Star Trek: Countdown To Darkness # 1 by Roberto Orci, Mike Johnson, David Messina and Stephen Molnar (comic review).

‘Star Trek: Countdown To Darkness’ is the official comic prequel to ‘Star Trek: Into Darkness’, the forthcoming movie.

Do Vulcans dream of electric sheep? No. Spock, at least, dreams of the time he beamed down to his home planet as it was in the throes of destruction to rescue his mother and father, as shown spectacularly in the film ‘Star Trek’, the last one, directed by J.J. Abrams. When Spock wakes up and goes to the bridge, he finds that the ship has been ordered to the planet Phaedus on a routine survey mission. The place has only a Roman Empire level of civilisation but, when the Enterprise gets there, complications occur.

There’s not a lot more to say without giving it all away. The art by David Messina is very pretty and the story starts well. Obviously, it is to be continued. The characters are consistent with Trek-lore: Kirk all daring and reckless and Spock cautious and quoting the rulebook. The story is by Roberto Orci and Mike Johnson, the script by Mike Johnson. These Hollywood style writing credits are apt for its origins.

One problem with comics related to real life film or television is that the poor artist has to render a fairly accurate portrait of the real life actors, no mean feat with comic deadlines. David Messina does a pretty good job of this. I have seen older ‘Star Trek’ comics where the guys and gals depicted in four colours bore only a slight resemblance to William Shatner, et al.

I look forward to the next issue and, like most of us, look forward very much to the new film.

Eamonn Murphy

February 2013

(pub: IDW Publishing. 32 page comic. Price: £ 9.99 (UK), $14.99 (US))

check out website: www.idwpublishing.com

A special limited edition variant cover, limited to 1701 copies, can also be bought: www.enterpriseedition.co.uk