Review – Star Trek #43 (IDW Publishing)

Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Mike Johnson
Artist: Tony Shasteen
Release Date: 11th March, 2015

Obviously not content with having spent the six issues of ‘The Q Gambit’ dealing as much with the characters and setting of Deep Space Nine, writer Mike Johnson now sends the crew of the new USS Enterprise into the Delta Quadrant, best known as the temporary home of the lost USS Voyager from the show of the same name (minus the whole USS thing). With most Trek comics focusing on the antics of the crew of NCC-1701 (reboot or otherwise) it’s definitely nice to see the other branches of Star Trek canon get explored in small ways, even if the main storyline must be in support of the only new Star Trek movie actually being produced right now.

The best part of Voyager in its early seasons was seeing how a Federation ship would deal with being so far removed from the supply network of Starfleet, and the more desperate situations that could arise from technical malfunctions. Johnson here succeeds in showing how Captain Kirk acts as much as the figurehead of a large family as he does a captain over subordinates, giving reassurance alongside his orders.

I can also only presume, but with this storyline occurring over three issues instead of the more common two, Johnson seems to have given himself more time to explore the interactions of characters like Spock and Uhura; interactions which may have otherwise had to be cut to allow for a plot-advancing action sequence to occur. This issue succeeds at delivering a more sedate pace, allowing the reader to think on the situation affecting the Enterprise, and to appreciate character relationships for once in a series which usually has to keep moving at warp speed.

Artist Tony Shasteen continues to improve the standard of art in this ongoing series. Backgrounds remain technically detailed, but feel far less cluttered, and the facial work in this issue feels far more naturalistic than it ever has. His space scenes remain absolutely top-notch.

Johnson and Shasteen have succeeded in meeting my high expectations after the great Q Gambit mini-series. With a great scenario, sedate pacing and the best art the series has yet seen it would be rude of me to not heartily recommend this comic with full marks.

Rating: 5/5.

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