I initially picked up The Scheimer Barrier off Amazon because the comics were free and, well, they’re Star Trek. I added them to my massive, ever-growing collection of comics and didn’t think much of them for a few weeks. I kept returning to the comics because of their exceptionally odd covers and eventually realized this was not a normal Star Trek mini-series. This mini-series celebrates the 50-year anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series, and features a massive, somewhat bonkers, Star Trek crossover. It’s a marvelously weird and wacky set of four comics that will absolutely brighten your mood. Did I mention it’s also free?

Goodreads – #1 #2 #3 #4 / Free on Amazon

Blurb:

Celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series with this new adventure written by critically acclaimed writer and director Casper Kelly (Too Many Cooks and Cheddar Goblin) and drawn by Eisner Award–winning cartoonist Jonathan Case (Little Monarchs and Dear Creature), featuring the classic crew in the art style of the original cartoon.

Review:

These are some of the wackiest comics I’ve ever picked up. The general premise is that Kirk, Spock, and the crew get pulled into a comic world. From there, pandemonium breaks out.

I immensely enjoyed the direction of the series! I especially loved Issues #2 and #3. In Issue #2, Kirk and the gang go into a comic called “Artie’s Gals” – a riff on the Archie comics. I never expected to see Spock entertain and counsel teenage girls, but I can cross that off the list now. In Issue #3, Kirk and his crew pick up captains from other Star Trek comics. It’s a captain crossover, which is about as incredible as anticipated. The other two issues also have great Star Trek fanfare and a lot of fan service moments. They’re entertaining, but not quite as enjoyable as Issues #2 and #3, in my opinion.

Art:

Jonathan Case’s art is true to the Star Trek animated series while still having its own flavor and detail. The captains and characters from other Star Trek shows are well-drawn and easily identifiable. The artist’s style really fit the wacky direction of the story, and you can tell it was a great collaboration between writer and artist.

Final Thoughts:

The Scheimer Barrier is a super fun read, but don’t go into this expecting a serious Star Trek comic or a plot-driven story. This series is mostly just a fun crossover comic to celebrate the anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. That said, the comics are fun, weird, and free – three of my favorite things.

Ratings: 4.5 overall

• 4/5 for Issue #1
• 5/5 for Issue #2
• 5/5 for Issue #3
• 4/5 for Issue #4