There's a goofy aspect to this issue because there's got to be, given Johnson's storyline. It's a rip-off of some other things, with a couple odd Jurassic Park homages thrown in, but it's not a terrible story. Johnson gives Kirk a lot to do.

But Corroney's art doesn't help things. He does fine with the flashbacks to the 1970s. The art on that single page flashback is good. But then, once in Star Trek time, he falls apart. He spends too much time referencing photos of the actors playing the cast–which is hilarious for Bones, who Johnson writes wonderfully like the original series–and not enough time coming up with a style.

There's an alien monster involved with the story and Corroney turns it into a goofy purple thing. It's not scary or impressive or anything, it's just goofy.

It's nice to see Johnson trying for an original (if derivative) story.

C 

CREDITS

Lost Apollo, Part Two; writer, Mike Johnson; penciller, Joe Corroney; inkers, Corroney, Victor Moya and Rob Doan; colorist, Sakti Yuwono; letterer, Neil Uyetake; editor, Sarah Gaydos; publisher, IDW Publishing.

I read this entire issue without paying attention to the story arc title on the cover. I'm glad I ignored it.

Here's the problem–the art. I wonder how Joe Corroney's art would be if he didn't have to mess around with all the actors' faces. He doesn't do them well, either, so there's no real point to it. The expressions are just terrible because the mouths can't move too much or it won't look like whatever photo he was referencing.

Bad, bad choice. On IDW's part, not on Corroney's.

Still, it's a fun issue. Johnson just writes a little episode where the crew is excited to get off the ship. It's got elements of "This Side of Paradise," some actual personality from Kirk, an ill-advised Return of the Jedi nod. In short, it's exactly what a Star Trek comic should be.

Except for the art, which is just unforgivably misguided.

B- 

CREDITS

Lost Apollo, Part One; writer, Mike Johnson; penciller, Joe Corroney; inkers, Corroney, Victor Moya and Rob Doan; colorist, John Rauch; letterer, Neil Uyetake; editor, Sarah Gaydos; publisher, IDW Publishing.