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Star Trek: Kelvin Timeline (IDW) #1
Star Trek: Countdown
4 issue collection! JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman present the origin of Nero, the mysterious Romulan who will ultimately threaten the survival of the entire universe. Don't miss the story that brings Star Trek back to the big screen!
100 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2009
46 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Roberto Orci
34 books11 followersRoberto Gaston Orcí was a Mexican-American film and television screenwriter and producer. He began his longtime collaboration with Alex Kurtzman while at school in California. Together they were employed on television series such as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. In 2008, together with J. J. Abrams, they created Fringe. In 2013, they created Sleepy Hollow alongside Phillip Iscove. Orci and Kurtzman's first film project was Michael Bay's The Island, and due to that partnership they went on to write the scripts for the first two films of the Transformers film series. Orci first became a film producer with 2008's Eagle Eye and again with 2009's The Proposal.
He and Kurtzman subsequently returned to working with Abrams on Mission: Impossible III and both Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness. Between 2005 and 2011, Kurtzman and Orci's film projects took revenues of more than $3 billion. In April 2014, Orci and Kurtzman announced that they would only collaborate on television projects, and Orci worked on the third Star Trek film, Star Trek Beyond, until being replaced the following December. Orci created the television series Matador for the El Rey Network, but after this was initially renewed, it was cancelled at the end of the first season. Orci continued and Kurtzman continues to work as producers on the television series Limitless and Scorpion. Orci was awarded the Norman Lear Writer's Award and the Raul Julia Award for Excellence, in addition to shared awards and nominations including The George Pal Memorial Award.
He and Kurtzman subsequently returned to working with Abrams on Mission: Impossible III and both Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness. Between 2005 and 2011, Kurtzman and Orci's film projects took revenues of more than $3 billion. In April 2014, Orci and Kurtzman announced that they would only collaborate on television projects, and Orci worked on the third Star Trek film, Star Trek Beyond, until being replaced the following December. Orci created the television series Matador for the El Rey Network, but after this was initially renewed, it was cancelled at the end of the first season. Orci continued and Kurtzman continues to work as producers on the television series Limitless and Scorpion. Orci was awarded the Norman Lear Writer's Award and the Raul Julia Award for Excellence, in addition to shared awards and nominations including The George Pal Memorial Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
August 13, 2019
I haven't seen any of the newer Star Trek movies, but when I saw this book offered at my favorite online used booksellers, I just had to have it. Back in the day, Star Trek meant so much to all of us. The original, I mean. Of course when The Next Generation came along I was one of those who resisted, but I learned to love it also.
So anytime I am able to revisit the characters I enjoy myself and this book was no exception.
But it was a bit creepy to see Spock drawn so old, gotta admit that.
As for how well this book prepares the reader for the 2009 movie, I can't say, since I have never seen the movie. But I thought the authors did a great job at pure story telling, and for me that is the most important thing of all.
So anytime I am able to revisit the characters I enjoy myself and this book was no exception.
But it was a bit creepy to see Spock drawn so old, gotta admit that.
As for how well this book prepares the reader for the 2009 movie, I can't say, since I have never seen the movie. But I thought the authors did a great job at pure story telling, and for me that is the most important thing of all.
June 28, 2021
Wow..that was weird but fun. Found this gem at my used comic store.
Countdown covers the events that lead up to the movie "Star Trek" (the first one by JJ Abrams). Did I like that first movie? It wasn't bad at all. But I am going to be honest, I really liked this graphic novel "prequel". It has the feel of being in another universe and that due to the singularity is why Nero and Spock were in the movie.
So in this other universe- there are some interesting changes. Ambassador Spock lives on Romulus and is attempting to create peace. But an errant supernova threatens the Empire. Spock enlists the aide of Captain Nemo to help prevent disaster. They run into obstacles not only from the Romulan High Council, but also from the Vulcan leadership. This delay will have tragic consequences and set off a chain reaction that will lead to the movie.
Orci does a great job of telling this story. Subtle things such as Picard is an Ambassador, Data is Captain of the Enterprise, Worf is a General in the Klingon High Command, etc. These touches made for an interesting world, as well as the dark story. The artwork was also rather good.
In many ways, it almost feels like a shame that this wasn't part of the movie or even the basis for it. I prefer this setting and the story is quite good. So any Star Trek fan ought to appreciate this one, and if you liked the first JJ Abrams movie then you might also like this prequel story.
Countdown covers the events that lead up to the movie "Star Trek" (the first one by JJ Abrams). Did I like that first movie? It wasn't bad at all. But I am going to be honest, I really liked this graphic novel "prequel". It has the feel of being in another universe and that due to the singularity is why Nero and Spock were in the movie.
So in this other universe- there are some interesting changes. Ambassador Spock lives on Romulus and is attempting to create peace. But an errant supernova threatens the Empire. Spock enlists the aide of Captain Nemo to help prevent disaster. They run into obstacles not only from the Romulan High Council, but also from the Vulcan leadership. This delay will have tragic consequences and set off a chain reaction that will lead to the movie.
