#5
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2 #5
Review by Jamie Dunst
Scott & David Tipton: Writers; Gordon Purcell: Pencils; J.K. Woodward: Painter; Shawn Lee: Lettering; Jacen Smith: Assistant Editor; Denton J. Tiptpn: Editor
When we left the crew of the Enterprise and the TARDIS, the Doctor has convinced Captain Picard to work with the Borg to fight the Cybermen. This issue starts with an away team consisting of Picard, the Doctor, Worf, Data, Commander Riker, Amy and Rory meeting with a small group of Borg propose a course of action to fight the Cybermen. Things get tense when Riker recognizes the main Borg who is called the Conduit between the Borg and the Federation as a former Starfleet Officer that had been assimilated. The Conduit merely states that he was being used because he is familiar to the Enterprise crew and the away team along with the Conduit depart to the Enterprise.
One onboard, the Conduit tells the Doctor, Captain Picard and Commander Riker about the alliance between the Borg and the Cybermen and why and how that union eventually fell apart. The Conduit explains what the Cybermen are about to do and what they need to do to stop them. Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise go back to the planet Naia VII which they first visited in issue 2 of this series and convince the inhabitants that they should give them gold to stop the Cybermen.
Once the Enterprise and TARDIS crew received the gold they need, the Doctor plans to travel back in time to the Battle of Wolf 359. Picard and Riker volunteer to accompany the crew of the TARDIS but the Doctor forbids it saying that crossing their own time stream is forbidden and leaves without them. Amy chastises the Doctor for lying to the Enterprise Captain and First Officer but the Doctor tells her that there is a very good reason to do so and it’s obvious once they get to their destination which is inside the Borg Cube that was a part of the Battle of Wolf 359 and we leave this issue with Amy, Rory and the Doctor coming face-to-face with Locutus of Borg.
Once again, the art is absolutely gorgeous. Between the art and the dialogue, you get the feeling that you are watching a crossover show. The dialogue is so on you can hear the actor’s voices ad the art is just dead on. Everyone looks amazing and accurate. Their are moments that just made me smile like when Amy is glaring at the Doctor after he lies to Picard and Riker and it’s just so in character and it’s just one of the many moments in this story so far that had me just smiling. I also heard from the painter that this is getting a sequel which it so richly deserves. I can’t wait for that and I can’t wait for the next issue. I am so curious to see how Locutus of Borg plays into the story. Will he have a face-to-face with Captain Picard? Oh, I so hope that happens.
