The Worst of Both Worlds // Star Trek's 55th Anniversary
This one is going to be a little personal. It’s the 55th year of Star Trek being around, but we’re going to look at the second run of licensed comics of Star Trek: The Next Generation. DC ran a miniseries with some questionable art that we’ve looked at before, but it was relaunched with 1989’s third season. The third season also acted as a soft reboot for much of the designs as well. Gone was the literal spandex one-piece jumpsuits that nearly crippled the actors. In were wool two-piece uniforms that created what fans called “The Picard Maneuver” with the cast often needing to tug down the top after standing up in a dramatic fashion. The writing also improved, as did the characterization, resulting in one of the better science fiction shows of the 20th century. DC also relaunched their original series book at the same time, making the numbering identical as the books rolled on.
In 1993, the comic series was approaching its 50th issue, and the crew wanted to do something big. Licensed works tend to be rather limited in what can be done, as the companies giving out the licenses tend to demand specific details. No character development that can be undone, no loss of limb or life of existing televised characters, and in the case of Star Trek? Only the creators can decide when a ship will get wrecked.
This story would side-step all of them, and be a real treat for fans.
The first hint the average reader got that something big was going to happen came in the next issue teaser from issue 46. Back in the early 90s, comic books weren’t this massive inescapable multimedia interface. If you were lucky, your favorite creator would have an interview in Amazing Comics or Wizard Magazine, where they would hype up their upcoming project. If it was in Wizard at this time, it was likely about a pouch-loaded-gun-toting anti-hero, so word on Star Trek comics were remarkably slim. You might also have a brief mention teasing at something happening in an internal hype book, like Marvel Age. Marvel Age was a large monthly tome that served as a comic checklist, as well as teasing at future events - many curiously cancelled instead of carried through.
Either way, the most common way to hear about what was coming next was either the advertisements in-comic (of which Star Trek had few), or the next-issue teaser at the back where the Editor hyped up the next comic to entice readers to come back. Editor Alan Gold wrote up what could only be best called an understatement, seeing what the comic did. The first issue, though, had a great hint at what was happening.
A fistfight, and what looks like some weird uniforms. However, the title certainly snagged a lot of attention: The Worst of Both Worlds.
The Worst of Both Worlds was penned by Michael Jan Friedman, penciled by Peter Krause, and inked by Pablo Marcos. It was also colored by Julianna Ferriter, and lettered by Bob Pinaha.
For those who’ve not seen The Next Generation, the title calls back to the season 3 and season 4 two-part episode, The Best of Both Worlds. It’s the second time Star Trek did a cliffhanger episode, and the first time it was done at the end of a season to tease fans as to what the hell could happen. To make a long story short, Captain Picard is kidnapped by alien cybernetic menace the Borg, and is converted into their spokesperson - and it’s up to the crew of the Enterprise to bring him back. It’s often cited as some of the best of Star Trek in general, and was even one of the few episodes to be lashed into a movie when the HD remastering of The Next Generation was being done. This likely means a sequel to the adventure, and it got kid me salivating - but this wasn’t my introductory issue.
The comic opens with Captain Picard reminiscing over his time as Locutus from that two-part story, and thanking whatever deity he believes in that he escaped the Borg. Meanwhile, we also see some of the crew laying the brickwork for character growth for the story: ship’s CMO Beverly Crusher is lamenting seeing her son so grown up, while Commanders Riker and Troi are rekindling their friendship with what could be seen as a romantic dinner.
It’s a really nice character beat that Riker just isn’t the kind of man who wants fancy food, but I can’t help but wonder what kind of fine alcohol would go well with franks and beans. Maybe it’s just whisky in that wine flute?
These brief moments of the crew getting to relax are quickly shattered when the Enterprise is sucked into a weird spatial rift and spat out in what Commander Data assumes is an alternate universe. One where all the nearby worlds, ones teeming with life just minutes before, have been dead for years. This is nailed down when they come across the star drive of another Galaxy-class star ship, much like their own.
Somehow, no one bothers to look at the registration.
The ship doesn’t answer any hails, but it is still operational. However, before the crew can react, the entire bridge crew of the Enterprise are taken by the other ship’s transporter! While they claim that they don’t wish to harm anyone, security chief Worf charges headlong like a berserker in combat, backhanding one of these kidnappers. At which point the enemy pulls phasers.
Who let Nathaniel Christopher Charles Summers Askani’son Dayspring into Star Trek?
Everyone gets to participate in this rumble, which makes it a shame that this wasn’t somehow an episode of the series. Data carries counselor Troi out of the way of phaser fire, while Ensign Ro Laren spin kicks a phaser out of someone’s hand. Even Picard gets in on the fisticuffs, cold-clocking a security guard across the chin. Worf finally meets his match with… himself?
