Once in while, an idea comes along that has the potential to be a game changer. Many years ago, someone was sitting in a room and said, “Hey gents (cuz it was many years ago, people said ‘gents’ back then), I do declare that we should put chocolate around this disc of delicious peanut butter!” This was met with a good hearty round of applause, and the greatest pairing of all time began! The greatest pairing of all time…………UNTIL NOW!
One is a 900 year old Time Lord. A mad man with a box.
The other is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise.
People from IDW Publishing were sitting in a room and said, “Hey guys (see? It’s current day now. No ‘gents’), let’s do a Doctor Who crossover with Star Trek: The Next Generation!” This was met with a simultaneous collection of “OH MY GOD!”’s, and nerds all collective hyperventilated.
It really should have happened sooner. For God's sake, Batman has fought the Predator. The Avengers teamed up with the Transformers. Ash battled Freddy and Jason twice. Hell, Archie even met The Punisher. Comic book crossovers happen all the tiem. Why did it take so long to combine the two longest running science fiction franchises? That question doesn't matter anymore because "Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2" is here now!
The issue opens with the Borg attacking Delta IV, but something is different about the Borg’s attack. Usually the techno obsessed race gives their “Resistance is Futile” spiel before committing mass acts of assimilation. Also, there are some different looking Borg. Robots that almost look like…wait…are those…Cybermen? The infamous Doctor Who baddies that are obsessed with deletion? It sure is. Before you get an explanation for the invasion, you’re whisked away to ancient Egypt where The Doctor and his companions, Amy Pond and Rory, are gallivanting through the city in a horse drawn carriage. They are chased by Egyptian guards but the skills that Rory learned as The Last Centurion keep them out of harm’s way. After reaching the palace, The Doctor saves the Pharaoh from his alien-in-disguise vizier. Once the historical day is saved, the TARDIS decides to send the Who Crew off to San Francisco in 1941. Something is wrong, and The Doctor is doing his usual “Everything is fine when it really isn’t” routine, but then they happen to run into a very familiar looking albino android.
The first issue has some beautiful artwork from J.K Woodward. This isn’t his first time doing the art for the Star Trek universe. He’d previously worked on “Star Trek: The Last Generation”, as well as “Star Trek: New Frontier”. He’s captured the look of the characters that you’ve come to love from their many adventures through time and space with a gorgeous painted look. Scott and David Tipton, as well as Tony Lee, do a terrific job of making these characters speak. You can almost hear Matt Smith’s manic delivery flying out of the pages.
If you’re as excited for that first panel of Matt Smith and Patrick Stewart meeting as I am, you’re going to have to wait. The actually crossing over doesn’t happen in this issue. There are hints, of course, but this issue seems like more of a Doctor Who story. The story is relatively lackluster in the grand scope of what people hoped for in the crossover. Yes, the writing is fun and true to character, the artwork is stunningly realistic, and I enjoyed the read, but I want Picard and The Doctor! I know that I’ll get it eventually, but I was hoping this first issue would be more. It’s a great foundation to start from, and hopefully the creators build upon that, so I will continue to read the series. I give “Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2” #1 three and a half stars out of five.