Posted on: February 16, 2012
A nice stand alone story that had me rivetted to finish it and to further explore the issues, hopefully, in subsequent editions.
Posted on: February 14, 2012
Continuing their work from the first issue Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch expand on their creation and take a quick breather from the heart-pounding action in part one. Desperate for answers on how to contain or destroy such an evil enemy the crew turns to history and prior victors in order to defeat the destroyer of worlds. The artwork continues to amaze and the action returns near the end keeping the readers lust for more at an all time high. A great second installment and highly recommended.
ALL FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. THANKS AND GOOD READING.
Posted on: February 16, 2012
Now for the first time the complete history of the Star Trek universe in comic books and newspaper strips from all over the world. Written by pop-culture historian Alan J. Porter, author of the bestselling James Bond: The History of the Illustrated 007, this book will be the definitive history on the subject. Nine information-packed chapters detailing the history of Star Trek in comic books and newspaper strips from the first Gold Key comic books, to the English newspaper strip, to the Marvel and DC titles, to the present day. Exhaustively covers all publications of the entire Star Trek universe. Includes creator interviews, unpublished artwork and a detailed checklist. Published to coincide with the release of the new Star Trek movie. Boldly goes where no book has gone before!
I've been waiting for a book like this, since Pocket Books released a history and critique of the Star Trek paperback prose. Now, that its comic book counterpart is here, I find the information provided both insightful and nostalgic. First off, Mr.Porter has done a tremendous job in picking some of the great ST comic book covers I grew up with. Looking at the painted covers done in the early Gold Key years brought back a good many memories of me waiting Monday evenings for the new comic books to be put out at a local grocery. Also added: Some of the great Bantam Star Trek covers done for the James Blish adaptations done in the late sixties, early seventies. Remember, this was before VCR's and people were hungry for anything that could bring back the TV experience throughout the week. Again, I had forgotten how gorgeous some of the covers were. Beautiful and striking. Probably the most difficult task for Mr. Porter was writing up all the various Trek synopsis' for all the comic book stories. This can get to be awfully repetitious after awhile, when one is summarizing another's story, but the author gets everything capsulated. Though some entries are more entertaining than others. It might have helped if Mr. Porter had been able to get some sort of checklist (from ST comic book critics) of some of the best of the these tales. I noticed that Peter David, who was one of the more accomplished Trek comic book and fiction writers gave little feedback for this text. That's a pity because…
Posted on: February 16, 2012
Couched in the narrative of Biblical history, “God’s Mission” links all people, from all time, into “The Great Romance.” The book “O” is the first of three volumes in “The Wisdom Spiral” trilogy which blends storying, art and unfiltered personal experience to illustrate the paradigm of Opportunity + Relationships = Influence (O+R=I); which describes how life works all around us, every day, for good or evil, whether we realize it or not. We have all been given opportunities of resources, responsibilities, experiences and ideas to seize daily through risks of faith. These have been entrusted to us for investment in the greatest treasure of our planet - people. When we do right with those opportunities and love mercy in our relationships, influence comes to us guaranteed. If we walk humbly before God with that influence, we live in wisdom as God directs our life’s spiral into increasing circles of a significant life. Throughout history, the same elements at work in O+R=I,…
The Wisdom Spiral - O: Opportunity by Shane Latham is razor-sharp, convicting, insightful and inspiring. Latham has a God given gift for leading believers into the deeper things of God... and wanting more. He challenges the believer to grow in faith, understanding and in unfeigned love. Latham's personal journey is an invitation for all of us to consider how we might find authentic ways to love faithfully, not only God, but one another while living humbly.
The Wisdom Spiral is an easy read and Latham's personal triumphs make it easy to share with non-believers.
Can't wait to dive into the next book!
Posted on: February 20, 2012
THE GEEKS HAVE INHERITED THE EARTH.Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheroes are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town. Clearly, geeks know something about life in the 21st century that other folks don’t—something we all can learn from. Geek Wisdom takes as gospel some 200 of the most powerful and oft-cited quotes from movies (“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”), television (“Now we know—and knowing is half the battle”), literature (“All that is gold does not glitter”), games, science, the Internet, and more. Now these beloved pearls of modern-day culture have been painstakingly interpreted by a diverse team of hardcore nerds with their imaginations turned up to 11. Yes, this collection of mini-essays is by, for, and about geeks—but it’s just so surprisingly profound, the rest of us would have to be dorks not to read it. So say we all.
This is a great read to have on your bedside or bathroom or in your work bag. It is not one of those books where you sit down on page 1 and just read straight through. I found myself bouncing around finding a quote that struck a chord with me and then reading the short essay.
This book will be in my collection and will be read over the course of a long time. Not because it is bad, but because I will read at moments when I just need some good old geek talk. I really liked reading the various quotes and remembering certain geek moments that I forgot all about.
One thing that I think this book should have is a companion website. I was looking online, but could not find one. Can you imagine how cool of an idea it would be to take this book and the basic concept, place it online and allow other geeks to add entries. Our very own Geek Wikipedia. That would be so cool.
