Homeworld - DC TOS Star Trek Annual - Volume 2 Issue 3 1992

I picked up the "Homeworld" comic a little while ago, when I was on my way home after travelling around the entire city on bus. As always, there were too many comics there for me to afford, but I had to get this particular comic for one reason - Sarek is on the cover.

In fact, Sarek plays a large part in the Homeworld Story, which is 56 pages long. For those who have not read this comic, I must warn you that I will be going to go over the entire plot from this point forward. 

The story begins with Sarek, Lar'tok, and her aide Ku'bik meeting in a large building (possibly royal headquarters) in New Ketira. Lar'tok speaks to Sarek about how happy she is about his presense, and that he will be part of New Ketira's official admission into the Federation. She feels that they owe Sarek an "incalculable debt", as there would be no New Ketira if it were not for his intervention ten years before. He states that he was merely doing his diplomatic duty.

Lar'tok jokes frequently with Sarek, but is always very respectful. She beckons for him to follow her, so that he may meet her successor, Shiel'kia. Sarek was not aware of her stepping down, and tells her so. It is then that she informs him that she is dying. 

Sarek attempts to remain calm, so that his surprise and distress does not show.

Lar'tok makes a remark about Vulcans and their "emotional scenes", which I found very amusing.

She explains to him that her impending death is entirely natural, as she has lived a century and a half. Now that she is going to see New Ketira join the Federation and everything is in order (and she has seen her friend Sarek again) she feels that it is an appropriate time to "make an exit".

When Sarek questions whether or not this is suicide, she explains that her species, after a certain time, are able to select their time of death. The Katiran's decision will begin an irreversible chemical process, which triggers hormones that bring death.

Sarek is not relived, but he understands.

They approach Shiel'kia, who turns and bows to Sarek, honored to meet such a man. When Sarek mentions her being Lar'tok's successor, she turns to Lar'tok and reveals that she does not wish to "blend" with her and lose her individuality. This upsets Lar'tok very much, as without the blending she cannot lead. Blending would mean that all previous leaders would be a part of her, and so she renounces her position. Unfortunately, she had been groomed for five years to lead, and there is no time to find another successor before Lar'tok dies. Shiel'kia begins shouting, and is very adamant about remaining an individual.

Jumping to a later date - the Enterprise is escorting Sarek to the ceremonies admitting New Ketira into the Federation. It is during the briefing between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy that more information is brought foreward about Sarek's role in Ketira's history, and about  the "blending".

Spock explains Ketiran blending to be, in a way, like the Vulcan mind meld. Memories are transfered from one "sensitized Ketiran mind" to the other - by doing this, a new leader is "endowed  with the accumulated knowledge and experiences of her predecessors".

Spock also explains that Sarek's involvement with the Katirans began in a time before Sarek and Amanda's marriage. While Sarek was acting as mediator between Arvaga and Delta Veylos, he encountered a small community of Ketirans led by Lar'tok. The Ketirans had been dispersed from their original homeworld in a war a couple of millennia before. They were then doomed to wander the galaxy - facing persecution, their numbers dwindling. Sarek brought this matter to the attention of the Federation, and a suitable planet was found for their colonization. This planet become New Ketira. Other surviving groups of Ketirans were later found and settled on the planet afterwards.

Lar'tok chose not to join the federation at that time, because she wanted Ketiran society to develop and prove itself worthy of membership. The Ketirans eventually built an extremely successful society built on trade, and believe that their world should be a haven for other outcasts, as it had been for them.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to meet with Sarek and Lar'tok.

Lar'tok tells of how she naively thought that the scattered survivors would all come together on the new planet and "melt together to recreate the Ketira of old". This did not happen, however, due to idealistic differences. Many of the survivors, depending on their experiences during the two thousand years of wandering, returned with very different ideas and lifestyles - many even looked entirely different. Ketirans have the ability to alter their appearance to a certain degree - size, body shape, type and color of hair and skin, and some facial characteristics. They can then pass these changes on to their offspring.

Shiel'kia walks in on the meeting, and announces those who look no different from Lar'tok have also changed. This upsets Lar'tok, as Shiel'kia was not invited to the meeting due to her renouncement. Shiel'kia gets very worked up, exclaiming that she has grown up in a world full of diversity, and that diversity is the way of the future. When Lar'tok tells her that one must understand the past in order to deal with the future (hence the blending), Shiel'kia exclaims that the blending only binds her to the past.

Lar'tok is overcome and falls to the ground, hand to her chest. The stress of arguing with Shiel'kia caused her body to react defensively by shutting down temporarily - thus conserving what strength she had left and holding off a potentially fatal overload. Shiel'kia is worried, but still will not cooperate and runs off.

