Live Long And Prosper
Do you like movie tie-in graphic novels? If you do you should definitely read Star Trek: Countdown. I personally have mixed feelings about movie tie-in graphic novels and media tie-in graphic novels in general video game television graphic novels. There are great tie-in graphic novels like Batman Arkham Unhinged and Star Wars: Darth Vader, then there are duds like Ghostbusters: Legion and Frank Miller's Robocop. Star Trek: Countdown I can safely is not remotely a dud. Star Trek: Countdown tells the origin story of the 2009 Star Trek film's villain, Nero, and how he went on to be the maniac we see in the film. Countdown's story centers around the dynamic between Spock and Nero and develops a mentor-student relationship between the two. Star Trek: Countdown is a movie tie-in graphic novel that is so well written it can hold it's own in the pantheon of great graphic novels. In order to know what makes Star Trek: Countdown so great we must look at its story, characters, and artwork.
Story
Star Trek: Countdown takes place before the 2009 film as Spock tries to save Romulus from a Supernova. The story is written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman who wrote the 2009 Star Trek film, with the help of Mike Johnson who writes Star Trek comics for IDW. Under the Command of Data the Enterprise aids Spock and his student Nero in their quest to save Romulus. Spock & Geordi construct the Jellyfish which has a red matter core in it to stop the supernova. Anyone who's seen Star Trek(2009) knows what happens, Spock fails and this leads Nero down his path of villainy. What I like about Countdown's story is that it not only provides the prologue for JJ Abrams' Star Trek films, but it also provides the epilogues for many of the characters from Star Trek The Next Generation. Ultimately making it an all-around blast to read. It manages to successfully be an ending of a generation of Star Trek characters and the beginning of a new one.
Characters
Speaking of characters, the characters in Countdown are what make Countdown a fun read. The central characters are Spock and Nero. Nero is a Romulan miner who takes it upon himself to join Spock in his mission to save Romulus. Spock is the United Federation of Planets' Ambassador to Romulus, he promises to save Romulus from a supernova. Picard is an Ambassador like Spock, but he is the Ambassador to Vulcan. Data is Captain of the USS Enterprise, and Worf is a General for the Klingon Empire. Geordi is a Starfleet technician who ends up creating the Jellyfish. Countdown goes out of its way to develop Nero's character beyond the film was able to do in its run time. Nero is a married man whose reasoning for joining Spock is so that he can save his wife and have a family. When Spock fails he takes his anger out on Spock and Starfleet by destroying Federation ships, and killing their crews. Nero is also established as being really smart and quickly learns about Starfleet history and learns about Captain Kirk and the Enterprise. This was shown in his standoff with Worf where he mortally wounds Worf and then offers him over to the Enterprise as a bargaining chip. Spock and the Next Generation cast of characters are pretty much the same as they were in the shows and movies. Ambassador Spock thinks logically, but he does have his human side too. Spock shows remorse for his failure to save Romulus and sacrifices himself to save the Enterprise Crew, just like in Star Trek II. Ambassador Jean Luc Picard is always looking for diplomatic solutions to problems. Captain Data and General Worf are the same characters Next Generation fans know and love. I am a bit disappointed more Next Generation characters weren't included, but that's a minor complaint.
Artwork.
The artwork in Star Trek: Countdown is great. David Messina's artwork is beautiful and truly brings the panels to life. The characters' designs are fantastic and the art captures emotion well. Spock, Picard, Data, Geordi, Worf, and Nero look like a comic book artist perfectly illustrated the charters in his comic and made a story with that artwork with the amount of detail given in panels. Even the Young Nero looks like he could pass off as Nero. The artwork makes the book worth a re-read or two.
In conclusion, Star Trek: Countdown is by far the best media tie-in graphic novel I have read, and if your a Star Trek fan or a comic book lover you should check it out. The story is well written and enhanced by great artwork. Couple that with a colorful and fleshed out cast of characters and you have a great Star Trek graphic novel. To celebrate May the 4th be With You I review Star Wars' Superior Star Trek.