Star Trek: Year Five #5 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: YEAR FIVE No. 5, August 2019

Having apparently already “worked on more comics than can possibly be listed” by the “FanSided” website in June 2019 , fans of Jody Houser’s penmanship may well have more readily forgiven the “critically-acclaimed” writer for running out of original ideas when it came her turn to narrate the continuing voyages of the Starship Enterprise for this “IDW Publishing title. However, considering that the storyline to Issue Five of “Star Trek: Year Five” is actually only the ‘third’ adventure of the ongoing series, its readers surely weren’t asking too much of the “creator of the webcomic Cupcake POW!” to come up with something more innovative than a rehash of John Black’s 1966 televised adventure “The Naked Time”.

True, the American author’s all-too brief archaeological exploration of the planet Hesperides provides both a rather enjoyable excavation of the long-dead extra-terrestrial species civilisation, and raises some intriguing questions as to why “these people weren’t immune to the violence and warfare that plague so many worlds.” But the utter delight in seeing Captain James T. Kirk once again donning the self-same spacesuit made famous by “The Tholian Web” soon arguably gives way to a feeling of frustrating familiarity once the Truth Artefact has been beamed aboard the Constitution-class vessel and “a strange affliction infects the crew of the Enterprise, destroying their inhibitions.”

Debatably far more intriguing than Jody’s Psi 2000 plot re-run is her development of Lieutenant Uhura’s relationship with Bright Eyes, which provides the Bridge Officer with plenty of well-deserved attention. Nyota’s evident patience and humanity with the uncommunicative infant Tholian refugee, whilst undeniably sedentary to watch, at least produces a rather novel sequence, and despite the inevitability of the crystalline child suddenly learning how to speak English, it still comes as something of a shock when the alien stammers “Sorry. I destroy. Stay here. No alone.”

Of course much of this scene’s success is entirely due to Silvia Califano’s attractive artwork and ability to pencil one of the cutest cuddly teddy bears in comics. In addition the Italian illustrator debatably manages to mimic much of the feel of the science fiction franchise’s animated episodes, courtesy of her ability to replicate Doctor McCoy’s instantly recognisable exaggerated hand gestures, Scotty’s wide-eyed astonishment at having “to break up a fight myself, just a bit ago”, and even Mister Chekov’s side-sneer following an admonishment.

‘First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

Writer: Jody Houser, Artist: Silvia Califano, and Colorist: Thomas Deer