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Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation² #5-8
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation², Volume 2
The two greatest science fiction properties of all time cross over for the first time in history, in Star Trek: The Next Generation / Doctor Who Assimilation 2! When the Federation's most terrifying enemy strikes an unholy alliance with one of the Doctor's most hated antagonists, the result is devastation on a cosmic scale! Spanning the ends of space and time itself, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise find themselves joining forces with the Doctor and his companions - with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance!
104 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
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June 30, 2013Read both volumes* of this yesterday expecting utter awfulness, but it's really not bad. For saying they come from the Trek side of things, the Tiptons get the Doctor's voice down right about 80% of the time, and crucially, the whole plot turns on everything from Doctor Who being better than everything from Star Trek. Kirk and Spock are stuck outside a door; the Doctor opens it. The Enterprise is too slow to catch the Borg ship; the TARDIS gets there straight away. The Borg and Cybermen team up; the Cybermen almost instantly hack the Borg so easily it's like Anonymous taking down your gran, and take over their entire collective.
*And it's a scandal that IDW split an 8-issue series into two volumes when it could easily have been one book.
*And it's a scandal that IDW split an 8-issue series into two volumes when it could easily have been one book.
May 25, 2015
Who would win in a war between the Borg and the Cybermen? The answer is in this concluding volume of the Doctor Who - Star Trek crossover event that crosses two universes. Cybermen vs. Borg. The Doctor and Jean Luc Picard. The Tardis and the Enterprise.
Although the artwork is muddy, the characters are effectively drawn, and It's a fun story overall. Not a disappointment!
Although the artwork is muddy, the characters are effectively drawn, and It's a fun story overall. Not a disappointment!
May 4, 2017
I'm think Tipton does a good job in the second half of this story in maintaining a good pace, and keeping the characters, well in character.
Picard wants nothing to do with an alliance with the Borg against the Cybermen.
Worf believes it is a good day to die, but not if he doesn't have to.
The Doctor is going to save the world(s) whether you want him to or not.
And, the Borg and Cybermen behave in predictable manners, but they are primarily machines.
I think fans of both franchises would enjoy this tale, but it should have been collected in one volume, and not two.
Picard wants nothing to do with an alliance with the Borg against the Cybermen.
Worf believes it is a good day to die, but not if he doesn't have to.
The Doctor is going to save the world(s) whether you want him to or not.
And, the Borg and Cybermen behave in predictable manners, but they are primarily machines.
I think fans of both franchises would enjoy this tale, but it should have been collected in one volume, and not two.
October 16, 2023
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation Vol. 2
Realising that the Cybermen lose an existential threat not only to the Federation, but to the entire galaxy, the Doctor shows Picard the future in order to persuade him to form an alliance with the Borg to eradicate all evidence of the Cybermen from his universe.
Lovely artwork and a plot which serves the storylines of both franchises, 'Assimilation ' is a great read for fans of both series.
Realising that the Cybermen lose an existential threat not only to the Federation, but to the entire galaxy, the Doctor shows Picard the future in order to persuade him to form an alliance with the Borg to eradicate all evidence of the Cybermen from his universe.
Lovely artwork and a plot which serves the storylines of both franchises, 'Assimilation ' is a great read for fans of both series.
April 11, 2026
Yes it's fun and everything but.....the Borg ? Again ? Has the cyborg udders been milked long enough ? Why not a random Q sighting or hell the Kilgon's vs ....the Dalkes?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2025
Enough action and adventure for each franchise to have an opportunity to shine. Even the supporting cast. Peril and humor too!
March 8, 2013
There's an old comic (a TV Comic one, I think) where the Second Doctor builds a ray gun and then turns and uses it on a robot insect and the man operating. As he does so, he yells, "Die, hideous monster, die." Which, umm, seems a little out of character for the Doctor. Even when he gunned down a CyberLeader in Attack of the Cybermen twenty years later, he didn't cry out gleefully.
I mention that because there's a similar problem with the CyberController in this story. Cybermen: logical, methodical, not emotional, even if they have a weakness for over-elaborate plots. It's not like they have much else to do. And so they appear for 3/4 of the narrative. Then comes the CyberController, who murderously leap out his throne yelling, "DIE TIME LORD!"
It's sort of the straw that breaks the camel's back. The plot is serviceable enough, if you don't think about it too hard. Characterizations are close. Even the characters are drawn to (occasionally) look completely dissimilar to the actors playing them. But with that murderous Cyberman, the whole house of cards sort of tumbles. Crossover pieces like this inherently stress credibility; they are deeply contrived. And it speaks well of the creators of this series that they alllmost make it work, and it's the last 10 pages or so where it falls apart. It's telling that it ends with the Doctor and Captain Picard counting on never seeing each other ever again.
