The Orville: Launch Day (Season 2.5) #1 Review: Spaceborne Adventure

The Star Trek franchise has spawned a number of ersatz simulacra, from Galaxy Quest to the Seth McFarlane-led franchise, and each one has its own twist on spaceborne adventure and diplomacy. The Orville: Launch Day #1, written by the show's executive producer, wonderfully captures the voices of the characters and the struggles they normally face.

Here, the photosensitive Klingon stand-ins, the Krill, want to blow up a planet doing something that might be threatening, a planet that mysteriously withdrew from the Planetary Union that counts the Orville as one of its ships of the line. Doing so would mean crossing Planetary Union territory, so there's a chance for the Orville crew to tag along and try some clandestine investigation. As is often the case, this showcases a chance for some of the internal clashes that are normal (Bortus' family life) and gives some crew members a chance to show their characteristics (the stiff verbal presentation of Isaac, the casual dialogue of LaMarr). The visual storytelling from David Cabeza, Michael Atiyeh, Richard Starkings, and Jimmy Betancourt closely matches the visual tableau fans of the show will recognize, and it's very engaging.

Unfortunately, unlike the episodes, this issue doesn't complete a thought, having only the beginning and middle of a plot without any kind of conclusion. Normally, this hits around the second commercial break on the show, but here there's a month lag before you can get to more story. That's not a fatal error, but it's enough to lose its chance to make it home. RATING: HONORABLE MENTION.