Star Trek 1211: Lwaxana Troi and the Wedding of Doom

1211. Lwaxana Troi and the Wedding of Doom

PUBLICATION: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #10, Marvel Comics, October 1997

CREATORS: Michael Martin and Andy Mangels (writers), Terry Pallot and Al Milgrom (artists)

STARDATE: Unknown (between Ferengi Love Songs and Soldiers of the Empire)

PLOT: Lwaxana Troi arrives on DS9 with a new baby and a new Bolian fiancé, asking a divorce from Odo and for Sisko to host her wedding on the station. Preparations are interrupted by a slime-like creature getting from the hull of her ship to the station's air vents, then attacking and absorbing two women - one of Rom's co-workers and the Bolian's jealous aide. When Rom realizes what's going on, he calls Leeta to make sure she's safe, but she's just gotten in the shower and been attacked by the creature...

CONTINUITY: Lwaxana Troi married Odo in The Muse. Mr. Homn puts in his first DS9 appearance. Kira is absent, vacationing with First Minister Shakaar (Crossfire), while Dax has talked Worf into another Risan vacation (Let He Who Is Without Sin...). Also appearing: Rom, Morn, Leeta and Garak.

DIVERGENCES: The Cardassians apparently also claim ownership of Shakespeare (as do the Klingons in The Undiscovered Country), which contradicts Garak being introduced to the Bard by Bashir in The Die Is Cast. Morn is shown with green skin.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Rub the Emissary for luck!
REVIEW: A fun story in which Lwaxana is not particularly annoying, many of the regular supporting stars appear to good effect, and the art is expressive and distinctive. I wasn't expecting a success, but there it is. Will I say something about the hentai undertones of Leeta in the shower being absorbed by a Lovecraftian horror? I just have. But I think that's something that comes to mind today, post-Heroes for Hire, and would not have rung a bell at the time. It's fairly tasteful for a Leeta scene in any medium. The monster is probably the least interesting thing in the issue anyway (unless it really has a changeling connection). More fun is the idea that Lwaxana's wedding takes over station operations, that people can't expect her daughter to attend each one of her weddings (ha!) and the writers generally having fun with Garak and Rom. And you gotta love the title.

Comments

Matthew Turnage said…
This is the point where the series really picks up for me. It's too bad Martin & Mangels only had a handful of issues to explore DS9 in the comics. I think they could have put together one of the better Star Trek comic runs had Marvel not scrapped the license so abruptly.
Timothy Tuohy said…
Wow! Thank you for the kind words. I will pass them on to Mike and Andy.