I happen to own quite a few of the DC Comic "Star Trek" collection. I've known people have been speaking of DC Comic Trek Bridges for quite some time.
I know about the bridges of the USS Exeter and USS Pacific from the books. There are some I'd like to see, particularly the mentioned USS Tubman, and perhaps some other bridges that were shown in TNG.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
I've got the Tubman and the Marco Polo scanned in here somewhere...
Mark <--- TABASCO! Yes!
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: I've got the Tubman and the Marco Polo scanned in here somewhere...
Mark <--- TABASCO! Yes!
Where is TABASCO progress wise anyway? I've been wondering...
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
I actually got to work on it a little this past weekend, sorting through some pictures. The amount of screencaps we've amassed is vast, and we have to whittle it down to the best representative caps to put on the website. When the sorting is done and thumbnails made, then the coding can begin in earnest.
My weekends of late have been eaten up. Parents moved three hours away this year, and I've been needed to landscape and finish basement and glaven before the snow falls. Stoopid family guilt...
Mark
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Can I see those images of the Tubman and Marco Polo?
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
What classes were they?
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Marco Polo was a "Challenger-class", before we figured out what a Challenger-class ship actually was. Imaginer a Constellation-class saucer and upper warp pylon assembly mated to a modified Constitution-class secondary hull.
Tubman was a more traditional Constellation-class ship, though artistic license made it a bit curvier than usual.
Mark
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
Ah, I've seen the Marco Polo's Class before.
Tubman has a nice bridge for a Constellation. Do you mind if I post this in a Constellation thread elsewhere?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
The Marco Polo from the SCE novels is a Sabre class, so mabye the old version did not survive....
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Go nuts, Boh.
Sabre-class, eh? Another SCE vessel, like the da Vinci?
Mark
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I guess so: the Marco Polo was in the gateway's novels IIRC. The only high point in the series, really. Mabye I'm off on the source and the da Vinci is the SCE ship....
I named one of my Sabre models Marco Polo after it, so I'm biased.
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
One of the SCE novels (I'm not sure which, but an early, already printed one, since I have read it!) lists the four SCE Sabers in operation in the mid-2370s as the Khwarizmi, Musgrave, T'Pora and da Vinci. If the Marco Polo was in SCE use, she probably wouldn't have been a Saber, or then would have been acquired (or destroyed) between the two references.
Of course, SCE is likely to operate ships of other types as well.
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I think (upon reflection) that it was not an SCE ship but I know it was a Sabre: the ship's captain was killed in combat, Riker was commanding Enterprise while Picard fucked off on some "save the universe" missionj that only he could accomplish and Troi was given command of the Marco Polo as the only available bridge officer.
They gave a good, detailed description of the ship though....as in the SCe books, the Sabre is (correctly) scaled to 179 meters long (not the misprinted length from the DS9TM).
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
The Marco Polo bridge looks very much like the TNG Battle Bridge (Ent-D) set used in TNG, which is not too surprising since the Stargazer was also a redress of that, as well as the Hathaway's bridge.
I must say, the Tubman bridge looks quite unusual though. That forward helm/nav console looks more like something you'd find on a Prometheus, Nova, or Intrepid-class vessel.
The comics had a few other funky bridges. I happen to own a bunch of the old DC Comics Trek series, so I know what some of the other ones are like.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
What kind of ship is the Tubman supposed to be?
Is that supposed to be Sonia Gomez?
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Tubman's a Constellation, and yes, that's Yummy Sonia as she gets over her shy clumsiness to take command of a shipload of cadets when hostile aliens attack the unarmed heap, knocking out both Geordi and the accompanying Academy escort ship.
And shortly after this mission, Sonia gets a third breast graft and transfers to the Starfleet Striptease division on Mars.
Mark
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Here are the bridges I am now confirmed about:
The USS Exeter from TOS Second Series (movie era)...this was in a story arc featuring the "Worthy," and Bill Mumy was one of the writers!! This looked like the Ent-A bridge in ST:IV (it was a Connie-refit), under command by Captain Styles of STIII fame. You don't see very much of this one.
