Review by Frank Plowright

Writers Scott and David Tipton continue their investigation of Star Trek’s ‘mirror’ universe with Through the Mirror. It’s not a direct continuation of Mirror Broken, as it begins by focussing on the well intentioned Enterprise crew of The Next Generation. The difference is immediately apparent by Worf appearing at the start, his absence in the Mirror Universe explained by Earth being at war with the Klingons.

Worf is investigating the theft of essential materials from a supply facility when confronted by someone who ought to have remained on the Enterprise. Worse is to come in a second chapter with an entire starship ravaged by what seem to be Starship personnel.

It’s a plot where readers already know the solution to a puzzle that has the Enterprise crew mystified, and it’s not until the third chapter that the attention returns to the Mirror Universe crew to pick up the plots from Mirror Broken.

A single artist drew the entire previous story, and moreso did it in a naturalistic style, moving to photorealism for cast likenesses. It’s disappointing here to discover the look is now cartooning, and five different artists work on the five chapters. The quality ranges from the accomplished pages of Marcus To, Carlos Nieto and Debora Carita (sample art), to artists whose figures can be poor, have little weight, and who have trouble with foreshortening. Josh Hood can be good, but is inconsistent.

The evil Picard certainly can’t be pulled up for a lack of ambition. Having discovered the existence of alternate universes he has an ambitious plan to restore the power to humanity in his own universe, but of course, the regular crew aren’t going to stand for that. The final chapter is doppelganger fun, if anything over too quickly, although as Terra Incognita follows and is set-up here, that may be excusable.

If you can accept variable art, Through the Mirror is a decent Star Trek read, and it’s combined with its predecessor and sequel in Mirror Universe Collection.