Bottalk Reviews

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.

While Worf and Ro battle the mother creature Sela attempts to shake Spock out of his mental flux, brought on by the hive mind.  Spock manages to bring the infected Starbase crew back to normal and the parasites begin to explode.  Nymira beams the crew back to the Defiant as she confronts the mother creature and sacrifices herself to defeat it and close the portal.  Two days later the crew is seemingly back to normal.  Hugh leaves the ship and Sela's father shows up.  He congratulates her on capturing the Defiant, Spock and Worf. I'm not sure I like Spock's mind being overwhelmed by the mother parasite.  We've seen this sort of thing before, V'Ger for instance.  I suppose it is one way to get across the threat the parasites pose.  Having Sela be the one to bring Spock out of his mental flux was great though.  Hugh leaving feels very abrupt.  I don't mind the somewhat rotating cast of characters this title has, I just wish it felt more organic at times.   seven ou

Sisko manages to talk himself into the Pleroma, along with Dr. Crusher.  Later, they enter and are confronted with the various god-like members.  Many of them familiar.  Apollo, Trelane, a Metron, a Tholian, Charles Evans, the Guardian of Forever, and several others.  T'Lir asks the assembled beings to restore the Organians.  They vote on the matter and the resurrection of the Organians fails.  As Dr. Crusher searches for her son a new entity arrives in the Pleroma... Sisko's mother.  If he does not leave the universe will burn.   The members of the Pleroma are a who's who of god-like beings from across the history of Star Trek.  Most of them are from the original series, but we get Kevin Uxbridge from TNG, The Caretaker and M'Benga's daughter from Strange New Worlds.  Even the Tholian Bright Eyes from the previous Star Trek ongoing series.  They are certainly better behaved than I expected.  The Wesley Crusher aspect I find intriguing.  I guess they are going to s

With Dukat dead Mariner assumes command.  Alexander is ordered to Sickbay but refuses and runs off.  Jake and Nog go after him and the three end up in the Holodeck where Jake begins a Klingon program.  Jake engages Alexander in combat and attempts to reason with him.  It works and Alexander goes to Sickbay while, on the Bridge, QJ apologizes to Jake and Nog for putting them in their current situation.  The Breen attack the ship.  Again.  Slowly, QJ's powers return and he solves the Breen problem.  The scene shifts and judge Q applauds his son.  In a brief epilogue Jake, Nog and Alexander are reunited with their families.   It feels like this comic needed another issue to wrap things up.  The end comes at almost a breakneck speed.  QJ's powers start to return, he gets rid of the Breen and we shift to Q congratulating his son.  After that, a very brief epilogue with our three other characters.  They were all to have learned a lesson... but did they?  It all feels very Saturday mo

Nog and Shaw inspect the engine and come under attack by Breen.  Later, during a meeting, Captain Dukat becomes furious with Jake after he suggests they use what little remaining resources to restore QJ's powers.  Nog, Shaw and Alexander battle Breen, chasing them to the bridge where Alexander saves Dukat's life.  However, the relief is short lived as Dukat takes the full blast of a Breen energy weapon. There is some good stuff here with Nog.  About feeling out of place, which is supposed to be the purpose of this series to begin with.  The notion that Nog, Alexander and Jake are at a critical crossroads in their lives.  We've only had some lip service towards that.  Until now.  Having the ship crewed by various familiar faces continues to feel... weird.  I do wish there were more interaction.  It's a chance for Mariner to interact with Ogawa.  or Shaw.  or Dukat.  or Tuvix... and other than a staff meeting there is little interaction among the crew.  It ends up feelin

"The Knight Errand” by Steve Orlando, Lauren Knight and JP Jordan “Lady Luck” by Vita Ayala and Liana Kangas “Facemaker” by Mags Visaggio, Tench and JP Jordan “Innovation Interruption” by Stephanie Williams and Denny Minonne “Risian Rendezvous” by Hannah Rose May, Jack Lawrence and Rebecca Nalty Our first story is set in the Kelvin Timeline as Sulu tells Demora a story where the Enterprise crew are knights.  Sulu engages in a duel to the death and wins, completing his bedtime story for young Demora.  The second story features Seven and Raffi and involves poker and some less than friendly members of Starfleet.  The next story is Christine Chapel working with Doctor Phlox very briefly.  Next we get Jett Reno and Paul Stamets as they solve a problem.  The final story sees Beckett Mariner on Risa for the Festival of the Moon.   I wish there were more to the Chapel story as it feels very short, though Phlox showing up was a nice treat.  The Seven of Nine story, unfortunately, feels the

The Defiant crew, armed with swords, fight off Parasite infected station crew.  During the battle Sela arrives.  They fight the entire way to the reactor core and encounter Spock, still suffering from his mind meld.  Sela punches him.  A massive mother creature rises and Wolf attempts to kill her on his own.  Worf and Ro stand together against the mother creature. This is a very fight heavy issue.  The crew work together, with Sela joining them, against the parasites.  A welcome change from the constant bickering we've seen the past several issues.  I would have liked more of Spock, as he does nothing except get punched.   seven out of ten.