Once again, I have hit a nice steak of excellent books. This one was a departure from the chapter book style and offered me little geek insights that I found very entertaining. Be sure to check this out at your bookstore over coffee and I guarantee you will walk out with this book in your hands.
Posted on: February 2, 2012
I give high recommendations to any Star Trek Graphic Novel fan out there, these stories are some of the best drawn and best written stories I've encountered. That's not to say they are now without flaw, but I will say that I enjoyed them on a level higher than I enjoyed others.
Story 1 based on TOS: Orions, Klingons, Romulans, Mad Scientists, this story has it all and an ending that left me longing for more. After a brief run in with the Orion Syndicate, Kirk recieves new orders taking him to an encounter with one of Spocks old...acquaintances, but of course this mission of good will soon turns sour as the Enterprise crew battle all manner of Trek life.
Story 2 based on DS9: Odd drawings you'll fall in love with and a story that is DS9 worthy. Could it be that DS9 itself is acting strange? Not long after the conclusion of the series, the old DS9 gang find themselves together facing an enemy with the potential to destroy whole empires.
Story 3 based on a new crew: This is where I thought to knock down the rating a Star, the story and the characters are good, but it's the specific 'timely' manuver the captain uses that frustrated me. Captain Calhoun figures out a way to fix a grevious mistake that lead to the destruction of a peoples, but his solution ends up back firing greater than one can comprehend.
Posted on: January 16, 2012
Fantastic TV celebrates five decades of sci-fi and fantasy television — the cult shows that have defined popular culture. Featuring interviews with the writers and originators of the many series covered, along with the historical context of their creations, this book offers insight into a truly beloved genre of home entertainment. Detailing favorites as varied in theme and time period as The Twilight Zone, The 4400, Wonder Woman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Heroes, and with black-and-white photographs, this guide has something for every devoted sci-fi fan.
FANTASTIC TV: 50 YEARS OF CULT FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION provides a fine illustrated celebration of five decades of science fiction and fantasy series shows, interviewing writers and creators and offering insights into classics from Star Trek and Lost in space to The X-Files and Lost. Add black and white photos throughout and you have an outstanding survey, highly recommended for any television or film library.
Posted on: February 16, 2012
Space, the final frontier... and on that frontier and beyond, humans and aliens alike need medical care. Enter Leonard McCoy, Doctor of Space Medicine, late of the U.S.S. Enterprise! Now delight at John Byrne's tale set in the period before Star Trek: The Motion Picture!
The comic book format hasn't been kind to the Star Trek universe, and a series centering on Bones doesn't sound especially promising--his chemistry with Kirk (seen here only in correspondence) and Spock (not seen here at all) was the character's major draw on the show.
Given those limitations, this is a surprisingly enjoyable (though light) collection, with plenty of true-to-the-Trek-spirit sci-fi goodness. There are weak spots, to be sure--I don't particularly care about Assignment Earth, the Roddenberry-planned Trek spinoff (adapted into a single episode of the original series), and some of the stories have jarringly abrupt endings. And I would've liked to see more familiar faces here (Scotty makes a cameo; Harry Mudd is referenced but, disappointingly, doesn't show up). Still, all in all, this is a pleasant addition to the Trek franchise.
Posted on: January 20, 2012
During the Dominion War there was one Federation starship absent from the actionthe U.S.S. Enterprise. Where were Captain Jean Luc Picard and crew? They were dispatched to another part of space, dealing with a Gorn force trying to use the distraction of the War to launch their own attack against Starfleet, in revenge for the way they were treated by Captain James T. Kirk a century before.
I bought this mostly because I read a lot of ST books but never a comic book, so I was curious. The character and ship drawings are fine, with the worst being Data. The action is fast paced, but underdeveloped, but it's a comic book, so it's OK. The writing is very bad. Also, the writer didn't have a good grasp of the characters. Their actions/reactions seem out of place compared with other Trek literature or TNG.
Posted on: February 16, 2012
Collecting legendary creator John Byrne's tales of Star Trek's Romulans, this six-issue volume includes his Alien Spotlight, the two-part "Hollow Crown" story, and the concluding, three-part Schism series. Mystery, intrigue, and war abound in this compelling tale!
A great story tying together the Romulan plots of The Original Series of Star Trek with some original characters and stories, told from the Romulan perspective. Dynamic artwork helps bring these stories to their full potential, and manages to still be exciting while still remaining faithful to the original designs.
Posted on: January 29, 2012
In the aftermath of the destruction of the Genesis planet — and a Klingon ship — in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, the Klingons are after Captain Kirk... with a vengeance! And when Kirk manages to infuriate the crazed Nasguls, a bidding war breaks out for the price on his head!Meanwhile, the Enterprise Captain and crew must face a host of challenges, including a vicious civil war and a plague outbreak... not to mention a duplicitous Admiral in Starfleet Command, and a new — highly attractive — protocol officer!By comics writer and Star Trek novelist Peter David (Fallen Angel), with art by James Fry, these never-before-collected comics are the most explosive yet!
