PREVIEW: Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness #1

[CBR News]

The countdown to the motion picture event of 2013 begins here, in this blockbuster 4-issue prequel mini-series that sets the stage for the upcoming STAR TREK film! Like the best-selling STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN in 2009, this all-new series leads directly into the next movie, with a story by STAR TREK writer/producer Roberto Orci and Mike Johnson (STAR TREK ongoing series), and drawn by the original STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN artist, David Messina! STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS is the can't-miss lead-in to the new adventures of the Enterprise crew!


Full preview here.

[Goggindowner]

I'm excited about this, and especially excited about the movie.

[havok1977]

I'm excited about this, and especially excited about the movie.

Same here, I was very skeptical when all that talk of a reboot for the franchise first started but the 2009 movie was a solid experience and a crowd pleaser. JJ made the original Trek crew something appealing for the general public and the hard core fans - not an easy task.

[Captain Jim]

Just finished reading #1. It's pretty well written and starts out well, but not a whole lot's happened yet. Certainly ends on an interesting cliffhanger, though. Anybody else get this?

[thwhtGuardian]

Just finished reading #1. It's pretty well written and starts out well, but not a whole lot's happened yet. Certainly ends on an interesting cliffhanger, though. Anybody else get this?

Is the art better than the prequel to the last Trek movie? I thought the story to that was decent, but the art was a little lack luster.

[crossbones]

Is the art better than the prequel to the last Trek movie?

not much... in fact the ongoing usually has better art than this.

that aside, i thought it was pretty good for a first issue. very much looking forward to the movie as well.

[Moriarty]

that last page was a surprise.

[Captain Jim]

Is the art better than the prequel to the last Trek movie? I thought the story to that was decent, but the art was a little lack luster.

Eh, I don't think most of these Trek comics have that great of art. The art's alright; you can tell who's who. But it's nothing to get excited about.

In the case of the prior movie, I really thought the comic prequel added significantly to the larger storyline. I'm hoping the same is true here.

The cliffhanger at the end may have implications as to what we might expect to see in the movie. Kirk and company meet up with...

spoilers:

Robert April, first captain of the Enterprise

end of spoilers

[thwhtGuardian]

On your recommendation Jim, I tried this out.

And while I don't care for the art, I do like the story itself. Not a lot plot wise, but the characterizations are spot on, they really nail the unique voices of these characters and I really enjoyed the opening with Spock.

One thing I missed though is McCoy, I hope he features more in the story as the book progresses.

[dupersuper]

How close is this supposed to tie into the movie? I liked Sulu mentioning the Archons from the ongoing.

[Captain Jim]

On your recommendation Jim, I tried this out.

And while I don't care for the art, I do like the story itself. Not a lot plot wise, but the characterizations are spot on, they really nail the unique voices of these characters

Yes, I agree. Now that they've set things up, hopefully we'll see more of the actual story beginning next issue.

How close is this supposed to tie into the movie?

It's a prequel to the movie. The movie should begin where this leaves off.

[thwhtGuardian]

How close is this supposed to tie into the movie? I liked Sulu mentioning the Archons from the ongoing.

If the previous prequel comic is anything to go by this should tie fairly closely. I didn't read the comic until after the movie came out but I was surprised by how may of the little details that were in the book were in the movie such as why Nero's simple mining vessel could destroy half a Federation fleet and what the tattoos were.

[Shikidum]

It makes me wonder if the next movie will basically deconstruct the whole nonsensical Prime Directive. I hope by the end of the movie it will be gone. Maybe a Prime Directive was a conspiracy to keeep certain races primitive and when the cabal executes a coup they would enslave them or something.

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't see that happening.

[dupersuper]

It makes me wonder if the next movie will basically deconstruct the whole nonsensical Prime Directive. I hope by the end of the movie it will be gone. Maybe a Prime Directive was a conspiracy to keeep certain races primitive and when the cabal executes a coup they would enslave them or something.

I think the basic thinking behind the Prime Directive is a good one. It's when they take it to absurd extremes (like the episode in which Picard stands by while the whole planet Worfs foster brother was working on is destroyed by natural disaster) that it grates. Not interfering is one thing, letting every one die is something else. In TOS they had no qualms saving a technologically primitive culture from an asteroid.