789. Brain-Damaged PlanetPUBLICATION: Star Trek #58, Gold Key Comics, December 1978
CREATORS: George Kashdan (writer), Alden McWilliams (artist)
STARDATE: 3315.5 - Follows the last issue.
PLOT: The Enterprise visits a planet where the inhabitants sporadically become violent for no reason. When a geologist tastes the soil, he also becomes affected. Upon further research, the crew finds that the planet has a giant brain which affected by a giant, wig-like virus, causing the insanity. They visit the planet's core, are attacked by both anti-bodies and viruses, and cure the illness from there, though not before the geologist is killed.
CONTINUITY: For the first time in the comics, McCoy says "I'm a doctor, not a..." (short order cook). The Prime Directive is invoked and hotly debated (for the comics anyway), and there's a prime example of justify any action even if it countermands general order #1.
DIVERGENCES: None (except from common sense).
PANEL OF THE DAY - Revenge of the Killer Tribbles
REVIEW: Is it me or are the titles becoming more stupid? Wait. Never mind the title. How about that story? A planet (though it's called an asteroid in the script) with a giant brain. What. The. Hell. Among the dumbest science fantasy on show in the Gold Key series, though debates about the Prime Directive lasting longer than a single panel are of course welcome.
Comments
I'm reading through the 1980's Marvel run now and it's not nearly as bad as I remembered.