BotTalk Reviews

Sisko is called to the bridge.  Although the crew arrived in their proper universe nothing remains.  Only a black void... except for the Bajoran Wormhole.  At the very edge of what used to be the Milky Way Galaxy it remains.  Using the last of their failing Dilithium Crystals they set course.  En route, Sisko serves up a lavish meal for the senior staff.  Much later, the Theseus enters the Wormhole... and Sisko seemingly arrives on ancient Bajor. At the end of the universe the crew is, oddly enough, given some much needed down time.  Some drink and think of better times.  Sparks of love ignite.  Miral chases Spot around.  Sisko and Crusher discuss what it is like to lose the love of their life.  You could say little happens in this issue.  And in a sense, you would be correct.  But I very much enjoyed this issue.  As I said, it is much needed.  Though the Kelvin crossover was fun it is nice to see the crew inter...

Where the first issue was a successful swing for the fences this one is… A bunt.   This issue picks up with immediately showing us what happened to the lower decks cast: The Excalbians have returned from TOS’ episode The Savage Curtain to once again kidnap four starfleet officers and have them deal with manifestations of their heroes for entertainment and learning. Only this time they face manifestations of favorite past trek characters (Boimler’s choice of Picard is funny) who all immediately turn into violent and conniving versions of themselves (Kathryn Janeway wanting to separate everyone’s dna ala Tuvix was a nice use of the overplayed Tuvix trope… Janeway did the right thing, get over it!) I’m one of those Trekkies who wants Star Trek episodes that go back to worlds and aliens from the past and I love when that happens, but Excalbians seems like an odd choice, the TOS episode intro’ing them wasn’t great and never left me wanting to revisit the Excalbians, and this one really ...

Chekov's Challenge by Walter Koenig and Chris Mcauley In the aftermath of The Wrath of Khan the Enterprise is attacked by Orion Pirates.  During the space battle the Enterprise is boarded and the Orions intend to raid the ship and then destroy it by placing explosives on the Warp Core.  Chekov and his security team manage to defeat the invaders while Sulu performs a daring maneuver that overcomes and destroys the Orion Pirates.    As a story this is... fine.  It adds very little in my opinion.  We get the sense Chekov is in a state of shock, not only from the death of Spock but from his experiences with Khan.  Placing the story between Star Trek II and III is interesting.  There is a very small amount of time one could just about wedge a small story.  There are a few references sprinkled in the story but as a story written by Chekov himself I expected something more substantial.  I think I would have liked it better if you removed the sp...

Sela breaks her shackles and attacks her father.  She eventually gets a knife in the back as Spock simply observes.  With Sela seemingly down, her father turns his attention to Spock, only for Sela to deliver the killing blow to her own father.  Spock is allowed to leave in peace and later Sela sends a message to all Romulan forces naming a new Praetor.  Later, Worf turns command of the Defiant over to B'Elanna Torres, saying he has been called away.  Some time later Spock and Worf have a discussion and Alexander appears saying that he is ready to reclaim his honor. A lot going on this issue.  We see Spock placed in a position that will lead him to the opening moments of the first Abrams film.  Sela, instead of proclaiming herself Praetor, simply gives that power to another.  Her evolution over this series has been very interesting.  I will say that the inclusion of O'Brien and Julian still feels like an afterthought.  While it was fun t...

The Kelvin Universe Enterprise crew and the Defiant crew get to know each other. Spock... the Prime Spock, warned Kirk about certain future events, hence why the Enterprise was waiting for Sisko and crew.  Eventually, Kirk and Sisko approach Starfleet about working together to stop the reality shockwave unleashed by Lore.  Starfleet agrees and a large fleet of ships is gathered.  The assembled fleet is useless though, as the shockwave hits and annihilates everything.  The Enterprise and Defiant manage to survive, though the Enterprise is eventually overtaken by the shockwave as Defiant escapes. The Defiant has returned to its own time/space continuum but everything is gone.  No stars, no life signs, only the black void of space. Lots of nice moments in this issue.  The Enterprise and Defiant crews geek out over each other and compare notes.  0718, a very underutilized character from the Kelvin films, takes it upon himself to build Data a new body. ...

Lower decks 1. Opens with single panels following a boring and uneventful round of episodic non-adventures with each panel having its own episode title (Cerritos Factor sounds like a novel title btw). Each panel shows Mariner's annoyance at such easy mundane work, and as the lower decks cast is about to unwind on the holodeck, they’re called to the bridge where we find the U.S.S. Bonaventure lost in space since the 23rd century. An away team beams aboard the derelict ship, powers it up and learns the Enterprise under Kirk’s command had found the ship in the odd space anomaly, and the Bonaventure’s crew eventually escaped the time trap that was a pocket in the garment of time. However the ship is abandoned and powered down until the Cerritos away team powers it back up and learns from the ships logs that the crew had copied Kirk and Spock’s solution to breaking free and got out. Billups, Rutherford, and T’ana get the engines working again but some unknown cause causes the ship to ju...

