Star Trek #60 Review

The fiftieth anniversary of Star Trek has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean that we’re done celebrating. As such, now is as good a time as any to discuss the second part of Connection, the two-part Star Trek comic event. Last time, the crew of the Enterprise found themselves shifting between two alternate realities, specifically, the Star Trek Universe of the original 1960’s series and that of the recent series of films. Due to both enterprises encountering the same anomaly, various members of the crew are switching bodies with their counterparts from the other reality, leading to much confusion. Realizing that something is up, both crews decided to send a probe into the anomaly, the comic ending with both crews receiving the other ships probe.

Like last time, our comic is framed in such a way that it shows what’s happening on both Enterprises simultaneously by way of a divide in the page. On both Enterprises, Kirk, Spock and Scotty are examining the probes from the other universes when Spock and Scotty both shift realities again. While each universe’s respective Doctor McCoy is concerned, both Kirks recognize that no matter what reality they’re from, Spock and Scotty are still two of the most brilliant and reliable individuals he knows. On the bridge, or bridges as it were, the two crews both seem to have figured out that the anomaly is somehow alive, and is also trapped and the shifting between realities has been its way of crying for help. After the Kirks decide the best course of action is to free the entity, we get a montage of both Enterprise crews getting to work on a solution, each one giving it their all regardless of whether or not they are on their own familiar Enterprise or a strange new one. Even Nimoy-Spock and Zaldana-Uhura work together well, despite the fact that Uhura is clearly uncomfortable with the presence of a Spock that’s not her Spock.

Finally, it is suggested on both sides that a matter/anti-matter detonation should solve their problem, and not a moment too soon as it appears that the shifting between realities may soon cause harm to the ship. As the two photon torpedoes are launched into the anomaly, the resulting detonation frees the entity and returns both realities to normal.

The next day, both Kirks give their log, stating how everything has returned to the way it should be. While Shatner-Kirk and Kelley-Bones crack jokes about the other bones, Quinto-Spock and Zaldana-Uhura reconnect.

However, as a result of the dimensional shifting, both ships contain personal logs from the other Enterprise. While both Kirks reach the conclusion that the data should be locked away, neither can resist taking a peek that their alternate biography, and each is humbled by what they see, because, despite all the differences in their lives, all the decisions that they made or didn’t make, the one constant truth is that both Kirks, and both Enterprise crews for that matter share the same continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

What Works: One thing I particularly like is how despite being from different realities entirely, both crews trust one another and recognize their skill.

Also, the final sequence in which both Kirks read their alternate biographies was excellently done and really gave the comic a sense of profundity.

What Doesn’t:

While the crossover was very well done, I still would have liked to see some of the crew-members to meet their counterparts face to face.

Also, the actual plot is very thin and feels like a by the numbers Star Trek plot, only bolstered by the crossover elements.

Overall: 4.5/5

While I admit, it’s not perfect, this two-parter was intended of Star Trek and in that regard, it is an overwhelming success.