In Review: Star Trek: The Motion Picture—Echoes #1 (of 5)

Synopsis: Star Trek: The Motion Picture Echos is a new adventure featuring Kirk and his crew, and is set shortly after the events seen in the first Star Trek movie. When a space anomaly thrusts a bounty hunter and her target—a criminal mastermind—into their universe, it’s up to Kirk and his crew to stop them from unintentionally starting a war with the Romulans and unleashing a superweapon of foreign tech onto the system. But the strangers from another universe are more familiar than they assume…for underneath their helmets are their doppelgängers—from an alternate reality!

The Story

While exploring an anomaly. The crew of the Enterprise picks up a small spacecraft with a visitor from a parallel universe to their own. When the visitor escapes from the sick bay and takes Mr. Spock hostage. Kirk and his crew work together to pacify her, but things take an interesting turn when she sees Chekov and seems to know him by the name of Akris. Once the stranger is disarmed she removes her helmet and identifies herself as General Uhura. She tells Kirk that she was chasing down the war criminal Akris who has possession of a Weapon of Mass destruction, which makes us of the energy from Bajoran Orbs.

Having a little experience with Parallel Universes. Kirk convinces an admiral that only he and the Enterprise crew can resolve this problem. However, things take on a complicated turn when The Enterprise chases Akris’s ship into The Neutral Zone.

The Artwork

Oleg Chudakov is fairly consistent, but there are a few angles where he slightly loses the likenesses of the characters. However, this only really affects a handful of the characters. His drawings of Uhura are nicely done and he provides a great contrast between Starfleets Lt. Commander Uhura and General Uhura from the other universe. I really liked the hairstyle chosen for General Uhura as well as her futuristic flight suit. DC Alonso provides some great color work that really enhances and lifts the book. I loved the shading used in the corridor panels where Spock is taken, hostage. And I also loved the ship design for General Uhura’s small spacecraft.

Overall

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Echos gets off to a nice start. Marc Guggenheim seems to have cooked up an interesting story that will likely keep fans guessing. I loved how Lt. Commander Uhura is rather suspicious of her doppelganger and is not as quick to take her at her word. I also enjoyed the brief meeting that Kirk has with one of Starfleet’s many admirals about his spending an extended amount of time in the centre chair. As that is consistent with what was happening during the films with Starfleet wanting Kirk’s abilities utilized as the Fleet commander and not as a Captain.

Overall. Echos is off to a very good start.