Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Mike Johnson
Artist: Tony Shasteen
Release Date: 17th December, 2014

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Hey look, it’s everyone’s favourite Star Trek mini-series which deals with an alternate version of the original Star Trek universe being shown an alternate future of their own alternate reality by a being who transcends all of space and time! I never really considered just how much there is to keep up with in this series until I wrote it down like that. Huh. Obviously this series is meant to be a treat for Star trek fans who really dig their alternate universes, so how does it hold up?

Well, art-wise, backgrounds and characters do not sync up in scenes set in a ruined resistance outpost, with the clean lines and bright colours of our human and alien friends contrasting with the muddy composition and dark colours of their backgrounds. What is more impressive is the art inside Deep Space Nine, where characters are lit in a way which really makes them feel like they are present in the scene, rather than just pasted in front of it. Throw in some nice lighting effects from Dukat gaining demon powers and this issue manages to have enough satisfying panels to make up for some of the less extraordinary art.

Speaking of Dukat, we also get a nice ‘There is only Zuul’ moment out of him, before Kira also attempts to ascend to a godlike form. As hokey as this may sound, it is pretty much on point with what Deep Space Nine offered in its later seasons, and I’m ok with seeing that replicated here. Especially since that moment is then ruined by Dukat being his usual evil self. Dukat is a great character to play around with, and I’m glad to see that Johnson is having as much fun with the idea of an omnipotent Dukat as I am.

Q once again shows up to let Kirk know (again) that soon all will be revealed. Given the great stuff that you can wring out of a character like Q it’s a shame to see him used so sparingly throughout this series, especially when he still hasn’t given any new information in quite a few issues now. This issue does end on a great cliffhanger from the transdimensional man himself, and it seems to suggest that Q has far more selfish intent behind this ‘lesson’ than we’ve ever previously seen from him.

Oh, and I might as well just fanboy here for a bit and say that Benjamin Sisko going full-on Dr Manhattan, and the Enterprise being stolen by a Gul Dukat who might as well have a pointed tail and a pitchfork by this point are moments that please me on a very deep level.

Rating: 3/5.

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The Writer of this piece was: Andrew Stevens
You can follow Andrew on Twitter

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