There was also an Oberth-class, which was not part of Starfleet, which was "The Tabukian Syndrome" (sp?) which also featured Captain Sulu and the Excelsior.
In comic issues 49-50, there was the USS Pacific, a Miranda-class ship, which had an unusual bridge, an odd funked up STI-IV era starship bridge.
In TNG, I've now seen the bridges for the USS Marco Polo, and the USS Tubman. Were there any others?
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
I've got one with the Stargazer's bridge, but it isn't too different from what has been established from what I remember.
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Ah, yes, I have that one. Although in one of the overhead drawings, it featured separate helm/nav consoles. We all know that in "The Battle," it had STI-IV movie-era helm/nav console.
There also were some renditions of the TNG Battle Bridge. One of them was a sort of "scaled-down" version of the main bridge (with a scaled-down tactical rail). Though they switched it to the one that was seen in "Arsenal of Freedom" for later ones.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Wasn't the Battle Bridge in "The Arsenal of Freedom" almost identical to the one seen in "Farpoint"?
For that matter, how can they draw the Battle Bridge wrong? It was seen about 15 minutes into the first ever episode, ferchrisake.
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
I'd like to see the "scaled-down" one
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
As would I. However, it's possible that the artists of the time had only been given pre-production materials, headshots, and the series bible to go with. I recently found the re-print of DC's first TNG comics in a bookstore clearance bin, and they played it VERY fast and loose with the details back then. Sets were often pink and pastel, all the ladies were B-cup or more, the Enterprise looked curvier and was never consistent between frames... Hell, some of the officers even wore capes!
Mark
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Capes.
You said they...wore...
uh
wait.....you said....capes?
(tries to grasp the complete lack of any editorial oversight: fails)
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Yup. In the first (only?) six issues of the series, the writers over-embellished a LOT of things, in this case adding a married couple as secondary characters. They were the relief helm/nav/conn/ops (I dunno if they'd figured that part out yet) officers, and were constantly arguing. And yes, their uniforms had capes, boots and bare legs a la Superman without the blue (the upper tunic was the same, but that's about it). I think they were called the Bickers or something - I'd have been able to forgive their uniforms as an alien cultural thing like Worf's sash, but they were emphatically human.
Mark
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
I read a book recently where an officer had a cape. He was an imposter, but I would think someone would have noticed if it was that out of place... Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Hey Mark, do you have any images of these insane cape uniforms?
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Augh, you're gonna make me look through that detestable book again, aren't you? Story ideas were... par... for merchandising comic books of the day, but the art was FAR from being anything acceptable. Pre-1990s, it was a rarity for any Trek comics to remotely resemble the shows they're based on. You should try to dig up some of what the old DC Excelsior looks like, when the artists had maybe two pictures and watching the movie on video to work with.
That said...
Mark
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Oh... dear lord.
Why? Where in the hell did they get the idea that people in the future would dress like super heroes? Even superheroes dress better than that.
And did they even think to make the capes actually go with the rest of the uniform? Why Green? To complete the gag reflex in the back of my throat?
*shudder*
I just find it impossible to believe that any art department (even one in the 80's) would green light this. And I find it even more unacceptable that TPTB at TNG would allow these artists to continue to exist. I mean... it bears no resemblance to anything on the show...
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Still, at least that bloke is buff, eh?
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Well, maybe William Ware Theiss would approve!
For crying out loud it looks terrible though! That's one heck of an abomination! If it was an alien race, yes that would be possible, but that...that...please...looks like it was dreamed up by a 10-year old!
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Did these people even WATCH the show? Yikes.
Excuse me while I go purge my hard drive of ever having seen this.
B.J.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
I think that's the point - they were probably hired to draw the comic while the show was still in pre-production. They had no idea what the look or feel of the show would be, save for whatever Roddenberry told them in the writer's bible. Remember, initially in TNG we were a lot happier, looser, and definitely NOT MILITARY. So, inasmuch as TMP gave us a million pointless variations of the pyjama uniforms...