And I can't quite work out why it would fail at that point. Admittedly, the logical, quiet, methodical nature of both the Cybermen and Borg doesn't lend itself well to the visually active medium of graphic novels, but the artists earlier in the work do a really good job of conveying silent menace with the Borg. They just... stop... with the CyberController. I mean, I think it's clear that the heart of the artists is more with NG than Doctor Who; if nothing else, the Enterprise crew routinely /look/ like the Enterprise crew, whereas the Doctor and co. waver. A lot. As in they look different even within the same page. But that doesn't seem like a reason to just stop trying in the last issue.
That may be the issue, though. As a whole series, the story burns through its best images and ideas early on. (Although the converted Raxacoro... Slitheen and Klingons are a nice touch) The creative team look like they were stuck for new material before the run was over.
Which is a shame -- considering the devotion of fans of both franchises (and the money IDW will make, sense virtually every issue was sold out before I could get a hold of copies), the ultimate reaction to Assimilation2 is let-down. It could have -- and should have been -- a lot more. Nothing is as unsatisfying as a failure at the end of a race.
I mention that because there's a similar problem with the CyberController in this story. Cybermen: logical, methodical, not emotional, even if they have a weakness for over-elaborate plots. It's not like they have much else to do. And so they appear for 3/4 of the narrative. Then comes the CyberController, who murderously leap out his throne yelling, "DIE TIME LORD!"
It's sort of the straw that breaks the camel's back. The plot is serviceable enough, if you don't think about it too hard. Characterizations are close. Even the characters are drawn to (occasionally) look completely dissimilar to the actors playing them. But with that murderous Cyberman, the whole house of cards sort of tumbles. Crossover pieces like this inherently stress credibility; they are deeply contrived. And it speaks well of the creators of this series that they alllmost make it work, and it's the last 10 pages or so where it falls apart. It's telling that it ends with the Doctor and Captain Picard counting on never seeing each other ever again.
And I can't quite work out why it would fail at that point. Admittedly, the logical, quiet, methodical nature of both the Cybermen and Borg doesn't lend itself well to the visually active medium of graphic novels, but the artists earlier in the work do a really good job of conveying silent menace with the Borg. They just... stop... with the CyberController. I mean, I think it's clear that the heart of the artists is more with NG than Doctor Who; if nothing else, the Enterprise crew routinely /look/ like the Enterprise crew, whereas the Doctor and co. waver. A lot. As in they look different even within the same page. But that doesn't seem like a reason to just stop trying in the last issue.
That may be the issue, though. As a whole series, the story burns through its best images and ideas early on. (Although the converted Raxacoro... Slitheen and Klingons are a nice touch) The creative team look like they were stuck for new material before the run was over.
Which is a shame -- considering the devotion of fans of both franchises (and the money IDW will make, sense virtually every issue was sold out before I could get a hold of copies), the ultimate reaction to Assimilation2 is let-down. It could have -- and should have been -- a lot more. Nothing is as unsatisfying as a failure at the end of a race.
January 10, 2013
Originally Reviewed At:Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Me
Ultimate Nerdgasm…
Let me go ahead and confess that I read the entire graphic novel in my best Captain Jean-Luc Picard voice. I love that man – well Patrick Stewart – and I couldn’t help but get a little excited when I was offered this for review. It’s so worth it, for any Star Trek or Doctor Who fan. It gives the readers exactly what they want, a science fiction mash-up of epic proportions.
We are immediately thrust into the story with Picard and the Doctor discussing the Borg. Both men are on either side of the fence with the situation. And through a flashback to one of my favorite Star Trek episodes told by none other than Guinan (aka Whoopi Goldberg), the Doctor is informed as to why our brave Captain doesn’t trust the Borg and would never form an alliance. However, once they dig deeper and realize the Cybermen are attempting to convert the Borg and use all of their resources to take over the universe, the threat against the world becomes too great even for Picard to ignore.
The best thing about Assimilation 2 Volume 2 is the characters. The illustrator aimed to make each character resemble their television selves, and I think it works in its favor. You can’t help but feel nostalgic or geek out when gazing upon the faces of Data, Worf, Geordi La Forge, or Matt Smith as the Doctor. Knowing you are heading into battle with your favorite characters, adds to the overall enjoyment of the story. The only downside is unfortunately you don’t get the conclusion to the story in this compilation. *sad face* You must wait until the next installment to see if their efforts work or if it was all for nothing.
Overall, Star Trek: The Next Generation / Doctor Who: Assimilation 2 Volume 2 is a must-read for any fan of either series. It’s engaging, highly entertaining, and will leave you wanting more long after you reach the end of page 72. I highly recommend geeking out to it!
This Review Counts as Part of the Manga/Graphic Novel/Video Game Challenge, If You Would Like To Participate You Can Find All the Information HERE
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Me
Ultimate Nerdgasm…
Let me go ahead and confess that I read the entire graphic novel in my best Captain Jean-Luc Picard voice. I love that man – well Patrick Stewart – and I couldn’t help but get a little excited when I was offered this for review. It’s so worth it, for any Star Trek or Doctor Who fan. It gives the readers exactly what they want, a science fiction mash-up of epic proportions.
