Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Too Long A Sacrifice #2 - IDW Publishing

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE - TOO LONG A SACRIFICE No. 2, August 2020

Specifically placed “in the sixth season between One Little Ship and Honour Among Thieves”, Scott and David Tipton’s excellent script for Issue Two of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Too Long A Sacrifice” most assuredly must have caused fans of the television franchise to wish the storyline had actually been put in front of the cameras way back in the late Nineties. Indeed, the comic’s dialogue is so authentic sounding, and its characters so accurate to their broadcast counterparts, that it is genuinely difficult not to imagine this four-part mini-series as an actual official adaption of a transmitted two-hour adventure.

To begin with, the collaborative writers’ handling of Constable Odo is absolutely spot on just as soon as the Chief of Security makes an appearance, with actor Rene Auberjonois’ voice clearly emanating from each word balloon during a highly enjoyable interrogation of an outraged Quark. Thoughtful, precise, carefully contemplative, as well as brutally forthright in his opinions as to the dishonesty of his peers, the Changeling easily captures the attention throughout this twenty-page periodical, and even manages to maintain an off-screen presence whenever the focus momentarily moves away from his investigation on to some more action-orientated events, like the successful assassination of an entire Ferengi trade delegation.

The Tipton brothers’ handling of the rest of this book’s cast is equally as well portrayed too, with both Worf and Major Kira getting plenty of attention as they try to support Odo in his frustratingly difficult hunt for the space station’s mysterious killer/s. In fact, the Klingon’s suggestion to adopt a “more aggressive manner of questioning” provides one of the comic’s highlights as the Starfleet officer accompanies the Constable on a satisfying sting operation targeting this title’s duplicitous Nausicaans; “All the contraband traces back to you two. You pointing the finger at Quark was more about covering your own tracks.”

Greg Scott also helps imbue this publication with the slight suggestion its readers are looking at an old “Futura” photo-adventure novel rather than a run-of-a-mill comic book. Admittedly, the former "Gotham Central" artist’s work does arguably look a little rough around the edges in some of the layouts. But that clearly doesn’t stop him capturing a good likeness of the show’s leading cast, nor some of their endearing tell-tale looks at one another when things aren’t going to plan…

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