Sisko arrives at Utopia Planitia and is greeted by Commander Shaw.  Shaw is reluctant to help but eventually the Theseus undergoes a refit.  Sisko, Scotty and Shaw work together to get the ship ready to confront Gods.  With the modifications complete the ship activates its new drive and goes through the dimensional barriers.  At the Conference of the Gods we see some familiar... faces for lack of a better term.  They are hailed by Kore Soong, an agent with Aegis, who tells them they will be unmade.   Beverly Crusher having a moment with her picture of Wes was a nice touch.  At the Conference we see the Guardian of Forever, The Caretaker's Array, a Greek Temple (reminding us of Apollo) and several others I can't immediately identify.  Kore is an unexpected surprise, as we last saw her in the season two finale of Picard.  So perhaps Dr. Crusher will meet Wes.  This issue is maybe a bit too cameo/easter egg heavy.  But I'll allow it.   seven out of ten. 

After being destroyed multiple times Jake, Nog and Alexander begin the next redo of their alternate universe adventure... only this time everyone is frozen in place.  QJ appears and explains to the trio that he is a new kind of Q and wants to do things differently.  He can see that they are at a personal crossroad and wants to help.  The universe resumes and after trying to explain their situation to Captain Dukat, Tuvix mind melds with Alexander.  Tuvix confirms their story and with Jadzia, they come up with a plan to defeat the Breen.  After a short space battle the Breen ship is destroyed. As Jake and Alexander converse, Tuvix comes bursting into the scene under attack by Breen soldiers.  Alexander manages to charge the Breen and eliminate them... only for the next wave of soldiers to beam in. We get a bit more of exactly why QJ is doing this.  But only a small bit.  The crew still feels a weird jumble of characters from the different shows.  Shaw from season three of Picard shows

Ro and B'Elanna fight as Hugh and Spock look on.  Ro's words seem to reach her for a moment.  Long enough for Worf to knock her out.  As the Defiant crew weigh their options Spock takes things into his own hands, literally, and mind melds with the possessed B'Elanna.  He finds himself in a hellish landscape for a brief moment until Worf breaks the meld.  Spock runs off and with no other options Hugh suggests he assimilate B'Elanna.  Deep in the Starbase Spock finds a door... a door which opens to reveal a gigantic monster emerging. We grow closer to a Sela face turn in this issue.  I think it is wise to keep her out of the main action this issue.  There is some minor continuity here with Hugh mentioning the Starfleet project to reclaim assimilated Borg.  Or as they will be known in season one of Picard, xBs.  Worf has little to do this issue.  The first half is dominated by the fight between Ro and B'Elanna and later the actions of Spock and Hugh.  So not much room

T'Lir recounts his time on Organia and how Kahless's weapon tore a hole in time.  How he chose to incorporate and be born as a Vulcan.  The hole in time worked backwards, destroying his people twenty two years ago.  T'Lir asks for help in getting to Pleroma, a Council of the Gods, so that he can repair the damage Kahless's weapon caused and save his people.  Later, Sisko finds himself in the Prophet space speaking with his mother.  She says he must not go to Pleroma. Sato and T'Lir have an argument and later she is approached by a Section 31 operative. Doing some mop up work from the Day of Blood event makes sense.  I'm not sure the drama from Sato is warranted though.  Sisko even describes it as 'high school level' and given the character interaction and bickering in the Defiant book, I've had my fill of it.  Sisko being forbidden from going to Pleroma is an interesting wrinkle.  We'll see how that plays out.  And with Wesley Crusher being name-

