Showing posts with label Neil Uyetake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neil Uyetake. Show all posts

Monday, September 22, 2025

Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 Review

 


Writers: Susan Bridges & Tilly Bridges

Artist: Ángel Hernández

Colorist: Charlie Kirchoff

Letterer & Design: Neil Uyetake

Editors: Heather Antos & Cassandra Jones

Cover Artists: Ángel Hernández, David Nakayama & Photo Cover

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 3, 2025

 

It is a time for celebration. The USS Voyager has traveled through a heretofore unexplored region of space. Forget the USS Enterprise’s five-year mission. The crew of the USS Voyager has spent the last seven years returning home after the Caretaker abducted them. They return with a treasure trove of information on the Delta Quadrant.

 

Captain Janeway may have made some controversial calls during her captaincy. But she accomplished the impossible and got her crew home. How will Starfleet Command welcome them? Will any problems arise as the crew stands down? Let’s grab our phasers, leap into Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1, and see!

 

Story

The crew welcomes Admiral Paris, Admiral Kittim, and their associates to the bridge. The Admirals commend Captain Janeway for enhancing her crew with former Maquis and Borg soldiers. Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres introduce Admiral Paris to his grandchild. While most of the crew is relieved to achieve this Endgame, the ship's Second-in-Command suffers. Tuvok looks forward to mind melding with a relative before the disease ravaging his brain inflicts permanent damage.

 

Trouble arises in Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 when Harry Kim disturbs Captain Janeway during her final cup of coffee in her Ready Room. The Ensign reports that he cannot access his controls. Other officers report similar difficulties. Captain Janeway looks out her window and discovers that they are leaving space dock. The crew should be transporting to Earth. Instead, someone has hijacked the USS Voyager.

 

Janeway and her crew must once again adopt controversial strategies to uphold Starfleet ideals. Technically, they have handed over control of their vessel to the Admirals. Perhaps Janeway and her crew are breaking regulations again. But they're determined to return to Earth, whatever the cost. Susan Bridges & Tilly Bridges deliver a taut sci-fi mystery. The drama and action build as the crew investigates their abductors. As Starfleet President Laira Rillak will one day say, "Reasons do matter. It’s the only way justice can be just.” But in Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1, their abductors aren’t asking for leniency.

 

Art

Ángel Hernández begins with a splash page of Voyager approaching Earth, before showing snapshots from their journey. Despite their elation at returning home, only Harry Kim stands facing the Admirals as they enter the bridge. But Captain Janeway turns to face the welcoming party. The camera shows Earth on the viewscreen as Janeway transfers power to Admiral Owen Paris. Then Tuvok clutches his forehead. Two hands, one alien, the other human, sprout from the deeply spiritual Vulcan’s face.

 

Charlie Kirchoff lavishes a loaded palette on Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 as the action moves throughout the ship. Starfleet may have relegated Red Shirts to the records banks. Still, red unites the crew, as many wear it on their shoulders or necks. Blue links the ship's interiors and Janeway's materializing coffee mug with Earth's oceans. Yet in this series that celebrates found family, the highlights in Janeway's auburn hair link her with the sickbay wall behind Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres, and baby Miral.

 

Neil Uyetake opens Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 with uppercase black letters in white narrative boxes. A red stripe, accompanied by four gold pips, adorns Captain Janeway's contemplation. Letters shrink for lowered voices. Com transmissions appear in balloons without arrows and with blue outlines. The hijackers’ words inhabit puffy clouds. Yet their outrage fills the air as a volley of phaser fire shoots toward them. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As they hand over control of the USS Voyager, the crew is jubilant. But their jovial mood fizzles as Lieutenant Tom Paris notices someone is acting weird. Once again, her remark to Ensign Harry Kim, “Weird is part of the job,” returns to haunt Captain Janeway in Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For a two-page preview and more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch



Thursday, July 18, 2024

My Little Pony Maretime Mysteries #2 Review


 


Writer: Abby Bulmer

Artist: Dax Gordine

Colorist: Valentina Pinto

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Cover Artists: Abigail Starling & Shauna Grant

Publisher: IDW

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10, 2024

Guest Reviewer: Dragoncache's Gal

 

 

Misty Brightdawn has moved to Maretime Bay, where she found a game called Maretime Mysteries in a curio shop. Playing the game with her friends Sunny, Hitch, and Sparky unleashes a curse on the town of Maretime Bay. Can the curse be broken? Let’s gallop into My Little Pony Maretime Mysteries #2 and find out!

 

Story

An evil genie hiding in the game has cursed the town of Maretime Bay. Misty and her friends must find clues to break the curse and return the Maretime Bay to normal.   Misty blames herself, but Sunny and Hitch are true friends who keep her spirit up and do not blame her for what has happened. 

 

Throughout My Little Pony Maretime Mysteries #2, Abby Bulmer gives us a tour of Maretime Bay using cleverly written clues that Misty and the others must decipher.   With each deciphered clue, the town gets a little topsy-turvier, and the ponies must work together to find an enchantment to break the curse.

 

Art

In My Little Pony Maretime Mysteries #2, Dax Gordine builds the Maretime Bay town with plenty of fun details, but more impressive is the way Dax Gordine shows the wide range of emotions that the ponies go through, from self-doubt, surprise, fear, thoughtfulness, to name a few.   Valentina Pinto fills the pages with vibrant colors that bring life to the story.

 

Neil Uyetake’s uppercased lettering is well-spaced and easy to read in white bubbles, which helps readers flow through My Little Pony Maretime Mysteries #2.

 


 

 

Final Thoughts

By working with Sunny and Hitch, Misty learns more about her new home and what friendship means in My Little Pony Maretime Mysteries #2. When someone is new to a place or job, working with other experienced people can get the job done.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my gal's review at Comic Book Dispatch.