Orci does a great job of telling this story. Subtle things such as Picard is an Ambassador, Data is Captain of the Enterprise, Worf is a General in the Klingon High Command, etc. These touches made for an interesting world, as well as the dark story. The artwork was also rather good.
In many ways, it almost feels like a shame that this wasn't part of the movie or even the basis for it. I prefer this setting and the story is quite good. So any Star Trek fan ought to appreciate this one, and if you liked the first JJ Abrams movie then you might also like this prequel story.
November 6, 2016
First, I'm a fan of Star Trek - the original, the 90's, and the new. So, keep that in mind. This graphic novel is a prequel to the new film series started by JJ Abrams. It explores how the villain of the movie, Nero, becomes the deranged sociopath we meet. Personally, I would watch the film first then read this graphic novel. It'll have more meaning and allow you to experience the film as intended.
We are back in a time with Spock, Picard, Worf, Data, and some others. We follow these favorite characters as they face their greatest challenge yet, a star going nova that threatens the entire galaxy. Their choices and actions are what set the stage for the movie.
While it's not as exciting as the film, it's a pretty action-packed, fun read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any fans of the series or someone looking for a fun sci-fi graphic.
We are back in a time with Spock, Picard, Worf, Data, and some others. We follow these favorite characters as they face their greatest challenge yet, a star going nova that threatens the entire galaxy. Their choices and actions are what set the stage for the movie.
While it's not as exciting as the film, it's a pretty action-packed, fun read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any fans of the series or someone looking for a fun sci-fi graphic.
January 30, 2020
Despite all my expectations to the contrary, I enjoyed the recent
Star Trek
film immensely, so when a friend and coworker recommended this prequel graphic-novel, and offered to lend me his copy, I jumped at the chance! How glad I am that I did, even if reading Star Trek: Countdown cost me my dinner. Yes, I was so engrossed in my reading yesterday evening, that I left my grocery bag behind me, when switching subways! Still, it could always be worse, no? I mean, a demented Romulan could be intent on destroying my home planet...
Consisting of four comic-book length entries, each of which sets out a chapter of the history between Spock and Captain Nero, this Star Trek prequel is set a few decades after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis . Which sounds impossible of course, given that the new film occurs in the 23rd century, and the events of Nemesis occur in the 24th. Then again, it is Star Trek, so time travel and alternate realities are practically de rigueur!
If you watched the film and wondered: Why do the Romulans have tattoos that make them look more like Remans? Why does Nero blame Spock personally for the destruction of all he loves? How does a "simple" mining vessel gain such advanced weaponry? Then you should probably locate a copy of this book. More to the point, if you want to gain a better insight into the character of Nero, then this is for you. Nothing could make his epic quest for vengeance anything but insanely irrational, but Star Trek: Countdown does give it true pathos. As such, it can only deepen the fan's appreciation of the film - and of Star Trek!
Consisting of four comic-book length entries, each of which sets out a chapter of the history between Spock and Captain Nero, this Star Trek prequel is set a few decades after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis . Which sounds impossible of course, given that the new film occurs in the 23rd century, and the events of Nemesis occur in the 24th. Then again, it is Star Trek, so time travel and alternate realities are practically de rigueur!
If you watched the film and wondered: Why do the Romulans have tattoos that make them look more like Remans? Why does Nero blame Spock personally for the destruction of all he loves? How does a "simple" mining vessel gain such advanced weaponry? Then you should probably locate a copy of this book. More to the point, if you want to gain a better insight into the character of Nero, then this is for you. Nothing could make his epic quest for vengeance anything but insanely irrational, but Star Trek: Countdown does give it true pathos. As such, it can only deepen the fan's appreciation of the film - and of Star Trek!
November 17, 2009
Since I am in "Countdown" mode waiting for the DVD release (LOVED the whole experience of seeing it in the theaters over the summer!!!), I decided to read this over the weekend after rave reviews from my sister and a GoodReads friend. Thank you so much, Abigail, for your great review! I would probably have overlooked this for a piece of promotional fluff had it not been for your high opinion of it, and thank you, Ann, for loaning me your copy! ;-)
I am not accustomed to reading graphic novels, so I really can't say how this compares. I felt some of the artwork was a bit sloppy in terms of character faces--sometimes they looked very "real" (like the actors who played the characters) and sometimes it was more muted or hard to discern facial features. There were a few cases where I thought the sequencing wasn't quite as clear as it could be. However, that mattered very little as the storyline was strong enough to carry through and I felt the overall characterizations were excellent and very much in keeping with those we've come to love from the big and small screen. I was pleasantly surprised by a few of my favorite characters making appearances here, but I won't say who! ;-)
Overall, I think this is a great little book if you loved the new ST movie and crave a bit more on the Nero/Spock story. There's a lot of drama (a bit over-dramatic at times, but, hey, that's the awesomeness of ST for ya!) and some humor, so it really feels in keeping with the tone of ST. The Nero/Spock backstory did help to fill in a few of the gaps left by the film--not that you need this book to understand the movie, but I do think it lives up to being a "companion" to the film. I don't know how enjoyable/meaty it would seem without the movie, but I have not read other graphic novels or ST books so it is hard for me to say...
