Star
Trek – Assignment: Earth, published by IDW Publishing in 2008, 136 pages,
$19.99.
Growing up, I was a fan of the
original Star Trek series, which had long since begun its run in
syndication. Many years later, I learned
a now-well-known piece of Trek trivia: the final episode of Season Two,
“Assignment: Earth”, was originally meant to herald a spin-off series of the
same name. Whatever appeal and potential
fans may believe it had, network bigwigs passed.
Enter, IDW Publishing, who ran with
the idea and main characters, Gary Seven and his assistant, Roberta Lincoln, in
a six-issue miniseries in 2008. Written,
drawn and inked by long-time comics pro John Byrne, the story offers solid,
lighthearted entertainment, despite dealing with subjects such as potential
nuclear devastation, covert military cloning operations, the prospect of
earth’s destruction by a hostile alien race, and more. “How can that be lighthearted”, you ask? Easy.
Like the sci-fi series from which it sprung, “Assignment: Earth” doesn’t
take itself too seriously. Oh, the drama
is enjoyable, and the plots, characterization, motivations and mysteries are
interesting. But with its neatly tied-up
storylines, along with a fair dash of optimistic humor, Byrne manages to keep
things cheery.
The art of John Byrne is one of the
most recognizable in the business, and for good reason. A staple of superhero fare, his style is at
home in the thick of action and drama, but he is equally adept at expression and
characterization, which are of no small import to more subdued subject
matter. In short, Byrne is a master of
comics art. And, while not delivering
his “Mona Lisa” as it were, “Assignment: Earth” is thoroughly enjoyable as the
fulfillment of at least some Trek fans’ wishes: the “fleshing out” of an idea
which Star Trek execs let go by the wayside.
For all of the above reasons, Star Trek – Assignment: Earth is
recommended for fans of Star Trek and/or John Byrne. Look for it at your comics shop, trade shows,
or online retailers and auctions. But
try your local comics shop first.
Review by
Mark Allen