Julian tries to talk Chief O'Brien out of helping Worf and his crew.  Meanwhile, the Romulan ground forces beam down and eventually surround Worf.  In space, B'Elanna Torres is about to sacrifice herself when the Defiant shows up.  Worf continues his battle with the Romulan ground forces commander until he is shot and killed by B'Elanna.  The Romulan Praetor Neral is killed by one of the Antarans Worf trained.  In Romulan Space, Spock is confronted by Sela's father.  He executes the scientist who knew of the instability in the Romulan sun and then aims his disruptor at his daughter.   This is, I think, the first time Miles O'Brien goes into detail about his experiences during Setlik III.  It has been brought up multiple times in TNG and DS9 and is a key piece of his backstory.  This issue feels very messy though.  A lot of jumping around to different POVs.  Which, is to be expected I suppose.  This is the culmination of several...

Tom Paris warns Sisko of Species 8472, even providing the Captain with a log entry from Kathryn Janeway where she doubts the peace she once made with said species.  later, T'Lir mentally hears the screams of 8472 as they approach.  They invade the ship with intentions of taking it out of their realm.  Fluidic Space is boiling, thanks to the destructive shockwave Lore unleashed.  Using the Mycelial Network they manage to escape, though as a result they are displaced 120 years in time.  They are then confronted by the Enterprise A... of the Kelvin Universe. I've always been interested in Species 8472 since their debut.  I have to say seeing them here is kind of a letdown.  I thought it was a mistake for Voyager to make peace with them, and somewhat expected this issue to be an all out battle.  Not so much.  Having the issue focus on Tom, for the most part, was nice.  Sometimes characters get lost in the mix of this comic.  It happens ...

The Pleroma explodes with the USS Theseus barely managing to stay ahead of the shockwave.  Dr. Beverly Crusher, still in command, directs Tom to fly through the Guardian of Forever.  As the ship begins to break apart from the strain T'Lir uses his powers to restore shields.  Meanwhile, Benjamin Sisko speaks to his mother.  He attempts to use his 'Prophet' abilities to lead the ship to safety.  The Theseus emerges... in fluidic space.   A lot going on in this issue, what with the universe seeming to crumble around our crew.  This is the second time (that I'm aware of at least) we've seen a ship fly through the Guardian of Forever, the first was a TOS shuttle in a fan film.  Again, I'll say I wish Scotty had more to do.  At times it feels like TOS characters like Scotty and Spock in Defiant have little to do but serve a specific function.  After all this back and forth I do wonder where exactly Sisko will end up.  Will he return with...

On the edge of the Neutral Zone the Defiant is pulled out of warp by a small shuttle.  The pilot is Dr. Julian Bashir.  He asks that Miles O'Brien not get involved in the Romulan matter... a request that comes directly from Section 31.  In prison Spock learns how the Romulans destabilized their star in a failed cloaking experiment.  Spock is saved from the Romulan guards by Sela, they attempt to escape together but are caught by her father's forces.    After all these years we finally know what caused the supernova that destroyed Romulus.  The Romulans, in an attempt to cloak their entire solar system during the Dominion War, accidentally destabilized it.  A secret which has been kept secret.  It is nice to see Ro Laren and B'Elanna Torres working together.  After so many issues of their bickering they work well together.  The interaction between O'Brien and Julian was very brief this issue, brief and somewhat tense.  I hope we...

Our first story is told from the perspective of a Tribble during the episodes The Trouble with Tribbles (Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 2, Ep 15) and Trials and Tribble-ations (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 5, Ep 6).  It is... extremely silly but also fun at the same time.  Our second story is from Strange New Worlds and has La'an Noonien-Singh dealing with her feelings for Kirk after the episode Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Strange New Worlds: Season 2, Ep 3).  She talks with his brother Sam at great length.  It is fine but it doesn't really add any anything in the end.  It feels like a rehash of things we've already seen.  Our third story is set in the future of Discovery.  Michael Burnham brings a lost girl back to her mother.  Simple as that.   Our next story is set during season seven of Deep Space Nine and features Quark's dog Latinum playing baseball with the senior staff.  It is also silly and fun.  The ...

In a Romulan prison Spock is held by Sela and given the task of discovering why her father overthrew the Praetor.  Meanwhile, O'Brien leaves Keiko and sets out to find Worf.  Worf, Ro Laren and B'Elanna Torres work to fortify their position and protect the indigenous population from the oncoming Romulan attack.  They discover a couple of hundred year old Hirogen ships.  In space, O'Brien finds the Defiant but is currently occupied by Kzinti scavengers.  After a short scuffle Miles forces the Kzinti to depart and assumes command of the Defiant. I have to say I'm a bit more interested in Miles than Worf and his crew playing Seven Samurai... or three samurai I suppose.  The Romulan coup continues to be the central driving force.  Once again we get some veiled reference to the oncoming supernova that will eventually destroy Romulus.  This was never fully explained and it seems we may finally get an explanation in a future issue.  Said it before b...