I am not accustomed to reading graphic novels, so I really can't say how this compares. I felt some of the artwork was a bit sloppy in terms of character faces--sometimes they looked very "real" (like the actors who played the characters) and sometimes it was more muted or hard to discern facial features. There were a few cases where I thought the sequencing wasn't quite as clear as it could be. However, that mattered very little as the storyline was strong enough to carry through and I felt the overall characterizations were excellent and very much in keeping with those we've come to love from the big and small screen. I was pleasantly surprised by a few of my favorite characters making appearances here, but I won't say who! ;-)
Overall, I think this is a great little book if you loved the new ST movie and crave a bit more on the Nero/Spock story. There's a lot of drama (a bit over-dramatic at times, but, hey, that's the awesomeness of ST for ya!) and some humor, so it really feels in keeping with the tone of ST. The Nero/Spock backstory did help to fill in a few of the gaps left by the film--not that you need this book to understand the movie, but I do think it lives up to being a "companion" to the film. I don't know how enjoyable/meaty it would seem without the movie, but I have not read other graphic novels or ST books so it is hard for me to say...
October 19, 2009
Okay, I was expecting this to be fun, interesting, and a sort of "fill-in-the-gaps" to the movie (not that there were really gaps in the movie, just loads to take in during one sitting - I loved the movie, btw, if that helps;>). What I wasn't expecting was to be um... *totally* enraptured, glued to the pages, and thinking about the story when I wasn't reading it! I feel so embarrassed that I was SO addicted to it - but it was awesome! :)
You don't need to have seen the new film to read this, but it does add another element if you have. COUNTDOWN features Nero and Spock. There's no Kirk in this story, no Dr. McCoy, nor Scotty. Instead, we Next Generation fans get loads of pleasant surprises when NG crew start showing up from page to page (huzzah!). Anyway, I hadn't realized the initial Star Trek and the Next Generation were so close in time (though, had I thought about it, I'm sure I would have figured it out) and it was fun to see what happened to certain NG members since I haven't seen the NG films (terrible of me, I know). Anyway, back to the story! Here we learn just what transpired between Spock and Nero and why their relationship evolved as it did.
So, why the four stars? Part of it may be my own doing. Since I've never really read graphic novels before I wasn't entirely sure how to read it, and because of that I was lost a few times trying to figure out where or when the story was. But, once I caught on it was fine. Also, I felt at times the story was a tad over-dramatic, and that the scene-enders were a tad too many (what I mean is, most of the scenes ended with a character making a great, revolutionary statement. Most of these were fantastic, but sometimes it felt like there were so many it took away from them all... like they lost some of their impact because they were so frequent). And as for the over-dramatic-ness of it, well, in a way that's part of the charm of Star Trek, isn't it? :) What's more, this novel was surprisingly sprinkled with the great Star Trek philosophy.
I thought the illustrations were wonderful, and some of them were spot on to the actors' likenesses.
I'm curious to find out if they'll be another of these, because there is a lot left up in the air at the end. Now, yes, it's because it's a prequel to the film, but there's lots from this novel that doesn't get explained in the movie. If there's another novel, I'll probably hunt it down and devour it.
One more thing I wasn't expecting... to get choked up there at the end...
very well done! And highly recommended:)
****
An early birthday present from Katie (THANKS KATIE!!!:D) I'm SO curious to read this - a) because I loved the movie, and b) because I've never really read a graphic novel of this kind. Live long and prosper! :)
You don't need to have seen the new film to read this, but it does add another element if you have. COUNTDOWN features Nero and Spock. There's no Kirk in this story, no Dr. McCoy, nor Scotty. Instead, we Next Generation fans get loads of pleasant surprises when NG crew start showing up from page to page (huzzah!). Anyway, I hadn't realized the initial Star Trek and the Next Generation were so close in time (though, had I thought about it, I'm sure I would have figured it out) and it was fun to see what happened to certain NG members since I haven't seen the NG films (terrible of me, I know). Anyway, back to the story! Here we learn just what transpired between Spock and Nero and why their relationship evolved as it did.
So, why the four stars? Part of it may be my own doing. Since I've never really read graphic novels before I wasn't entirely sure how to read it, and because of that I was lost a few times trying to figure out where or when the story was. But, once I caught on it was fine. Also, I felt at times the story was a tad over-dramatic, and that the scene-enders were a tad too many (what I mean is, most of the scenes ended with a character making a great, revolutionary statement. Most of these were fantastic, but sometimes it felt like there were so many it took away from them all... like they lost some of their impact because they were so frequent). And as for the over-dramatic-ness of it, well, in a way that's part of the charm of Star Trek, isn't it? :) What's more, this novel was surprisingly sprinkled with the great Star Trek philosophy.
I thought the illustrations were wonderful, and some of them were spot on to the actors' likenesses.
I'm curious to find out if they'll be another of these, because there is a lot left up in the air at the end. Now, yes, it's because it's a prequel to the film, but there's lots from this novel that doesn't get explained in the movie. If there's another novel, I'll probably hunt it down and devour it.
