1407. A Failure to CommunicatePUBLICATION: Star Trek: Burden of Knowledge #2, IDW Comics, July 2010
CREATORS: Scott and David Tipton (writers), Federica Manfredi (artist)
STARDATE: 7099.4 (follows the last issue)
PLOT: The Enterprise initiates first contact with the planet Waasertla, where everyone is an artist and all are connected mentally through the "thoughtwork" via implants. While enjoying art performances, Kirk is contacted by a dissident and later meets a small group who have disconnected from the shared world mind. The authorities arrive and try to reintegrate the dissidents, but a huge argument erupts in the thoughtwork, paralyzing the citizenry until the dissidents are expelled. Kirk and crew remain observers, respecting the Prime Directive, but may have acted as a catalyst for change. The people of Waasertla ask them to return in 25 years when they may be more ready.
CONTINUITY: Arex (The Animated Series) is navigator.
DIVERGENCES: None.
PANEL OF THE DAY - For those who say Kirk is in love with himself...
REVIEW: To my surprise, #2 doesn't follow #1, despite a structure that seemed to indicate it would! So this is another thematically linked mini-series that may or may not link events together. Will issue 1's mysteries be revealed? I sort of hope so. Issue 2 is an odd duck. While it certainly fits into the "burden of knowledge" theme, our heroes are essentially observers, even if Kirk claims first contact makes the Federation MORE than mere observers. In an abstract way, they did change an alien society, but they really didn't take any action other than act as a contrast to that society. That might work as a tepid TNG story, but it's downright out of place in TOS. Or is Kirk really mellowing in his fifth year? We're left with the exploration of the premise, which is meant to reflect the Internet age, though not very closely. What we have here is a failure to entertain.
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