Bottalk Reviews

Tom Paris warns Sisko of Species 8472, even providing the Captain with a log entry from Kathryn Janeway where she doubts the peace she once made with said species.  later, T'Lir mentally hears the screams of 8472 as they approach.  They invade the ship with intentions of taking it out of their realm.  Fluidic Space is boiling, thanks to the destructive shockwave Lore unleashed.  Using the Mycelial Network they manage to escape, though as a result they are displaced 120 years in time.  They are then confronted by the Enterprise A... of the Kelvin Universe. I've always been interested in Species 8472 since their debut.  I have to say seeing them here is kind of a letdown.  I thought it was a mistake for Voyager to make peace with them, and somewhat expected this issue to be an all out battle.  Not so much.  Having the issue focus on Tom, for the most part, was nice.  Sometimes characters get lost in the mix of this comic.  It happens with an ensemble cast comprised of characters

A brief flashback gives us the final moments of the man who would soon 'donate' his brain to the Doctor's experiments and become the monster.  In the present, Fritz is threatened by Henry's old Professor and takes his frustrations out on the monster, beating it savagely.  Later, after teasing the monster with a torch, it lunges forward and snaps Fritz's neck.   A lot going on this issue.  The flashback to the last moments of the man who would 'give' his brain to the monster were interesting.  The rest of the issue is largely centered on Fritz, as he is killed off at the end by the monster.  The drama surrounding Henry, his old Professor, best friend Victor and fiancé showing up is largely playing in the background.  But, if you are familiar with the events of Frankenstein either through the novel or one of the many film adaptations, you know what is going on here. seven out of ten.

The Pleroma explodes with the USS Theseus barely managing to stay ahead of the shockwave.  Dr. Beverly Crusher, still in command, directs Tom to fly through the Guardian of Forever.  As the ship begins to break apart from the strain T'Lir uses his powers to restore shields.  Meanwhile, Benjamin Sisko speaks to his mother.  He attempts to use his 'Prophet' abilities to lead the ship to safety.  The Theseus emerges... in fluidic space.   A lot going on in this issue, what with the universe seeming to crumble around our crew.  This is the second time (that I'm aware of at least) we've seen a ship fly through the Guardian of Forever, the first was a TOS shuttle in a fan film.  Again, I'll say I wish Scotty had more to do.  At times it feels like TOS characters like Scotty and Spock in Defiant have little to do but serve a specific function.  After all this back and forth I do wonder where exactly Sisko will end up.  Will he return with his mother?  Will he see his

On the edge of the Neutral Zone the Defiant is pulled out of warp by a small shuttle.  The pilot is Dr. Julian Bashir.  He asks that Miles O'Brien not get involved in the Romulan matter... a request that comes directly from Section 31.  In prison Spock learns how the Romulans destabilized their star in a failed cloaking experiment.  Spock is saved from the Romulan guards by Sela, they attempt to escape together but are caught by her father's forces.    After all these years we finally know what caused the supernova that destroyed Romulus.  The Romulans, in an attempt to cloak their entire solar system during the Dominion War, accidentally destabilized it.  A secret which has been kept secret.  It is nice to see Ro Laren and B'Elanna Torres working together.  After so many issues of their bickering they work well together.  The interaction between O'Brien and Julian was very brief this issue, brief and somewhat tense.  I hope we have not traded the bickering Ro and B'

Our first story is told from the perspective of a Tribble during the episodes The Trouble with Tribbles (Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 2, Ep 15) and Trials and Tribble-ations (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 5, Ep 6).  It is... extremely silly but also fun at the same time.  Our second story is from Strange New Worlds and has La'an Noonien-Singh dealing with her feelings for Kirk after the episode Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Strange New Worlds: Season 2, Ep 3).  She talks with his brother Sam at great length.  It is fine but it doesn't really add any anything in the end.  It feels like a rehash of things we've already seen.  Our third story is set in the future of Discovery.  Michael Burnham brings a lost girl back to her mother.  Simple as that.   Our next story is set during season seven of Deep Space Nine and features Quark's dog Latinum playing baseball with the senior staff.  It is also silly and fun.  The story itself is very short but seeing

Dr. Henry Frankenstein and Fritz search a graveyard, looking for body parts.  Unknown to them, they are observed by a small boy who hides in their wagon and is inadvertently taken back to the castle.  He makes his way through the lab to a body.  A body which he believes to be that of his recently deceased father.  The experiment begins and with a dazzling light show the body moves.  Later, in the darkness of the castle, the boy searches and finds the monster.  At first he is scared but the monster does not harm him.  He realizes the only thing the monster has of his father are his hands.  The boy decides Henry Frankenstein is a devil and with a knife prepares to stab him but is restrained by Fritz.   It has been ages since I read Mary Shelley's book 'Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus' but this comic does seem to follow it more or less.  Included here is the infamous 'It's alive!' from the James Whale film (1931).  I felt that the arrival of Elizabeth Lave

In a Romulan prison Spock is held by Sela and given the task of discovering why her father overthrew the Praetor.  Meanwhile, O'Brien leaves Keiko and sets out to find Worf.  Worf, Ro Laren and B'Elanna Torres work to fortify their position and protect the indigenous population from the oncoming Romulan attack.  They discover a couple of hundred year old Hirogen ships.  In space, O'Brien finds the Defiant but is currently occupied by Kzinti scavengers.  After a short scuffle Miles forces the Kzinti to depart and assumes command of the Defiant. I have to say I'm a bit more interested in Miles than Worf and his crew playing Seven Samurai... or three samurai I suppose.  The Romulan coup continues to be the central driving force.  Once again we get some veiled reference to the oncoming supernova that will eventually destroy Romulus.  This was never fully explained and it seems we may finally get an explanation in a future issue.  Said it before but it feels as though Spock&