One more thing I wasn't expecting... to get choked up there at the end...
very well done! And highly recommended:)
****
An early birthday present from Katie (THANKS KATIE!!!:D) I'm SO curious to read this - a) because I loved the movie, and b) because I've never really read a graphic novel of this kind. Live long and prosper! :)
February 28, 2012
This is is a collection of the 4 comics that are a prequel to the 2009 Star Trek movie.
The series is set 8 years after the end of Nemesis. Relationships between Romulans and the Federation are the best they've ever been, and Spock is now the official Federation Ambassador to Romulus. Picard is also now a Federation Ambassador. Data has successfully integrated his personality into the B-4 android, and is now Captain of the Enterprise-E.
Spock confronts Romulans with the news that the Hobus Star is in the process of going supernova, and predics that it will likely destroy Romulus. The Romulan senate choose to disbelieve Spock's prediction. Nero sides with Spock, and offers the use of his mining ship, the Nerada to extract rare Decalithium that Spock requires for his plan; to stop the supernovae by use of red-matter.
I know some people have taken a great dislike to the 2009 star trek movie, but for some reason I've always prefered the less-loved star trek aspects. My favourite Trek series are Enterprise and DS9, which most other trekkies rank bottom, (and thats the ones that even acknowledge the existence of the enterprise series!). So its not suprising that the 2009 movie became my absolute favourite trek movie; Overtaking even my beloved First Contact.
The 2009 movie stands up quite well on its own, but it does benefit greatly from the backstory in the comic series, and if you're a die-hard trekkie, or just a fan of the movie, you shouldn't excuse yourself from reading it! There are some details in it that solves little unanswered questions from the movie, such as why the romulan miners all have shaven and tattooed scalps. Not a massively important plot-point, but it's these little details that make you go 'ahaaaa!'.
The major delight for me in the entire novel had to be the reappearance of Data, as I believe this is the first time it has been revealed that he did indeed 'resurrect' properly after having his neural net downloaded into the B-4 android. I couldn't help a little cheer as I saw him pictured on the bridge of the Enterprise with 4 pips on his collar. There is no greater joy in Star Trek than seeing CAPTAIN DATA! <3
Well worth a read for any Trekkie.
The series is set 8 years after the end of Nemesis. Relationships between Romulans and the Federation are the best they've ever been, and Spock is now the official Federation Ambassador to Romulus. Picard is also now a Federation Ambassador. Data has successfully integrated his personality into the B-4 android, and is now Captain of the Enterprise-E.
Spock confronts Romulans with the news that the Hobus Star is in the process of going supernova, and predics that it will likely destroy Romulus. The Romulan senate choose to disbelieve Spock's prediction. Nero sides with Spock, and offers the use of his mining ship, the Nerada to extract rare Decalithium that Spock requires for his plan; to stop the supernovae by use of red-matter.
I know some people have taken a great dislike to the 2009 star trek movie, but for some reason I've always prefered the less-loved star trek aspects. My favourite Trek series are Enterprise and DS9, which most other trekkies rank bottom, (and thats the ones that even acknowledge the existence of the enterprise series!). So its not suprising that the 2009 movie became my absolute favourite trek movie; Overtaking even my beloved First Contact.
The 2009 movie stands up quite well on its own, but it does benefit greatly from the backstory in the comic series, and if you're a die-hard trekkie, or just a fan of the movie, you shouldn't excuse yourself from reading it! There are some details in it that solves little unanswered questions from the movie, such as why the romulan miners all have shaven and tattooed scalps. Not a massively important plot-point, but it's these little details that make you go 'ahaaaa!'.
The major delight for me in the entire novel had to be the reappearance of Data, as I believe this is the first time it has been revealed that he did indeed 'resurrect' properly after having his neural net downloaded into the B-4 android. I couldn't help a little cheer as I saw him pictured on the bridge of the Enterprise with 4 pips on his collar. There is no greater joy in Star Trek than seeing CAPTAIN DATA! <3
Well worth a read for any Trekkie.
October 22, 2015
This was fine. Not outstanding but still pretty good.
April 16, 2018
I'm still short on time, so, I'll just say that this was an entertaining and well-drawn prequel to the Star Trek reboot.
July 13, 2020
Part of Zavvi’s Threads box for July. As I’ve been binge watching Star Trek for the past couple months, this was a very welcome graphic novel!
Star Trek Countdown acts as a good way to tie together the 2009 Star Trek film which introduced the alternate universe Kelvin timeline.
This graphic novel is actually based in the Next Generation timeline. Set after the events of that series and it’s subsequent films. We see the elderly original Spock (that also appears in the 2009 film) continue his mission to reunite Romulus and Vulcan, that we first saw in the Next Generation tv show.
We also get appearances from Picard and Data, plus some other characters from the Star Trek universe. It’s a shame they couldn’t have shown these characters on screen fulfilling their roles and linking to the 2009 film. I think a lot of fans would have enjoyed that.
Additionally we get to see part of Nero’s journey and transformation into the villain of Star Trek 2009.
As part of this graphic novel we also get get a story from 60’s Original Series comic series. Star Trek Gold Key Archives - The Planet of No Return. Not an especially amazing story. Some of the content hasn’t aged well. However this does not detract from the main Countdown story.
