"Nor Iron Bars a Cage" is a TOS comic published by Marvel-Paramount Comics in 1997, the fourth issue in the Star Trek: Early Voyages series, set during Christopher Pike's captaincy of the USS Enterprise, and revisits the events of TOS comic: "The Cage" from a different point of view.
Description[]
- Told through the eyes of Yeoman Colt, a lovely young officer newly assigned to the Enterprise, this retelling of sorts is, as editor Bobbie Chase says, "a Star Trek fan's must-read."
Summary[]
On her second day aboard the Enterprise she was kidnapped by aliens, volunteering to rescue her Captain she finds herself in captivity. Yeoman Mia Colt witnesses as Captain Pike tries to resist, and listens as Vina explains the ways of the Talosians.
Colt arrives on the Enterprise as the ship's dead are prepared to leave.
A day earlier an eager Colt arrives on the Enterprise, but her mood is quickly brought down as Number One gives her a far from warm welcome. The Enterprise mourns for Dermot Cusack, Colt's deceased predecessor.
In sickbay, Yeoman Colt, reporting for her medical, overhears Pike and Doctor Boyce talking about recent events and the strain they have taken on Pike. After the Captain leaves, Colt witnesses strange behavior in the Doctor who asks her to come back for her medical later.
Back in the Talosian menagerie Colt is fearful of Captain Pike's violent behavior, him working hard to block out the Talosians. She tries to help but is hindered by Vina, herself keen to gain the Captain's attention.
At Dermot Cusack's eulogy, Colt feels an outsider, the only kind words coming from another outcast, Nano, who gives her a genial welcome. Their conversation on the potential positive outcomes of the Rigel VII incident gathers some hostile attention from those around, including an agitated Captain Pike, the two exchange barbs, and Colt departs in tears, Pike realizing his mistake to the innocent newcomer only as she departs.
Pike and Colt get to know each other
At Starfleet Academy, a Talosion illusion, Colt confronts an old love, long lost to the Tholians at Kakrafoon. Colt brings herself back to the real world and she and Captain Pike reconcile as they gain a greater understanding of each other.
Later that night… As the Talosian keeper attempts to remove the group's laser pistols Pike strikes with all his primitive emotions, forcing the Talosians to drop their deceptive images as they make their way to the surface. Resorting to threats of suicide, the Talosians allow them to leave.
On the Enterprise, Colt watches as Talos IV disappears behind them; the incident has made her part of the family, and she heads off with Number One for a cup of coffee.
References[]
Starfleet Academy
Characters[]
- Phillip Boyce • Alex Dumant • J. Mia Colt • Moves-With-Burning-Grace • Sita Mohindas • Nano • Christopher Pike • Number One • Spock • José Tyler • Vina • Rigelian Kaylar
- Referenced only
- Robert April • Dermot Cusack
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • Balboa (Class F shuttlecraft)
- Referenced only
- USS Crazy Horse • USS Hawking • USS Savannah • USS Tiberius
Locations[]
- Earth • San Francisco • Starfleet Academy • Talos IV
- Referenced only
- Kakrafoon • Rigel VII • Vega colony
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Other references[]
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- The Cage (TOS episode) - Takes place within the events of this episode showing them from Mia Colt's point of view.
- Our Dearest Blood (EV comic) - Takes place immediately after this issue, with the Enterprise taking the wounded from Rigel VII to Vega colony.
- Flesh of My Flesh (EV comic) - Doctor Boyce reflects concerns that Captain Pike hasn't recovered from his encounter with the Ngultor in this issue.
- Immortal Wounds (EV comic) - The strange behavior of Doctor Boyce witnessed by Mia Colt is explained in this issue.
Background[]
- The issue takes place in the timeframe of "The Cage", the TOS pilot episode which inspired the Early Voyages series. This is also the first appearance of Mia Colt in the series.
- This issue contains a sketch gallery by Patrick Zircher, showing how he honed the look for the Early Voyages characters. Interestingly the sketches include Nils Pitcairn who only appeared in the first issue and Garrison, who didn't appear in any Early Voyages issues.
- The flashback to Colt in the Academy establishes she served under Robert April on the USS Tiberius. Given he transferred to the Enterprise in 2243 she must have completed her Academy course by then, assuming she served on the Tiberius towards the end of April's captaincy and enrolled in Starfleet as soon as possible, this would make Colt's birth year approximately 2221, making her 31 by the time of Star Trek: Early Voyages.
- Amongst the 16 pages of adverts in this comic is one page that advertises subscriptions to Marvel's comic, highlighting Star Trek comics with an image of the USS Voyager.
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Our Dearest Blood |
EV comics | Next comic: Cloak and Dagger |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: Our Dearest Blood |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Cage |
| Previous story: Our Dearest Blood |
The Early Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) | Next story: The Cage |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2254. The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s): | ||
| Previous adventure: Star Trek Chapter 3 (sections 1-3) |
2242 (Flashback) | Next adventure: The Final Reflection Part Three |
Production history[]
- May 1997
- First published by Marvel Comics.
- September 2008
- Re-released on The Complete Comic Book Collection DVD. (Graphic Imaging Technologies)
- May 2009
- Reprinted in Star Trek Omnibus, Volume 2. (IDW Publishing)
- 26 November 2013
- Reprinted in The Stardate Collection's Volume 1 omnibus. (IDW Publishing)
- 27 April 2017
- Collected in the Graphic Novel Collection's Volume 9 omnibus. (Eaglemoss Collections)
Translations[]
- 25 October 2017
- Italian: Collected in the Italian release of Graphic Novel Collection, Volume 9: Primi Viaggi. (RCS MediaGroup, ISSN 977228074425770009)
External links[]
- Nor Iron Bars a Cage article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Nor Iron Bars a Cage article at Siskoid's Blog of Geekery.
- Nor Iron Bars a Cage article at the bw media spotlight blog.