DC TOS Comics

[dommer2029]

I have the complete run of DC Star Trek comics from March 1984 to November 1988.

I've been rereading them, and would like to post the synopses here. I'll start with issue #48, the beginning of Peter David's run as writer. When I finish the series, I'll consider going back and doing the first 47 issues.

[dommer2029]

Issue 48, March 1988
The Stars In Secret Influence
Peter David, Writer
Tom Sutton, Penciller

A Reliant-class Federation starship attacks a Klingon science outpost at planet Miraud.

Meanwhile, the crew of the Enterprise is throwing a surprise bachelor party for Konom, to celebrate his engagement to Nancy Bryce. Captain Kirk has approved the bachelor party, but forbade for alcohol to be served. After tasting the punch, Scott, McCoy, and Chekov each decide to spike it.

An Orion slave girl pops out of the oversized cake and performs a lap dance for Konom. He's worrying about the intimacy of the dance when the dancer removes her wig and reveals herself to be his fiance.

The alcohol has Sulu quoting poetry (including the title of the issue), but also unmasks the simmering tension between Bearclaw and Konom. An all-hands brawl breaks out. When Kirk comes to check on the party, he is knocked out by a flying bottle. Party's over.

Kirk is reprimanding the crew when a Klingon distress signal is recieved from Miraud...

[dommer2029]

Issue #49
April 1988
Peter David & Tom Sutton
Aspiring To Be Angels
Stardate 8987.7

The Enterprise arrives at Miraud before the Klingon response ship. The base at Miraud has been almost completely wiped out. A young albino Klingon is among the survivors.

Kirk has determined who spiked the punch and orders Scotty, Bones, and Chekov to turn over all of their alcohol to Sulu. It will be returned after a month.

Kirk meets with Bearclaw and informs him that his bigoted behavior has resulted in Kirk's decision to transfer him off the Enterprise at the earliest opportunity.

A landing party (including Captain Kirk) beams down to Miraud and interrupts three of the invaders as they are about to kill the albino Klingon. The invading ship drops its cloak and fires on the Enterprise. While the Enterprise's weapons are off-line, the enemy ship drops its shields and beams both parties up from the planet.

Kirk's team is dressed in environment suits and placed outside of Captain Zair's ship. The Klingon ship arrives, and beams Kirk's team aboard. Zair's ship re-cloaks and leaves.

The Klingon captain (Commander Kron) calls Konom a traitor, but doesn't otherwise act against him. Kron reveals that the albino Klingon (named Moron) is a Human-Klingon half-breed. Konom and Nancy share a concerned glance.

[dommer2029]

Issue #50 (double-sized)
May 1988
Peter David & Tom Sutton
Marriage of Inconvenience
Stardate 8994.6

Klingon starship Fury is on lookout duty for the Renegade ship. The Renegade uncloaks and destroys the Klingon ship, deliberately allowing the distress signal to go through.

Bearclaw is angry about Kirk's decision to transfer him off the ship.

Captain Kron is aboard the Enterprise, discussing the future actions to be taken.

Dr. McCoy is examining the Klingon/Human, "Moron." Nancy is disturbed and calls off the wedding.

The bridge crew is party to a conference call involving Emperor Kahless and the UFP President. Spock and Kirk persuade Kahless that the Renegade posesses advanced technology, beyond what the UFP has, and therefore, is not a UFP ship.

Nancy and Konom discuss the end of their marriage plans. Konom is upset.

Spock determines the three likely targets for the Renegade's next attack. The Enterprise will monitor Triaminus IV. Commander Kron will monitor Gamma Delta II. Endicor will be guarded when a ship is available, as it seems the least likely target.

Captain Kirk had recognized Captain Zair as Captain Phil Burroughs. Spock finds that his last entry was while commanding the Zephyr at Omicron Ceti IV. Kirk sends a shuttle to Omicron Ceti IV, to try to find what made Captain Burroughs go renegade. Kirk wants only volunteers, preferably without mates or children. Konom insists on going. Kirk rejects Bearclaw from the team. Bearclaw switches places with another crewman at the last minute.

Captain Zair appears to be working for an alien force that he doesn't understand.

Moron reveals that the Renegade's next target is Endicor. Kirk acts on this, and the Enterprise abandons its assigned post.

There are no life signs on Omicron Ceti IV. The landing party is attacked ... by androids.

The Enterprise arrives at Endicor at the same time as the Renegade. The ships collide. Kirk beams boarding parties aboard and takes control of the enemy ship. Captain Zair escapes in a shuttlecraft.

The body of Phil Burroughs is found on ice on Omicron Ceti IV. He's been dead for two weeks.

The away team returns to the Enterprise. Bearclaw was hoping that his bravery would restore him in the captain's good graces. This appears to have failed. Konom and Nancy have a heart-to-heart talk. Kirk marries them.

[dommer2029]

Issue #51
June 1988
Peter David & Tom Sutton
Haunted Honeymoon
Stardate 9000.0

Sulu catches the boquet at the wedding. M'ress thinks this is a good omen.

Kirk decides not to court-martial Bearclaw for disobeying orders, in light of the fact that he saved Konom's life while on the away mission.