Lar'tok, when conscious, realises that Shiel'kia is frightened, as she was frightened herself when she had only to lead a small community in the past.

Kirk is then notified by Scottie about a fleet of nine ships which appeared out of subspace, asking to speak to the captain of the Enterprise. They are Ketirans, and they call themselves the Sancti.

Part two coming soon.

Note: they keep forgetting to color Sarek's eyebrows. This distresses me.

Xon and the Star Trek That Never Was

X is for Xon!

Today I have been making my way through File Magazines' "The Star Trek That Never Was" from 1985. It holds an interesting collection of planned episodes and characters from what was going to Star Trek: Phase II, with Xon (a young full Vulcan) replacing Spock, and with Decker and Ilia on board.

I got this book on a dusty old shelf behind strange romance novels!

I have always been fascinated by Xon, from what I have been able to find out about him - I wish I could have seen his character in action.

Xon is quite young, only 22 - extremely young for a Vulcan - and is a genius, personally selected by the Vulcan Academy of Science as their representative on the Enterprise. Xon realizes that part of the reason why Spock did so well was his ability to better comprehend the crew's emotions due to his human half. Because of this, he tries to copy human emotions (without actually experiencing them) so that he can better understand humanity. Xon is also a much stronger telepath than Spock, and is able to easily link with Ilia.

Full profile... I wish it had happened.

The image used for the above profile is not that of Xon, but of Sonak in The Motion Picture. Xon was to be played by David Gautreaux:

The first episode draft, "In Thy Image", was eventually adapted into the Motion Picture and involves Ilia being used as a probe and V'Ger (spelled Vejur in the article), Xon, and Decker. There are many differences - Ilia and Decker resume duty aboard the enterprise, and Xon is Science officer throughout. Kirk beams down to earth with the probe and it is amazed at the beauty of it. But through Ilia "Vejur" begins to like Kirk, and when the time comes to destroy earth it decides that the biological units have a reason to live, and that it cannot learn from them.

Ilia materializes naked in Kirk's shower...

Not the most unique story.

The pictures that accompany the episode's overview don't have much to do with "In Thy Image" specifically - the first is from the Motion Picture with Ilia, and the second is Kirk with Nomad (it is suggested that the episode would have been too similar to "The Changeling").

Still, I would have loved to see Xon in action!

Alien Spotlight - Volume 1 2008 - Vulcans

A is for Alien Spotlight!

About a year ago, I was in a local grocery shop when I stumbled (literally) into a rack of comics that I had never seen before - for only eight dollars each (Canadian). One of the comics I picked up that day was IDW's Alien Spotlight Volume One - a collection of "one-shots" featuring the Borg, Andorians, Orions, Vulcans, and Romulans.

My favorite story (as one might predict) is the spotlight on the Vulcans. Not only does it center around Spock, but it also takes place under the command of Captain Christopher Pike!

I have scanned some of the key panels - spoilers ahead.

Vulcans
Written by James Patrick
Art by Josep Maria Beroy
Colors by Mario Boon
Color Assist by Andrew Elder
Letters by Chris Mowry
Edits by Andrew Steven Harris

According to this comic, Spock was not readily accepted by the crew of the enterprise. His logical stand on issues such as life and death is creating "friction" among them.

Captain Pike considers getting him reassigned. After preparing to beam down to meet the Magefferan Military Leaders in the City of Pomapoli, they arrive on a planet covered in debris, unable to contact the Enterprise. The Magefferans attack, and the crew discovers that the phasers are jammed as well. One of the crew members is killed, causing another logical statement from Spock:

Captain Pike feels that this mission may confirm that Spock be reassigned. Captain Pike and Lieutenant Tyler decide to attack the Magefferans, despite Spock's reminder that they came on a mission of peace.

Lt. Tyler gets angry at Spock, accusing him of not "giving a damn about anything". Against Spock's disagreement with the plan, the go on to attack the Magefferans. The Magefferans realise that they have been distracted from some of the crew sneaking off to destroy the jammer, and capture them, stating that they will "cut their throats, one by one". As they struggle to hold down the Captain and Lt. Tyler, they notice Spock:

Pike deduces that a majority of the Magefferans have never seen a Vulcan before.

The Magefferan leader does not believe Spock, but Spock proves himself and his emotional control. The Magefferans are intrigued, and agree to listen. (Click images to enlarge)

Afterwards, the Magefferans had their medical staff analyse Spock, and sending him from leader to leader. After days, they were convinced  to board the Enterprise to continue negotiations. Mediators were sent to the planet, most of them Vulcan, to continue the Federation's work. Captain Pike - and the rest of the Enterprise Crew - begin to accept Spock, even if they still do not understand.