The art style is good, although I didn’t recognise Picard on his first appearance. My only point of comparison so far for Star Trek graphic novel artwork however is the amazing The City on the Edge of Forever.
I highly recommend this if you are a fan of Star Trek, and want to see the gap filled between The Next Generation and the Kelvin timeline film series. I would however say if you are new to Star Trek, this is not the best graphic to start on due it’s assumption of the reader knowing the various characters.
Star Trek Countdown acts as a good way to tie together the 2009 Star Trek film which introduced the alternate universe Kelvin timeline.
This graphic novel is actually based in the Next Generation timeline. Set after the events of that series and it’s subsequent films. We see the elderly original Spock (that also appears in the 2009 film) continue his mission to reunite Romulus and Vulcan, that we first saw in the Next Generation tv show.
We also get appearances from Picard and Data, plus some other characters from the Star Trek universe. It’s a shame they couldn’t have shown these characters on screen fulfilling their roles and linking to the 2009 film. I think a lot of fans would have enjoyed that.
Additionally we get to see part of Nero’s journey and transformation into the villain of Star Trek 2009.
As part of this graphic novel we also get get a story from 60’s Original Series comic series. Star Trek Gold Key Archives - The Planet of No Return. Not an especially amazing story. Some of the content hasn’t aged well. However this does not detract from the main Countdown story.
The art style is good, although I didn’t recognise Picard on his first appearance. My only point of comparison so far for Star Trek graphic novel artwork however is the amazing The City on the Edge of Forever.
I highly recommend this if you are a fan of Star Trek, and want to see the gap filled between The Next Generation and the Kelvin timeline film series. I would however say if you are new to Star Trek, this is not the best graphic to start on due it’s assumption of the reader knowing the various characters.
September 1, 2020
There is Nothing More Dangerous Than an Honourable Man Who Finds Himself Betrayed
When Ambassador Spock reveals that a supernova signifies the end of the To Milan Star Empire, only a miner named Nero has the belief that the elder statesman is correct. Pledging his allegiance, Nero is horrified when the nova destroys his homeworld. Believing Spock has deliberately allowed Romulus to die in order to save Vulcan, Nero sweats a terrible revenge.
Although the artwork is stunning, there is a stillness to the imagery which acts as a barrier to involvement in what is seen and the true horror is not in the explosion of murder, but the final speech of Nero as he chases Spock into a black hole.
When Ambassador Spock reveals that a supernova signifies the end of the To Milan Star Empire, only a miner named Nero has the belief that the elder statesman is correct. Pledging his allegiance, Nero is horrified when the nova destroys his homeworld. Believing Spock has deliberately allowed Romulus to die in order to save Vulcan, Nero sweats a terrible revenge.
Although the artwork is stunning, there is a stillness to the imagery which acts as a barrier to involvement in what is seen and the true horror is not in the explosion of murder, but the final speech of Nero as he chases Spock into a black hole.
August 23, 2024
I'd heard that this book did a good job of developing the character of Star Trek 2009's Nero. That it gives him more nuanced motivation, makes him more interesting. It does not. He's just as two-dimensional here.
What this book does do is sort of explain why the Romulans in 2009 don't look Romulan, and why their ship looks the way it does. I wasn't interested in those explanations, but if I were, I might have found this book satisfying.
I did not.
What this book does do is sort of explain why the Romulans in 2009 don't look Romulan, and why their ship looks the way it does. I wasn't interested in those explanations, but if I were, I might have found this book satisfying.
I did not.
January 18, 2020
I mostly read this because I am excited for Star Trek: Picard but it was also a fun lead-in to the J.J Abrams 2009 movie.
February 2, 2011
If you like comics or graphic novels, read this book. If you are a Trekkie, read this book. If you want to understand more of the backstory behind the 2009 Star Trek movie, read this book. If you...well, you get the idea...just read this book!
I hadn't been too much of a Trekkie before I saw the 2009 movie, but then I saw it, and it all went downhill from there. Now my friends have to listen to me spout gibberish about the differences between a class A and a class M planet, among other things. Basically, I'm obsessed. So when I saw this book at a school book fair, I had to buy it. In a series of four comics issues, Star Trek: Countdown bridges the gap between the last time we were in the Trek universe in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the latest movie, following Nero, Spock, and the U.S.S. Enterprise-D until the tales converge and the circle completed in a brilliant arc of storytelling that is truly amazing.
Countdown reads like a good graphic novel, with well placed dialogue and each page complete with full-color illustrations. The art itself is a reason to read this book, with the traditional pen and ink hatch-marks visible and complementing the digitally colorized schemes. This book also explains a lot of things that are mentioned in passing in the movie, which made the reading experience very fun for me. No Star Trek fan can go wrong reading this story, it's fast, fun, and just plain good!
I hadn't been too much of a Trekkie before I saw the 2009 movie, but then I saw it, and it all went downhill from there. Now my friends have to listen to me spout gibberish about the differences between a class A and a class M planet, among other things. Basically, I'm obsessed. So when I saw this book at a school book fair, I had to buy it. In a series of four comics issues, Star Trek: Countdown bridges the gap between the last time we were in the Trek universe in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the latest movie, following Nero, Spock, and the U.S.S. Enterprise-D until the tales converge and the circle completed in a brilliant arc of storytelling that is truly amazing.
