925. Class ReunionPUBLICATION: Star Trek v.2 #25, DC Comics, November 1991
CREATORS: Howard Weinstein (writer), Gordon Purcell and Arne Starr (artists)
STARDATE: Unknown (follows the last issue)
PLOT: The Enterprise stops by Earth for a big Starfleet reunion. Chekov's cousin, Nina Popov, joins the crew as McCoy's intern. And Kirk meets an old friend, Victoria Leigh-Kegen, whose husband, also an old friend and a member of planet Pilkor's nobility, was just murdered. She asks Kirk for help solving the murder, especially in light of the fact Kegen left everything - including his wife - to Kirk...
CONTINUITY: In this episode, the role of Saavik will be played by Robin Curtis (ST III-IV). We also see Captain Styles (ST III and plenty of DC Comics appearances).
DIVERGENCES: Styles is still talking like ST III happened recently and Kirk never commanded the Excelsior (as per the previous DC series). Though apparently Kirk's "buddy" while he was pursuing Carol Marcus, Victoria doesn't rate a mention in the recent Starfleet Academy-themed Annual.
PANEL OF THE DAY - Spock goes electronica
REVIEW: Though a set-up for another one of Weinstein's "enemy faction on a planet you've never heard of" plots, this issue is an R&R type character piece. He gets to introduce a first original character, something that's been sorely missing since Peter David had to sweep everyone under the carpet. Nina looks sure to be a charming and amusing thorn in Chekov's side, though throwing yet another romantic interest at Sulu (none of which appear to be Demora's mother) is getting to be a cliché. So there are good, if slowly paced, character moments, but as a Starfleet reunion, it fails. There are almost no character call-backs, especially disappointing given the year's Annual. Instead we're greeted by a character we've never heard of before spewing exposition. Cute cliffhanger, but I just want to shake the comic and force it to be just a little bit better. Feels like it almost could be.
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