This is actually not so much a graphic novel as it is the first issue of a comic book (which will most likely ultimately be published as a graphic novel). My ARC of this was twenty-four pages, though Goodreads lists this at 40 pages. Sixteen pages of bonus material? Perhaps.
Because it’s just the beginning of a longer story there isn’t much to tell here. We open the story by showing how ruthless and violent a race the Klingons are as they obliterate another race. Then we are introduced to our Enterprise crew (as imagined by the 2009 reboot movie) and they head to a planet where there is a faint Federation distress signal. An away team beams down, but doesn’t find anything and investigates by heading in some tunnels that cut off their communications with the ship.
And of course we are reintroduced to the Klingons as both the away team and the Enterprise are attacked.
And that’s about all we have time for in 24 pages!
It’s hard to comment on the story since all we have is the set-up. I look forward to reading more.
I actually like the art. It’s clean, it’s bright, it’s not littered with unnecessary fine detail, but at the same time it’s not so sparse that you wonder where anyone is. I can also identify all the key players by sight, even if the art is not photo realistic. (Note: the art plays homage to reboot director J.J. Abrams with a liberal use of ‘lens flare’ look.)
This is a nice book, but it is just that … one book in a series. I personally prefer to wait for the entire series to be put together in a graphic novel format.
Looking for a good book? This single issue of the comic book Start Trek: Manifest Destiny promises to be an entertaining tale, but it will take a few months of reading to really get the gist of the story.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgally, in exchange for an honest review.
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Star Trek: Manifest Destiny
author: Mike Johnson, Ryan Parrott
artists: Angel Hernandez
series: Star Trek: Manifest Destiny #1
publisher: IDW Publishing
paperback, 40 pages
