Harlan Ellison's The City on the Edge of Forever, Issue 4 was the fourth issue of a five-part Star Trek: The Original Series miniseries published in 2014 which adapted Harlan Ellison's original script for TOS episode: "The City on the Edge of Forever". It was adapted by writers Scott and David Tipton and painted by J.K. Woodward.
Description[]
- Solicitation text
- Harlan Ellison's Hugo- and WGA Award-winning teleplay adaptation continues! As Kirk and Spock bide their time in 1930s New York, Kirk finds himself doing the unthinkable – falling in love with a woman of the past! And all the while, a murderer from their own era draws ever closer, threatening to alter the very fabric of history! Harlan Ellison's Hugo and WGA Award-winning teleplay, visualized for the first time!
Summary[]
New York City in the 1930s. A city where, even in the Great Depression, love can blossom as it does between James T. Kirk and Edith Keeler. But such moments of happiness are punctuated by bittersweet reminders that Kirk is a stranger to this time and that Edith...has little time left.
In the nighttime streets, Spock is blunt is saying Kirk is enamoured with Keeler. After some false starts, Kirk admits to loving her like no other women before. Surprisingly Spock offers his sympathies, these past few years their romantic partners have been only call girls and casual flings in spaceports and on pleasure planets. That Kirk should feel an urge to set down on his homeworld and forge a meaningful connection is hardly surprising. But that doesn't change the fact that Keeler must die for time to resume its shape. Though Kirk proposes bringing her back to the 23rd century with them, Spock soon convinces that they cannot alter time. In a few years, Earth will be consumed by World War II, and Spock theorizes that Keeler's pacifism will grow across the United States. Without America's support, the Germans will grow bolder and develop atomic weaponry first, thus winning the war. Kirk sadly dismisses his first officer. Spock departs but warns time cannot be so easily sent away.
Some nights later, Kirk and Keeler make their way into a nightclub. While walking down the stairs, Edith trips and falls headfirst. But she assures Jim that she is fine.
The next day, Edith is back to work at the milk kitchen. Kirk and Spock spend the time waiting for Beckwith who materializes right on Spock's schedule. Though the two give chase, they loose the rogue officer by the milk kitchen. Meeting Edith, Kirk only asks her to stay indoors until he returns. Though confused, Edith agrees professing her love to Kirk as he walks out.
In the streets, Kirk and Spock argue once again about Edith's demise with the scuffle revealing Spock has armed himself with a phaser. Though not for use against Beckwith. But to put time back on course himself if he must.
Reclaiming his weapon, Spock walks off alone. In an alley, Beckwith jumps the commander and manages to wrestle away the phaser. Though Spock manages to dodge the crewman's barrage, he is unable to give chase.
References[]
Characters[]
- Beckwith • Edith Keeler • James T. Kirk • Spock
- Referenced only
- Guardian of Forever • Wellman 9
Starships and vehicles[]
- automobiles • trucks • wagon
- Referenced only
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser)
Locations[]
- Earth (59th Street Bridge • New York City)
- Referenced only
- Iowa
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- atomic weapon • galaxy • phaser • tricorder
Ranks and titles[]
Other references[]
- alcohol • beer • city • empathy • Great Depression • history • hotel • hour • kitchen • logic • milk • minute • piano • planet • Prohibition • rocket • song • telepathy • time • transporter room • war • World War II • year
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- TOS episode: "The City on the Edge of Forever" – the episode as aired.
- TOS novel: Home Is the Hunter – In 2273, Weyland transports Montgomery Scott to 18th century Scotland, Hikaru Sulu to feudal Japan, and Pavel Chekov to Russia during World War II.
- Phase II episode: "Tomorrow and the Stars" – In 2273, Kirk is transported to Pearl Harbor on 6 December 1941.
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Harlan Ellison's The City on the Edge of Forever, Issue 3 |
TOS comics IDW Publishing |
Next comic: Harlan Ellison's The City on the Edge of Forever, Issue 5 |
| chronological order | ||
Publication history[]
- 24 September 2014
- First printed by IDW Publishing.
- 3 February 2015
- Collected in the hardcover omnibus. (IDW Publishing)
- 19 January 2017
- Collected in the Graphic Novel Collection's Volume 2 omnibus. (Eaglemoss Collections)
Translations[]
- 6 September 2017
- Italian: Collected in the Italian paperback release of Graphic Novel Collection, Volume 2: La Città Sull’orlo del Sempre – La Sceneggiatura Originale. (RCS MediaGroup, ISSN 977228074425770002)
- 18 February 2021
- Spanish: Collected in the Spanish hardcover omnibus as La ciudad al borde de la eternidad. (Editorial Drakul, ISBN 978-8412169249)
External link[]
- Harlan Ellison's The City on the Edge of Forever, Issue 4 article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.