The rights to produceStar Trekcomics landed atMarvelin the late 1970s/early 1980s, after almost a decade at Gold Key/Western Publishing. Marvel’sStar Trekcomic, launched to coincide with the release ofStar Trek: The Motion PIcture, would feature a bevy of top talent of the day. After striking gold with itsStar Warstitle,Marvel andStar Trekseemed to be a winning combination.
Gold Key/Western Publishing’s firstStar Trekcomic launched in 1967, a year after the show premiered.
However, the series only ran 18 issues before cancelation. Part of the book’s failure lies in Marvel’s licensing deal with Paramount, which only allowed them to use characters and concepts used inStar Trek: The Motion Picture. Thus, the extensive lore that had built up around the franchise was now off-limits. Undaunted,Star Trek’swriters and artists still managed to produce memorable stories, and here are the best 10.
1-3
Marv Wolfman, Dave Cockrum & Klaus Janson
AdaptsStar Trek: The Motion Picture
Marvel inaugurated itsStar Trekrun with a briskly paced three-issue adaptation ofThe Motion Picture.In this case, Marvel was duplicating the same approach it took toStar Wars, using the first few issues to adapt the film. Fans who have seenStar Trek: The Motion Pictureknows the film is slow and plodding, but Marvel speeds it up in its adaptation, creating a unique take on it.
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Marvel’s firstStar Trekcomic suffered from a revolving door of writers and artists, but these first three issues benefited from a stable creative team.These first three issues also give fans a glimpse as to how good this series could have been.
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4-5
Marv Wolfman (4), Mike W. Barr (5), Dave Cockrum & Klaus Janson
“The Haunting of Thallus,” “The Haunting of the Enterprise”
Throughout the originalStar Trek’srun, theEnterprisewould discover “themed” worlds, such as a planet where Rome never fell, or a world patterned after the American West.Done to save money, these episodes would often stretch credibility to the limit, and Marvel’s attempt here is slightly better.TheEnterpriseencounters a haunted house floating in space, full of classic Earth monsters.They also find Klingons, who may have a hand in the proceedings.
Over the next decade, Barr would write manyStar Trekcomics at a variety of publishers, becoming perhaps the preeminentTrekcomic scribe.
These two issues are a fun and nostalgic romp for classicStar Trekfans.Issue five is also theStar Trekdebut of Mike W. Barr.Over the next decade, Barr would write manyStar Trekcomics at a variety of publishers, becoming perhaps the preeminentTrekcomic scribe.
6
Mike W. Barr, Dave Cockrum &Klaus Janson
“The Enterprise Murder Case”
Star Trekdabbled in the mystery genre on more than one occasion, and “The Enterprise Murder Case” is cut from that cloth.An alien ambassador beams up aboard the ship, only to materialize dead. Kirk and company must race the clock to solve the murder before it triggers an interstellar incident.
PerhapsStar Trek’smost notable forays into the mystery genre are Data’s Sherlock Holmes-centered episodes.
Marvel’s license only allowed it to use characters appearing inStar Trek:The Motion Picture.The movie did not introduce many characters for Marvel to draw from, save one: Chief DiFalco. Seen in the movie shortly after V’ger abducts Ilia, DiFalco was a minor character at best, but this issue sees her take a more active role.Marvel’s license may have been unusually restrictive, but this issue shows them making the best of it.
7
Tom DeFlaco, Mike Nasser & Klaus Janson
“Tomorrow or Yesterday”
Time travel is common in theStar Trekuniverse, and issue seven of Marvel’s run gives this trope a unique spin.While on a rescue mission to a distant star system, the franchise’s “trinity,” consisting of Kirk, Spock and Doctor McCoy, are stunned to find giant statues of themselves on one of the worlds. These statues are in turn venerated by the planet’s inhabitants.
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An intriguing mystery lies at the center of the issue, and its treatment of the time travel theme ranks among the franchise’s best. By the time of the issue’s publication in 1980, time travel had already been used several times. Furthermore, laterStar Trekshows employed it to the point where some argue it is overdone. However, this issue’s clever time travel story saves it from that fate.
