Villordsutch reviews Star Trek #52…
It’s the explosive conclusion to the Mirror Universe epic, as Kirk and Spock face off against their evil doppelgangers with the fate of two realities at stake! Who will live, who will die, and what role will the Mirror Universe Khan play in the endgame?
At the end of last month’s Star Trek “Live Evil” Part 2 of 3 [review here], numerous pieces had come into play: Khan insisted on being called Singh and travelled to Qo’nos in the Botany Bay with Kirk plus the Away Team, Mirror Spock has taken Spock on the ISS Enterprise to the Terraformed planet Vulcan, and meanwhile over on the USS Enterprise Mirror Chekov was making his move for the Captain’s Chair by first assassinating Mirror Scotty. Everything is moving rapidly but can we get to the end and tie this series up with a nice bow.
With both Kirks stood at a Mexican Stand-off, it takes the wise words of a panicking Klingon to bring this tense moment to a close as they look for a reason for why they are both here. It’s Uhura that joins the pieces together and realises the ion storm is to blame; tracking the storm the Klingon hopes it vanishes as quick as it appeared, for the storm is messing with his smuggling routes. Realising that they don’t have much time Mirror Kirk, Kirk, Singh and the Away Team make haste in a cloaked Botany Bay towards Vulcan. As Spock hopes to see his mother on Vulcan one more time, fate is a cruelly mistress as it appears – in this Universe – she was discovered to be a member of the resistance and so was executed as a traitor. With new Kirk insisting that Mirror Kirk doesn’t kill anybody as they rush the bridge of the ISS Enterprise they begin their takeover and the fight for their freedom begins.
I’ve really enjoyed Star Trek “Live Evil”. There has been some standout moments through these three issues delivered by Mike Johnson, and a couple of major ones in particular with in this issue alone; however I have a feeling if Mike had been given four issues to slightly spread the story out that wee bit more I think I would have been enamoured with this series. There are moments that passed by that bit too quickly, though these could be being placed to one side to be returned to for a later Mirror Universe date I still wanted to see more now. One thing I really would have like to have seen was Singh to have lived up to his namesake, perhaps playing a long-game for Mirror Spock or Mirror Kirk to arrive and at a certain point strike; we could have discovered why in this universe he doesn’t look like Ricardo Montalbán.
Still this all being said Mike Johnson along with Tony Shasteen and Davide Mastrolonardo have delivered an enjoyable celebratory Star Trek three-parter and that is something that gets a thumbs up for me.
Oh if you’re an Archie fan, you’ll possible adore this months subscription cover, if however you’re not an Archie fan – like myself – the subscription cover will just make your teeth itch.
Rating: 8/10
Check out our recent interview with Mike Johnson here at Flickering Myth.
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=3AMx7tPsXgQ
Originally published December 9, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
