Comics Review : Star Trek The Next Generation Ghosts Issue 4

The covers: Joe Corroney provides both, again, with Picard giving his best "J'Accuse!" pose to Riker, while the world's oddest looking tactical officer looks on (give Corroney credit: that's the way the tact. off. looks in the interiors). It's a sharp cover, though this scene doesn't appear within. The Retailer Virgin Incentive Cover is, as always, the same cover without any lettering. Overall grade: Both A

The story: A nice concise summary of the Enterprise-D's situation in panel one, Page 1. Riker's in charge and (finally someone) is calling out Deeron. While Number One tries his best with diplomacy (thank goodness Worf wasn't in charge), a surprising reveal comes in Picard's new surroundings. It's incredibly low budget, and highly successful, and how very Original Series Trek! Naturally our Captain is not alone, and that's when the story really begins to click. Yes, the characters he encounters are highly predictable in their actions, but I loved every page set there! The high point for me was the "discoveries" made at the bottom of Page 17: how very Next Generation! Big kudos to Zander Cannon, the writer of this. It's upped my opinion of the story quite a bit, and plotlines are being resolved. Overall grade: A-

The art: I still believe that artist Javier Aranda does better than average space shots (look at Page 1, panel one), his interiors of the Enterprise-D are top notch (pick any page and he's not shirking his duties to let the colorist play pick up), and he moves his "camera" very well (I am a big fan of the nine panel page). His major stumbling points are his characters, especially the leads. He's moving his focus about so that characters are shown from different angles, which is what a reader wants, but he's overdoing his facial shading. Riker, Geordi, and Picard look scarred, not shaded. And Riker is blowing kisses on Pages 2 and 3 in every panel. Maybe that's Freudian on my part, but take a look! And the new bridge tactical officers (Pages 2 & 3 and 20) are the dumpiest looking Starfleet officers ever. How'd they pass the Starfleet fitness tests? Yes, it's only seven panels but they really stuck out. On a positive note, Cannon has given Aranda the nightmare of Picard's new setting, and he delivers wonderfully in a set up that made me nostalgic. Overall grade: C+

The inks: As before, how much of this character over shading is Aranda or inker Mark Rueda? I don't know. I have to give the inks the same grade as the art. Overall grade: C+

The colors: Two major set pieces that are perfect opposites for colorist John Hunt: the Enterprise-D and Zoor space. The Enterprise is a vivid, bright environment and Zoor space is...Zoorish. A great job! Overall grade: A

The letters: The always capable Neil Uyetake does a tremendous amount of dialogue with the sole sound effect being the main viewscreen ending transmission. Overall grade: A

The final line: The art is not supporting this story. The story is wrapping up, better than I expected. Sadly, the art ain't helping, and for a comic book that's a liability. Overall grade: C+

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