The Defiant bridge crew face off against the parasites, killing several.  Meanwhile, Sela is on route to the Defiant when her ship strikes a mine.  A message from her father is less than welcoming.  Later, he offers to restore her reputation within the Romulan government by working with him.  After a brief discussion about her mother she rejects his offer.  Meanwhile, the Defiant crew continue to battle the parasites, and argue with each other, when B'Elanna Torres attacks them.  She has been infected with a parasite.   This issue feels very rushed and jumbled.  The Defiant bridge crew continue to bicker with one another, mostly directed at Worf.  It feels out of place given their current situation though.  Instead of Star Trek it feels more like a Syfy channel action movie.  Sela's story is interesting but I'm unsure about her face turn.  It's not unwelcome.  Some of my favourite characters are those who seek redemption like Magneto.  I think it needs to grow and expan

The space battle begins and the Theseus is caught in the middle.  Kim offers help but Sisko refuses, not trusting him.  Dr. Crusher sends a message informing Sisko the Tzenkethi planet core is dead.  Soon, the planet will explode.  The crew grasp for solutions.  Sisko makes a speech while the planet core is stabilized.  The space battle ends.  The Romulan commander dies... at the feet of Praetor Shinzon.  At issue's end T'Lir appears with a new mission for Sisko. I had hoped that Scotty and Crusher would be the ones to solve the problem of Tzenkethi's unstable core, especially since that story thread felt so disconnected from the main story.  Sisko's solution feels... very deus ex machina.  It just happens.  Still, I enjoyed this arc and the inclusion of Shinzon was certainly a surprise.  I would have liked a final scene between Sisko and Kim or at the very least Tom and Kim.   seven out of ten.

On DS9 Sisko has a discussion with Jake and Nog.  Jake feels like being a writer is not as important to him as it once was and Nog has accepted a post on the USS Burton but admits he finds it hard fitting in.  Jake goes to interview Alexander when Q's son appears. Q Junior offers Alexander a glimpse of another way.  He snaps his fingers and Jake, Nog and Alexander are suddenly in strange Starfleet uniforms, on an unfamiliar ship, face to face with Tuvix and Mariner.  Jake hugs Jadzia but the reunion is cut short by a red alert. On the bridge Jake encounters the Captain... Dukat.  The Breen destroy the ship but Junior resets time, giving the trio another chance. When I heard about this comic I was skeptical.  But the execution is intriguing.  I felt the Day of Blood crossover did a lot of damage to the character of Alexander, especially since the old expanded universe novels had him as a successful Ambassador.  I do feel there are way too many familiar faces on the ship.  Jadzia, Tu

Picard finally says, 'Make it so!' as he orders the other cadets to execute his plan.  But, it turns out the whole thing was a test.  Picard and the other cadets were on a Holodeck and the test was actually to see how well they worked together as a team.  They fail.  Later, at a party we learn that Cadet Doq is actually Q in disguise.   Little of surprise here.  The cadets fail but learn a valuable, Saturday morning cartoon, lesson about team work and such.  Picard's close friend is actually Q, which feels like the laziest thing I've read in a very long time.   five out of ten.

Defiant arrives at Starbase 99.  The process of turning over the prisoners is tense and Worf continues to grow bitter over his current situation.  Later, while discussing Borg assimilation the Starfleet security officer dies suddenly. They confront Benny who has a large parasite in his chest.  Worf attempts to inform the Starbase crew only to discover they have been taken over by the parasites also. Spock and Hugh's conversation about the Romulan star is a nice little nod.  This is not the first reference to its impending explosion.  Makes me wonder if it will be a future 'event' for IDW.  The parasites from 'Conspiracy' make an appearance here.  They have been featured in several TNG/DS9 expanded universe novels and I've always felt there was more to mine storywise.  With the Defiant crew fractured I have to expect the parasites will further create dissent and distrust in future issues.   seven out of ten.

Captain Sisko and Admiral Sato argue over the current situation. Sisko refuses to give up but learns Harry Kim is a failsafe if the situation gets out of hand, which it has. On the planet's surface Harry activates explosives, destroying the Tzenkethi shipyard and fleet. Sisko beams down and confronts the Tzenkethi and Romulans but is soon faced with Harry and Ensign Sato held hostage. They beam back to the ship where Sisko learns Data is out of commission while the Cardassian fleet confronts the Romulans. Harry being a back up in case peace talks fail is an interesting twist here. Even more so having Ensign Sato act as accomplice. I can imagine how Tom will react. The Crusher/Scotty portion of this story continues to be the least developed aspect of the story. It feels disconnected from everything, though I assume will be brought to the forefront next issue. Sisko arguing with the Admiral at the beginning of the issue feels like something he would do on the series. You ca