Star Trek: Holo-Ween

by Chris Sequeira, Joe Eisma (illustrator)

Horrors from Starfleet's past are back with a vengeance in this miniseries. To save the ship, Picard and crew will have to become monsters themselves!

The evil Redjac presence--a.k.a. Jack the Ripper from the Star Trek episode "Wolf in the Fold"--has returned. And this time it has a new terrifying tool at its disposal: the holodeck. As Redjac seizes control of Picard's Enterprise and spreads holographic horror, the only way for the crew to resist insanity is to become one with their fears. Ship counselor Commander Deanna Troi concocts a daring plan for an away team to become hypnotized holodeck-incarnations of timeless horror monsters, such as Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and others. Once they infiltrate the illusions, they can fight fear with fear. However, will they be able to defeat Redjac and break their hypnosis before their minds are permanently altered? Or will the crew be stuck as movie monsters forever?

Genres: Star Trek, Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The evil entity once known as Redjac has entered the holodeck systems of the 'U.S.S. Enterprise' and begins a reign of terror unseen for over a century.

The artwork is fine, with some good likenesses. Sadly, the weak point here is in the plot. A MacGuffin is used twice and loses all sense of danger the second time around. Still an enjoyable hour of time.

[Scott Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this is very silly but it’s still quite entertaining and I love the art.

[Zane Brumley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, campy romp that I wish TNG actually did during its run. Holo-Ween excellently uses Troi and her empathic and psychiatric traits. Looking at the reviews here, I think some people are too harsh on this story. Does the comic use too many thought bubbles for narration, probably, but I don't think it makes the comic bad. The cartoon-y art style and early horror aesthetics easily inform the reader not to take this story too seriously.

[James Bowman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very silly TNG story that doesn't seem to be sure whether it's being silly or not. Basically a contrivance to have the bridge crew cosplay as monsters to fight Redjac. This might have worked as a short story, or a Q story, but as is it just doesn't work very well. There is one team-up idea near the end that would have likely made for a better plot. (C)

[Joel Jorden · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just didn't work for me. I get why the story was what it was, but the crew cosplaying as monsters basically fell flat for me. Did not care. Kudos for including Armus and Scotty, though, I loved those inclusions.

If that whole plot point had been dropped, and it had focused on Redjac using the Borg implants, THAT would have been a Star Trek story right up my alley!

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story quickly bogs down in techno-babble, affected speech, and series call backs, making it a chore to read.

[Tim O'neill · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I haven’t read many Star Trek comics (the phenomenal Warp Your Own Way is a happy exception, along with Star Trek / X-Men long ago). This one hasn’t convinced me to start—there’s little more here beyond the initial pitch, and from there it just sort of gœs thru the motions without any interesting character notes. It earns above two stars by one inspyred extended cameö, tho a second surprise cameö fell really, really flat.

[Mike Wood]

During prep for a Halloween celebration, original-series Trek villain Redjac materializes on the Enterprise and starts causing fear-based havoc, and the only way the crew can stop him is by turning their bodies and brains into classic movie monsters -- Troi as a mummy, Riker as a werewolf, Data as a frankenstein, Picard as Mr Hyde, and Worf as the "Klingon from the Qij Lagoon". I didn't know Trek comics could be this deliriously delightful, and now need to read more ASAP.

I wish this were an episode of the series. We got that Animorphs-y episode "Genesis", and the Robin Hood one -- why not this???

[Ben A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Star Trek: Holo-Ween was filled with some great ideas and great art but the end result just didn't work for me. It really felt like each panel, unnecessarily, had to have thought or dialogue balloons. I've been a big fan of the recent IDW Trek books, but this is the first time I've really been let down. Somewhere in those pages though, a really good Star Trek story exists, and it was very nice to look at. I hope the creative team gets another shot.

Special Thanks to IDW Publishing and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the lead up to Halloween, the TNG crew encounter a previous TOS adversary, Redjac, and decide to fight fear with fear - as classic monsters. Imagine Scooby Doo x TNG and add holodeck shenanigans ... Really, holodecks are more trouble than they are worth.

Based on the dismal average rating, I was expecting a snorefest but I was entertained by the bonkers premise. Let's be honest, this could have been made into a campy and nostalgic Halloween episode, in the vein of the DS9 episode Trials and Tribble-ations, and Star Trek has had weirder episodes than this.

[Ed · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is pretty good but the story is just awful. A spooky Halloween holodeck adventure? Sounds good. But building it around the villains of two of the worst Star Trek episodes of all time (Redjac and Armus)? No thank you.

[Zoidberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Season 7 was the perfect place to position this story in the Star Trek timeline… bonkers idea and would have been a fun episode. Second half of the story got too far into fan fiction with Scotty and army’s showing up.

[Mutant Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

How could I say no to a goofy Holodeck premise like this? I've always liked stories that bridge the gap between TOS and TNG. Unfortunately, the plot is too stupid for its own good and never achieves any real tension. Not even Scotty could beam this one up to snuff. Great variant covers, though.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's with the low ratings? I thought this was really fun, creative, and humor-filled!

[Joseph Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the Star Trek comics I've ever read, this was one. Happy Halloween!

[Jesse A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silly

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the art work, and the story was fun

[Elliot · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is some Scooby-Doo-ass shit

[Amanda · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

This is dreadful. I had a great time.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a short genre treatment of a genre franchise it’s a good diversion. This is not so much a spoiler for the very reason I mention it, but the Redjac involvement is given away all too early. It might have been more fun to tease a few other causes and build up some tension.