The Mysterious Shapeshifting USS Surak

If you were to ask a Star Trek fan on the street, “What happened between Star Trek III and Star Trek IV?” you would almost certainly be told, “Not much of anything. Kirk and crew spent their time on Vulcan after Spock’s resurrection on the Genesis Planet.” But a knowledgeable fan will tell you somethingContinue reading “The Mysterious Shapeshifting USS Surak”

Remaking an Ebook Cover

When I was in college, I read Jean Airey’s legendary novella, The Doctor and the Enterprise. Written in the 1970s, it was a crossover between Star Trek (near the end of the Five Year Mission) and Doctor Who (between “The Deadly Assassin” and “The Face of Evil”). The text had been uploaded by Airey toContinue reading “Remaking an Ebook Cover”

A New Star Trek Television Series

Today, CBS announced that there will be a new Star Trek television series in January 2017, executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, one of the writers of 2009’s Star Trek and 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness movies. Suffice it to say, I had thoughts on this today, which is why I wrote about it on Facebook:Continue reading “A New Star Trek Television Series”

Untold Tales of the Beatles in Hamburg

Later this month, Tune In, the first volume of Mark Lewisohn’s three volume biography of the Beatles, The Beatles: All These Years, comes out. I’ve been awaiting this book for five or six years. Lewisohn, the writer behind The Beatles Recording Sessions and The Complete Beatles Chronicle, the the world’s foremost expert on the Beatles,Continue reading “Untold Tales of the Beatles in Hamburg”

On Things I’ve Been Reading

Some recent comic book purchases. Irredeemable #1 BOOM! Studios Written by Mark Waid Art by Peter Krause For nearly twenty years my brother and I have jokingly called Mark Waid “Waid the Butthead.” The reason goes back to an early issue of DC Comics’ The Comet, part of their short-lived revival of Archie Comics’ superheroesContinue reading “On Things I’ve Been Reading”

On Star Trek Hybrids

I have long held that in saying that Spock is half-human, half-Vulcan, a person is verbalizing imperfectly a rather complicated concept in a manner that is accurate in the general but not in the particular. In general, because Spock’s father is Vulcan and his mother is human, then Spock is half-and-half. In particular, though, itContinue reading “On Star Trek Hybrids”

Allyn's Crackpot Theory: The Clone of Spock!

Now for one of Allyn’s crackpot theories…. Spockdid stay dead after Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The post-Genesis Spock is really a clone of the original Spock, with most of the original Spock’s memories. Their brain structures are completely different; the post-Genesis Spock had his brain wired based not on the life hisContinue reading “Allyn's Crackpot Theory: The Clone of Spock!”

On Why Spock Isn't Spock Anymore

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan received a DVD “director’s cut” treatment this week. Most Star Trek fans consider this the best film of the series. While I’ve always loved Star Trek II and have fond memories of going to see it with my father in the summer of ’82, I count Nick Meyer’sContinue reading “On Why Spock Isn't Spock Anymore”

On Spock, and the First Vulcan in Starfleet

I’ve been thinking this one through. And I’m going to stand on the issue of Spock being the first Vulcan in Starfleet where I always have before: the concept is plainly lacking on its face. However, there wouldn’t be the mass delusion about Spock being the first Vulcan unless it had some backing somewhere. InContinue reading “On Spock, and the First Vulcan in Starfleet”

Spock and the Calvinists

Calvinist: I’m saved! I’m one of the Elect! Spock: How many elect are there? Calvinist: One-hundred forty-four thousand. Spock: An intriguing number. A question. How many of these Elect come from this time? Calvinist: What? I don’t understand. Spock: Christianity as a faith is two thousand years old. A rough calculation would show that someContinue reading “Spock and the Calvinists”