Countdown reads like a good graphic novel, with well placed dialogue and each page complete with full-color illustrations. The art itself is a reason to read this book, with the traditional pen and ink hatch-marks visible and complementing the digitally colorized schemes. This book also explains a lot of things that are mentioned in passing in the movie, which made the reading experience very fun for me. No Star Trek fan can go wrong reading this story, it's fast, fun, and just plain good!
December 15, 2018
I loved this wonderful
January 24, 2020
I re-read this after watching the first episode of Picard because I’m curious to see if it’ll still be considered canon now
May 26, 2009
It's a decent movie tie-in that answers some unresolved hooks satisfactorily. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel that it doesn't stand on its own that well. There are also a plethora of minor nitpicks of assorted severity. It's a bit short, and possibly could have stood to be even shorter? Not sure. Interesting, at least, and it is good to see some of the TNG cast getting to do some things (even if some of the cameos were a bit forced- see below on Worf, especially).
**SPOILERS AHOY**
OVERALL PLOT NOTES:
I'm not sure I liked how they did Nero's story arc. Admittedly he DOES have a reason to be pissed off at the Vulcan high council, but not really Spock. It should be very obvious to Nero that Spock was trying to help and save Romulus.
Also. I suppose this is the point, but the Vulcan high council's decision was fantastically stupid. They don't want to let the red matter fall into the hands of the enemy? Fine, only send enough to stop the supernova, and send a big Federation escort along with the ship. And if the Romulans don't like it then they can let their planet be destroyed. The worry about the Romulans stealing it seems silly, and may not matter if the supernova really does "threaten the galaxy."
So, yeah, if Nero had gone to try and wipe out the Romulan high council in the past AND the Vulcan one, I'd have bought that from what the comic book setup. His grudge against Spock is weird.
NITPICKS:
* So what was the Enterprise doing conveniently hanging out in Romulan space anyway to meet Nero? (Because the plot required it had to be there. Right.)
* Yes, supernovas are well-known, so a good choice for a cataclysmic threat, but we want them to be different than real supernovas for dramatic purposes... fine. Still, some of the wonkiness is just silly here. Super flares of energy to warn people that turn planets into pure energy to power up the supernova for later? What? And aren't the Romulans supposed to be on par with the Vulcans for crazy technology? Shouldn't they have been able to confirm a well-known threat like a supernova, and not disbelieve it, especially one so blatant as this? Also I feel compelled to point out that if Alpha Centauri went nova, but we had faster-than-light starships to notice this, we'd have 4.3 YEARS to plan our evacuation from Earth. So, the impression I got from the movie was that this happened on a much shorter time scale - Romulus's star was looking "normal," but suspicious, Spock notices, the Romulan Imperial Senate disagrees, etc. At least then, there'd be an excuse both for the Romulans disbelieving warnings and for why Spock wasn't in time - once their star goes supernova, Romulus blows up only 10 minutes later or whatever. The impression I get from the comic book is that the Hobus star system is totally different; the closest rationalization I can give is that it's a binary star system with Romulus nearby, I guess, but meh.
* Also. The star is gaining mass and becoming more unstable? Nitpick, but supernovas occur when a star has LOST too much mass. Eating planets with superflares to give it more energy would presumably increase its stability and delay the time of destruction, actually (assuming such a gain of mass made sense, which it doesn't).
* Vulcans thought Spock was a traitor for going to Romulus? As an *ambassador*? That's what ambassadors *do.* I can't think of any examples of this happening in real life, at least when it's an official ambassador and not some unofficial peace visit a la Jane Fonda. Hell, it's often the most loyal servants who would be sent to the homeland of your bitterest enemies. Not logical.
* And Worf is a general of the Klingon Empire? Sure, the Klingons are allied with the Federation now and all, but I'd assume that his loyalties would still be to the Federation first.
* I can grudgingly accept Nero's ship wiping out fleets of 100-year-old starships with far inferior technology, despite his rig being a mining ship. But wiping out hordes of Klignon ships in the "present day?" WTF? I'm sure the convenient Romulan weapons dump was helpful, but the fact remains that this was a MINING SHIP. Retrofitting an oil tanker to be a warship is inherently going to result in something worse than a warship built as a warship. I guess they wanted to include Worf in the story somehow, but it felt like a lame way to do so.
**SPOILERS AHOY**
OVERALL PLOT NOTES:
I'm not sure I liked how they did Nero's story arc. Admittedly he DOES have a reason to be pissed off at the Vulcan high council, but not really Spock. It should be very obvious to Nero that Spock was trying to help and save Romulus.
Also. I suppose this is the point, but the Vulcan high council's decision was fantastically stupid. They don't want to let the red matter fall into the hands of the enemy? Fine, only send enough to stop the supernova, and send a big Federation escort along with the ship. And if the Romulans don't like it then they can let their planet be destroyed. The worry about the Romulans stealing it seems silly, and may not matter if the supernova really does "threaten the galaxy."
