by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor

Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise are back for a unique new adventure with IDW Publishing. Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes #1 takes place shortly after the encounter with the entity known as V’Ger, and features a story from creative mastermind Marc Guggenheim (Arrow). As the time period between the first two cinematic adventures has been relatively unexplored, readers will be in for quite the adventure as a new mystery awaits in this exciting first issue!

Official Synopsis:
From critically acclaimed screenwriter, producer, and comics writer Marc Guggenheim (Arrow; DC’s Legends of Tomorrow; Star Wars: Han Solo and Chewbacca) comes a brand-new miniseries detailing a never-before-seen adventure from Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise! When a space anomaly thrusts a bounty hunter and her target—a criminal mastermind—into their universe, it’s up to Kirk and his crew to stop them from unintentionally starting a war with the Romulans and unleashing a superweapon of foreign tech onto the system. But the strangers from another universe are more familiar than they assume…for underneath their helmets are their doppelgängers—from an alternate reality!

Creative Team:
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Oleg Chudakov
Colorist: DC Alonso
Lettering: Jeff Eckleberry

 

The concept of alternate universes is nothing new for the world of Star Trek, as the concept was originally introduced in the fan-favorite episode “Mirror, Mirror”. This comic series expands upon that element in a creative way, offering several surprising twists as the crew of the Enterprise come face-to-face with doppelgängers. I really enjoyed the opening pages of the book in particular, as it introduced us to some interesting new characters before diving right back into the status of Kirk and crew. I also appreciated the interaction of Spock and the mystery bounty hunter, as the characterization felt spot on. Guggenheim has done a great job capturing the tone and characterization of the crew in this specific time period, and I appreciated the nuances that were applied throughout the first installment. Also, Chapel and McCoy’s conversation was years in the making, leading to a truly laugh-out-loud moment. 

 

From an art perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed Chudakov’s character designs and action sequences. The coloring from Alonso felt perfectly aligned with the color tones from The Motion Picture, grounding this story further for Star Trek fans. The arrival of the Enterprise in the opening pages might be my favorite element of the artwork, as the grand entrance felt appropriate for a story set in the film era. 

 

Rating:

ComicsOnline gives Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes #1 – 4.5/5 fascinating explorations of cinematic Star Trek.

 

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