Lore confronts the Pleroma and in the process kills Charles Evans.  He has a bomb that can tear the Pleroma, and the rest of the universe, apart and he wants only one thing... for Sisko to give Lore his position as Emissary.  As Lore and Sisko verbally fight one another T'Lir and Sato infiltrate Lore's Bird of Prey.  They manage to escape with Data's head.  Back in the Pleroma, after making no progress with the higher beings nor Sisko, Lore activates the bomb and the universe begins to tear itself apart as the Theseus speeds away.   There is a lot going on in this issue.  The verbal confrontations between Sisko and Lore, and Sisko and his mother are the big scenes here.  Though with all the super powered, 'higher' beings you'd think there would be more of a confrontation.  But other than Charlie attempting to confront Lore, there are no fireworks here.  It gives the higher beings the sense of being above even this situation, but the double edged sword here is it

Filled with interviews and many, many images this Hardcover book gives us a look at the making of the original series, animated series and first six films.  If you are looking for something new, some insight or new piece of trivia you won't find it here.  You will find often told tales from the cast and those involved behind the scenes.  Talking points that have been repeated ad nauseam over the years in interviews, dvd extras, convention appearances, autobiographies and other behind the scenes books.  DeForest Kelley recounts the infamous 'favorite fan letter marijuana cigarette' story.  I do find it interesting that the infamous kiss from 'Plato's Stepchildren' is only given one little blurb.  The animated series gets scant coverage, a few measly pages.   There are a few images here that I haven't seen in ages.  In its over sixty year existence there are only so many 'fresh' images out there.  Usually, you get the standard publicity images.   If y

The killer states he intends to transform Kate.  Using discarded pieces of the Creature he will remake her in its image, just as he has remade himself.  Eventually, she manages to escape and puts a gun to the back of his head... only for the real Creature to attack.  It leaves him mangled and Kate is the one to finish him off in a fit of rage.  The Creature swims off into dark waters of the lagoon, leaving Kate behind. This is so anti-climatic and uneventful.  Having the killer remake himself with pieces of the Creature was an interesting idea.  Him wanting to remold Kate could have been interesting too.  But none of this goes anywhere.  Again, the Creature is but a bit player in this mini-series.  He simply swims away, leaving Kate with blood on her hands.  She is still the same broken character we encountered in issue one.  Maybe that is the point, but it is extremely unsatisfying.   five out of ten.

On Romulus a coup takes place.  Later, Sela and her father discuss the situation.  An announcement is made, with General Revo (Sela's father) condemning the coup and outing those who carried it out.  On Earth Chief O'Brien analyzes the images of those who carried out the coup and realizes it was none other than Worf, Ro Laren and B'Elanna Torres. Much of this issue is spent discussing the self-replicating mines O'Brien developed at the beginning of the Dominion War.  They have since been co-opted and used by other races to keep a hold on territory, killing thousands.  He is called out during a lecture and labeled a war criminal.  I'll just be upfront, I don't care for this story thread at all.  Having him get involved with the larger story of the Romulan coup is fine.  But having some young cadet throw mud at him feels wrong.  Also, it feels like Spock is increasingly becoming a character that they don't quite know what to do with.  He did little during the

Data, in his search for Lore, resigns from Starfleet and ventures to the Academy.  Data manages to enlist the aid of Chief O'Brien.  Together they search Farius Prime, a world the Chief is very familiar with, for clues to Lore's whereabouts.  They are soon attacked by Klingons but are saved by Geordi La Forge.  On Orion they confront those who gave Lore technology, and Data uses aggressive means to get the information he desires.  They find a huge space station and onboard are confronted by Klingon Korath.  Lore suddenly snaps Korath's neck from the shadows.  Part of the space station detaches as Data has Geordi beamed away.  Lore removes Data's head and on the bridge of his ship we see assimilated Klingons. This story is... quite messy.  Lore says he deliberately wrote a mystery to get his brother's attention... but it just feels like a fetch quest with little pay off.  Orions, Klingons... nothing of real substance.  The confrontation between Data and Lore is very

Sisko's mother educates him on what is, what was, and consequences.  Meanwhile, Beverly Crusher and Wesley reunite.  The reunion is very brief, though Wes does manage to slip her a note before she departs.  Later, Ensign Sato makes her move.  She activates a device which brings forth... Lore. I have to say I did not see the final page coming.  The reunion between Crushers was nice, though perhaps too brief.  I do wish the many pages devoted to the Sisko family had more substance.  DS9 is great but there is only so much non-linear nonsense I can take.  Sara says so much and yet so little all at the same time.   seven out of ten.

Kate works with local law enforcement.  They want the Creature and Kate wants the serial killer.  In the Black Lagoon they spot something, which turns out to be a body strapped with explosives.  Kate is knocked in the water and after briefly coming face to face with the Creature, is taken to a cave.  She confronts the serial killer, but is not prepared for his appearance.  He has modified himself to resemble the Creature.   It feels like little happens this issue.  Kate struggles to work with anyone and even after seeing the Creature is seemingly unconcerned with it.  She is solely focused.  The final pages are interesting.  The twist of the killer modifying himself to look like the Creature is unexpected.  I thought perhaps we were looking at the modified Creature from the final film (The Creature Walks Among Us).  But no.  I'm not sure this comic knows what it wants to be.  Does it want to be somewhat gritty crime noir?  Or does it want to venture into a modern take on the Creat