“Resistance is futile.” “Not according to our track record.”
Star Trek: Voyager #10
Marvel/Paramount Comics (October, 1997)
“Ghosts”
WRITER: Laurie S. Sutton
PENCILER: Jesus Redondo
INKER: Sergio Melia
COLORIST: Glynis Oliver
LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos
EDITOR: Tom Tuohy
A temporal rift opens, temporarily sending Voyager to the Battle Of Wolf 359. When they reverse and return to the Delta Quadrant there is a group of escape pods from the Saratoga. As the rescued crew attempts to adjust to their new surroundings they learn they’re still connected to the temporal rift and will be drawn back in when it opens. Although Janeway’s crew tries everything they can think of, they are unable to break the link and when the rift actually chases the ship the Saratoga crew, and the nephew of Commander Rand when he tries to get a device to them that might help, are caught again…and something else is waiting for Voyager.
What they got right: This is not an action story and outside of racing against time it doesn’t try to be one. This is about the usual crew meeting survivors from Wolf 359 and not being able to save them. While the comic could have used a little more time, the story itself is actually pretty decent.
What they got wrong: At least structurally. Like I said, they could have used more time, ramped up the tension. We’re told being in the rift all this time was terrible, but not why. Outside of initial reunions with crewmembers of both ships who knew each other we don’t get a good sense of the emotions and aftermath of being in the rift. There’s no time for tension in their race against the clock. It’s like they wanted to get through this story fast and get to the other threat next issue. Also, between the show and comic stories like this there are so many lost portals back home that Samurai Jack is getting jealous.
What did I think overall: The story starts out strong but isn’t really given the time it needs to really make it a must-own issue. This should have been a two-part story, with the realization of the rift link still being there part of the story, maybe explain WHY the rift can chase a ship traveling at warp speed and why it even bothers. What we get is a plot in search of a full story, and so it’s not really worth tracking down as much as I wish it could be.
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