Finally, the action does as the crew of the Enterprise realize they’ve met the crew of… the Enterprise!
Oh, God! The 90s are spreading!
Coloring error on Commander Shelby notwithstanding, this is a fantastic reveal. The uniforms are actually a blend of several alternate costumes we’ve seen through the years on The Next Generation, with combadges coming from Future Imperfect, base uniforms and belts from Future Enterprise, and a nice addition of these weird but distinctive external shoulder padding. Worf’s uniform also has a blend of Klingon armor, and the torn sleeves is a hilariously 90s touch for a series that desperately tried to be timeless.
There are also a lot of neat details, including Riker’s eye patch, the slab of metal put on Geordi’s VISOR, and O’Brien’s scar. Again, these are ridiculously 90s additions to the actors, but they give a good impression that they’ve had a hard life. Geordi should be able to switch out his VISOR, but can’t. Riker could have a new eye, or a better looking cyborg one. Not here. Even scarring is a thing of the past in then-modern Star Trek, but this O’Brien doesn’t get that luxury.
Finally calmed down, the two crews meet up in a dilapidated conference room. This Riker breaks down how things went south, and that the Borg are close to wiping out Earth. This remnant of the Enterprise is all that remains of Starfleet, and the crew has basically been running on fumes and grit for three years.
It’s like someone slapped Claremontean melodrama into Star Trek. And I love it.
There’s no mention of any other alien civilizations, which does make the story feel a little shallow. What are the Klingons or Romulans doing? What about the other species of Starfleet, like the Vulcans? However, working with only four issues of 90s comics does mean that the story does have to be compressed versus an episode of a TV show, and the note of this damaged Enterprise being the only one left in Starfleet does at least satisfy on a first time reading.
Reluctantly, both crews agree to work together to try and save what remains of the Federation in this universe. To ensure the TV crew doesn’t just run off to their own universe, they are kept on the alternate Enterprise while a crew from the alternate ship mans the TV show’s bridge. It’s a subtle thing I admit to not picking up on originally, but the crew is literally being held hostage by their rougher and more brutal counterparts. Less subtle, though, is when the alternate crew realize that those they’ve lost are still alive in this world.
This week in O’Brien Must Suffer: realizing his dead family is still dead!
When it comes to licensed comics, particularly Star Trek, this is surprisingly nuanced. You see, Commander Shelby was already an outsider from the original TV event this spins out of. She and Riker butted heads rather frequently before putting their antagonism aside and worked together. It looks like this Shelby… hasn’t. Or perhaps the last three years have really worn on her.
I mean, she does talk openly about mutiny. While her dialogue lacks the subtlety of the television show here, it’s a really nice way to show how crap things have gotten in the last three years. Starfleet is gone, and their last hope is a motley crew of barely sane, bitter adults.
Captain Riker asks Picard what else he could need from his ship, and Picard asks for his Doctor Crusher to be brought over. Beverly is having a cup of coffee with Chief O’Brien’s wife Keiko when the alternate Wesley and O’Brien stop by to pick up the good doctor. Keiko understandably freaks out upon seeing a stranger with her husband’s face, and Beverly doesn’t take long to realize that this Wesley just isn’t her son. It’s a nice scene where the Crushers connect despite not being technically related, and one that drives home how much more hopeful that the TV show’s universe is.
In the science lab of the wrecked Enterprise, we get more of an insight to this universe’s Geordi as well. While setting up the cage to hold Locutus, this Geordi wishes that they could lash out and cause the Borg some pain as revenge. He tries to justify his words, claiming that they just don’t understand. While the normally positive TV Geordi doesn’t mind his bitter counterpart, he does speak out when this Geordi bashes Data, his best friend.
Ensign Ro also steps in, and we see that maybe this isn't hatred of Data, but a bitterness over losing his best friend.
With a meeting between the Captains, both universes realize where they diverged. During the attempt to rescue their Picard, the crew of this Enterprise did not fire off multiple spreads of anti-matter. This firework effect distracted the Borg in the TV episode, allowing Data and Worf to sneak inside the Borg vessel. Without that distraction, the alternate Data was killed, and Worf nearly died himself. Commander Riker figures it can’t hurt to try the plan again. It’s also decided that Picard needs to be on this rescue mission, since he has some memory of the Borg Cube from his time on the ship. The alternate Worf throws an honor fit, feeling that this is a denial of his chance to redeem himself.
Also, Riker has somehow switched to a red t-shirt under his jacket. This makes him feel even more 90s with the jacket holster for his phaser.
Again, it’s not subtle. But this universe seems to be anything but subtle, working on strength rather than the rule of law. And yet, it almost makes perfect sense for the universe to have gone this wrong. Again, awesome storytelling for a Star Trek comic.
