The publisher provided an advanced copy of this book for review consideration, but all opinions are those of the reviewer.
Writer: Mike Chen
Art: Angel Hernandez
Colors: Nick Filardi
Letters: Neil Uyetake
Publisher: IDW
Release Date: February 13, 2024
For a small but vocal contingent of Star Trek fans, Deep Space Nine represents the best series of the franchise. It featured in-depth explorations of faith, politics, and war. It’s serialized storytelling in later seasons made DS9 a unicorn in the history of early Trek. Although some argue that it strayed too far from creator Gene Roddenberry’s utopian vision, it was undeniably compelling television.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this beloved series, comic book publisher IDW released The Dog of War, a “lost” episode set during the show’s sixth season. The five-issue mini-series will release in a collected trade paperback on February 13.
How well does the series capture the spirit of DS9 and its characters? Is it a worthy addition? How accessible is the story for new readers?
The Corgi and the Borgi
The Dog of War is a tale firmly entrenched in the show’s continuity. It takes place during season 6, the height of the Federation’s war with the Dominion. After recapturing the space station DS9 from the Cardassians, the crew sweeps for dangerous, left-behind technology. What they detect leads them directly to one of the show’s most compelling characters: the Ferengi barkeeper Quark.
Quark is once again scheming. This time, he is engaged in a trade involving the sale of a purebred corgi and a mysterious device infused with Borg technology. While the crew falls in love with the dog, named Latinum, Captain Benjamin Sisko grapples with the implications of the Borg device. It could turn the tide of war in favor of the Federation, but at what cost? As the tale twists and turns toward its conclusion, the crew has to face off against poachers and thieves to save Latinum and perhaps the entire Federation…
A New Voice meets Familiar Characters
Novelist Mike Chen is no stranger to Star Trek, and it shows. As a contributor to startrek.com and a fan of the franchise, he brings a solid understanding of the DS9 characters to the table. Although he is more well-known for his original work and his contributions to Star Wars, Chen’s work here represents a solid foray into Federation space. All the main characters act in line with their portrayals in the television series. Given that this is also his first graphic novel, he executes the story and its issue-to-issue cliffhangers like an old pro. His work bodes well for his future comic book projects.
Hernandez and company bring the heat
Angel Hernandez, on the other hand, is an old pro in the Star Trek space. Cutting his teeth at DC comics with books like Arrow Season 2.5 eventually led to art duties for the crossover Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War. Since then, Hernandez has worked consistently on publisher IDW’s Star Trek books. His previous works include Star Trek: Year Five and various mini-series across the franchise. His work on the DS9 characters clearly illustrates why he is such an asset to IDW’s Trek books.
Hernandez has the ability to interpret character likenesses without ever falling into the trap of photo-realism. Too often, art in licensed comic books tries too hard to capture the likeness of the actors. The final art often feels stilted and static. In The Dog of War, Hernandez strikes a perfect balance between capturing likenesses and creating dynamic, expressive art. Each character is recognizable, yes, but also expressive and lively. It’s a perfect middle ground for a series like DS9.
Rounding out the art team are colorist Nick Filardi and letterer Neil Uyetake. Filardi’s colors here are arguably much more vivid and bright than the television series, but they represent a perfect complement to Hernandez’ art. The colors here work with the art in interpreting the look of the series rather than trying to imitate it. Visually, The Dog of War is pitch-perfect.
A Visit with Fan-Favorite Characters
The Dog of War is undeniably a fun visit with some familiar friends. Art and writing work well together to recapture each character. In some ways, fans will find the story fits like an old, comfortable shoe. Bashir and O’Brien have some holodeck fun, Odo is the ever-grumpy investigator, and Quark is the usual scoundrel with the heart of latinum.
The character that probably gets the most complete arc here is Benjamin Sisko. Given his backstory (his wife died in a Borg attack), it always seemed strange that he never got a chance to truly confront the Borg in the television series. Instead, the Borg went on to become major adversaries in sister-show Voyager.
The Dog of War tries to rectify this somewhat, confronting Sisko with Borg technology that could help the Federation win the war with the Dominion. He has to deal with his complicated feelings regarding the Borg and wrestle with questions regarding if and how this technology should even be used. The experience shows character growth that fits into the larger tapestry of the series without contradicting anything the show established.
A Tale not without Flaws
That is not to say the book is perfect. Given that the television series’ calling card was its character work and moral complexity, this is a fairly simple story. The good guys are heroic and the bad guys are villainous. It’s not particularly nuanced.
It also bears mentioning that, other than Sisko, none of the characters really have an arc. They each get a chance to shine with their contributions to the plot; however, they don’t have to confront complex feelings or inner conflict like Sisko.
The tale, as much fun as it is, also is far from new-reader friendly. Set in season 6, at the height of DS9‘s serialization, even this stand-alone story is so marred in continuity that it will connect most strongly with existing fans. A story set in season 1 or season 2 might have had a better chance of achieving accessibility.
This One’s for the Fans
In the end, The Dog of War accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: tell a fun story and revisit beloved characters in order to celebrate Deep Space Nine‘s 30th anniversary. It’s a solid tale fans of the series will no doubt enjoy. The story would have fit right into season 6 as an actual episode. That is the highest compliment one can pay to such a “lost” episode.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – The Dog of War is available for pre-order and will release on February 13, 2024.
If you enjoyed this review, check out more Byword comic book coverage.
Kris Hale