Games Of Autarchs And Kingsnakes: Reviewing ‘Star Trek’ #17

When Romulans are about, galaxy-rocking treachery and deceit are commonplace. Thanks to one Harry Kim, they just might succeed.

Star Trek #17 brings the Alpha and Beta Quadrants to the brink of war once more in this penultimate chapter of the third story arc. It’s all hands on deck for this tense story from Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Marcus To, Lee Loughridge, and Clayton Cowles.

One of the things that makes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine one of the best of the franchise is how real it was. There was no sugarcoating or easy fixes at times, as the harsh nature of war was right there in the open. Characters made choices that went against what was expected of Starfleet officers. Doing what they felt had to be done to avoid and then ultimately stop a massively destructive war.

Throughout this whole series, we have seen shades of that to various degrees, but I would say no more so than in this current arc. Sisko is at his most Sisko here, trying to achieve peace because he, and the galaxy, cannot live through another consuming war.

There are few clear heroic types or people that are inherently ‘right’ as Jackson and Lanzing showcase the various motives at work. From the Romulans making a mad grab for final power (as they hide the fact their sun will soon wipe them out) to Starfleet getting their hands dirty to stop them. Harry Kim as the secret weapon saboteur/assassin type makes sense. As he stated in the previous issue, he was more than most young officers put through the gauntlet in the Delta Quadrant. Much like Sisko when he made a move against the Romulans in the Dominion War, Kim is ready to do what he must to stop a war.

Star Trek is a very character-centric franchise with swashbuckling action and bouncing from alien vista to alien vista as a close second. To manages to always nail both of them in just stunning quality.

Every space has a life spark that explodes, sending glowing powerful energy to every corner. Each panel has weight and depth, allowing every space from the Theseus to the Tzenkethi homeworld to feel solid. Lived in spaces with personality, close enough to reach out and touch. Yet, there is a fantastical whimsy to all of the artwork to remind us of the inherent fun even around all the serious.

Emotions are raw, raging off the page, hitting every time. No two characters, be they major or minor, feel similar or left out. To’s version of this crew and franchise feels every bit as vibrant and packed as it should at this point, almost 60 years on.

Colors play a huge role in this affair. Loughridge keeps on delivering, issue after issue. A lot of more natural, lighter, color palette choices are apparent through the issue, allowing each space to, again, feel almost tangible to anyone beholding them. That leaves room for the more vivid and vibrant, also unique, colors to mix in along the way to really deliver those sci-fi future vibes.

Character-centric focus means that there is a lot to be said alongside the emoting. Hitting those right emotional beats in the visual conversations, so that we hear it correctly as we read, is something Cowles does so easily. Bringing the right inflections and impactful renderings, letting it all dance around the page smoothly.

Star Trek #17 is now available from IDW Publishing.