1072. Children of ChaosPUBLICATION: Star Trek: The Next Generation #59, DC Comics, May 1994
CREATORS: Michael Jan Friedman (writer), Deryl Skelton (artist)
STARDATE: 47763.7 (between Genesis and Journey's End) and 16 years earlier
PLOT: 16 years ago, Picard had to fight a Chalnoth in ritual combat to allow a Federation colony to stay on in what was apparently Chalnoth territory until it could study a passing stellar cloud. Since he could name the weapon, he chose the sling and pulled a David on their Goliath. Today, the Enterprise-D finds two empty ships, the Federation's Aquitaine and the Chalnoth's Blade, empty above a planet claimed by the Chalnoth. Before he can send an away team, another Chalnoth ship arrives, commanded by the adviser he humiliated 16 years ago, who immediately sends his own away team. Picard's beams down, ordered to be careful...
CONTINUITY: Picard's visit to Chalna while in command of the Stargazer was mentioned in Allegiance. Jack Crusher was of course on that mission. The design of the Aquitaine is based on one of the Nova-class designs from the TNG Technical Manual.
DIVERGENCES: None.
PANEL OF THE DAY - Jack Crusher can't TAKE it!
REVIEW: Along with yesterday's Annual, these are the first TNG comics I ever personally bought. Looking at Skelton's awkward figures and sketchy backgrounds, it's a wonder I kept buying the series to its cancellation. What probably kept my interest is that the book was entering a phase of continuity plug-ins. Odan in the Annual, and here telling the Chalnoth story Picard alluded to in Allegiance. Despite the art and badly choreographed fight scene, the Stargazer stuff is satisfying. The younger Picard is more rash, being somewhere between Tapestry and today, and his solution both entertaining and exciting. In the contemporary sequence, we only have time for a set-up, but it is sufficiently intriguing. Friedman takes the time to introduce Takamura, a security officer and single mother who goes along on the away team. We'll see what her role is, but I will say that for an original character, she's really well drawn. Is she also photo referenced from somewhere?
Comments