By
GustavoLeao /
23:40, 26 October 2010 /
Trek Books
Star Trek: Captain's Log: Jellico
Reviewed by Patrick Hayes aka PatBorg
The covers: The standard two options for this IDW
comics. The Standard Cover is by interior artist J.K. Woodward.
Jellico looks pensive as this ship the U.S.S. Cairo shoots
between him and this issue's foe Gul Zarkat. This image captures one
of the three moods that Ronny Cox brought to his character (this one
being "worrisome"), so I like it, but that smiling spoon head is
downright E-V-I-L! The Incentive Cover is photo cover of Jellico and
Picard in dress uniforms, though Jean Luc is nowhere inside (but Picard
sells books, blah, blah, blah). Not bad, but I would have preferred a
solo shot of Jellico. Overall grades: SC B+ and IC B+
The story: I was very happy to see Keith R.A.
DeCandido back doing four color adventures. He, like Peter David, is a
dependable Trek novelist, so I was expecting a great one-shot tale that
would give me more insight into one of the oddest captains in Trekdom.
I did not get that. The tale is told from the newly instated first
officer of Jellico's Excelsior-class ship. Leslie Wong is two
panels onto the ship and the abrupt Jellico gives her the situation: he
needs a first officer while patrolling the Cardassian border, and his
current FO is laid up. Once up to speed, Jellico hands her the bridge
and leaves. Wong waxes on the unusual duty schedule, the age of the
ship, disciplines a crewmember, and chastises a pair more so. You know
Gul Zarkat is up to no good, and the how and why are the plot. This
story is the journey of a newbie under Jellico's command. I learned
nothing new about this Captain Curt. He, as he did in his two outings
on The Next Generation, inspired no love, sympathy,
understanding, or desire for me to follow this or other adventures of
his. I'll give DeCandido credit, Jellico is consistent with his
television personae. But I get nothing from this character. Wong has
more depth than the captain she serves under, and she was created to
tell his story! I found myself frustrated by this adventure. Overall grade: C+
The art: Both artist and colorist, J.K. Woodward
is fantastic. I love the look of the characters, the ships (interiors
and exteriors) and the coloring is gorgeous! Favorite pages include 5,
7, 8, 11, 18, and 20. Wong and Ensign Sim are great, and Gul Zarkat
drips with condescension in his close-ups. Jellico shows his two other
emotions, thinking and scowling. I would love to see Woodward locked
down to his art table doing Trek for life. Overall grade: A
The letters: A sole door chime is the sound effect among dialogue and narration provided by Chris Mowry. On the ball, as always. Overall grade: A
The final line: I went into this book wanting
something, and not getting it. On a second read I found the wall that
Jellico projects to hurt my reading. I loved his first officer (and
would gladly follow her into other books), but, still, I didn't care
for him at all. An odd choice for a Captain's Log, and one I found unsatisfactory. Overall grade: B-