When I have a child, I will read it this story every night. It's definitely worth finding a copy, as one is not only entertained, but gains an insight into various species' as well. And no, I'm not being paid to endorse this collection.

It even has a "charming" page about the Borg meeting a little girl. It makes me laugh every time I see it, and then I feel kind of bad.

Adorable.

Peter Pan Records - Star Trek Book and Record Set - The Crier in Emptiness - 1979

I happened across a Star Trek Book & Record Set at one of last years comic cons - specifically, "The Crier in Emptiness". These are original stories for children inspired by Star Trek, and are very fun to listen to and read. The pages are beautifully colored, and the sound - especially the Crier in Emptiness's sound - is beautiful and haunting.

On the cover of my copy is a publicity photo from the Motion Picture, although there are other covers out there as well - as it was first published in 1975 and re-released around six times afterwards. This release was published in 1979. On the back cover, to my delight, is a member of one of my favorite species: A Rigellian. To the left right of the Rigellian attendant is a Megarite. Both of these species were briefly shown in the motion Picture.

Click images to enlarge.

As amazing as I think the story and it's telling is, there are a few strange things that "stand out". First of all, Uhura is white, with blonde hair:

You might think that they are being racist, if it were not for the fact that they made Sulu black:

That guy beside Sulu? That is Lieutenant Connors, and he sounds like a cross between Scotty and Chekov. And both Connors and Sulu are wearing science uniforms, for some reason (although now that I think about it, Sulu also wore a science uniform in the pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before").

The plot of the story is quite simple - the crew starts hearing musical notes, and they do not know where it is coming from. They soon discover (or rather, hypothesize) that they have encountered a being of pure sound.  McCoy grasps his head and looks up in muscle-man-mode.

The notes are straining and harming the ears of those on board, so they begin devising a plan to drive the creature out. Zoom in on Spock's dark and moody profile. The situation is dire.

The bridge erupts with sound!

Lieutenant Connors brings out an Edoan Elisiar - a triple keyboard operating an echo chamber, resonating bars made of bone, and "something that rather resembles an earthly xylophone twisted into a mobius strip". He begins to play music in an attempt to communicate with the beings. After less than a minute of playing, he starts complaining about getting tired. Either it takes immense effort to play this instrument, or Connors is the wimpiest person on the Enterprise.

Oh, and things get colorful. Very colorful.

Suddenly, it leaves. Nobody knows where it went, or why it was there, but Kirk thinks it may have just been lonely. "Uhura" says something cryptic, and then goes back to work. (Notice also that her insignia disappears, not that it was ever very visible to begin with.)

Fun fact: It is theorized that Lieutenant Connors was originally pencilled to be Arex, the Edosian (Edoan in the TAS novelizations) navigator from the Animated Series. This is backed up by the fact that Connor's name in the speech bubbles are always crushed (implying that the name was originally shorter), and that the instrument (which was Edoan) was designed to be played with three hands.

Sometimes in the mornings I play this on my old record player while I drink tea. Luckily for those who do not have access to the record and/or a record player, the story was kindly uploaded to youtube:

PS. You may not have noticed (I hope you did) but they spelled "effort" wrong on the sixth page.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Bubble Gum Pack 1979

Here's a little anecdote: I was walking down one of the isles at the Comic and Toy Expo when I saw some old bubble gum packs with the Joker and Batman. The man behind the table, however, took one look (or I would assume it was only one look - maybe he took a few looks) at my "Mirror Mirror" shirt and beckoned me over to the other side of the table. There he rummaged though piles of items until he found the one thing I never knew I wanted:

So for a mere two dollars (I would have paid fifty, I swear) I found myself in possession of a pack of 33 year old bubble gum:

Fortunately, I was not after the gum. I don`t even like gum. I do, however, like Star Trek cards and stickers. In fact, I had previously seen scans of a few of these cards on tumblr and was wondering how one might procure a pack.

You don`t. Random packs procure you.

I have scanned the sticker and the cards that came in the package - both the front and back. On the backs of the cards are either bits of information or pieces of a puzzle. Unfortunately I do not have enough cards to make any of the puzzle pictures at the moment, but I am now on the lookout for more.

Quick notes: For those unsure of the species shown on the "Advanced Life Form" card, it is an Aaamazzarite. The sticker features a Saurian. On the "Terror in the Transporter Room" card, the woman with Commander Sonak is unnamed in the movie, but is named Lori Ciana in the novel. You can read more about her in the TOS novel "The Lost Years".

PS. Never try chewing 33 year old gum. My curiosity got the best of me - but it just crumbled into a weird paste in my mouth, and it tasted like pills.