universe went through their Enterprises a lot faster, which works for a warlike culture. But that last page pretty much throws all that out the window, and gives me the feeling that the artist was using the 1701-A as a reference but simply never drew it the same way twice.

Spoiler: End of Issue #15 (Mirrored Part 1)

But since the ship got blown up at the end, it doesn't really matter anymore anyway.

I did enjoy the story itself, and I'm glad it's not a straight-up adaptation of "Mirror, Mirror." It feels a little similar to the "Mirror Images" mini-series IDW back in 2008, but that's kind of inevitable given the nature of the characters. All in all i enjoyed it, although perhaps not as much as the previous six issues or so.

 

[WarsTrek1993]

I can write off that the nu-Mirror-universe Enterprise looks like the 1701-A due to it being an alternate timeline. And I can easily disregard that the nu-1701 looks like it as an error.

It would make sense if the ENT mirror design is different-looking. If I remember right, the ENT-D from TNG: Dark Mirror was actually supposed to resemble a Sovereign-class. (Albeit a LOT bigger!)

 

[Therin of Andor]

You can get these at most comic shops, although you won't always find lots of IDW comics as back issues on shelves because shops tend to under-order these days. (You can also buy digital versions from IDW's online facility, IIRC.)

I pre-order each issue to guarantee getting them each month.

The full list of "ST Ongoing" is here, although a bit confusing with all the multiple covers getting coverage. Keep scrolling!
http://www.startrekcomics.info/idwstongoing.html

After the current "Mirror, Mirror"-inspired two-parter, they move to solo-focused origin stories. First McCoy, then Uhura.

The comic series itself has been improving in large measures by avoiding the more straight adaptation stories of its beginning run of issues. The creators have been very successful with their recent standalone issues (the Keenser and red shirt stories)

IIRC, this was always the plan. I recall an early interview with Bob Orci saying that the first few stories would be very similar to TOS stories, but then they would slowly move to being less-direct retellings, plus original stories.

 

[Christopher]

If I remember right, the ENT-D from TNG: Dark Mirror was actually supposed to resemble a Sovereign-class. (Albeit a LOT bigger!)

That's sort of a misleading way of putting it, because the book was written before there was a Sovereign class. Probably more apt to say that it was described in a way that, in retrospect, is reminiscent of a bigger Sovvie.

 

[F. King Daniel]

It would make sense if the ENT mirror design is different-looking. If I remember right, the ENT-D from TNG: Dark Mirror was actually supposed to resemble a Sovereign-class. (Albeit a LOT bigger!)

Not a Sovereign-class, because Dark Mirror pre-dates Star Trek: First Contact by two years. But I was always fascinted by the Diane Duane's vivid description of the Mirror-1701-D (p. 61/62):

It was the Enterprise. But not his Enterprise. It had a dark grey, even enlarged, a gunmetal color, cool and unfriendly. The design was overtly the same - the great sloped disc of the primary hull, the nacelles, the secondary hull all where they were supposed to be. But the secondary hull seemed larger; the nacelles were raked farther forward, and lower. The primary hull's curve was deeper and now had a frowning look about it. If ships had expressions, this one had it's eyes narrowed. It was a cruel look, and intimidating.

Sent chills up my spine when I first read it.

 

[Christopher]

^Yeah, that doesn't really sound like a giant Sovereign to me. Just a distorted Galaxy. Don't the Sovvie's nacelles rake further back, not forward?

 

[WarsTrek1993]

It would make sense if the ENT mirror design is different-looking. If I remember right, the ENT-D from TNG: Dark Mirror was actually supposed to resemble a Sovereign-class. (Albeit a LOT bigger!)

Not a Sovereign-class, because Dark Mirror pre-dates Star Trek: First Contact by two years. But I was always fascinted by the Diane Duane's vivid description of the Mirror-1701-D (p. 61/62):

It was the Enterprise. But not his Enterprise. It had a dark grey, even enlarged, a gunmetal color, cool and unfriendly. The design was overtly the same - the great sloped disc of the primary hull, the nacelles, the secondary hull all where they were supposed to be. But the secondary hull seemed larger; the nacelles were raked farther forward, and lower. The primary hull's curve was deeper and now had a frowning look about it. If ships had expressions, this one had it's eyes narrowed. It was a cruel look, and intimidating.

Sent chills up my spine when I first read it.

I stand corrected, though it might at least have some elements of a Sov.

By the way, that description of the mirror ISS-D is beyond epic.