We are immediately thrust into the story with Picard and the Doctor discussing the Borg. Both men are on either side of the fence with the situation. And through a flashback to one of my favorite Star Trek episodes told by none other than Guinan (aka Whoopi Goldberg), the Doctor is informed as to why our brave Captain doesn’t trust the Borg and would never form an alliance. However, once they dig deeper and realize the Cybermen are attempting to convert the Borg and use all of their resources to take over the universe, the threat against the world becomes too great even for Picard to ignore.
The best thing about Assimilation 2 Volume 2 is the characters. The illustrator aimed to make each character resemble their television selves, and I think it works in its favor. You can’t help but feel nostalgic or geek out when gazing upon the faces of Data, Worf, Geordi La Forge, or Matt Smith as the Doctor. Knowing you are heading into battle with your favorite characters, adds to the overall enjoyment of the story. The only downside is unfortunately you don’t get the conclusion to the story in this compilation. *sad face* You must wait until the next installment to see if their efforts work or if it was all for nothing.
Overall, Star Trek: The Next Generation / Doctor Who: Assimilation 2 Volume 2 is a must-read for any fan of either series. It’s engaging, highly entertaining, and will leave you wanting more long after you reach the end of page 72. I highly recommend geeking out to it!
This Review Counts as Part of the Manga/Graphic Novel/Video Game Challenge, If You Would Like To Participate You Can Find All the Information HERE
January 10, 2013
This book has a lot going for it, and does a lot of things really well, but ultimately isn't quite up to snuff. The painted artwork is wildly uneven - there are some stunningly beautiful panels where the characters are depicted with a real warmth and vibrancy. But in subsequent panels the same people appear as blobs barely scrawled on the page. Bertrand the Borg even gets photoshopped around later in the book, perhaps when the team realized they bit off a bit more than they could chew. Faced with the possibility of sub-par art, IDW should've switched to larger panels or less characters per panel - because the oddly inconsistent art is a real smear on an otherwise stellar achievement. The book is a page-turner, a lot of fun to read, and actually an excellent introduction to the mythologies of Star Trek and Doctor Who, with a few choice nuggets thrown in for die-hard fans. But the writers make the mistake of making things too grandiose. It basically boils down to two captains with British accents forced to save not only the galaxy, but the universe - and not only the universe but multiple multiverses. It's one thing to do this once in a while in the television series (as a series finale perhaps) but in a licensed comic book you really "know" that they can't fail. And in that sense, making the stakes greater just casts a veneer of unbelievability on the proceedings. The Doctor also appears oddly reckless in allowing Amy & Rory to join him for the final confrontation, which leads one to believe the writers are doggedly sticking to the show's clichés, which has long been one of my main complaints about IDW adaptations of Doctor Who. Overall, it's well worth a read for fans of either show, but is far from being greater than the sum of its parts.
April 20, 2013
The only way you can really take this is to see it as some bizarre fanfiction comes to life professionally. There isn't really any explanation as to why the world of Star Trek can collide with that of Doctor Who, especially as I think there may have even been references to Star Trek in the show (I could be wrong, though). There is some quick handwaving away of 'different dimensions', but it still doesn't really make sense. Can the TARDIS now travel between fictional universes? If so, come get me Doctor and take me to Rivendell.
There are quite a few problems here. Although I like the 'photorealistic' artwork it becomes weird when we are treated to a flashback that is drawn in cartoonish, straight 1960s-style comic work. I know that that is probably what they're trying to achieve here - a homage to the classic era of comics - but it doesn't work when your flashback is crisper and brighter than the scenes set in the present time. Surely it should be the other way around?
And I can't exactly put my finger on it, but the typography really bugs me.
All that being said, there are some nice scenes here - particularly between Guinan and The Doctor, Rory and Crusher, and Rory, Amy and Troi. There's also the thrill of seeing the TARDIS take on The Borg.
That's worth the price of the book, at least.
There are quite a few problems here. Although I like the 'photorealistic' artwork it becomes weird when we are treated to a flashback that is drawn in cartoonish, straight 1960s-style comic work. I know that that is probably what they're trying to achieve here - a homage to the classic era of comics - but it doesn't work when your flashback is crisper and brighter than the scenes set in the present time. Surely it should be the other way around?
And I can't exactly put my finger on it, but the typography really bugs me.
All that being said, there are some nice scenes here - particularly between Guinan and The Doctor, Rory and Crusher, and Rory, Amy and Troi. There's also the thrill of seeing the TARDIS take on The Borg.
That's worth the price of the book, at least.
October 3, 2014
Dr. Who and companions, Amy and Rory, team up with Captain Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise to stop the Borg and the Cybermen.
This is the second half of the story. As I pointed out in my review of the first half, it is a graphic novel collection of several issues of a limited comic series. It has pictures and you will need the first part before reading this part.
The crossover isn't perfect, but each franchise does get to show off itself at times. I don't think it would be possible to completely mesh to such well-known franchises without a seam or two showing somewhere.