I'm not going to bother scanning in the other uniform variations. Security guys wore Battlestar Galactica helmets without the chinpieces, away teams wore thighstrap utility belts, Picard's formal uniform was green with gold tassles... Ugh.
And above it all, everyone was CONSTANTLY making the worst superhero poses regardless of what they're doing. Walking, popping out of a turbolift, sitting in front of the mirror. At one point Riker was getting beamed up unexpectedly, and he's practically doing the splits with his arms outflung. I kid you not.
Not Trek's proudest decision in outsourcing, I must say.
Mark
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I want that comic.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: Oh, wotdahell:
Now someone's going to consider that a viable variant, call it the "Discovery" and start a thread on it....
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: Remember, initially in TNG we were a lot happier, looser, and definitely NOT MILITARY.
And that means we have to dress like 1970's superheroes?
Can you imagine that guy in the shorts and cowboy boots going up against, well, any situation and being taken seriously?
Again... I blame the art director that ok'd this. He should have never even let it go to Paramount or whoever they had to clear it through to get the go-ahead.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
It's uhhhhhh..... Stat Trek meets Thundercats meets 1960's Robin from the Batman TV series.
Seriously.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
They were probably going with the "comics are for kids" argument. And kids LOVE capes and superheroes.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
We definitely need to see these other variants.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I agree with Aban- this is hackery at it's worst: any art director worth shit would have stopped this from happening...
Saying "It's from the 80's" is no excuse- plenty of great sci-fi comics were around then (moreso than now to be sure) and did resort to capes, tights and poses from "How to draw comics the Marvel way". Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
Its not just Starfleet, its the Super Starfleet Friends
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Well, in the TMP era, security guards DID wear helmets and body armor, which would make a great deal of sense, IMHO. That's actually not a bad idea. I bet they'd do it again after the Dominion War.
Yeah, I do wonder if it did fall into the "comics are for kids" thing.
Well, Mark, I'm starting to believe all of what you say about that craziness of these early TNG comics. Not to mention the scene you posted up makes me wanna PUKE!!
I wonder if this was one of Theiss's ideas, but got shot down by the production.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Really, it looks like the panels were intended for something else and the TNG elements were added on after. The panels are disturbingly generic to the point where a "Trek-Com" thread could be started....
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
Boy, that evil thing is going to be pissed when he learns the Excelsior is piloted by Sulu, and not "KIRK !".
[ December 02, 2004, 03:41 AM: Message edited by: Harry ]
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Sulu will be even more pissed to realize that while he was...er....in a coma or something, they squeezed another five year mission with Kirk commanding the Excelsior between STIII-IV.
Somehow.
It would explain the refit on Excelsior between STIII -VI: they had to get the kirk-stink out of the ship (and the horrible stains-everywhere!)
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Is that the series that began with the alt-Enterprise from "Mirror, Mirror" invading our universe? I had the first two issues of that.
And was it 5 years or nothing for Kirk? Hardly flexible, was he?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Kirk's flexibility varies with his waistline. TMP Kirk- anything goes. STV Kirk- not so much.
I really have no idea why they have Kirk in command of the (ever changing) Excelsior in the comics.
Nor any real desire to know, frankly.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Then I shall tell you!
Those particular comics happened in the 2+ year lapse between ST3 and ST4. The writers plopped everyone into a "Mirror Universe Saga" for 6-8 issues, where Evil Kirk and Evil Spock (who had regained his Evilness) convinced Evil Starfleet to invade this dimension. Luckily, our Good Excelsior (which had just captured the gang's BoP) and Good Starfleet (with "Good" Styles being shuffled over to Good Fleet command aboard the USS Christopher Pike) managed to kick their Evil butts. It finished with Spock being given command of the Oberth-esque science vessel USS Surak, while everyone else got the Excelsior.
