Villordsutch reviews Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #2…
Last month’s absolutely storming introduction to Tilly and Susan Bridges’ Star Trek: Voyager series, Homecoming (see our review here), couldn’t have gone any better for this latest IDW Publishing release — a near-perfect continuation of Voyager, now brought to life in comic book form.
However, we’re past the initial excitement. Are we about to see the same stumble many musicians face with their second album? Is this issue Susan and Tilly’s dreaded follow-up — or is it going to be just as brilliant as the first?
There’s zero chance for the crew to catch their breath following the unbelievable events of the last issue. Species 8472, disguised as high-ranking Admirals — one of whom is Admiral Paris — have seized control of Voyager moments before its arrival home, locking the command crew out of nearly all systems before turning the ship around and taking it far, far away from Earth.
With time rapidly running out to save Tuvok from the permanent effects of his neurodegenerative condition, our ruthless antagonists make it almost impossible for Voyager to return home — before finally revealing what’s in store for both the crew and the Federation.
Now this is an enemy with teeth! This is what Species 8472 — the Borg-terrifying, nightmare-inducing foe — should have been in Voyager, before things went a bit, and forgive my saccharine rasp here, “Starfleet” for them. This version — highly intelligent, quick-thinking, almost invincible — is truly terrifying.
No punches are pulled as the command crew are shown to be completely out of their depth, believing they have the upper hand over a bunch of telepathic aliens who, with the slightest touch, manage to disable Voyager for months in unknown space. This is a real enemy. I’m already getting fantastic Star Trek: Voyager “Year of Hell” episode vibes from this story — and we’re only on issue #2.
Both Tilly and Susan Bridges seem acutely aware that this lifeform was unceremoniously defanged in the TV show, going so far as to call out our recurring “human” variations as traitors. It’s absolutely frantic, completely enthralling, and just brilliant. You reach the final page thinking, “No! This can’t be the end!?” — a true, old-school cliffhanger.
They — Susan and Tilly — even manage to weave in a B-plot with Seven, Tuvok, and B’Elanna’s new child, Miral. It carries shades of the Voyager episode “One,” with Seven isolated from the rest of the crew — only here, she’s accompanied by the voice of a barely conscious Tuvok and a newborn crewmember.
Praise also needs to be given to artist Angel Hernandez and colourist Charlie Kirchoff. Both deliver explosive action in spades across every page. It’s one thing to be great Trek writers, but without stellar art, the story won’t land — and thankfully, Hernandez absolutely nails it. It couldn’t look better.
And an extra cheer goes to Angel Hernandez for that terrifying cover: a nightmarish Tuvok being dragged down by the claws of Species 8472.
Rating: 9/10 – Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #2 is, quite frankly, brilliant. You need to be reading this.
@Villordsutch