The artwork is very good at times. Other times, some of the characters look either blurry or like they didn't receive as much attention to detail. It appears the artists used photos as references when they could. The character of Guinan never quite seems to capture Whoopi Goldberg.
I gladly added this to my Star Trek crossover collection. Star has now crossed paths with the League of Super Heroes and the X-Men as well. (The X-Men crossover was a novel actually. Wolverine and Worf used the holodeck to fight several X-Men foes including Saber tooth and the Blob.)
This is the second half of the story. As I pointed out in my review of the first half, it is a graphic novel collection of several issues of a limited comic series. It has pictures and you will need the first part before reading this part.
The crossover isn't perfect, but each franchise does get to show off itself at times. I don't think it would be possible to completely mesh to such well-known franchises without a seam or two showing somewhere.
The artwork is very good at times. Other times, some of the characters look either blurry or like they didn't receive as much attention to detail. It appears the artists used photos as references when they could. The character of Guinan never quite seems to capture Whoopi Goldberg.
I gladly added this to my Star Trek crossover collection. Star has now crossed paths with the League of Super Heroes and the X-Men as well. (The X-Men crossover was a novel actually. Wolverine and Worf used the holodeck to fight several X-Men foes including Saber tooth and the Blob.)
February 10, 2013
Ack, I dunno, 2.5? This just got dumb. Honestly, I guess it was already dumb in the first volume, but I was charmed by hanging out with the TNG cast. My biggest annoyance with this volume was how they tried to make Picard out to be a dick, and that the Doctor was the reasonable one. Unacceptable!
March 22, 2016
My favourite thing was the interactions between Data and the Doctor, and Amy and Captain Picard! It was really a fun story (well not THAT fun since it involves the Borgs and the Cybermen) and a dream come true for fans of both DW and ST !!
March 2, 2013
A fun ending to a fun graphic novel series with fantastic and amazing artwork.
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November 15, 2024Une bonne continuité et fin pour ce crossover, si les personnages d'Amy et Rory semblent aussi peu important et utilisé que dans le premier volume, au moins dans ce volume Amy a une scène avec le capitaine Jean-Luc Picard et parvient à mieux justifier narrativement sa présence.
Le récit offre vraiment un bon respect aux différents personnages et éthiques des deux séries, le Docteur s'oppose aux armes à feu (et j'avais presque peur qu'il ne le fasse pas dans cet univers quand même très militarisé), Jean-Luc Picard refuse de traiter avec les Borgs et est toujours traumatisé de son passage à travers le collectif, Beverly a quelques scènes où elle peut bien communiquer ses opinions aux autres membres de l'équipage, Data est Data, etc.
J'ai adoré voir les variantes des Cybermen dans les deux pages où le Docteur montre le futur, c'est la première fois, je crois, que je vois des Cybermen adapter leurs formes à d'autres races et ça donne un visuel unique et intéressant.
J'ai l'impression que le deuxième volume se concentrait beaucoup sur le conflit entre les Cybermen et le Docteur, plus que les Borgs avec l'équipage de l'USS Enterprise (qui tourne plus autour du souvenir de la bataille de Wolf 359 et de ses conséquences).
Ça reste un récit intéressant, qui respecte le canon de deux univers, respecte les personnages et essaient de leur donner le maximum à chacun, pour une BD, c'est quand même une tâche imposante dans un espace limité. Je pense que le pari est toutefois réussi et qu'il y aurait définitivement de la place pour d'autres échanges à l'avenir (tout en restant quelque chose de très rare), je ne sais pas si les discussions pour un crossover télévisuel vont vraiment se poursuivre entre les deux scénaristes en chef en ce moment comme ils voulaient le faire dans une présentation commune, mais on verra.
Le récit offre vraiment un bon respect aux différents personnages et éthiques des deux séries, le Docteur s'oppose aux armes à feu (et j'avais presque peur qu'il ne le fasse pas dans cet univers quand même très militarisé), Jean-Luc Picard refuse de traiter avec les Borgs et est toujours traumatisé de son passage à travers le collectif, Beverly a quelques scènes où elle peut bien communiquer ses opinions aux autres membres de l'équipage, Data est Data, etc.
J'ai adoré voir les variantes des Cybermen dans les deux pages où le Docteur montre le futur, c'est la première fois, je crois, que je vois des Cybermen adapter leurs formes à d'autres races et ça donne un visuel unique et intéressant.
J'ai l'impression que le deuxième volume se concentrait beaucoup sur le conflit entre les Cybermen et le Docteur, plus que les Borgs avec l'équipage de l'USS Enterprise (qui tourne plus autour du souvenir de la bataille de Wolf 359 et de ses conséquences).
Ça reste un récit intéressant, qui respecte le canon de deux univers, respecte les personnages et essaient de leur donner le maximum à chacun, pour une BD, c'est quand même une tâche imposante dans un espace limité. Je pense que le pari est toutefois réussi et qu'il y aurait définitivement de la place pour d'autres échanges à l'avenir (tout en restant quelque chose de très rare), je ne sais pas si les discussions pour un crossover télévisuel vont vraiment se poursuivre entre les deux scénaristes en chef en ce moment comme ils voulaient le faire dans une présentation commune, mais on verra.