Lore confronts the Pleroma and in the process kills Charles Evans.  He has a bomb that can tear the Pleroma, and the rest of the universe, apart and he wants only one thing... for Sisko to give Lore his position as Emissary.  As Lore and Sisko verbally fight one another T'Lir and Sato infiltrate Lore's Bird of Prey.  They manage to escape with Data's head.  Back in the Pleroma, after making no progress with the higher beings nor Sisko, Lore activates the bomb and the universe begins to tear itself apart as the Theseus speeds away.   There is a lot going on in this issue.  The verbal confrontations between Sisko and Lore, and Sisko and his mother are the big scenes here.  Though with all the super powered, 'higher' beings you'd think there would be more of a confrontation.  But other than Charlie attempting to confront Lore, there are no fireworks here.  It gives the higher beings the sense of being above even this situation, but the double ed...

Filled with interviews and many, many images this Hardcover book gives us a look at the making of the original series, animated series and first six films.  If you are looking for something new, some insight or new piece of trivia you won't find it here.  You will find often told tales from the cast and those involved behind the scenes.  Talking points that have been repeated ad nauseam over the years in interviews, dvd extras, convention appearances, autobiographies and other behind the scenes books.  DeForest Kelley recounts the infamous 'favorite fan letter marijuana cigarette' story.  I do find it interesting that the infamous kiss from 'Plato's Stepchildren' is only given one little blurb.  The animated series gets scant coverage, a few measly pages.   There are a few images here that I haven't seen in ages.  In its over sixty year existence there are only so many 'fresh' images out there.  Usually, you get the standard publicity images...

On Romulus a coup takes place.  Later, Sela and her father discuss the situation.  An announcement is made, with General Revo (Sela's father) condemning the coup and outing those who carried it out.  On Earth Chief O'Brien analyzes the images of those who carried out the coup and realizes it was none other than Worf, Ro Laren and B'Elanna Torres. Much of this issue is spent discussing the self-replicating mines O'Brien developed at the beginning of the Dominion War.  They have since been co-opted and used by other races to keep a hold on territory, killing thousands.  He is called out during a lecture and labeled a war criminal.  I'll just be upfront, I don't care for this story thread at all.  Having him get involved with the larger story of the Romulan coup is fine.  But having some young cadet throw mud at him feels wrong.  Also, it feels like Spock is increasingly becoming a character that they don't quite know what to do with.  He ...

Data, in his search for Lore, resigns from Starfleet and ventures to the Academy.  Data manages to enlist the aid of Chief O'Brien.  Together they search Farius Prime, a world the Chief is very familiar with, for clues to Lore's whereabouts.  They are soon attacked by Klingons but are saved by Geordi La Forge.  On Orion they confront those who gave Lore technology, and Data uses aggressive means to get the information he desires.  They find a huge space station and onboard are confronted by Klingon Korath.  Lore suddenly snaps Korath's neck from the shadows.  Part of the space station detaches as Data has Geordi beamed away.  Lore removes Data's head and on the bridge of his ship we see assimilated Klingons. This story is... quite messy.  Lore says he deliberately wrote a mystery to get his brother's attention... but it just feels like a fetch quest with little pay off.  Orions, Klingons... nothing of real substance.  The confronta...

Sisko's mother educates him on what is, what was, and consequences.  Meanwhile, Beverly Crusher and Wesley reunite.  The reunion is very brief, though Wes does manage to slip her a note before she departs.  Later, Ensign Sato makes her move.  She activates a device which brings forth... Lore. I have to say I did not see the final page coming.  The reunion between Crushers was nice, though perhaps too brief.  I do wish the many pages devoted to the Sisko family had more substance.  DS9 is great but there is only so much non-linear nonsense I can take.  Sara says so much and yet so little all at the same time.   seven out of ten.

While Worf and Ro battle the mother creature Sela attempts to shake Spock out of his mental flux, brought on by the hive mind.  Spock manages to bring the infected Starbase crew back to normal and the parasites begin to explode.  Nymira beams the crew back to the Defiant as she confronts the mother creature and sacrifices herself to defeat it and close the portal.  Two days later the crew is seemingly back to normal.  Hugh leaves the ship and Sela's father shows up.  He congratulates her on capturing the Defiant, Spock and Worf. I'm not sure I like Spock's mind being overwhelmed by the mother parasite.  We've seen this sort of thing before, V'Ger for instance.  I suppose it is one way to get across the threat the parasites pose.  Having Sela be the one to bring Spock out of his mental flux was great though.  Hugh leaving feels very abrupt.  I don't mind the somewhat rotating cast of characters this title has, I just wish it felt more org...