Star Trek 734: The Voodoo Planet

734. The Voodoo Planet

PUBLICATION: Star Trek #7, Gold Key Comics, March 1970 (reprinted and recolored in #45)

CREATORS: Unknown (writer), Alberto Giolitti (artist)

STARDATE: 24:17.9 - Follows the last issue.

PLOT: The Enterprise finds a perfect copy of Earth with papier-maché buildings. When a laser beam destroys the Eiffel Tower, it also falls on the real Earth. Turns out there's a whole voodoo culture on a nearby planet that is destroying Earth's man-built wonders at the behest of an Earth despot in exile. Remembering the "pain casters" of Vulcan, Spock finds a way to turn the tables on Count Dressler and use voodoo against him. He spends the rest of his life in solitary confinement.

CONTINUITY: Sulu appears for the first time in the comics.

DIVERGENCES: The usual stuff - the Enterprise flying through the atmosphere and McCoy's miscolored shirt. I'm pretty sure Earth's greatest landmarks were never destroyed as well.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Fun with action figures
REVIEW: Another hare-brained premise involving magic-presented-as-science. Though ludicrous, it is a fun idea that gives Giolitti the chance to draw some architecture from around the world (his likenesses are getting better too). Dressler is an odd choice of villain for the Star Trek universe, and it's never quite clear if and when he gives Earth an ultimatum. His capture befits him, caught rather easily when his powers run out.