June 4, 2024
Not bad! This could have been much, much worse. Imagine it was Star Trek Discovery and the 13th or 14th Doctor?
When I first read this I was pretty underwhelmed even though I love Tipton Trek comics. Maybe, in fact, because I do love them. At the time, new TNG comics weren’t exactly coming out every couple Wednesdays and this felt like a wasted opportunity. And maybe it had something to do with the painted art. I’ve never been a great fan of it, but I have gotten used to it. It’s very photorealistic but it’s also very stiff. I’ve come round slightly, but I still don’t love it.
Reading these comics again now, a few years later, and I think they’re fun enough. The Tiptons really have the characters down pat, both the TNG cast and the 11th Doctor and his companions. I also really liked the Animated Series flashback.
The story is a little obvious—Cybermen and Borg vs. the Enterprise and the Doctor. It doesn’t make for many twists and turns or much drama. It’s basically a brute force-action story. Maybe keeping it simple was the right idea for the amount of page space, though, because it moves right along and most of the characters get a chance to shine, and we do get some insight into how the characters really feel about their enemies, and the philosophical differences between Trek and Who.
Recommended if you’re a fan of both franchises.
When I first read this I was pretty underwhelmed even though I love Tipton Trek comics. Maybe, in fact, because I do love them. At the time, new TNG comics weren’t exactly coming out every couple Wednesdays and this felt like a wasted opportunity. And maybe it had something to do with the painted art. I’ve never been a great fan of it, but I have gotten used to it. It’s very photorealistic but it’s also very stiff. I’ve come round slightly, but I still don’t love it.
Reading these comics again now, a few years later, and I think they’re fun enough. The Tiptons really have the characters down pat, both the TNG cast and the 11th Doctor and his companions. I also really liked the Animated Series flashback.
The story is a little obvious—Cybermen and Borg vs. the Enterprise and the Doctor. It doesn’t make for many twists and turns or much drama. It’s basically a brute force-action story. Maybe keeping it simple was the right idea for the amount of page space, though, because it moves right along and most of the characters get a chance to shine, and we do get some insight into how the characters really feel about their enemies, and the philosophical differences between Trek and Who.
Recommended if you’re a fan of both franchises.
June 6, 2018
Star Trek / Doctor Who: Assimilation Vol.2
A fun cross-over series involving the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory. Better than I expected. What do you do when the Borgs and the Cybermen team up, or rather, overtake? This series even has some pleasing interaction between the Fourth Doctor and Dr. Spock!
Issue #5
Jean-Luc Picard: “That's madness!”
Amy: “Madness is kind of what we do.”
Issue #6
11th Doctor: “Crossing your own timeline is more than a bad idea; it's the mother of all bad ideas. It's the bad idea that bad ideas have when they're nor thinking straight. Could crack the whole of space and time right down the middle.”
Issue #7
Doctor: “It's slavery all right. Slavery from the inside, a most devious form of bondage. Let me tell you a little something about the very nature of the soul --”
“The TARDIS is fast, far faster than any of your ships. We won't break the laws of physics, we'll just bend them a little.”
“No, no, no! Absolutely not! No guns!”
“Guns make you stupid. We'll get along just fine without them, thank you very much.”
Issue #8
Rory: “So, Doctor, you really think we'll have no problem getting home?” …
Doctor: “It'll be smooth sailing. I just hope -”
Amy: “Just hope what?”
- - -
A fun cross-over series involving the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory. Better than I expected. What do you do when the Borgs and the Cybermen team up, or rather, overtake? This series even has some pleasing interaction between the Fourth Doctor and Dr. Spock!
Issue #5
Jean-Luc Picard: “That's madness!”
Amy: “Madness is kind of what we do.”
Issue #6
11th Doctor: “Crossing your own timeline is more than a bad idea; it's the mother of all bad ideas. It's the bad idea that bad ideas have when they're nor thinking straight. Could crack the whole of space and time right down the middle.”
Issue #7
Doctor: “It's slavery all right. Slavery from the inside, a most devious form of bondage. Let me tell you a little something about the very nature of the soul --”
“The TARDIS is fast, far faster than any of your ships. We won't break the laws of physics, we'll just bend them a little.”
“No, no, no! Absolutely not! No guns!”
“Guns make you stupid. We'll get along just fine without them, thank you very much.”
Issue #8
Rory: “So, Doctor, you really think we'll have no problem getting home?” …
Doctor: “It'll be smooth sailing. I just hope -”
Amy: “Just hope what?”
- - -
May 31, 2018
I did enjoy it - but I have to say that the artwork is hard to get past by. It's just not my cup of tea. I also wasn't overtly happy with some of Captain Picard's decisions in this -- I get what they were trying to do but, I don't know if this is a pre- or post- "I, Borg" Picard, but I still think there was a better way to write his struggle with the Cyberman against the Borg. That said, I did enjoy the Doctor and Co. re-visiting a special part of TNG history with the Borg. All in all -- it's an odd story, so it's a recommended library read, but I don't know if I'd suggest paying full price.
