These Are The Voyages....

At the risk of sounding like a curmudgeon, I'm growing a little burned out on interfranchise crossovers. They're not a bad idea, but sometimes, they lead to more overeager fans suggesting really bad ideas, like "What if John Crichton and the crew of the Moya teamed up with Mal Reynolds and the crew of the Serenity and they both fought Disney's Gargoyles?"

(And the answer to the above question, folks, is "Who the smeg cares?")

I write this because, having just finished IDW's Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who Crossover (interestingly titled Assimilation 2), I have to say that I was....well, I liked it, but probably not as much as I would have wanted to enjoy it.

Much of it is Scott and David Tipton's writing (along with Tony Lee, who cannot do wrong, as far as I'm concerned) - this issue is mostly set-up for the rest of the series, and much of the characterizations are pitch-perfect. Although I enjoyed the story, and would buy issue two, I did feel a little...well, underwhelmed by the writing. Maybe it's the fact that I've been so immersed in both Star Trek and Doctor Who fandom that I feel a little put out (I remember a time when both fandoms regarded the other as "the enemy"), but maybe much of it is my own burnout around putting together two franchises.

The real treat - for me, at least - is J.K. Woodward, who fully painted the art in the book. Although the overall tone of the book may not fit the art style, I actually found myself drawn to the art (pun fully intended) - in a way, having a slightly photorealistic style helps bring the story to life somewhat...and which makes me feel a little bit more enthusiastic about the series.

It also helps that Woodward is genuinely enthusiastic about the project - here's an interview I did with him at C2E2 for Comic Related:





Although I have some reservations, I do think IDW's Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover is worth a look.