🚀 go-pugleaf

Baerbel Haddrell
===========



Yesterday I got issue #2 of the �Turnaround� story and I enjoyed it as 
much as the first issue. PAD introduced some new layers to the story but 
what I also liked is that a lot of it is not only for the benefit of 
newcomers. I am an NF old timer but I was able to learn new things that 
will also be interesting in future NF novels � and hopefully, more NF 
comics.

Unfortunately Thompson`s Calhoun is not getting better but I loved it 
what he did with the rest of the characters. Mueller is spot on. I liked 
it that PAD introduced her in a very humorous way. Mueller is a very 
complex character and I think it was the right choice to focus on her 
likeable side when introducing her. Mueller can be fun and the kind of 
flirting shown here is very much typical for her. I am not surprised 
that she finds Shelby`s second in command, de Paulo, attractive. I did 
in spite of the problems the artist has with faces. Obviously PAD made 
another conscious choice to have a more diverse mix of humans. I 
welcomed it a lot to see one of Shelby`s staff and I am hoping to meet 
more of her people in future within this comic series.

I loved the next part in which Kebron is offering his counselling skills 
to Calhoun. Him rolling his eyes and his bridge crew lifting hands like 
his school children � I could see again why I love PAD`s sense of humour.

The way PAD dealt with Morgan Lefler and her background impressed me. He 
managed to explain who and what she is during this issue in a way that 
seems so simple but at the same time touched all the important aspects. 
I also wonder how far Morgan will eventually evolve and about the 
consequences. With one word Calhoun summarized it: �Great� can mean many 
things. I had to think of �With great powers comes great responsibility� 
(Spider-Man). There is certainly a lot of potential for future stories. 
But this issue also touched Morgan`s humorous part and showed very well 
her present relationship with her daughter. The scene on the holodeck is 
beautifully done and very touching.

With Soleta, I think this is the first time that I prefer Thompson`s 
art. I also liked the way he portrayed Lucius. I could also see again 
that the artist is very talented at drawing SF technology: The Romulan 
ship and the Paradox together with the unknown strange looking thing is 
very impressive.

The end makes me look forward to the next issue � I think I know what 
this Jellico was talking about. It must be building on �Cutting Ties�, 
the NF Mirror Universe story in �Obsidian Alliances�. In �Cutting Ties� 
Calhoun and Soleta had a very interesting relationship and I find the 
idea that the comic will continue that story at least on some level 
exciting.

Baerbel Haddrell

> Baerbel Haddrell
> ============
>
> Dies ist meine Besprechung des dritten Bandes:
>
> When I read this comic I noticed a big improvement in the art. The 
> faces are definitely more hit than miss this time and sometimes I was 
> really impressed. And the last page � wow! That is a very nice 
> portrait of Mirror Calhoun!
>
> It seems that the artist is finding his feet and gets more comfortable 
> with these characters. I hope I am right and the next two issues are 
> at least on the same quality level. I am growing to like his art style 
> more.
>
> I liked the interaction of Soleta with the two different Jellicos. Now 
> Soleta is a prisoner with Admiral Jellico, one of the main advocates 
> responsible for her being kicked out of Starfleet. I wonder where this 
> will go. We still don`t know why Jellico turned from loathing Calhoun 
> to being one of his best friends. Should something similar happen 
> here? It wouldn`t surprise me. If Soleta survives this story, I am 
> very curious what will happen next.
>
> I was giggling all the time when I read about Kebron`s hilarious slide 
> show about his family holidays and poor Lucius having to watch it. 
> Well� it worked. That was an interesting torture :-).
>
> We now get some hints of what this is all about. It seems Mirror 
> McHenry, who was the madman we saw earlier, is behind all this. It is 
> his plan, it seems, but he obviously convinced Calhoun and not only 
> him that whatever this mad plan is, is the only way to get rid of the 
> dictatorship in his universe.
>
> Again, I would have loved it to read more. Now there are only two more 
> issues left. 

Baerbel Haddrell

Baerbel Haddrell
============



The cover is definitely eye-catching. That is excellent artwork and in 
general, I think Thompson`s art keeps improving. There are only very few 
examples in this comic that shows artwork with some minor flaws. Very 
impressive!