March 7, 2020
In the last volume, Bow Tie Doctor teamed up with Captain Picard, to fight a Borg- Cyberman invasion.
Well, the tables have turned on the Borg - now, even they are being taken over by the Cybermen. And if The Cybermen can reach the Borg homeworld, the Milky Way Galaxy will be lost. Invasion and eventual conquering of the Federation in a century's time.
So, off in the TARDIS the team goes, back to Worf 359, and then, after getting the Gold (and the goal), they have a battle to stop an invasion.
And in almost typical Doctor Who Fashion, they are forgotten and go on their way.
Well, the tables have turned on the Borg - now, even they are being taken over by the Cybermen. And if The Cybermen can reach the Borg homeworld, the Milky Way Galaxy will be lost. Invasion and eventual conquering of the Federation in a century's time.
So, off in the TARDIS the team goes, back to Worf 359, and then, after getting the Gold (and the goal), they have a battle to stop an invasion.
And in almost typical Doctor Who Fashion, they are forgotten and go on their way.
November 2, 2018
Better than expected. Usually such huge crossovers tend to dissapoint, but in this case the characterisations of both the Tardis crew and the Starfleet Gang seemed quite right. A collaboration between Borg and Cybermen is suitable terrifying and a good reason for our heroes to team up.
I'm not a big fan of the watercolor like artwork, but I'm okay with it. My rating would be higher if we had less examples of the "Talking Head"- Syndrom.
I'm not a big fan of the watercolor like artwork, but I'm okay with it. My rating would be higher if we had less examples of the "Talking Head"- Syndrom.
August 16, 2022
A good conclusion to this two part crossover.
It incorporated Captain Picard's unfortunate time with the Borge, and gives enough backstory that if you are unfamiliar with that time from the TV Series you won't be lost.
It's always a good time when new people enter the TARDIS for the first time. The Star Trek crew got an introduction and Data of course catches on fast.
I'd watch this if it was a tv special for sure.
It incorporated Captain Picard's unfortunate time with the Borge, and gives enough backstory that if you are unfamiliar with that time from the TV Series you won't be lost.
It's always a good time when new people enter the TARDIS for the first time. The Star Trek crew got an introduction and Data of course catches on fast.
I'd watch this if it was a tv special for sure.
November 24, 2019
A shallow story concludes with some key questions unanswered (such as, how exactly did these two universes converge?) and potential themes unexplored (are Data and Riker to Picard as Amy and Rory are to the Doctor? why have such similar enemies arisen in alternate universes? did those fish people's economy collapse after all?! - we'll never know).
March 6, 2024
It was adequate!
The art was different than most other Trek comic art that I've seen, but good.
The story lacked any sort of tension. It was just a rush from beat to beat and then it was done.
The character voices felt flat too, Picard in particular. I will give points to any Trek comic that spends a few pages on a back-and-forth debate though.
The art was different than most other Trek comic art that I've seen, but good.
The story lacked any sort of tension. It was just a rush from beat to beat and then it was done.
The character voices felt flat too, Picard in particular. I will give points to any Trek comic that spends a few pages on a back-and-forth debate though.
March 23, 2017
Nothing to see here move along. The story just kind of fell apart in the second half here. What is takes away from what seemed like a decent foundation from the first volume is we now are exposed to the action segment where what were undefeatable killing machines suddenly cannot hit or hurt the main characters. We are down to the main villain just jumping at the Doctor trying to kill him.
I was hoping for better. Oh well.
I was hoping for better. Oh well.
January 25, 2022
Wish I'd been able to locate the first volume first - but love this crossover of two of my favorite TV shows. Amy and Rory on a starship gives me shades of their honeymoon. Wonder what they would have gotten up to if they'd been on the Enterprise for pleasure instead of business.
June 29, 2023
This was a good graphic novel, definitetly not a 'pick-up-in-the-middle-and-still-understand-it' good, but good none the less. I'd have to have read what came before to understand fully what was going on here - but my fandom knowledge gave me enough information to get by easily enough.
June 23, 2020
This is an uninspired story with substandard artwork. Nevertheless, it did speak to my general fondness for all things Who and Trek. Recommended for die-hard fans only.
June 13, 2017
Star Trek: the Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation(2) vol. 2 picks up where the previous volume left off, with the Borg asking Picard to help them against the Cybermen. Picard's answer is "no, absolutely not," The Doctor and even Amy try to change Picard's mind, to no avail. Finally, the Doctor takes Picard in the TARDIS to a tour of his (and the galaxy's) future if he doesn't stop the Cybermen. After this encounter, Picard agrees to try it his way. Picard and company, the Doctor, Amy, and Rory beam down to a planet to meet the Borg. They are introduced to The Conduit, a Borg incapable of assimilating other species, who becomes an ambassador. The Conduit explains how the Borg were approached by the Cybermen, their alliance, and how the alliance broke down. He explains that the Cybermen have destroyed the Borg's executive library, thus most Borg are now inert.
