Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Too Long A Sacrifice #1 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - TOO LONG A SACRIFICE No. 1, April 2020

The second “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” comic released by “IDW Publishing”, this mini-series’ opening instalment may well disappoint those of the science fiction franchise’s fans who were expecting something of a fight-fest set during the Federation’s heavily destructive Dominion War. For whilst co-writer David Tipton has previously highlighted the fact that this twenty-page periodical is “set during the most difficult hours” of the major interstellar conflict, the entirety of this book’s storyline is actually based within the claustrophobic confines of the old Cardassian space station's promenade rather than some substantially-sized Alpha Quadrant battleground.

Fortunately however, the “legendary Star Trek scribes” have used this fairly limited locale to their advantage by penning an intriguing tale packed full of misdirection, intrigue, treachery and heroics. Indeed, such is the quality of Scott and David's story-telling that “Too Long A Sacrifice” quickly sucks its audience into its well-worded narrative, as if the publication itself were playing out before the readers’ eyes on the small screen; “A thousand pardons, my good Doctor Bashir. You know I’d never intentionally miss one of our lunches.”

Pleasingly, this comic’s plot also provides plenty of opportunity for almost all the television series’ leading cast to have at least one familiar moment, even the unscrupulous Garek, who once again manages to completely befuddle the station’s Chief Medical Officer by saving his life when the diner they’re eating in is suddenly blown sky high during a shocking terrorist attack. Chief O’Brien, Dax, Captain Sisko Quark and Worf all manage to help push Constable Odo’s politically sensitive investigation along, with perhaps this book’s highlight being the shape-changer and Klingon physically besting a pair of riled Nausicaans in the Constable’s office.

As a result this magazine’s only drawback is therefore some of Greg Scott’s illustrations, which whilst proficient in their portrayal of the action, appear disappointingly rough around the edges in several places. The comic’s aforementioned destructive opening sequence set inside Lavin’s Eatery is pencilled well enough, but by the time events have moved deeper into Odo’s inquiry as to the cowardly attack's potential suspects, the “noir artist” seems to be populating his panels with the vaguest of shapes, and relying far too heavily upon his audience’s familiarity with the characters to fill in the blanks…

Writers: Scott Tipton & David Tipton, Artist: Greg Scott, and Colorist by: Felipe Sobreiro