Booknote: Star Trek: Countdown

Roberto Orci, et.al., Star Trek: Countdown. San Diego, CA: IDW, 2015. ISBN: 9781600104206.

Genre: science fiction
Subgenre: Star Trek, graphic novels
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This trade paperback collects the four prequel comics to the 2009 reboot movie. If it reminds you of Star Trek: Nemesis, it's because these comics take place 8 years after the end of that movie. I am not too keen on how Abrams and company just shoehorn previous material into the new movie to add "authenticity," but it is what it is. The comic itself is pretty good, and you can read it on its own.

In this story, Spock continues his work trying to reconcile Romulus and Vulcan. He is an ambassador and now legal resident on Romulus. Picard is the Federation ambassador. Data, who successfully integrated his personality into the B4 android, now commands the Enterprise- E. Data and his crew look great in this story. I would not mind a few more Captain Data stories. Meanwhile, this comic presents the rise of the villain Nero.

Overall, it  has good art. The story is pretty good and entertaining. It's not great though at times it feels better than the new movie offerings. Fans of the new movies will likely appreciate the new details. As I mentioned, it stands on its own. In the end, I liked it.

3 out of 5 stars.