Villordsutch reviews Star Trek: New Visions – “Of Woman Born″…
It’s been a good few months since we’ve had a new John Byrne Star Trek: New Visions photomontage in our hands, and now that we do have one I’m having to recite over and over again in my aging, yellowing brain, ‘Do not judge a comic by its cover!’. I’m obviously not talking about the story choice here, I’m distracted by Lt. Carolyn Palamas’ missing fingers, the odd editing on the newborn’s head and Kirk’s odd fingers too.
John Byrne has followed on from the original Season Two episode Who Mourns For Adonais in which Lt. Carolyn Palamas is discovered to be pregnant, though she herself is unaware of it, with all fingers pointing to Apollo. Spock cautions Kirk in regards to this child as they are unaware of when the conception took place, either before or after the attack.
As the day goes on it becomes apparent that all is not well, with a number of officers feeling that they are being watched. Spock himself attempts to Mind Meld with the Enterprise, to which he his violently rebuked and thrown to the floor. McCoy later performs another medical examination upon Lt. Palamas, but is attacked by an unseen force.
The Enterprise begins to behave erratically, Lt. Palamas vanishes and with life-support failing, Spock then concludes that the ship is being controlled by the unborn child of both Apollo and Lt. Palamas. He decides he must become one with the ship.
I was wise to recite the initial mantra at the start; this photomontage is certainly worth a read. John’s photo editing skills are far superior to those he has chosen to show on the front cover. It’s rather excellent spotting objects within the ship he’s subtly added, for which only a keen eye can distinguish from the actual background. Yes, there is on occasion a slightly disjointed image here and a button overlapping on a panel there, but does it bother me? Not in the slightest and it shouldn’t bother you.
As for the story itself, I haven’t watched Who Mourns for Adonais isn years ,perhaps even decades, so I had to drop into Memory Alpha for a refresh before I read the comic book. One interesting fact about this whole comic was Lt. Palamas’ pregnancy was actually to be tagged on at the end of said episode and it was used at the end of James Blish’s adaptation in Star Trek 7:
- KIRK: “Yes, Bones? Somebody ill?”
- McCOY: “Carolyn Palamas rejected her breakfast this mornin.”
- KIRK: “Some bug going around?”
- McCOY: “She’s pregnant, Jim. I’ve just examined her.”
- KIRK: “What?”
- McCOY: “You heard me.”
- KIRK: “Apollo?”
- McCOY: “Yes”
- KIRK: “Bones, it’s impossible!”
- McCOY: “Spock, may I put a question to this gadget of yours? I’d like to ask it if I’m to turn my Sickbay into a delivery room for a Human child–or a god. My medical courses did not include obstetrics for infant gods.”
Source – Memory Alpha
John has taken this spark even further; instead of seeing an ember fade away, he’s given it a blast of pure oxygen making it grow into a bonfire for all to see.
Ignoring the cover of this issue, it’s great to see the return of New Visions.
Rating: 7/10
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
Originally published May 4, 2016. Updated June 30, 2023.