Star Trek: Death Before Dishonor has some good stories! The issues that were reprinted from DC comics 2nd series is a must have! The reviewer before is right. The Stories take place after Star Trek: V The Final Frontier and not after Star Trek III. I recommend this book because the issues are well written by Peter David! If you collected these issues then I still recommend them for nostalgia! I Highly Recommend it! Peter David is a good writer!
Posted on: February 16, 2012
Originally published by Marvel Comics, Early Voyages takes place ten years before Kirk's "Five-Year Mission," showcasing the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike and his team aboard the USS Enterprise. The entire 17-issue Star Trek: Early Voyages series is collected in its entirety in this massive volume!
Star Trek: Omnibus2: The Early Voyages is a 17 issue collection (1997-1998) of adventures chronicling the Captain Pike era crew of the USS Enterprise.
Presentation/Artwork: The overall artwork is what I consider "non-modern" pencils and coloring - in other words it isn't annoying. Some of the modern comics have jagged lines, what looks to me to be incomplete artwork, and muted coloring or flat out black and white coloring.
Story/Plotlines: Captain Pike, according to the canon sources, was the second captain to command the Enterprise. The fictional galaxy at this time was still very much unexplored and this early era Trek has generally been presented as frontier-ish. The plotlines are about what you'd expect; Pike and company righting wrongs and getting up to adventures, with some future surprises thrown in (no spoilers here).
It is nice to have all seventeen issues presented in one omnibus. I own the original issues, but noticed no real quality problems with the original issues to omnibus transfer. Granted, some Trek fans need everything pristine when it comes to hard copy Trek products such as this Early Era omnibus; unless there are *noticeable* smudges or extreme grainy images, I don't go all ballistic.
Are you a comics fan, Old School Trek fan, and interested in some Captain Pike-Era adventures? Grab yourself a copy!
Posted on: February 9, 2012
A senior member of the design team for Star Trek: The Next Generation presents an incredible journey through the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. From the bridge to the ship's holodecks, these exciting, detailed blueprints reveal every deck, every corridor, and every corner of the ship. Includes thirteen large format (22" X 34") blueprints and an exclusive 16-page booklet.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Blueprints are great, except for one thing: they don't show where the brig is. Other than that, they are great!!!
Posted on: February 16, 2012
A clothing executive, a stripper, a comic book collector and a minister are stuck in a nudist colony! A screwball comedy in the P.G. Wodehouse tradition, if Wodehouse had had a libido. Without meaning to, Corky Wopplesdown has just gotten sexy lingerie model, Wisper Nuckeby, fired. In an effort to somehow make things right he sets off on a wild journey to find her while in the unlikely company of a rude, horny stripper, a repressed minister, an unexpected fiancee and a comic book collecting pervert. Then Corky's car breaks down in the tiny hamlet of Nikkid Bottoms, a little, coastal village where the sun is warm, the people are nice, and the clothing is optional. Funny, edgy and wickedly satirical, this is the irreverent Chuck Austen writing at his ingeniously zany, and unbelievably outrageous best. Fully illustrated.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was both full of juvenile sex-capades and situations without devolving into 'Porky's' and full adult topics and commentary without getting preachy. Normally, I do not laugh outloud when reading a comedy - the fun is all tucked away inside my head - but this one did make me laugh a few times in very unexpected ways ...
Posted on: February 12, 2012
Space, the final frontier... and on that frontier and beyond, humans and aliens alike need medical care. Enter Leonard McCoy, Doctor of Space Medicine, late of the U.S.S. Enterprise! Now delight at John Byrne's tale set in the period before Star Trek: The Motion Picture!
As a long time Byrne victim and Star Trek fan, the master's output in Mr Roddenberry's universe (Star Trek: Crew or Star Trek: Assignment Earth among others) has not disappointed. His latest, Leonard McCoy Frontier Doctor might be is finest yet. Taking place a few months before completion of the refit Enterprise, it features one of my favorite periods in Star Trek chronology: the grey and beige pajama period! I might be one of the few who don't object to this era's uniforms and Byrne seems to enjoy the period as well. Presently "unemployed", McCoy sets out to operate in a "Doctors Without Borders"- type of program with the help of two assistants and a beat up ship. As usual, Mr Byrne manages to bring a fresh perspective to a time honored franchise as was done on many other occasions with the Fantastic FourFantastic Four Visionaries - John Byrne, Vol. 1, or Wonder Woman Wonder Woman: Lifelines, or Superman Superman: The Man of Steel, Vol. 1 of course. McCoy's portrayal would do DeForrest Kelley proud. Even separated from his two couterparts from the Enterprise, Bones manages to convey grumpy warmth and relief to assorted alien worlds with their very particular medical issues. But the best bit is certainly a highly spoileriffic appearance by two cornerstones of the Star Trek world, who may have been difficult to reunite in any other medium but comics and which at the same time constitutes a truly touching love letter to the Trek universe and the special people…
