Star Trek Countdown – Issue 3 of 4
Spock and Company Race to Save The Galaxy as Nero Loses His Way.
Apr 15, 2009
This third issue also brings two more beloved characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation into the fold as Spock prepares to put his plan into motion while Nero's fall from grace becomes complete.
Vengeance Is Mine, Says Nero
Star Trek Countdown #3 opens with a image of Nero's face being adorned with the familiar tattoo and narration of his watching Romulas be destroyed by the wake of the Hobus star collapse, a sequence that is both haunting and effective.
Mad with grief over the death of his wife and unborn child, Nero kills the surviving members of the Romulan Council and destroys several Federation rescue ships. He then makes his way to a secret military outpost where his ship, the Narada, is outfitted with advanced Borg technology to make it a powerful weapon of vengeance.
Meanwhile, Spock, Jean-Luc Picard, and Data convince the Vulcan council to give them the material needed to execute their plan to halt the progression of the Hobus star collapse. The task of delivering the material to the Hobus star is entrusted to a prototypical ship - the Jellyfish - created by former Enterprise engineer Geordi LaForge, who joins the company on Vulcan.
Bent on revenge, Nero and his new warship plow through numerous starships on his way to Vulcan to seek retribution. Anticipating Nero, Picard makes preparations to stop him while Spock prepares to pilot the Jellyfish to the Hobus star.
The issue ends with Nero facing a squadron of Klingon warships, lead by General Worf.
The Countdown Nears An End
Star Trek Countdown #3 is even more faster-paced than the previous two issues, and therein lies the major problem with this limited series.
Despite the ability of writers Mike Johnson and Tim Jones in quickly weaving the various plot threads together, one wishes that there was more time and space given to adequately show what is clearly an elaborate back story conceived by the writers of the new Star Trek film, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Simply put, four issues isn't nearly enough.
Nevertheless, Jones and Johnson make an admirable go of it, and script some nice dialogue in the process. The exchanges between LaForge and Data, and Spock and Picard, are both authentic and touching. As well, artist David Messina delivers with visuals that are both exciting and epic, while referencing more imagery displayed in clips from the new film.
Nero's descent into madness and villainy is depicted very well. Numerous plot points important to the upcoming film are introduced here, such as Nero's refitted warship and the unique tattoos he and his crew adorn themselves with.
Star Trek Countdown #3 delivers on providing the necessary plot elements to bring readers to the climatic fourth and final issue.
For a review of Star Trek Countdown #4, click here
