- Writers: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
- Artists: Stephen Thompson
- Inker: Maria Keane
- Letterer: Neil Uyetake
- Editors: Chase Marotz
- Assistant Editor: Denton J. Tipton
Thanks to IDW Publishing for the review copy!
This series fills in the final year of the Enterprise’s five year mission that was never made because Star Trek got cancelled. The end of the last issue teased the introduction of a guy in a business suit with a black cat named Isis. That guy is Gary Seven, another callback to a classic Trek episode, Assignment: Earth. I honestly don’t really remember that episode aside from a vague memory of a random dude in a suit with a cat, and this didn’t impact my enjoyment of the issue because the issue’s script does a good job of filling us in on what we need to know.
One of the things that bugged me about the prior arc was Spock’s decisions regarding Ayal’s home planet I’Qosa. It didn’t seem smart or in compliance with the Prime Directive. Thankfully, that issue is addressed here, and I applaud the writers for providing a great explanation for Spock’s mental lapse. This issue also brings Bright Eyes, a rescued Tholian child back to the forefront, keeping the storyline that has connected this series moving forward as well. Bright Eyes also provides a little comic relief in this issue.
This issue really nails the tone and style of the original series. Art wise, I really enjoyed the depiction of escape pods. They really capture the aesthetic of the show even though I don’t recall them appearing in the series. There is also a neat depiction of zero gravity that manages to convey weightlessness.
Following the pattern of the series, this issue ends on a cliffhanger, presumably to be resolved in the next issue. That makes this a decent entry point if you haven’t read the series yet. The good news is, aside from Bright Eyes, if you’ve seen the original show, you can read the story so far page and understand what is going on. While I am admittedly not up to speed on Gary Seven, he makes an interesting antagonist, and I’m excited to see what happens next.
STAR TREK: YEAR FIVE #11 is available now.
Check back soon for my thoughts on issue 12 of this series.
Have you read the issue? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.
