Review by C.J. Bunce
While most of the comic book industry is on hold resulting from the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, we’re looking back to some recent books you may want to give a try while you’re sheltering at home or recuperating from work and in need of some good distractions. One of those books continues a series bellwethered by one of our favorite artists, J.K. Woodward, known for his beautiful illustrations in the Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover miniseries Assimilation², the IDW adaptation of Star Trek: The City on the Edge of Forever, the covers of the Star Trek/Green Lantern crossover miniseries, the jaw-dropping, photo-real paintings bringing the crew of the USS Enterprise-D into the mirror universe in Mirror Broken, and Star Trek 20/20, a tale of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in his USS Stargazer years. Continuing his expanded universe of Star Trek’s mirror realms is the winter release Star Trek Voyager: Mirrors and Smoke, where Woodward partnered with writer Paul Allor (Clue, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe) to at last bring the characters of Star Trek Voyager (my own favorite Star Trek television series) into Trek’s infamous mirror universe.
As you’d expect from the best artist to put paintbrush to Star Trek story in the history of Star Trek comics, the artwork in Star Trek Voyager: Mirrors & Smoke is stunning. The gang’s all here, just not as you’ve seen them before: Commodore Kathryn Janeway, Tuvok, Captain Chakotay and B’Elanna Torres, Tom Paris, Neelix and Kes, Harry Kim, Seven of Nine, and the trusty (or not so trusty) EMH. This Janeway is quite happy in the Delta Quadrant, thank you very much. The Federation back home suffers under a Klingon-Cardassian alliance, so why not pillage this corner of the galaxy and enjoy themselves?
This story is only the beginning, setting up the possibility for yet another series or two with the alt Voyager crew as Woodward has created for the Star Trek: The Next Generation characters.
A variant retro cover was created for the graphic novel by George Caltsoudas. Lettering was by Neil Uyetake. Take a look inside IDW Publishing’s Star Trek Voyager Mirrors & Smoke:
Order Star Trek Voyager: Mirrors & Smoke now from Elite Comics or your local comic shop. If you can’t find it there check it out on Kindle or Comixology via Amazon here.