Something to also note here is the coloring job done by Julianna Ferriter. She does her damned best, but this is before digital coloring techniques became common. As such, there is a much smaller spread of colors that can be taken advantage of. This can be seen with other old comics, where the color blue is often used for highlighting black colors - like in Superman’s hair. Here, though, it leaves the crews of the Enterprise looking like they’re wearing blue jeans.
Again, though, hilariously fitting for these 90s misfits.
Both Enterprises make it to the Borg ship, still in orbit over the Earth. The plan to infiltrate the cube works, and we get a neat sequence of Picard and Data going commando over the Borg security forces.
I can also see Patrick Stewart narrating these lines, and they work as a nice unintentional call forward to Picard’s mental state in the movie First Contact.
After finally breaking through to the center of the cube, however, there’s a problem: no Locutus!
“Where’s Locutus” was the less popular “Where’s Waldo” spinoff.
As the Enterprises escape with no casualties, Data is able to amp up the ship’s sensors and find out what happened. Locutus is on Earth - at Starfleet Headquarters! Picard once again volunteers to throw himself at whatever the Borg have planned, and the alternate Worf also eagerly jumps at the chance to go. It’s decided that TV Worf will also go, along with Commanders Data and Riker. Can’t help but notice that Captain Riker is more than willing to toss the alternate universe crew to the wolves, though.
As we wait for the plan to go into action, TV Worf tries to calm his angrier counterpart. Here, we have TV Worf experience one of the few bits of development a licensed comic character can receive: retroactive character growth.
I wish this was a two-part episode. I just want furious, snarly Michael Dorn dressed in this biker gang outfit of a uniform.
At the very least, this further fleshes out TV Worf by showing that he can control himself when it comes to duty, and explains why this Worf is such a ball of barely-restrained rage. The shame of three years of failure have been wearing on him more than anyone, since his mission could have stopped it all.
The crews finally put this second plan into motion, with the TV Enterprise acting as a decoy while the broken Enterprise delivers the away team. Captain Riker calls them the more expendable ship, and Shelby has her own ideas if Riker’s plan fails. For those who don’t remember, the saucer section of the TV Enterprise is filled with civilians, a lot of them children.
Yep. Expendable.
While the reader digests that subtle horror, the away team drops down to San Francisco. Luckily, the Borg ignore the relatively small team as they find Starfleet Headquarters. Once they’re inside, however, the reader is treated to some of the best PG horror you can cram into a family-friendly comic following the Comics’ Code Authority.
Even worse is that this is before the Borg injected you with nanomachines. Instead, all we had to go off of was that they would brainwash you and rip off body parts while you were conscious. Hooray!
Tragically, they can’t stop. If they save even one person, the Borg would be alerted to their presence, and the attempt to rescue Locutus would fail. The alternate Worf, who has shed his armor for a full uniform with sleeves, leads the charge. It doesn’t take long for the away team to locate the leader of the Borg.
The Borg dogpile on the away team, hurling drone after drone like Zapp Brannigan himself was in charge. Both Worfs wrangle Locutus off his dias, but the phasers Picard and company brought with them are losing effectiveness. Picard and Commander Riker are hurled about like rag dolls, while even Data is struggling. Worf demands they all be beamed back, as both are holding Locutus down. However, the Borg take aim and-
“My god… they removed his melanin!”
And this is where I picked up the comic. I found it at a gas station newsstand in 1993, and begged Mom for a copy. I would go on to read the issue almost to pieces - the issue is still in my collection, albeit with staples keeping it together. The cover had entranced me, and it’s easy to see why.
Painted by Jason Palmer, this cover easily sets the tone for the issue. Both Enterprises and crews, struggling against the Borg. The issue also does not wait for the reader to catch up, much less explain what’s happening, launching into things with Picard and Riker wondering if both Worfs are dead. Luckily, they’re all finally beamed up just before the Borg kill them.
Once they’re back onboard the damaged Enterprise, TV Worf regains consciousness, but the alternate Worf has died. It seems he took the brunt of the blast, saving both his captain and TV series double. TV Worf mourns in the Klingon way, while Locutus is carried to the science lab. Meanwhile, the Borg Cube has changed their focus from Earth, and onto the alternate Enterprise. They’re pissed, and nothing the TV Enterprise does can get their attention.
In the science lab, Picard asks if Data can make the Borg “sleep.” This was the catch in the Borg programming that ended the threat in The Best of Both Worlds, an undefended low-level command that caused all of the Borg to go and recharge their bodies at the same time. This resulted in the Borg not only going dormant, but overloading the ship and making it explode. There’s just one problem.
There’s no “sleep” command.