The Doctor lets Picard know that gold (especially gold dust) is deadly to Cybermen. Picard goes to get gold from the mining planet that's home to fish people as seen at the beginning of the first volume (the Doctor does tag along on the trip and shows off his negotiating skills with the natives). Then the Doctor, Amy, and Rory return in the TARDIS to the battle of Wolf 359 - they materialize the TARDIS on a Borg ship and manage to acquire a copy of the executive library, then return to the Enterprise.
The Doctor then leads Worf, an Enterprise Security Strike Team, Amy, Rory, Picard, Data, and the Conduit on a mission to install the Executive Library back in to the Borg aboard a Cyber Armada ship. Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Geordie works to increase the Enterprise speed, and as we find out later, to develop a gold-based weapon that will work in space. Despite difficulties and an encounter with the Cyber Controller - the Doctor's mission to restore the Borg is successful. However, they return to the TARDIS to discover the Conduit has merged with the alien intelligence of the TARDIS herself and is attempting to control it. Data stops this by briefly merging with the TARDIS and the Conduit is thrown out the TARDIS doors and into outer space. Data recovers. The TARDIS returns the Enterprise crew to their ship. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory leave the Enterprise.
I enjoyed this graphic novel. The art is beautiful, and has a painted quality. Everyone is in character, though with so many characters, some of them only get one good scene. I thought Rory was underused in this novel for example, though I liked the scene between him and Dr. Crusher where they discuss Rory being a nurse. One good point about this novel is that, although their are a lot of action scenes, they aren't solved by fisticuffs. The security strike team does shoot at the Cybermen with specially adapted phasers, but cleverness is more highly valued throughout the story than mere violence. For example, Data helps Picard and company escape at one point by forcing open a door and holding it while everyone goes through then jumping through himself - it's a fit of strength that reminds one of Data's abilities. But everyone - Amy, Rory, the Doctor, Worf, Geordie, Dr. Crusher, Deanna Troi, Commander Riker, and especially Picard all get to use their talents in service to the story. Some only briefly, but they are there - which is important in a crossover.
Recommended.
The Doctor lets Picard know that gold (especially gold dust) is deadly to Cybermen. Picard goes to get gold from the mining planet that's home to fish people as seen at the beginning of the first volume (the Doctor does tag along on the trip and shows off his negotiating skills with the natives). Then the Doctor, Amy, and Rory return in the TARDIS to the battle of Wolf 359 - they materialize the TARDIS on a Borg ship and manage to acquire a copy of the executive library, then return to the Enterprise.
The Doctor then leads Worf, an Enterprise Security Strike Team, Amy, Rory, Picard, Data, and the Conduit on a mission to install the Executive Library back in to the Borg aboard a Cyber Armada ship. Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Geordie works to increase the Enterprise speed, and as we find out later, to develop a gold-based weapon that will work in space. Despite difficulties and an encounter with the Cyber Controller - the Doctor's mission to restore the Borg is successful. However, they return to the TARDIS to discover the Conduit has merged with the alien intelligence of the TARDIS herself and is attempting to control it. Data stops this by briefly merging with the TARDIS and the Conduit is thrown out the TARDIS doors and into outer space. Data recovers. The TARDIS returns the Enterprise crew to their ship. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory leave the Enterprise.
I enjoyed this graphic novel. The art is beautiful, and has a painted quality. Everyone is in character, though with so many characters, some of them only get one good scene. I thought Rory was underused in this novel for example, though I liked the scene between him and Dr. Crusher where they discuss Rory being a nurse. One good point about this novel is that, although their are a lot of action scenes, they aren't solved by fisticuffs. The security strike team does shoot at the Cybermen with specially adapted phasers, but cleverness is more highly valued throughout the story than mere violence. For example, Data helps Picard and company escape at one point by forcing open a door and holding it while everyone goes through then jumping through himself - it's a fit of strength that reminds one of Data's abilities. But everyone - Amy, Rory, the Doctor, Worf, Geordie, Dr. Crusher, Deanna Troi, Commander Riker, and especially Picard all get to use their talents in service to the story. Some only briefly, but they are there - which is important in a crossover.
Recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2014
The awesomeness that is the crossover adventure of the Eleventh Doctor and the crew of the starship Enterprise continues in Star Trek The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation Vol. 2. The story leaves off from the end of the previous volume, wherein the crew of the Enterprise are prepared to leave the Borg and the Cybermen to battle it out, and are refusing to intervene.
Normally, this would actually make military sense, as when you have two deadly adversaries attempting to destroy each other, it makes sense to let them. That way, they expend their energies on each other, and not you. Unfortunately, in this case it would lead to disastrous results, as one side or the other would easily be able to convert the other side's tech to further their own plans of conquest. Desperate to prevent such a catastrophe, the Doctor takes Captain Picard for a trip on the TARDIS to show him the horrors that will be unleashed if the Cybermen win this confrontation (which they are close to doing). In a nutshell, absolute apocalypse. Every. Single. Universe. Ever. Will. Be. Enslaved.
