Kirk Versus The Borg — Reviewing ‘Star Trek: The Last Starship’ #8

Finally we get to see James T. Kirk versus Federation’s greatest adversary, the Borg. It’s the battle you’ve always wanted to see, though it’s probably not the ending you expected.

The robotic Borg were discovered until Star Trek: The Next Generation, meaning Kirk never got to drop kick a drone or try to convince the Queen to self-terminate. But in the Star Trek: The Last Starship timeline, in which the Borg have resurrected Kirk after the devastating effects of The Burn, all bets are now off.

In the story, written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, the U.S.S. Omega is investigating a bizarre singularity at Deep Space Hope. This center of a black hole has caused the station’s crew to go insane and feed themselves to the phenomenon. Jurati, the Borg Queen, decides that she must assimilate the galaxy to save it. Kirk is the only person in her way.

If you’re expecting a massive brawl between the unstoppable Kirk and the immoveable Borg, it’s time to reset your expectations. Lanzing and Kelly present the thinking Kirk here. He’s the statesman this time, not the warrior. (He’s also the lover on one memorable page.) That will be disappointing to some, but it shows these writers know their characters well.

Lanzing and Kelly divide their time with another plot in this issue, which involves a Romulan crew member with ulterior motives onboard the Omega. It gives the writers the chance to show off their own character creations, in particular the comedic Ferengi doctor Zed.

Artist Hernan Gonzalez, who made his debut in the series in the last issue, continues to impress here. His Kirk is instantly recognizable, and the other characters are easily distinguishable. Gonzalez provides several standout pages, including one where Kirk is fighting off Borg assimilation and another fantasy where he has taken over the galaxy. They really show off Gonzalez’ talent.

The fight between Kirk and the Borg may not go as anticipated, but it feels true to all the characters involved, which ultimately is more important than satisfying fan expectations.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #8 — written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, illustrated by Hernan Gonzalez, colored by Lee Loughridge, and lettered by Clayton Cowles — is now available from IDW.