Star Trek: Voyager #11
Marvel/Paramount Comics (November, 1997)
“Leviathan” part 1
WRITER: Laurie S. Sutton
PENCILER: Jesus Redondo
INKER: Sergio Melia
COLORIST: Matt Webb
LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos
EDITOR: Tim Tuohy
The events of the rift last issue bring aliens worried that the distress call received from one of their ships was the Borg attack. After explaining the temporal echo, Voyager joins them in trying to track down their distress call only for them all to be drawn into a giant leviathan of a ship collective. Janeway, Tom (who loses his shirt–you’re welcome, ladies), Torres, and Harry beam over as close to the leviathan’s core as they can, running into Jem’Hadar who aren’t addicted to the White and Viidians who don’t have the Phage, realizing they are descendants of ship’s crew who predate both incidents. Security robots then arrive and take them to meet the AI in charge, who has gained a form of sentience and is determined to keep them all as part of its collection.
What they got right: The alien/computer collector isn’t all that new an idea but the story starts the idea well. We get a look at some of the crew’s old enemies before becoming the threats they are now. The situation that led to them being here (hopefully next issue doesn’t forget the Elessians) works well enough and while they didn’t need to blend last issue’s story into this one the segue (for lack of a better term) isn’t bad.
What they got wrong: Speaking of the Elessians, having them part of the mission would have been nice, seeing as they’re also not integrated with this leviathan.
What did I think overall: A really strong start, especially for Voyager. Hopefully it concludes as strongly.