The face that SF Debris sees in his nightmares.
Star Trek: Voyager #14
Marvel/Paramount Comics (February, 1998)
“Survival Of The Fittest” part 1
WRITERS: Laurie S. Sutton & Gwen L. Sutton
PENCILER: Terry Pallot
INKER: Al Milgrom
COLORIST: Matt Webb
LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos
EDITOR: Tim Tuohy
After setting up that this is the point in the show where Kes leaves and Seven Of Nine enters (apparently balancing the loss of Kes–sucks to be all those others who have died on this mission), the story proper begins. Voyager receives a distress call and the naked woman called Caitra, with sparkles covering her girl bits, immediately entrances the men on the bridge. However, learning that the captain is female she defers to her brother, Katirus, who has a similar sparkle cover over his guy bits and has a similar effect on the women, including Janeway. The only woman not affected is Seven Of Nine (start your fanfic now because it gets explained next issue), who is later attacked. The same energy is found in Torres’ brain when she’s attacked by Katirus (thorugh the deadly weapon of kissing) while trying to fix the ship. Janeway, also enthralled with the near naked man, goes to his ship, clearly under his influence. Tuvok sneaks onboard only to be attacked by Caitra the same way Katirus did with Torres.
What they got right: Well, the siren story was inevitable. The animated Star Trek even did this sci-fi trope. Heck, G.I. Joe did it, but instead of the usual “the women have to save the day” plot there’s enough sexy manipulation for everyone. At the very least it’s something different. We get the Doctor asking Kes for something out of habit, which at least shows she is missed like the Captain’s Log suggests. I do like the way they make the crystal “clothes” look all sparkly and glowing, considering this is at best the early days of computer coloring and I don’t know for certain that’s what Matt Webb was using.
What they got wrong: Does the writer think Chakotay is romantically interested in Janeway?
What I think overall: A good start but I don’t know if I’m just remembering the secret this far out from the last time I read this comic or just see coming what the surprise is.
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