Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, entertainment, idw, Six Doctors, star trek

In July, IDW Presents A Star Trek 'Six Doctors' Story Of Another Kind

Published Fri, 18 Apr 2014 12:00:18 -0500

By Ed Saul

We've all heard the countless jokes about the Voyager hologram-character calling himself "The Doctor", but this is a different case entirely. In an oddly career-specific move, IDW are creating a story bringing together all six Star Trek medical officers of note for the first time, apparently with Beverly Crusher in the lead.

This is good news to me, certainly, as Dr. Crusher was always one of my favorite sci-fi characters and it's good to be reminded of the Star Trek franchise's long history of giving women significant roles and functions that don't just amount to eye-candy or male-ego-crutches (I am looking at you, J.J. Abrams). Also, because we've never to my knowledge seen her work/dispute with 'Bones' McCoy, "The Doctor" or her temporary replacement Katherine Pulaski.

But wait, there's more – the comic is inspired by a real-life competition to create a "Tricorder" app:

The Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE is a global competition in which 30 teams are competing to develop a consumer-friendly, mobile device capable of diagnosing and interpreting a set of health conditions and vital health metrics, inspired by the Star Trek Tricorder.

And about time, too, I should say. I've been waiting for them to try and pull something like this off since the iPhone 3.

However – as excited as I am about both aspects of this story, I can't help but think they're trying a little to draw on some of the techniques of that other cult sci-fi series with a character called "The Doctor" who wields a seemingly all-purpose tool that he points everywhere. It's even got the same name as one of the better episodes of NuWho Series 5.

Dammit Jim, I'm a Doctor, not Ed Saul! Though you can find him at http://aboxofbones.com

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