Countdown To Darkness Comic- Connections and Theories

[redhawk23]

So this month the first issue of the comic-book lead up to the new film was published.This is different from the ongoing trek comic series which are supposed to be 'cannon' or whatever. They published a similar miniseries explaining the backstory of Nero and the leadup to the first JJ Trek film.

Have any of you started reading this? I haven't gotten too yet but this series being the official lead up to the film can provide us with information about possible storylines in the film.

From what I've heard though, this first issue this month ends with a bit of a bombshell

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Robert April, who in classic Trek lore was the first captain of the enterprise, shows up.

Despite the lack of resemblance to this comic book iteration, could this be who Peter Weller is playing?

[redhawk23]

This actor, Nolan North, has a role in the film. His looks are very similar to the surprising tie in comic character.

[SlackBrian]

North does share quite the resemblance, but I think if you look at Weller, and give him that same hairstyle and facial hair, and he will too. It was an interesting twist at the end of the first issue. If I had to guess at what actor might be theoretically playing April, I would say Weller, based on his vague and likely misleading character description, but it'll be interesting nonetheless.

[redhawk23]

Yeah its hard to tell with the artists style. I thought most of the art in this issue was quite subpar. The alien race design was great though, I wish they would show up in the film. The planet in the prologue is different though right?

[Chris B]

There's definately an uncanny resemblance between that actor and the way April is drawn in the panel. Still, it would seem weird that Robert April finally makes an appearance in live-action Star Trek media, and they cast such an obscure actor in the role.

[SuBe]

Originally Posted by Chris B

There's definately an uncanny resemblance between that actor and the way April is drawn in the panel. Still, it would seem weird that Robert April finally makes an appearance in live-action Star Trek media, and they cast such an obscure actor in the role.

Perhaps the role isn't that large. I was quite shocked. I hope that they offer some explanation to the "original" Enterprise (not the one onscreen in ST2009, but what supposed to have existed prior to her launch).

I mean, are we supposed to assume that Pike had command of the Enterprise for a hole of 10 minutes prior to being taken hostage by the Romulans? There had to be an Enterprise before her, right?

[redhawk23]

Yeah the word on the Star Trek BBS is forums is that as originally pitched, the 09 film was actually going to open with the destruction of the original Enterprise, which the studio smacked right down, so that was eventually morphed into the Kelvin.

[redhawk23]

Originally Posted by Chris B

There's definately an uncanny resemblance between that actor and the way April is drawn in the panel. Still, it would seem weird that Robert April finally makes an appearance in live-action Star Trek media, and they cast such an obscure actor in the role.

Its also possible that it's Weller. The artists style renders all the other characters looking barely like their respective actors, so its not that much of a stretch really.

[Chris B]

Originally Posted by SuBe

Perhaps the role isn't that large. I was quite shocked. I hope that they offer some explanation to the "original" Enterprise (not the one onscreen in ST2009, but what supposed to have existed prior to her launch).

Maybe. Though I'd have to wonder why they would bother introducing him in the prequel comics in what seems to be a major role there.

Originally Posted by redhawk23

Its also possible that it's Weller. The artists style renders all the other characters looking barely like their respective actors, so its not that much of a stretch really.

That's certainly possible. One thing I'm curious about is whether or not they'll honor the tradition of April being English as seen in TAS and other tie-in material. Which if they do, would make it possibly more likely that Cumberbatch is playing a reverse-aged April.

[redhawk23]

I seriously doubt Cumberbatch has anything to do with april, considering April introduces himself to the main characters of the film by name as April.

Then again Harrison is a former member of Starfleet.


As rendered here though, April does look a huge amount like Nolan North, who we know to be in the film.

[redhawk23]

I'm thinking the shot of the falling Enterprise in the trailer is April's ship, not the current Enterprise. Its appearance is different than the current ship.

[DKDetective]

Originally Posted by redhawk23

I'm thinking the shot of the falling Enterprise in the trailer is April's ship, not the current Enterprise. Its appearance is different than the current ship.

No, its not. It's the same ship.

[GRangerPrimeNYC]

What exactly does April do in the prequel comic?

Does it give any hint that he's from the Prime universe or what his alignment is?

[Smegger56]

It goes against alot of Trek lore to have a federation Starship Enterprise named Enterprise before the NCC-1701. I know this is a new timeline post 2233, but Pikes/Kirks ship is the first federation ship to bare the name.

So whatever Aprils ship was in this timeline, well....

[redhawk23]

Originally Posted by GRangerPrimeNYC

What exactly does April do in the prequel comic?

Does it give any hint that he's from the Prime universe or what his alignment is?

He showed up in the last panel but he's apparently involved in some hardcore prime directive breaking, giving federation tech to militaristic civilizations that are in their "Roman empire" stage.

[redhawk23]

To be honest DK, I'm still just thrown off by how ridiculously huge the nacelles are in the new films.

[DKDetective]

Originally Posted by redhawk23

To be honest DK, I'm still just thrown off by how ridiculously huge the nacelles are in the new films.

No worries. The design is just screwed up. It looks like the nacelles/struts and the saucer/engineering section look like they are from two different ships and kitbashed together. It's one of the things I'm not a fan of Abrams regarding. He ruined an elegant/well-balanced design in an attempt to make it cool by hot rodding it up.

[GRangerPrimeNYC]

I actually think the Enterprise looks beautiful.

Love the Nacelles

[Smegger56]

The 09 Enterprise and the Enterprise from movies 1-6 are beautiful. For me, two of the best looking ships not just in Star Trek, but sci-fi in general.

[titansupes]

Sometimes if I don't see a clear shot of it for a while, the '09 Enterprise can jar me with its proportions, but on the whole it's very nice...I like it more than the Enterprise-D.

For me though, the Enterprise-E (specifically the very slightly redesigned version from Nemesis) is the best looking of the ships (and as Smegger56 says about the TOS movies, even sci-fi in general).

[Octoberist]

JJ's Enterprise is fine. Arcade-carpet free!

[SuBe]

Originally Posted by titansupes

Sometimes if I don't see a clear shot of it for a while, the '09 Enterprise can jar me with its proportions, but on the whole it's very nice...I like it more than the Enterprise-D.

For me though, the Enterprise-E (specifically the very slightly redesigned version from Nemesis) is the best looking of the ships (and as Smegger56 says about the TOS movies, even sci-fi in general).

I've always loved the Re-fit Enterprise A the best. The Sovereign Class Enterprise E was always too "Voyager" for me.

[Hulk1968]

Originally Posted by GRangerPrimeNYC

I actually think the Enterprise looks beautiful.

Love the Nacelles

To Quote Scotty, before he beamed himself and Kirk onto the Enterprise, with help from Spock Prime: "I'd love to get me hands on her ample nacelles'"

[danlav05]

Originally Posted by SuBe

I've always loved the Re-fit Enterprise A the best. The Sovereign Class Enterprise E was always too "Voyager" for me.

That's because it shared some of the same sets



I love the Enterprise-D the best I think followed by the Ent-A

[redhawk23]

http://www.startrek.com/article/coun...ness-continues Comic #2 preview. More with April. He's supposed to be dead. Kirk mentions an Enterprise mission 20 years prior. So its not a matter of him being some kind of captain during construction.
http://www.startrek.com/article/coun...ness-continues

April's ship was an earlier Enterprise that was decomissioned.