Advance Review – ‘Star Trek: Red Shirts’ #2 Lives Up To Its Name
by Tom Smithyman
Overview
After a shaky start, this limited series about doom Star Trek security officers becomes a lot more interesting. It may be that the writing has tightened, and we care a little more about the characters. Or it may be that we like seeing them picked off one by one.
Overall
8.5/10Star Trek wouldn’t be Star Trek without killing off a couple of random red shirts. This time, though, the body count approaches double digits.
Where Star Trek: Red Shirt’s first issue spent too much time developing a story for a lot of people readers wouldn’t care about (about most of them are phaser fodder sooner or later), this second chapter gives us a better mix of plot, backstory, and action. Of course, it’s that action that is deadly to these mostly doomed security officers.
The issue starts with two of the team already dead. By the time this installment is over, that pair has plenty of company. The crew is assigned to safeguard an important Federation data disk from some mysterious spies on a hostile planet. Our would-be heroes get picked off my the spooks as well as a massive monster indigenous to the planet. All in all, not a good day at the office.
Writer Christopher Cantwell delivers a stronger script this time. The pace is brisk, and he dangles just enough about the characters that that actually start to get interesting. That it, until they are impaled by a giant alien scorpion. Though with so many of the team dead, it will be interesting to see how he keeps the story moving, particularly these unknown red shirts.
Given the body count, artist Megan Levens gets plenty to work with here. Although, this being Trek, don’t expect much gore. Sure there’s blood (they wear red for a reason), but the deaths won’t turn your stomach. And she treats each of the killings in a unique way. Perhaps more impressively, Levens is able to differentiate each of the characters largely passed on facial features. (They are all wearing the same outfit.) That speaks to her talent and attention to detail.
Red Shirts’ improvement brings two questions to mind: Will the creative team be able to maintain their momentum, and will there be anyone left alive after the five-issue series runs its course?
Star Trek: Red Shirts #2 will be available at comic book stores and digital platforms on Wednesday from IDW.