Catille, the Mentite on the away mission, appears to be ill but denies it.

The Enterprise rendezvouses with medical transport ship Weinstein. The mission is to take a serum to Chapin One, to treat a plague there.

In a staff meeting, Kirk suddenly sees Spck, Sulu, and Scott turn into three Bloom County characters.

M'ress stops Sulu in the lift. She enjoyed his drunken flirting at the bachelor party and wants to take it farther.

A giant unrecognized ship suddenly appears in front of the Enterprise. Sensors reveal nothing. The ship opens fire on the Enterprise, but nothing happens. The Enterprise returns fire, and the ship vanishes.

Castille wanders around the ship, seemingly in his own world. Strange things happen around him. Scotty, reacting to an illusion, shuts down ships power.

Castille goes to the botanical gardens. There, he lets out a powerful psychic blast. The bridge crew are the least affected, due to the distance between the bridge and the gardens.

As Kirk, Spock, McCoy and a few others prepare to leave, power seems to be restored, and the turbolift entrance has changed into an oppressive iron door, bearing the inscription "Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here."

[dommer2029]

Issue #52
July 1988
Peter David, Tom Sutton & Ricardo Villagran
Hell In A Handbasket
Stardate 9000.4

Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, Arex, and M'ress are the only ones unaffected by the Mentite's telepathic projection.

In the previous issue, we saw Castille reading Dante's Inferno. He has projected this interpretation onto the ship. This issue is essentially a 22-page comic adaptation of that great book. I will not attempt to furthur condense it here. The comic is well done.

After descending through the 9 circles of hell, they encounter Lucifer at the center. He picks up the crew and appears to be ready to eat them. Spock reaches out and quickly forms a mind-meld with the powerful telepath. Normalcy is restored.

McCoy determines the Castille suffers from an incredibly rare disease called Le Guin's syndrome. Castille is fitted with a neural dampener while awaiting treatment.

The serum will be delivered to Chapin One shortly.

After his experiences, Captain Kirk has reconsidered his judgment on Bearclaw. But when Bearclaw sees him, he stabs the captain in the chest.

[dommer2029]

Issue #53
August 1988
Peter David & Gordon Purcell
You're Dead, Jim
Stardate 9000.8

The art in this issue is markedly better than in previous issues.

Captain Kirk is lying in a pool of his own blood in his quarters. He attempts to reach his terminal, and fails.
He dreams of piloting a schooner through the stars.

Spock, on the bridge, realizes something is wrong with Jim. He rushes to the captain's quarters, and calls for a medical team.

McCoy meets him at Jim's quarters. The doors are locked. With superhuman strength, Spock pries them open. Kirk is rushed to sick bay.

Kirk has a vision of his son, David.

Elizabeth rushes to Bearclaw's quarters, to inform him that the captain's been stabbed. "Good riddance," he says.

Kirk has more fever-dreams. Visions of Bearclaw, his brother, David, Captain Pike...

Spock remains with Kirk and McCoy in sick bay, despite admitting that the bridge is the "logical" place for him to be.

Uhura remembers a time that Kirk revealed to her that some of the confidence he displayed was an act.

Chekov leads an investigation into the stabbing. He remembers how Kirk appeared larger-than-life at their first meeting.

Scotty remembers a time he was drunk with the captain.

McCoy's operation complete, Spock enters a mind-meld with Jim, and pulls him back from the light.

Kirk awakes, and asks for Bearclaw's head on a pike.

[dommer2029]

Issue #54
September 1988
David & Purcell
Old Loyalties
Stardate 9001.3

On Omicron Ceti IV, two Security Legionnaires are investigating the massacre. A shuttle arrives and informs them that they are needed on the Enterprise to conduct an impartial investigation into the attempted murder of Captain Kirk.

Bearclaw is sparring with his security instructor, but lets his emotions take over. After getting his nose bloodied, Chekov arrives to arrest him for the attempted murder. Bearclaw denies the accusation and attempts to run. He is subdued and taken to the bridge, much to the surprise of his girlfriend, Elizabeth.

Kirk insists on getting out of Sick Bay before Bones is ready to let him go. [The tone of the conversation, about health and aging, and the relationship between these characters, is perfect, BTW.] Elizabeth comes to see him there, to argue for Bearclaw's innocence, but makes no progress.

In Nancy's quarters, she, Konom, and Moron decide that he needs a new name: Bernie.

Elizabeth asks Nancy to support her quest for Bearclaw's innocence, but neither she nor Konom can provide that support. Finally, she visits Bearclaw in the brig, where he refuses to declare his innocence and yells at her. She leaves.

Spock and Kirk talk: Spock thinks that premeditated murder is unlikely for Bearclaw.

Uhura informs Kirk that the Legionnaires are boarding. Kirk is not happy about their presence.

The lead inspector is Sean Finnegan, the same man who hazed Kirk when he was a cadet. Finnegan plays a practical joke on Kirk, who (under his breath) vows revenge.

Back on Omicron Ceti IV, one of the bodies is identified as Crewman Bloemker, of the starship Enterprise.