10
Michael Fleisher, Leo Durannda & Klaus Janson
“Domain of the Dragon God”
The phrase “do not judge a book by its cover” does not apply to issue 10 of Marvel’s firstStar Trekrun.The cover,drawn by Frank Miller, shows a spear-wielding Spock fighting off a horde of primitive humanoids. With a look of grit and determination in the face of adversity, Spock presses forward, and the issue declares him “Spock the Barbarian.”
While the story inside does not quite deliver on the cover’s promise, it is still an enjoyableStar Trekadventure.
This premise immediately jumps out at the reader, and Miller’s cover helps sell it even further. While the story inside does not quite deliver on the cover’s promise, it is still an enjoyableStar Trekadventure. Spock does indeed find himself on a planet of violent primitives, meaning the cover was not misrepresenting the story. As a bonus, the issue also contains informational pieces on the uniforms seen inStar Trek: The Motion Picture.
11
Martin Pasko, Brozowski & Tom Palmer
“Like a Woman Scorned…”
Despite being an integral character in the classicStar Trek, Scotty did not receive the same amount of character development as Kirk or Spock, so issue 11 of Marvel’s early run is a pleasant surprise.Andrea Manning, a former flame of Scotty’s, comes aboard theEnterprise,with a highly suspicious “guru” with her. Fans learn this guru has awakened something dark inside of Andrea…and now Scotty must stop it.
While it offers a much-welcomeinsight into Scotty’s past, the issue also showed signs the series was running out of gas. Some of the concepts used in this issue, such as thought projection and horror-based images, had already been done both on-screen and in the comics. This issue manages to overcome this limitation to create a good story, but the leaks were becoming apparent.
12
Alan Brennert, Martin Pasko, Luke McDonnell & Tom Palmer
“Eclipse of Reason”
Yeoman Janice Rand was poisedto become a major player in theStar Trekfranchise, to the point where her face appeared on early merchandise. However, she was written off the show, with no in-universe reason given for her departure.“Eclipse of Reason” fills in this gap, giving insight into not only Rand’s exit from theEnterprise, but also into her relationship with Kirk.
Janice Rand was played by actress Grace Lee Whitney.
The issue introduces the Phaetons, a non-corporeal race with a hidden agenda. Marvel’sStar Trekrun did not hesitate to introduce unique and cool alien races, and the Phaetons rank as some of the most memorable. The issue sees theEnterprisecross the Galactic Barrier, allowing for references toStar Trek’ssecond pilot: “Where No Man Has Gone Before.”
13
Martin Pasko, Joe Brozowski, Tom Palmer & D Hands
“All The Infinite Ways”
Joanna McCoy, the daughter of Doctor McCoy, steps into the spotlight in this issue.McCoy’s sad backstory, including his divorce and family, were only hinted at in the Original Series, but here they are explored for the first time.McCoy’s first encounter with his daughter in over a decade does not go well, and when Klingons are factored in, it equals a mess.
“Way to Eden” not only had Joanna come aboard theEnterprise, but also become romantically involved with Kirk!
Joanna nearly appeared in the classicStar Trek.An early draft for the third season episode “The Way to Eden” had Joanna come aboard theEnterprise, but this never made it to the screen. Joanna has since appeared in other licensed media, but never in aStar Trekshow or movie.
15
Martin Pasko & Gil Kane
“The Quality of Mercy”
Issue 15 of Marvel’s earlyStar Trekrun is a fun and engaging story, but along the way it breaks one of the franchise’s biggest rules:that Federation starships do not use cloaking devices. In this issue, theEnterpriseuses one for a dangerous rescue mission in hostile territory.
Starfleet using a cloaking device would come back in the seventh seasonStar Trek: The Next Generationepisode “The Pegasus.”
In the third season episode “The Enterprise Incident,” Kirk stole a cloaking device from a Romulan ship, with the implication the Federation was going to use it. Yet it was never seen again, and Roddenberry later decided Starfleet would not use cloaking devices. He reasoned that a high-principled organization like Starfleet would not “sneak” around with a cloaking device.
18
JM DeMatteis, Joe Brozowski & Sal Trapani
“A Thousand Deaths”
Issue 18, the finale of Marvel’s firstStar Trekrun, closes out the series with a story cut from the mold of the Original Series.TheEnterpriseruns across a massive worldship and Kirk and Spock are transported aboard. Subjected to torture, Kirk and Spock learn the truth about the ship and its inhabitants.
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