The latest issue of the Star Trek Magazine finally found it's way to The theme of this issue was Star Trek: Enterprise and followed a similar format to the last issue's DS9 special; with a season by season description broken up with various articles on the series and other features. As is the case in many of the issues of the magazine since it's relaunch for publishing on both sides of the Atlantic this edition includes articles by a host Star Trek authors - including features on Enterprise by Chris Dows, Christopher L. Bennett, Kevin Dilmore & Dayton Ward and Keith R.A. DeCandido, plus an article looking at the cowboy and diplomatic characteristics in James Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard.
Another much appreciated addition to the magazine over the last year or so is the fiction preview excerpts. This edition's is from William Leisner's A Less perfect
Since it's relaunch, with a new emphasis on Star Trek prose and comics, I think the magazine has really improved. And the last two issues especially have a feeling of real substance old issues lack - a lot less fluff and much more really interesting thoughts and analysis on whichever subject is being written on. Keep up the good work Titan. My only issue with this issue: The format has changed, again! The last issue was a very nicely presented prestige format binding, this issue keeps the new smaller page size that came with that, but returns to staple bind. Come on Titan, give us some consistency!
In terms of news form this issue, the big stuff - details on IDW's Alien Spotlight II - spread over the web a few weeks ago with the American release. What wasn't mentioned then was IDW's Andrew Steven Harris was also careful to bring up IDW are keen to continue delivering Pike (and April) era stories due to the "enormous" number of requests they are getting for that era - We got two Pike stories in the first Alien Spotlight, here's hoping that continues in number two.
The magazine also had a short article by Michael Jan Friedman looking at his own prequel story, Starfleet: Year One. He explains the story, first serialised as a back-up feature over a year's worth of novels, was planned to be the first of a seven book series, but was scraped when
Good post. I got this one last month...sorry. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that the last couple of months have been a big improvement. I've been getting every issue since it's release in the US and finally am really able to enjoy the articles as much as the pictures. I do agree it would be nice if they could get the format they like and be done with it.
I love IDW's take on the comics and Alien Spotlight was no different. In fact, I thought they did an awesome job. I'd love to see some prequel work.
Starfleet: Year One was a really good book. I sincerely enjoyed it. Just from the descriptions, the ships weren't as fantastic as the NX-01 which really makes more sense to me. I'd like to see them revisit this time period but if I remember right, Enterprise relaunch is supposed to kick off pretty soon where they start discussing things leading up to the Romulan War. I think Year One would do a better job but it appears to be out of my hands.
I think Alien Spotlight is probably the best IDW has done so far, at the very least level-pegging with Klingons: Blood Will Tell. I can't wait to see what we get second time around.
ReplyDeleteWe got a pre-The Cage Pike story in the last round of AS. I'd love to see more of Pike and before so I'm glad to see Mr Harris pushing that. I wish we could get some Enterprise comics though, such a shame IDW have all but ruled that out for the short, medium and maybe long term.
I've not read Starfleet: Year One myself. I like the idea of a prequel, but it's not drawn me in yet. If they decided to pick it up again - reworked to add in what Enterprise has added, I'd probably make more of an effort to bump it up my reading list.