REVIEW: ‘Star Trek: Voyager–Seven’s Reckoning,’ Issue #1

Star Trek: Voyager–Seven’s Reckoning #1 is written by Dave Baker, illustrated by Angel Hernandez,  colored by Ronda Pattison, and lettered by Neil Uteyake. It is published by IDW Publishing. “The End of the Way of All Things” takes place sometime after Seven of Nine was freed from the Borg’s control. The Voyager encounters an ancient spaceship and pledges to help its inhabitants, with Seven forming a bond with one of them.

Star Trek: Voyager celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, so it makes perfect sense for IDW to publish a series with Janeway and her crew in the forefront. And while the Voyager crew have appeared in other Star Trek comics including the Mirrors and Smoke one-shot and The Q Conflict, this is the first series to fully focus on them. Baker perfectly captures the dynamic between Janeway and her crew, including the unlikely rapport between Tuvok and Seven. Though he is a Vulcan and she was a former Borg, they both are driven by logic and often come up with efficient solutions to their problems.

Since the miniseries also focuses on Seven, Baker also makes sure to explore her budding emotions. The colonists they encounter have a strict caste system, which brings back uncomfortable memories of the Borg. In her conversations with one of the colonists, Baker showcases that behind the cold mask of logic, Seven is struggling to find out who she is. I loved this because the characters I always gravitated toward in the Trek series were the ones trying to find their humanity. From Spock in the original series to Data in The Next Generation, the quest to find humanity among the non-human is a Trek staple and I’m glad Baker continues that trend.

Hernandez manages to perfectly capture the likeness of the Voyager cast. From the facial expressions to the uniform designs, the only way the series could get better is if the actual cast was acting it out. He also puts his own stamp on the series with sharp angles and a unique design for the colonists. They have multiple arms and stony skin, and their spaceship is literally etched with the history of their race. Combined with dialogue about how the universe is essentially one massive story, it’s the stuff that Trek is made of. Pattison uses a muted color palette, which lends a lonely aching weight to the space scenes where the Voyager is drifting through space.

The only reservation I have is the length. This is the first of four issues, and it seems like this could easily be wrapped up in two. However, I’m more than open to seeing where the creators take the story, and if that length is justified.

Star Trek: Voyager–Seven’s Reckoning #1 is the perfect celebration of the series, setting up a unique conflict for one of its most iconic characters. If you are a Star Trek or Seven of Nine fan, I highly recommend this issue.

Star Trek: Voyager–Seven’s Reckoning #1 is available wherever comics are sold.