Star Trek: The Q Conflict #1 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: THE Q CONFLICT No. 1, January 2019

On paper the idea of a dispute between a handful of the universe’s godlike beings resulting in a head-to-head competition concerning “all of Starfleet’s best captains” probably seemed like a good one to “IDW Publishing” editor Chase Marotz when Scott and David Tipton’s synopsis for Issue One of “Star Trek: The Q Conflict” was first submitted. In fact, the notion of pitting the wits of James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, Kathryn Janeaway and Benjamin Siskin against one another with “the fate of the Earth and beyond” at stake arguably must have sounded like a lifelong dream to any comic collecting Trekkies able to get their hands on a copy of the “soon-to-be-classic six-part miniseries”.

However, this opening convergence of the Federation’s finest officers so as to “hold the galaxy together against insurmountable odds” arguably must have disappointed the majority of its 9,047 readers due to a lack-lustre plot which lamentably contains absolutely no action whatsoever, and whose sole highlight is the respective bridge crews politely greeting one another on the surface of a somewhat featureless alien planet; “Well, I don’t recognise the uniforms, but I certainly know Starfleet badges when I see them.”

Admittedly, long-time franchise fans would doubtless have gleaned some additional excitement from the all-too brief appearances of the “extremely advanced” Metrons, the playful Squire of Gothos and non-corporeal Organians towards the end of this book. But whilst the concept of the antagonistically arrogant "General Trelane, Retired" battling the Q Continuum for a ‘shot at supremacy’ makes perfect sense, it debatably seems entirely uncharacteristic for such notable peace-makers like the Beta Quadrant’s Organian Council of Elders to strive for such dominance in an egotistical encounter which has already seen “three to five Gorn colony worlds… lost, with casualties in the thousands.”

Mercifully, whilst the “Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken” scribes’ storyline for this twenty-page periodical is unsatisfactorily sedentary, David Messina’s artwork is packed full of vibrant life and plenty of instantly recognisable nods to both the television series and motion pictures. Indeed, the excellent likenesses of all the numerous actors the Italian has crammed into this publication, along with all the different uniforms, equipment and technology, clearly shows just why the comic’s collaborative writing team believe he “did a first-rate job here.”

Written by: Scott Tipton & David Tipton, and Pencils by: David Messina