#IReadsYou Review: STAR TREK: Year Five #1

STAR TREK: YEAR FIVE No. 1
IDW PUBLISHING – @IDWPublishing

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
ARTIST: Stephen Thompson
COLORS: Charlie Kirchoff
LETTERS: Neil Uyetake
EDITOR: Denton J. Tipton
COVER: Greg Hildebrandt
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: J.J. Lendl; Greg Hildebrandt
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2019)

Created by Gene Roddenberry, “Star Trek” was a science fiction television series.  It debuted on the NBC broadcast television network on September 8, 1966,  It followed the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), a “starship,” and its crew as they traveled on a five-year mission through the Milky Way galaxy during the future-decade of the year 2260.

The crew of the Enterprise was led by Captain James T. Kirk.  Kirk was assisted by six prominent crew members:  first officer and science officer, Spock; chief medical officer, Leonard “Bones” McCoy; chief engineer, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott; communications officer, Nyota Uhura; helmsman Hikaru Sulu; and navigator Pavel Chekov.

“Star Trek” ran until June 1969, for three seasons for a total of 79 episodes.  Series mythology says those three season cover the first three years of the Enterprises' five-year mission.  An animated “Star Trek” television series was broadcast on NBC on Saturday mornings for two seasons (1973-1974) for 22 episodes.  Fans of the show, now known as “Star Trek: The Animated Series,” consider the TV show to be set during the final two years of the Enterprise's five-year mission.

IDW Publishing has begun publishing a new comic book series, Star Trek: Year Five.  It is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly; drawn by Stephen Thompson; colored by Charlie Kirchoff; and lettered by Neil Uyetake.  According to Lanzing, Star Trek: Year Five will be the first extended story line set definitively during “Year Five,” the conclusion of the Enterprise's original mission, and it will have “a beginning, a game-changing middle, and a definite end.”

Star Trek: Year Five #1 finds the Enterprise engaged in “Operation Ouroboros,” a mission to stop the “Lloyd Zeta Hypergiant” (the single most massive stellar object ever detected by Starfleet), from causing a mass extinction event.  On the planet, “Lloyd Zeta-9,” however, a mystery awaits the crew of the Enterprise.

I am a long-time fan of “Star Trek,” especially of the original, 1960s television series, now known as “Star Trek: The Original Series” (ST: TOS).  I have only read a few comic books set during that time, and they were okay, but were nothing memorable.   Star Trek: Year Five... well, I'm still stunned by how much I really loved this comic book.

First, Star Trek: Year Five #1 has a beautiful painted cover by Greg Hildebrandt, who has produced decades of gorgeous art for comic books, movie posters, children's books, and more, alone and with his late twin brother, Tim.  The interior art by Stephen Thompson captures the characters and visual design of classic Star Wars with an uncanny touch, and Thompson's storytelling is quite good.

Charlie Kirchoff's colors seem right out of the technicolor of 1960s Star Trek – remastered, of course.  Neil Uyetake glides in with his usually impressive lettering; he does some excellent work balancing the sections of the narrative that are quite dialogue-heavy.

Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly write the kind of first issue that will assure that many who read it will return for a second issue... a third issue... a fourth issue... and more.  Lanzing and Kelly offer a story that triggered in my imagination particular classic “Star Trek” episodes.  I am in no way saying this first issue is based on the following episodes:  “The Man Trap,” “A Private Little War,” and “That Which Survives.”

Those are either some of my favorite episodes or are episodes that scared me shitless when I first saw them as a child.  So Star Trek: Year Five, I highly recommend it.

9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.



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Review: STAR WARS: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER AND THE NINTH ASSASSIN #2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

["Star Wars Review" review page is here.]

SCRIPT: Tim Siedell – @badbanana
PENCILS: Stephen Thompson
INKS: Mark Irwin
COLORS: Michael Atiyeh
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Ariel Olivetti
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (May 2013)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin is a new Star Wars comic book series from writer Tim Siedell and artists Stephen Thompson and Mark Irwin. The series is set at the end of the Star Wars time period known as “The Rise of the Empire” era (the 1000-year period before the decisive Battle of Yavin in the original Star Wars film. Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin takes place some months after the events depicted in the film, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin centers on a plot by a wealthy industrialist to kill Emperor Palpatine’s mysterious apprentice, Darth Vader, who killed the industrialist’s son. After eight assassins failed, the vengeful father hires a ninth assassin, who is mysterious and powerful.

As Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2 begins, the Heinsnake suddenly strikes. The Empire faces a wave a terrorist attacks. And an eons-dead, dark, ancient cult may be making its return.

In my review of Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1, I wrote that if the second and third issues and so on are good, they will continue to give us the awesome read that the first issue promises. One down: Damn, Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #2 is a good comic book. I could have read another 100 pages of this in one sitting.

Writer Tim Siedell has crafted a story in which, the Emperor, Vader, and the Empire are actually, seriously menaced by a credible, but largely unknown enemy… or enemies. Artist Stephen Thompson graphically conveys Siedell’s story as an epic in big panels that capture the grandeur of power, the scale of Imperial infrastructure, but, most of all, the vastness of the galaxy and how that enormity can hide entities capable of destroying even a Galactic Empire. This is a Star Wars must-read comic book.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Review: STAR WARS: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER AND THE NINTH ASSASSIN #1
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]

SCRIPT: Tim Siedell – @badbanana
PENCILS: Stephen Thompson
INKS: Mark Irwin
COLORS: Michael Atiyeh
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Ariel Olivetti
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (April 2013)

In the Star Wars Expanded Universe, “The Rise of the Empire” era is the 1000-year period before the events depicted in the original Star Wars film. Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin is a new Star Wars comic book series from Dark Horse Comics. The series is set during “The Rise of the Empire” era and takes place some months after the events depicted in the film, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1 introduces readers to a wealthy mining magnate who seeks revenge against Emperor Palpatine’s mysterious apprentice, Darth Vader. He has hired eight assassins to murder Darth Vader, and all eight assassins are apparently dead.

Now, the man seeks to enlist a ninth assassin. The ninth assassin, however, asks a high price, a cost higher than all the credits in the revenge seeker’s bottomless coffers. Is this price/sacrifice too great to acquire the one man who can kill the Dark Lord of the Sith?

If the second and third issues and so on are good, they will continue to give us the awesome read that Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1 promises. Series writer Tim Siedell seems as if he is planning to go into some dark places. In fact, Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin is darker than George Lucas ever made any of his Star Wars films. I can’t imagine The Walt Disney Company adopting a more sinister tone in their planned Star Wars films (but we can hope).

The pencil art by Stephen Thompson reminds me of Frank Quitely’s art, but with more texture and grit. Thompson’s compositions are well-served by Mark Irwin inks and Michael Atiyeh’s always high-quality colors. Thompson’s take on Vader is quite chilling; he has a way of making Vader’s ability to intimidate real rather than implied.

With Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin, Dark Horse once again proves that in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, it is the master.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux