Shatner finally gets his payback on Takei.
Star Trek Unlimited #8
Marvel/Paramount Comics (May, 1998)
This issue coincides with an event the novels were doing at the time, Klingon Day Of Honor. They’re stories that focus on the Klingon view of honor.
WRITERS: Dan Abnett & Ian Edginton
COLORIST: Kevin Tinsley
LETTERER: Phil Felix
EDITOR: Tim Tuohy
“The Boy”
ARTIST: Steve Push
“The Warrior”
PENCILER: Ron Randall
INKER: Randy Elliot
“The Veteran”
PENCILER: Tom Morgan
INKER: Scott Hanna
With three stories I’m just going to run through them quick. The first focuses on Alexander as the comic looks at Klingons in three stages of life, which you may have guessed from the titles. He’s upset that the smart kid in school made him look bad, but it turns out it was because he knew Alexander wouldn’t beat him up and he was hoping the bullies wouldn’t bother him if the stood up to the Klingon. So the two boys help each other, Alex improving in school and the other boy able to beat up his bullies when they come after him. I’m on the boys side here over the principal. Granted the kid overdid it but the two are actually a good influence on each other and the story works well for it. Considering the last story I read in the comics with Alexander was a DC story where he tried to denounce his Klingon heritage for understandable reasons this was still a good story in the other direction, though I’m not sure which take I prefer.
Our warrior is Worf. Learning of a kidnapped child, even if it was the Duras house, Worf is determined to protect the child from a rival house who wants the kid, a result of the head of house Duras and a mistress. With communications blocked and no provisions, Worf still manages to keep the kid safe until his father finds him. This show’s Worf’s mingling of Klingon honor with his honor as a Starfleet officer in protecting an innocent child, even one of the house that so often has caused him misery. It’s a great story and a great showing for Worf.
We got to the post-TOS time period for our veteran, Kang. After the events of Kirk’s disappearance in Star Trek: Generations Kang has heard rumors of Kirk being alive and goes to investigate. Sulu, now captain of the Excelsior, heard the same rumors and done the same. What they find is the same Gorn that Kirk fought at the hands of the Metrons, who we also saw in issue #1. His mind has been destroyed by a disease and only fighting Kirk holograms that trigger automated weapons satisfies his blood lust…until Kang and Sulu showed up. Even a stun blast is enough to kill him. Two old men chasing a dream, though Kang wanted another fight with Kirk, but maybe it helped feel a bit alive? Another good story.
The second is my favorite but all three are great stories. I don’t think I have any of the novels from this event but it’s a good idea to explore the Klingons in this way and three good stories overall.
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