See, here’s the thing. Throughout this book, there have been a ton of small hints that, while the failure of the crew to rescue alternate Picard was the key division between the universes, it wasn’t the only one. Doctor Beverly Crusher did not return back to the Enterprise after the second season’s content, staying on Earth. Chief O’Brien and Keiko got married after the Best of Both Worlds two-parter, but they were married here prior. Not to mention, the entire uniform and iconography of Starfleet was different. Picard finally realizes that this means the world just may not be able to be saved the same way.
And then Commander Shelby decides to enact her mutiny.
However, this universe’s Wesley Crusher realizes what they’re doing is wrong. Rather than continue, he brings the ship about. Shelby threatens to kill him with a phaser set to the highest level, but the alternate Chief O’Brien stuns her before she can do that.
Meanwhile, both Rikers are on the damaged Enterprise, with Captain Riker’s idea that his TV counterpart just might have some ideas he wouldn’t think of. In this case, using any remaining shuttles as unpiloted suicide bombers to crash into the Borg’s shields, ripping large enough holes for the Enterprise’s weapons to shoot past the shields. Unfortunately, the Borg catch on, and strike at main Engineering.
Oh, hey! Chief Argyle! The guy who was fired from the TV show once fan mail began pouring in over how cool he was… before his episode had aired. Whoops!
Main power goes down, and backups are just barely working. Just as the Borg start to cut into the star drive section, the TV Enterprise comes crashing back, causing major damage to the Borg. Unfortunately, it’s not enough, and both ships are caught in tractor beams by the unstoppable cube.
Frustrated beyond any rational ideas, Picard marches up to his counterpart and whispers something in his ear. Luckily, it seems to pay off, and Locutus begins to cry. With his humanity reached, the speaker for the Borg utters one word: Eat.
Another cool parallel without being an instant solution, Data executes the command. The Borg instantly stop, their desire to feed overwhelming what power the cube still had. Maxing out the reactor, the cube shuts down, and the Borg inside literally freeze to death as the ship’s environmental systems ceased. As everyone reels from the fac that they’re alive, TV Geordi asks what exactly Picard had whispered to his counterpart. How had he dredged up his humanity?
He didn’t. He aimed for the Vulcan emotions that could reside within him.
In another awesome callback, this refers to the third season episode Sarek, where Spock’s father was dying from a Vulcan disease that ruined his mental control. Sarek had mind-melded with Picard to balance himself out temporarily, but caused Picard severe mental duress at the time. Picard would keep that small portion of Sarek with himself, and it makes perfect sense that this Picard could be similarly effected. Genius bit of writing here, and one that blew my mind as a kid.
Luckily, repairs are quick to make for both ships, and the canon crew of the starship Enterprise are able to escape this twisted universe and back to their own just as the dimensional rift closes. True to many Star Trek episodes, the bridge crew has a brief reminiscence about if they could have been as strong-willed and headstrong as their counterparts had been, if they had failed? Hopefully, Picard muses, they’ll never need to find out.
Letter pages from the following issues show this was a massive hit with the fans, or at least those who wrote in to Starfleet Confidential, the letters page. Those who weren’t nitpicking about color choice or missing accessories raved about how awesome these Borg were, and how cool the alternate crew was. While most issues were forgotten about as the letters for that issue came in, The Worst of Both Worlds remained in the letters column for months, and it wasn’t uncommon for a fan to toss in “and hey, loved issue 50” at the end of their letter. Insistent fans were also given the reasons how the alternate Riker lost an eye, and why Geordi’s VISOR had a patch. I’ll let editor Alan Gold take this, from the letters page of issue 53:
Brudder, you really have a need to know. Well, Riker-A was playing around with the flatware, see, even though his mother warned him he would poke his eye out if he didn’t put down that demitasse spoon immediately. And Geordi-A was trying to open a new bottle of pickles, but he didn’t have a knife to tap the lid and break the vacuum, so he had to use the next best thing. Who would have thought that a lid could be on so tight?!
Hey, we never said Alan was taking those questions seriously.
The Worst of Both Worlds never received a collected trade from DC during the time they had the license. This is rather unfortunate, as they did release multiple collections for earlier issues, including one for the same comic’s The Star Lost from a few years back. Luckily, IDW has actually published a reprint that’s been digitally touched up. If you want to read this for yourself and don’t want to hunt down issues on eBay, The Worst of Both Worlds can be found in IDW’s Star Trek Archives Volume 2: The Best of the Borg. It’s what we used for the screen caps here, and looks fantastic.
While most licensed Star Trek comics can be considered disposable, there’s always a rare issue where you get something worthy of being on TV alongside the other episodes of the show. This is one of them, and I’m incredibly thankful that I stumbled across it as a kid.