I got the Mirror Universe reprint from the same clearance bin as that TNG thing. Art's about the same, really, though at least they were consistent with the uniforms and phasers (though not with the ships, tricorders or anything else. BTW, the big red bad guy was Redjac, back for another round of murder and mayhem aboard the Excelsior.
Mark
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I'm hoping the next time I get drunk, only the brain cells that held the above information are lost.
The entire premise reads like "Series?".
"Series?" is actually far more plausable.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
The Curiously Caped Comic Crew should make a cameo on Series: ?.
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
That's why I usually would stick with the second series. Although there was one interesting aspect of the second series. In the first bunch of comics, all the women wore skirts! We know that it was an option for females, but after "Star Trek V," I presume the artists were confused after seeing Uhura and the Yeoman in that story wearing skirts. Though the comics had them depicted as very short (TOS-esque). I could almost swear in some of the photos that they were in hot pants!
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
During the first season of TNG, skirts were an option for women *and* men. Thank goodness Worf never availed himself of that option.
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
And both Yar and Troi never wore them beyond the pilot episode. (well Troi was seen with them in the alternate past from the series finale).
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: Sulu will be even more pissed to realize that while he was...er....in a coma or something, they squeezed another five year mission with Kirk commanding the Excelsior between STIII-IV.
Actually, during the DC Excelsior days, Sulu was the first officer. However, in the few issues I've read, Sulu rarely ever did anything but sit at the helm of the ship. Go figger.
For those that don't know, they also had a selection of much younger secondary characters aboard that got the lion's share of action after Kirk, McCoy and to a lesser extent Scotty. Can't remember them all, but there was a Klingon defector named Konom who was also a powerful telepath, and a human named Bearclaw who ended up stabbing Kirk through the heart for some reason.
Mark
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I remember Bearclaw... but it's fuzzy. Actually... I think I remember him from the "Who's Who in Star Trek" thing that came out... I may still have it... must find tonight...
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
So, are we going to get pictures of these bridges, or just mocked by freakish images of caped crewmembers and bellowing space monsters?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
They look like hot pants in that picture. And why is the woman so concerned about her husband "holding" the doors? Since when have crew members ever had to wait for a turbolift? Or is she worried about being 5 seconds late for her shift? Picard must be a bastard when it comes to timekeeping.
KIRK! Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I'd be a bastard too if I had to wear a green dress uniform with gold fringe.
Posted by Russell Christiansen (Member # 1333) on :
Well, in the first page, we have bridges of the USS Tubman and USS Marco Polo from the TNG comics.
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
quote:Originally posted by PsyLiam: They look like hot pants in that picture. And why is the woman so concerned about her husband "holding" the doors? Since when have crew members ever had to wait for a turbolift? Or is she worried about being 5 seconds late for her shift? Picard must be a bastard when it comes to timekeeping.
KIRK!
McCoy was waiting for a lift in Star Trek II Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
And there was one instance of someone waiting for a lift in TNG. But one instance. Once (outside of "Yesterday's Enterprise", obviously).
Posted by yesterdayzhere (Member # 1487) on :
There's also the USS Kobayshi Maru (II?), though I'm not entirely certain which comic it was from...
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
KIRK! Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
KMII was from a DC comic that was the "final" mission of Kirk's first fiver. The ship in question was an Anton-class-esque patrol ship with a female captain, patroling th earea of the gool ol' Talos star system. It got blown up by Klingons after about three frames, IIRC, and isn't even mentioned in the rest of the story.
Mark
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Didn't it look like a TOS version of the Miranda-class, without the rollbar?
I remember having the first issue. And that the UK publishers thought it would be a great idea to put the double page spread on the back and front of the same page, causing untold confusion to my tiny little brain.
Posted by yesterdayzhere (Member # 1487) on :
quote:Originally posted by PsyLiam: Didn't it look like a TOS version of the Miranda-class, without the rollbar?
Sounds right--I remember posting a scan of it on TrekBBS, but that was ages ago. Would love to see it again.
Always got a chuckle out of the female captain in her TOS miniskirt. Hard to take a commanding officer seriously when you can see her panties.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)