Star Trek--New Life...going where no manga has gone before!

In celebration of Star Trek's 40th anniversary, here are five new episodes set in the Original Star Trek series: The last survivors of gender war live on as spirits in machinery and take control of Enterprise; a dying race unwittingly creates the ultimate resistance to disease; a small colony tries to cheat death by uploading its collective consciousnesses into a satellite; warring planets exchange peace offerings via the Enterprise, but one "gift" is turns deadly; a group of teen, warrior-robot pilots becomes restless in times of peace, turning to pillaging for thrills.

~Luis Reyes

To celebrate the most cherished and influential sci-fi franchise of all time, TOKYOPOP has gathered top talent from around the world to create five new "episodes" in the distinctive manga format. With each story featuring a different creative team, this volume has something for everyone-be they hard-core Trekker, avid manga reader, comic book fan, or just someone who enjoys a great story.

STAR TREK--THE MANGA: Volume 1: SHINSEI/SHINSEI Writers: Mike Barr - writer of several Star Trek (and non-Trek) novels and comics. Chris Dows - has been writing comics for more than a decade, including a Deep Space Nine series for Malibu. Jim Alexander - UK based author published by Marvel, DC, Metal Hurlant, and Warhammer Monthly, among others. Joshua Ortega - has a lot of new comics projects brewing with several publishers. He's done work for Marvel, DC, Top Cow, and Dark Horse. Rob Tokar - Long-time Editor for Marvel, now a Senior Editor at TOKYOPOP. Artists: Jeong-Mo Yang - RSOM 5 finalist (Modus Vivendi) Michael Shelfer - RSOM 5 finalist (Blue Phoenix) Gregory Giovanni Johnson - RSOM 4 finalist (Shotgun) STAR TREK--THE MANGA: Volume 2: KAKAN NI SHINKOU Featuring stories by TNG's Wil Wheaton, Diane Duane, Mike Wellman, Paul Benjamin and Christine Boylan as well as art by EJ Su, Don Hudson, Steven Cummings, Bettina Kurkoski and Nam Kim.

English Version By: Luis Reyes

Star Trek: the Manga – Kakan ni Shinkou

Star Trek: the manga – Kakan ni Shinkou is TOKYOPOP’s second collection of global manga set in the universe of the original “Star Trek” television series (knows as Star Trek: The Original Series or ST: TOS).  Fives stories make up the new volume.

In “Cura Te Ipsum,” the U.S.S. Enterprise is crippled, far away from the nearest Federation Starbase, and badly in need of dilithium crystals.  They find dilithium on a planet in the middle of a brutal civil war/blood feud.  Captain James T. Kirk sees an opportunity to guide the planet’s warring factions towards peace, but will he be violating the Federation’s Prime Directive not to interfere in the affairs of non-Federation planets?

Kirk finds himself on trial for crimes he might have committed and may likely commit in the future, at least according to the denizens of Planet Kos in “The Trial.”  Next, is “Communications Breakdown,” a tale set just after the events of ST: TOS Season Two episode, “The Changeling.”  Enterprise communications chief, Lt. Uhuru, is on the mend, but Capt. Kirk calls her expertise into question when she expresses strong doubt that a recently received distress signal is really a distress signal.

“Scaean Gate,” is a riff on the legend of the city of Troy and the Trojan War, the Enterprise transports a Queen to her new throne – a royal move meant to settle a long war between two planets, but is the crew transporting a Trojan horse?  “Forging Alliances,” which closes the book, is set on Science Officer Mr. Spock’s home world of Vulcan during a special ceremony where Dr. McCoy finds himself fighting to discover why the Vulcans have reverted to their violent ways of the past.

[This volume includes an excerpt (“Suicide Note” by Geoff Trowbridge) from the upcoming Star Trek anthology, Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Sky’s the Limit from Pocket Books]

THE LOWDOWN:  Sometimes, it’s hard to tell what will satisfy hardcore Trek fans.  Any of these Trekkies that are purists may not find joy in this manga riff on classic Trek, but it nevertheless captures the style, mood, and flavor of the original “Star Trek” TV series.  Star Trek: the manga – Kakan ni Shinkou rings true enough to be more than fan fiction, and for all practical purposes contains some of the best Star Trek comics ever done.  Veteran Trek creator Diane Duane, Trek actor Wil Wheaton, rising star of manga Bettina Kurkoski deliver star performances with their contributions to this volume.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Anyone ready to enjoy some really good Star Trek comics will find just about every entry in this volume a novel turn on the original series.  It certainly left me pining for an encore.

A-

By Leroy Douresseaux
This review ofStar Trek: the Manga – Kakan ni Shinkoufrom The ComicBookBin.com originally appeared at http://www.comicbookbin.com/printer/startrekthemanga002_printer.html

© Copyright 2002-2007, Coolstreak Cartoons Inc. - All rights Reserved. All other texts, images, characters and trademarks are copyright their respective owners. Use of material in this document—including reproduction, modification, distribution, electronic transmission or republication—without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

Geek Monthly
Tokyopop have become famous, or infamous depending on who you speak to, for blurring lines between “manga” and paperback comics, but now, they’ve really gone and crossed the streams by launching the first ever Star Trek manga series combiningstories and artists from Taiwan to Plymouth Mass. American author Will Wheaton and Taiwanese-born El Su do the honor for chapter one, followed by Christine Boytan and Bettina Kurkoski, Mike Wellman, and Nam Kim, Diane Duane and Don Hudson, and finally Paul Benjamin and Steven Cummings. The end result is an exquisite collection of mangasodes (new word—all mine!) that stay true to the spirit of the voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise by incorporating the series’ brightest characters. Kirk, Bones and Scotty all play key roles throughout each captivating scenario sure to please even the most die-hard Trekkie. Phasers on stun and beam me to Barnes and Noble, Scotty!
Quite tasty, but for Trekkies only