I also liked the way he showed Arex and M`Ress. I am glad that he didn`t 
simply put a cat into a Starfleet uniform as in the cartoons but found a 
good compromise. She still looks like the TAS character but at the same 
time more realistic. I regret it that with only one issue left, I 
probably won`t get the chance to see how Thompson would portray 
Calhoun`s sons, Xyon and Moke. It would have been interesting.

Thompson shows very well in this comic how good he is at showing facial 
expressions. The contrast between MU Calhoun and �our� Calhoun was 
interesting to watch.

I wish I could give so much praise to the story but one aspect put me 
off so much that it tainted my enjoyment of the rest of this issue. I 
wonder, why did PAD put the scene in the comic in which Soleta bites MU 
Calhoun? It is definitely not funny even if PAD seemed to have intended 
it that way. It also feels wrong. Soleta is not a Klingon. If she would 
have been a Klingon, it would have worked. In that case MU Calhoun`s 
reaction and explanation would make sense and although it would go 
against my human instincts, I could appreciate the intended humour and 
even smile at it, as I sometimes do, for example, at certain scenes in 
the Gorkon books.

Yes, Romulans are not Vulcans. But I have never heard or read that 
Romulans like violent sexual activities as Klingons do. What was the 
point of introducing this now? Maybe showing that Soleta is a kind of 
pervert in both universes? Or make MU Calhoun look more primitive, more 
savage compared with �ours�? There was absolutely no need for it and it 
tainted a scene that otherwise would have been interesting, even touching.

I also wondered, why is MU Kalinda constantly leaning against MU Lefler 
and resting her head on her shoulder? I don`t mind at all if in the MU 
they are more than just friends but in this situation it looked 
ridiculous and inappropriate.

I don`t have enough information yet to make any judgements about who is 
right and wrong here but I can see that the background is complex. 
Hopefully the last issue will answer all questions.

Baerbel Haddrell

Baerbel Haddrell
============

Dies ist meine Besprechung des 5. und letzten Comics der New Frontier 
Reihe "Turnaround".


Now that I have finished the whole series I can say, I like it. I can`t 
say that it is one of Peter David`s best stories but it is an enjoyable, 
entertaining read. All right, Soleta`s biting attack on MU Calhoun in 
issue #4 is a minus but compared to the rest of the story, it is not 
something that spoils the total of the limited series much.

The discussion between the two Calhouns was very interesting. It starts 
with it that MU Calhoun mentioned that he was forging some alliances in 
�our� universe. It makes me wonder if this has something to do with what 
is happening in DS9 Relaunch at the moment. Or it could be something 
different that might affect other known characters. Anyway, this could 
be a hint of what we will find in the coming novel �Treason� and/or more 
separate MU Calhoun adventures. I am curious.

I could understand MU Calhoun. I wonder if the Riker from the reality in 
which the Borg won (the TNG episode �Parallels�) would have been able to 
use a time ship, I can imagine he would have tried the same. But the 
desperate and unfocused use of a time ship is even more dangerous than 
Calhoun`s much more calculated and limited use of time travel. It was 
good to see how both Calhouns finally agreed that MU Jellico had to be 
stopped.

Under these circumstances, the Paradox had to be destroyed. Although the 
sling shot manoeuvres I remember ended at least mostly positive, having 
time ships at your disposal is a different matter. I also don`t think 
humanity and in general, beings on the same level, are ready for it. The 
problem is, after such a prototype had been built, sooner or later this 
technology will be used again. Hopefully the Federation will be ready 
and better prepared next time.

I wonder what happened to Morgan. I find her development fascinating but 
have been wondering for a while how far this will go. As soon as a crew 
member becomes too powerful like Wesley and McHenry, they leave if they 
are not killed. After posting this review at the Trek BBS I read more 
comments and remembered that PAD mentioned that one crew member will 
die. Now I think it is very likely that Morgan is indeed dead.

I am very happy that �Turnaround� is successful and that gives me more 
hope for another New Frontier limited series hopefully not too far in 
the future. Stephen Thompson`s art grew on me and I am confident, if he 
gets the chance to work for another NF series, his art would become even 
better.

My copy of the trade paperback edition is already pre-ordered.

Baerbel Haddrell