 

[The Wormhole]

Part 1 of the Mirror Universe story was pretty good, even if it feels like a retread of Enterprise's MU two-parter. I'ma bit annoyed at how Nero's presence is just glossed over. This should be huge. Where did he come from? Is he from the traditional MU, and is there a chance that MU Nimoy Spock could show up?

Artwork goofs, however:
-The aforementioned TMP-TUC Constitution design being on page 1, which is set in the main Abramsverse.
-Page 3 which features a drawing of Scotty Prime has him wearing an Abramsverse uniform.
-The Enterprise's registry number is NCC-1701-D.
-The Enterprise's bridge stations have 24th century LCARS display. Oddly enough, they did this in the Tribble story too.

 

[F. King Daniel]

-The Enterprise's bridge stations have 24th century LCARS display. Oddly enough, they did this in the Tribble story too.

IDW do this a lot. In one of their TOS comics from years ago, the entire desktop control surfaces on the Original Series Enterprise bridge were covered in Next Generation-style computer displays. It looked quite bizarre.

I'm guessing they Google or use whatever's available. Countdown, for example, used graphics from the Starfleet Command videogames on the Enterprise-E, which worked well. And Nero's maps of Federation space in his Rura Penthe cell were from the 1980 Star Trek Maps (I absolutely loved seeing them! They even had correct locations for an escape from Klingon space and a trip to Vulcan)

I guess it's about how much of a Trekkie the artist is as to how well it works for us die-hards.

 

[Patrick O'Brien]

^They need to hire one of you guys to do editing and quality control I just finished reading two volumes of the comics on my I pad and I must say I enjoyed them. Cool to see original TOS episodes reimagined for the JJ crew. Nicley done.

 

[serenitytrek1]

Finally read this whole issue and it was fantastic, definitely one of the best issues so far and I must say ...could any of these characters be more vile and evil. Nu mirror Spock is quite the opposite of his TOS counterpart.

However I must say that the most shocking character in the mirror universe is Uhura. The art work was great but Spock didn’t look like Quinto at all and Uhura looked too boyish.

Fantastic issue overall.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Uhura looked too boyish.

Be grateful she wasn't bedding Rand or Moreau.

(Yet.)

 

[serenitytrek1]

Uhura looked too boyish.

Be grateful she wasn't bedding Rand or Moreau.

(Yet.)

As it is the mirror universe,I wont put it past her. Kirk is a total manic,he looks almost quite mad and Spock is quite ruthless.However as a female , I have never seen a woman dump her boyfriend/husband/lover The way Uhura does.

 

[serenitytrek1]

Mor Spoilers,

DONT SCROLL DOWN IF YOU HAVE NOT READ STAR TREK ONGOING 15















I know Kirk blew up Spock's ship with him still on board but I have a feeling that Spock is still very much alive

 

[Cartoonist]

Mor Spoilers,

DONT SCROLL DOWN IF YOU HAVE NOT READ STAR TREK ONGOING 15















I know Kirk blew up Spock's ship with him still on board but I have a feeling that Spock is still very much alive

The way it was drawn, I'm sure he is.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I just saw the cover of Star Trek Ongoing #19. My first thought: OMG OFFICIAL NEW ENTERPRISE DIAGRAM!

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1212/17/startrek19.htm

My second thought: No wait, they just pasted the nuEnterprise over the Enterprise-B master systems display from Star Trek Generations. None of the labels match up with what they're supposed to be.

Here's the synopsis:
As excitement builds for the upcoming film sequel, the ongoing Star Trek comics series shows fans the events that shaped the lives of the beloved Enterprise crew! In this issue we discover what led young Montgomery Scott to devote himself to engineering, as we witness his first steps on the journey that would take him across the galaxy! Overseen by Trek writer/producer Roberto Orci, this all-new tale sheds light on a classic character!

I wonder how it will jibe with Simon Pegg's Scotty bio from a few years back.

 

[The Wormhole]

I just saw the cover of Star Trek Ongoing #19. My first thought: OMG OFFICIAL NEW ENTERPRISE DIAGRAM!

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1212/17/startrek19.htm

My second thought: No wait, they just pasted the nuEnterprise over the Enterprise-B master systems display from Star Trek Generations. None of the labels match up with what they're supposed to be.

That is remarkably sloppy. The bridge isn't even labeled right and some random area on the secondary hull is classified as the shuttlebay. Truly terrible.

 

[Drago-Kazov]

So we get a new writer?

 

[Therin of Andor]

So we get a new writer?

You're blaming the writer for the cover artist's work - which may yet prove to be a placeholder?