So, yeah, if Nero had gone to try and wipe out the Romulan high council in the past AND the Vulcan one, I'd have bought that from what the comic book setup. His grudge against Spock is weird.
NITPICKS:
* So what was the Enterprise doing conveniently hanging out in Romulan space anyway to meet Nero? (Because the plot required it had to be there. Right.)
* Yes, supernovas are well-known, so a good choice for a cataclysmic threat, but we want them to be different than real supernovas for dramatic purposes... fine. Still, some of the wonkiness is just silly here. Super flares of energy to warn people that turn planets into pure energy to power up the supernova for later? What? And aren't the Romulans supposed to be on par with the Vulcans for crazy technology? Shouldn't they have been able to confirm a well-known threat like a supernova, and not disbelieve it, especially one so blatant as this? Also I feel compelled to point out that if Alpha Centauri went nova, but we had faster-than-light starships to notice this, we'd have 4.3 YEARS to plan our evacuation from Earth. So, the impression I got from the movie was that this happened on a much shorter time scale - Romulus's star was looking "normal," but suspicious, Spock notices, the Romulan Imperial Senate disagrees, etc. At least then, there'd be an excuse both for the Romulans disbelieving warnings and for why Spock wasn't in time - once their star goes supernova, Romulus blows up only 10 minutes later or whatever. The impression I get from the comic book is that the Hobus star system is totally different; the closest rationalization I can give is that it's a binary star system with Romulus nearby, I guess, but meh.
* Also. The star is gaining mass and becoming more unstable? Nitpick, but supernovas occur when a star has LOST too much mass. Eating planets with superflares to give it more energy would presumably increase its stability and delay the time of destruction, actually (assuming such a gain of mass made sense, which it doesn't).
* Vulcans thought Spock was a traitor for going to Romulus? As an *ambassador*? That's what ambassadors *do.* I can't think of any examples of this happening in real life, at least when it's an official ambassador and not some unofficial peace visit a la Jane Fonda. Hell, it's often the most loyal servants who would be sent to the homeland of your bitterest enemies. Not logical.
* And Worf is a general of the Klingon Empire? Sure, the Klingons are allied with the Federation now and all, but I'd assume that his loyalties would still be to the Federation first.
* I can grudgingly accept Nero's ship wiping out fleets of 100-year-old starships with far inferior technology, despite his rig being a mining ship. But wiping out hordes of Klignon ships in the "present day?" WTF? I'm sure the convenient Romulan weapons dump was helpful, but the fact remains that this was a MINING SHIP. Retrofitting an oil tanker to be a warship is inherently going to result in something worse than a warship built as a warship. I guess they wanted to include Worf in the story somehow, but it felt like a lame way to do so.
September 12, 2016
Set immediately before the 2009 movie, this graphic novel ties the new films to the past in more ways than one. I loved seeing Spock, Picard, Data, Geordi LaForge, and Worf all together!
July 11, 2013
As a big fan of the most recent Star Trek movie, I got excited when I found out there were graphic novels that tied into the movie. I purchased all three tie-ins and will review each in order, but I read Countdown first since it was written as a prequel to the movie itself. This graphic novel focuses on how Nero turned into a villain and how Spock became so involved with the events of the movie. The backstory is fantastic and really increased my appreciation for the film. While this is perhaps an unfair comparison, I've read a lot of comics and novels tied into Star Wars, and very few give you as much detail as Countdown does. Grizzled Star Trek fans will like seeing lots of former characters appear as well. While I didn't know any of them, that did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. Special mention goes to the art which is fantastic. The coloring is dark and fits the tone of the newest movie. David Messina draws the actors from Star Trek extremely well too. If you liked Star Trek and especially Nero, this is something you will want to read and enjoy.
June 9, 2018
I'm a little delayed in finally reading this, but it was interesting "prelude" to Star Trek 2009. It does provide a unique link to the 24th Century Enterprise-E era to the event of Spock and Nero. I did feel like some of the characterizations were a bit "off" -- Spock seemed much more human than I've seen him. The political situation of Vulcan and the Federation seems off as well -- it seems to almost be acting independently from the Federation. I was not excited about what happens to Worf (no spoilers). It almost seemed like Nero just went crazy during the second half, and things were much more violent than I'm used to Star Trek being. I think this is skippable for any Star Trek fan -- 2009's issue with Nero was how little of a developed character he was. I'm not sure this adds that much to it.
May 11, 2009
I have no background in Star Trek other than my boyfriend sitting me down to suffer through The Wrath of Kahn. I bought this comic for his birthday due to his increasing excitement for the upcoming movie and he finally convinced me to read it. I like comics. I was going to see the movie. Why not?
I find Spock to be a very intriguing character and this comic book created additional depth for the movie (which is pretty much crazy awesome), both to the plot of the story as well as the character's background (or former future - it makes sense, trust me). The interplay of species and the entire game of who trusts who and why made a quick yet intriguing game of politics to follow. The story moves along quickly and a nice introduction to the universe for newbies like me.