Seeing the bad future that will occur if they don't act, Picard agrees to ally with the Borg to destroy the Cybermen. But the combined might of the Cyberman-Enslaved Borg fleet is such a formidable danger, that even the Doctor and the crew of the Enterprise together may not be able to defeat them.
This was a really great second part to this crossover. The story hit on the strengths of both franchises. The techno-babble and pseudo-science of the Star Trek franchise, and the bubbly absurdity and last-minute genius of the Doctor in his own franchise, were both on display. This was a really great difference between this and the first volume, as the actual characters themselves were better explored. When you read the Doctor, Amy, Rory, Picard, Riker, Worf, Data, etc., you could see them acting the way they do/did on their respective television shows.
The only part that disappointed me was how there were no more references to the Fourth Doctor and the original Enterprise facing off against the Cybermen, as happened in the first volume. This isn't a minus against the story, just somewhat of a let-down for me, as the Fourth Doctor is my all-time favorite incarnation.
I'll make two more comments about this story. As with the last volume, the art was gorgeous, and almost worth the price of the book alone just to see it. Also, the ending of the story shows the Borg contemplate time travel, which works as a nice combination shout-out/canonical reference to the plot of Star Trek: First Contact.
This was a great conclusion to the story. Absolute win. :D
Normally, this would actually make military sense, as when you have two deadly adversaries attempting to destroy each other, it makes sense to let them. That way, they expend their energies on each other, and not you. Unfortunately, in this case it would lead to disastrous results, as one side or the other would easily be able to convert the other side's tech to further their own plans of conquest. Desperate to prevent such a catastrophe, the Doctor takes Captain Picard for a trip on the TARDIS to show him the horrors that will be unleashed if the Cybermen win this confrontation (which they are close to doing). In a nutshell, absolute apocalypse. Every. Single. Universe. Ever. Will. Be. Enslaved.
Seeing the bad future that will occur if they don't act, Picard agrees to ally with the Borg to destroy the Cybermen. But the combined might of the Cyberman-Enslaved Borg fleet is such a formidable danger, that even the Doctor and the crew of the Enterprise together may not be able to defeat them.
This was a really great second part to this crossover. The story hit on the strengths of both franchises. The techno-babble and pseudo-science of the Star Trek franchise, and the bubbly absurdity and last-minute genius of the Doctor in his own franchise, were both on display. This was a really great difference between this and the first volume, as the actual characters themselves were better explored. When you read the Doctor, Amy, Rory, Picard, Riker, Worf, Data, etc., you could see them acting the way they do/did on their respective television shows.
The only part that disappointed me was how there were no more references to the Fourth Doctor and the original Enterprise facing off against the Cybermen, as happened in the first volume. This isn't a minus against the story, just somewhat of a let-down for me, as the Fourth Doctor is my all-time favorite incarnation.
I'll make two more comments about this story. As with the last volume, the art was gorgeous, and almost worth the price of the book alone just to see it. Also, the ending of the story shows the Borg contemplate time travel, which works as a nice combination shout-out/canonical reference to the plot of Star Trek: First Contact.
This was a great conclusion to the story. Absolute win. :D
August 22, 2013
This crossover continues where the previous volume ends. It is time to decide whether or not the Enterprise and the Doctor should assist the Borg by getting a copy of their database library from the past and restoring it in the present. The story quickly picks up pace from there, drawing on characters and situations scene in the previous volume.
Riker does have an interesting subplot as he deals with the fact that the representative from the Borg is a former Starfleet officer who had been assimilated at Wolf 359 and a good friend. Riker can't help but wonder if they can save him like they were able to save Picard from being Locutus.
Rory and Amy, along with the Doctor, provide a good share of the humor that is sprinkled throughout. That helps capture the done from their franchise.
The art does seem to shift in this volume so I am not sure if they changed artists. I must admit that I forgot to check. With that said, the art still captures everyone so they really do look like the actors who portray the characters on film quite nicely.
This volume does finish up the arc, though it ties things up in a way that there is a hint for possible future crossovers. All-in-all, I was very happy with this volume as well.
Riker does have an interesting subplot as he deals with the fact that the representative from the Borg is a former Starfleet officer who had been assimilated at Wolf 359 and a good friend. Riker can't help but wonder if they can save him like they were able to save Picard from being Locutus.
Rory and Amy, along with the Doctor, provide a good share of the humor that is sprinkled throughout. That helps capture the done from their franchise.
The art does seem to shift in this volume so I am not sure if they changed artists. I must admit that I forgot to check. With that said, the art still captures everyone so they really do look like the actors who portray the characters on film quite nicely.
This volume does finish up the arc, though it ties things up in a way that there is a hint for possible future crossovers. All-in-all, I was very happy with this volume as well.
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