Sirk TV Graphic Novel Review: STAR TREK DISCOVERY - SUCCESSION [IDW]

The ending of the 1st season of "Star Trek: Discovery" ended on a perception into the new era of what would happen to Michael Burnham, the new self reluctant savior of the Discovery crew. The idea of logic plays into her mind. But within a mirror universe the texture of manipulation becomes more diabolical. The essence in these scenarios is everybody is out for themselves. In "Star Trek: Discovery - Succession" [Kirsten Beyer & Mike Johnson/IDW/144pgs], when the Emperor's seat is vacated, the idea of genocide becomes somewhat of a misnomer since the bombs the Terran Empire are creating become gene specific to wipe out an entire race. This is similar to an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" when an all encompassing being literally wishes an entire species out of existence. The new Emperor, a true blood heir unlike Burnham, obviously suffers from low self esteem. Burnham, ever the strategist, plays a texture of reverse psychology but the final solution works with more than a tad of irony with a man coming up in the ranks who has the ability to bring it all down. This speaks back in anticipation to a TOS episode with fanfare although the last shot of Season 1 of "Star Trek: Discovery" might point to something different especially with the idea of who commands a certain ship. The second story in this commendum details the backstory of the development of the spores for the spore drive and the reluctance of Anthony Rapp's character Lt. Stamlets to embrace it as well as Starfleet which he only ends up doing at the insistence of his new boyfriend. For those who have seen the series, ruin but possible redemption is only a short step away but the backstory is not overly engaging despite filling in much needed gaps. The art is reflective of the series with a little swath of "The Old Republic" from a slightly universe but still fitting.B-

By Tim Wassberg