1303. Ultimate WeaponPUBLICATION: Star Trek: Voyager - Planet Killer #1, Wildstorm Comics, March 2001
CREATORS: Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith (writers), Robert Teranishi and Claude St. Aubin (artists)
STARDATE: Unknown (between Body and Soul and Nightingale)
PLOT: Voyager comes across a solar system and ships that have been cut into pieces, the work of a "Planet Killer". The system has only one survivor, Tam of the Rekced, whom the Doctor nurses back to health. Over Seven's warnings, Janeway takes Voyager to the next system where the Planet Killer is making more victims. When Voyager tries to fire on it, it may get eaten...
CONTINUITY: The Planet Killer (The Doomsday Weapon) is also known as the giant space doobie Kirk blew up in the original series. The Rekced are obviously named for Decker, who died in that same episode.
DIVERGENCES: None.
PANEL OF THE DAY - A beautiful ship, even damaged.
REVIEW: There really isn't much to this story... yet. The Planet Killer is a goofy favorite of TOS fans, and giving it its origins in the Delta Quadrant has been suggested before (as in the novel Vendetta). But thanks to large panels and frequent splash pages, we don't get very far beyond the premise in this, the first of THREE issues (the cover mistakenly says four). However, the art by Teranishi and St. Aubin is simply gorgeous. Subtle and evocative, with beautiful likenesses, alien designs and colors. Tam is so bizarre, I can't tell where its face is supposed to be (he's that green thing on the cover). That may come to play against the mini-series, but for now, is a brave choice. Planet Killer may just be another story where Janeway stupidly puts the ship in danger to satisfy her own curiosity, but it at least looks great.
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