TOS

Review: Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #3

By Mark Martinez ⋅ June 26, 2007 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Klingon High Council member Kahnrah and his granddaughter, K’Ahlynn, continue their discussion of Klingon experiences with the Federation. When espionage fails miserably as a tool for expanding the Empire (Blood Will Tell #2), the Klingons begin a campaign of conquest by subterfuge on the planet Neural (TOS, A Private Little War). Kinsman Krell, commander of the IKS Korthos, visits Neural on a regular basis and plants the seeds of conquest firmly in the hearts and minds of the village people after selecting Apella, a hapless villager, to be his liasion. In spite of Earther interference with the hill people, Krell is successful. K’Ahlynn finds little to admire in the Federation’s response to Krell’s efforts, but Kahnrah needs to know if humans can be trusted, and still hasn’t made a decision about Gorkon’s plan. Stardate: After 9521.6, following the explosion of Praxis, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country with a flashback to 4211.4, Commander Krell’s Log Entry #3854, IKS Korthos

The Tiptons add a rich vein of detail to this classic Klingon tale. We get to know Krell. Apella’s past is recounted. We only see Nona and Tyree in passing, but in his brief appearance, Kirk cowardly attacks Krell from behind, like a thief. Isn’t that just like an Earther? Although the mugatos get in a few poison licks early on, I think they ultimately get the short end of the painstick. The mugato entries at Memory Alpha and Memory Beta both refer to the species in the past tense. This means that the conflict on Neural resulted in the extinction of mugatos or that Memory Alpha and Beta authors don’t like to use literary present tense. Either circumstance is pretty heinous. I’d be pissed too.

I’m really enjoying David Messina’s artwork. He must be part Klingon and these comics are his family album. Joe Corroney adds another eye-popping cover with a familiar Klingon and a fuzzy beast, complete with horns and sharp teeth. Very impressive work from both artists. Brush up on your Italian, then check out Messina’s blog and go to MySpace for Joe Corroney’s blog. Both artists occasionally post news about their Trek work.

I have to admit that I’m much more engaged by this mini-series than IDW’s first TNG mini-series, The Space Between, for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I simply prefer the the down and dirty Treks, like TOS and DS9. Second, The Space Between takes its cue directly from the televison series, telling a story with a mysterious thread that Picard just has to tug on, much like he tugs on his tunic to restore order and composure. It’s classic TNG storytelling, but where’s the fun in straightening things out? Krell has the right idea. Stir things up a bit and see what happens. Finally, who would you prefer to hang out with — Picard or bunch of Klingons with an extra keg of bloodwine?

Blood Will Tell #3
Written by: Scott Tipton and David Tipton
Art by: David Messina, cover art by Messina and Joe Corroney
In shops: week of July 4 (Midweek holidays often wreak havoc…so relax,enjoy the holiday)
Covers: two regular covers and at least one incentive cover.

What’s Next
I’ll wrap up with the IDW Publishing schedule for Star Trek comics. Please keep in mind that shipping dates occasionally slip a week or two or three, here and there.

Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #3, week of July 4
Star Trek: The Next Generation — The Space Between #6, week of July 11
Star Trek: Year Four #1, July
IDW Focus on Star Trek, July
Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #4, July
Star Trek: Year Four #2, August
Star Trek: Klingons — Blood Will Tell #5, August
Star Trek: Aliens Spotlight — Gorn, September
Star Trek: Year Four #3, September
Star Trek: The Next Generation — The Space Between TPB, ISBN 160010116X, September

Mark Martinez is an obsessive-compulsive Star Trek comics reader and collector. He also reads the occasional Star Trek novel and wonders why they don’t have any pictures. You can visit his website, the Star Trek Comics Checklist for more than you ever needed to know about Star Trek comics.