I find Spock to be a very intriguing character and this comic book created additional depth for the movie (which is pretty much crazy awesome), both to the plot of the story as well as the character's background (or former future - it makes sense, trust me). The interplay of species and the entire game of who trusts who and why made a quick yet intriguing game of politics to follow. The story moves along quickly and a nice introduction to the universe for newbies like me.
December 10, 2009
This is a prelude to the 2009 movie and is a must have. The art is beautiful and the story is compelling. You also get to see what many other the Star Trek: The Next Generations characters are up too after the movies have finished. ^^
February 18, 2010
This graphic novel rocked! It is a prequel to last year's STAR TREK film. Set in the 24th century, it features several of the The Next Generation characters in a story that sets the stage for Nero and Spock's fateful return to the 23rd century. A must-read companion for any fan of the movie.
May 12, 2009
While it's not necessary that you read this before seeing the new "Star Trek" film, this four-part storyline will give the on-screen story a bit more depth and background.
May 31, 2016
I've been a fan of Star Trek since I took flight with Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock in the 60's. So, of course I loved this!
January 9, 2020
Sets up the movie!
April 25, 2022
Not bad for what it is. I enjoyed that it was a post-ST:TNG setting featuring many of those characters. It no longer fits into established timelines though.
January 21, 2019
Nice! A Star Trek story with a not-quite happy end. I understand that it's linked to the movie, but I am still in awe of the major change in style for a universe that killed so few named characters in the TV series. Several classic characters are featured, but most of the focus is on captain Nero and the cause for the destructive behaviour in the movie. I've been planning to read more Star Trek stories and this is a good start.
A supernova from the Hobus star threatens to destroy the galaxy. The rare decalithium is needed to create a black hole that can save the Romulan homeworld. Spock offers this solution, but is accused of a ploy against the empire because the Red Matter technology to employ the decalithium is found only on Vulcan. Also the Romulan scientists have deemed the supernova less harmful than he describes. Nero of the mining guild supports Spock's claims. He intends to leave his family behind and try to help, though it disobeys the senate.
A supernova from the Hobus star threatens to destroy the galaxy. The rare decalithium is needed to create a black hole that can save the Romulan homeworld. Spock offers this solution, but is accused of a ploy against the empire because the Red Matter technology to employ the decalithium is found only on Vulcan. Also the Romulan scientists have deemed the supernova less harmful than he describes. Nero of the mining guild supports Spock's claims. He intends to leave his family behind and try to help, though it disobeys the senate.
February 10, 2019
I always like a good villain background story, especially when it forces you to acknowledge that they aren't "pure evil" but a product of their circumstances and choices. As Spock says, “Remember at heart Nero is a good man. What drives him now is an incalculable pain.” Countdown gives Nero so much more depth than just "my family died and I blame Spock"; he is a Captain as admirable as any Federation captain, especially when interacting with his crew. Even in this far-flung future the Romulans and Vulcans still distrust each other so much that it leads to the destruction of Romulus and Nero's ultimate quest for vengeance, which I find incredibly saddening but realistic. Even alien species have trouble putting aside their prejudices in the face of imminent destruction: “And that is the choice the council faces. Whether to hold fast to old prejudices, old fears or to honor the better side of our nature with the intent of saving us all.” On a more superficial and pleasant note, I am 100% the fan that fanservice was created for and was screaming with joy when Captain Data of the Enterprise, Ambassador Picard, Geordi, and General Worf all showed up. I screamed equally loud when (SPOILER) Worf was impaled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2021
The story is a prequel to the Kelvin universe film in which Nero destroys Vulcan and plans to destroy the Earth. The Romulans part has them being told about a star that will explode and destroy the Romulan empire.
They don't believe. A young Nero is involved in trying to save Romulus.
Possible Spoilers:
wait for it
wait for it
wait for it
wait for it
Here's the review:
Then we have space pirates, the Enterprise E under the command of Camtain Data and Spock joins them. They try to get the Vulcan council to allow them to follow Spock's plan to destroy the star before it explodes but they are no better than the Romulan council, both failing to listen to solid information.
The star explodes, Nero blames the Vulcans (even though his own science council could have done something earlier). Romulus is destroy and Nero sets out on his path of evil. Geordi and Worf also make appearances in the story.
We also learn just how Spock and Nero ended up in another timeline for the movie. This type of book does a decent job of bringing back popular characters and giving them something to actually do plus it explains the background of Nero and just why he became a total villain.
They don't believe. A young Nero is involved in trying to save Romulus.
Possible Spoilers:
wait for it
wait for it
wait for it
wait for it
Here's the review:
Then we have space pirates, the Enterprise E under the command of Camtain Data and Spock joins them. They try to get the Vulcan council to allow them to follow Spock's plan to destroy the star before it explodes but they are no better than the Romulan council, both failing to listen to solid information.
The star explodes, Nero blames the Vulcans (even though his own science council could have done something earlier). Romulus is destroy and Nero sets out on his path of evil. Geordi and Worf also make appearances in the story.
We also learn just how Spock and Nero ended up in another timeline for the movie. This type of book does a decent job of bringing back popular characters and giving them something to actually do plus it explains the background of Nero and just why he became a total villain.
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