Star Trek Shinsei Shinsei

Overview: Japanese-style sequential art combines with the most renouwed science Fiction Franchise ever created to capture the spirit of the original series in a completely new way. ten artists and writers deliver tales of triumph aboard the original NCC-1701. Like the original TV series, these new journeys venture into the terrain of social politics, personal reflection...and bare-knuckled brawls between the dashing Captain Kirk and various indigenous beasts. Spock's unflappable logic, Bones' flare for drama, Scotty's perpetual struggle to keep the lights on..all come at you in a fresh, new style.

Pages: 192 Pages

Writers and Artists:
Side Effects: Story by Chris Dows, Art by Makoto Nakatsuka.
Anthing But Alone: Story by Joshua Ortega, Art by Gregory Giovanni Johnson.
Oban: Story by Jim Alexander, Art by Michael Shelfer.
'Til Death: Story by Mike W. Barr, Art by Jeong Mo Yang.
Orphans: Story by Rob Tokar, Art by EJ Su.

Review By: Jason James Rating:

To start this review we are going to have to look at genetics. My father is a huge Star Trek fan and owns every episode and movie ever made. I did not grow up spending much time with him, something we both regret. So is it coincidence that I am also a Star Trek fan or is there something genetic that triggers a person to accept science fiction and enjoy it. Anyways I was walking through the local book store and here was this book with the graphic novels. I picked it up and the next day read it in one sitting. For me that is quite good, I rarely read more than 50 pages in one sitting. This book has 5 stories in it plus a story from the Star Trek Book Constellations. The first story Side Effects is excellent and should be read by all Star Trek fans. Anything But Alone is a story that captures the spirit of The Original Series and could have been an episode if the idea had been thought of back in the day. Til Death is probably my least favorite story, to me the situation would never have happened because, well I am not going to ruin the story, just trust me this situation would not have happened. Oban was a ok story, nothing great but entertaining in its own Tribble kind of way. Orphans has taken some heat by other people reviewing this book. They do like the single person mobile space mechs that make their way into the story. I thought it was cool and put a manga feel to the story. Overall I enjoyed this book. The characters were done well, the artwork is done in manga style so it does not blow a person away but is still pretty good. I thought at times the people looked way to young and didn’t have the distinguished look a captain and officers would have with age.

Review By: Browncoat Rating:

As many of you already know I am a Trekie. I will give a little extra leeway to series that I love. So when JasonJames handed me a copy of "Star Trek: Shinsei Shinsei" I was more than happy to do a review for it. A new approach to series usually yields something that perhaps others hadn't thought of. So, expecting a pleasant read I settled down and plowed through it... and was utterly disappointed. The stories varied from slightly interesting to downright angering. Why is it that Manga always has to mean robots?!? Honestly, was that necessary? The USS Enterprise facing off against a bunch of kids in space combat robots? Really? That's what we are doing to the license now? The artwork also varies greatly. In one story the Characters only wished they looked that good, and in the next I had trouble figuring out who was who. The short story at the end could have been the redeeming part of this, but after reading the comic portion I didn't have the patience to read it. JasonJames and I agree on a good many things, this book was not one of them.