Star Trek 1353: Mirror Images, Part 4

1353. Mirror Images, Part 4

PUBLICATION: Star Trek: Mirror Images #4, IDW Comics, October 2008

CREATORS: Scott and David Tipton (writers), David Messina (artist)

STARDATE: Unknown (follows issue 3)

PLOT: Mirror Kirk covers his tracks too well for Spock to catch him, so Pike sends him down to a frozen planet to recover a crashed Klingon cruiser's black box, hoping it's a mission he won't return from. Though the landing party is attacked by the fierce natives who massacred the surviving Klingons, Kirk succeeds with the help of Henshaw, a quick security officer. As he returns to the ship, Kirk learns that Scotty has finished installing the Tantalus Device.

CONTINUITY: See previous issues (Mirror Universe, Pike). First chronological use of the Tantalus Device, just to watch (Mirror, Mirror).

DIVERGENCES: None.

PANEL OF THE DAY - Evil Kirk vs. Space Yeti
REVIEW: With issue 4, we return to Kirk's rise to power, already in progress. There are some nice elements on show, including Scotty standing up to Kirk and Kirk respecting him for it, and the quick, almost comical, dispatch of the alien creature. The full-on critter attack provides a bit of action and nice visuals, but of course, it's the contest of wills between Pike and Kirk that's the star here. Kirk's cockiness at the end is great fun, and nice to see a redshirt survive to make a difference for once. One thing about these montage covers though: Uhura isn't in it at all, and that's always a minus. Any way to make these pin-ups a little more relevant to the interiors? (I guess that's a criticism of today's comics across the board.)

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