The Enterprise continues its journeys across galaxies (?) in Gold Key’s The Peril of Planet Quick Change. Once again the story was written by Dick Wood, and once again features art by Alberto Giolitti. It hit comic spinners on June 1969.

The Enterprise interior still looks terrible and cluttered. I wish it was more in line with what we saw onscreen, but heck, it’s a playful, if a decidedly ridiculously retro portrayal.

The Starfleet vessel comes across a strange planet. It’s surface seems to be in constant flux like the Genesis planet. Capain Kirk is initially dubious of the state of the celestial orb, but a literal computer printout provided by Spock puts those doubts to rest.

One starts out as a curiosity becomes a much more important possibility. It seems there are large deposits of tiantiantium all over the planet. What’s that you say? Well, apparently it’s what fuels starships, you know, instead of dilithium crystals.

As such, Kirk, Spock, McCoy and some red shirt (sorry green shirt in this case) don their landing party backpacks and belts (and damn I still think these look cool) and head to the teleportation chamber.

There is lots going on that’s weird with the teleportation chamber this time around. For starters it’s still called the teleportation chamber instead of the transporter room, the beaming chamber itself has a door (?!) and it looks like Sulu is at the controls.

On the planet’s surface, which seems to be under constant change and upheaval, the landing party discovers traces of a long-lost civilization. And shortly after that discovery, strange light beings descend upon the party, focusing on Spock. We’ve seen something like this before.

Spock, with the help of the alien intelligence, and the strange ground equipment beamed down from the Enterprise, including a draft board, is able to come up with a plan to stabilize and restore the planet.

The beings reveal the history of their planet to Spock (who seems to have extra large pointy ears in this story). Spock understands, and works hard, muttering constantly, and leaving Kirk to worry about the health of his First Officer.

Spock and the aliens are able to restore the planet. And this is weird, because once the civilization is restored it looks like something out of Arthurian times instead of a technologically advanced society.

Following their restoration, the aliens leave Spock… well almost all of them. One remains, he wants to travel the galaxies with Spock, see what’s out there. But he’s not kind about it. He’s cruel and demanding, and can control Spock. He can read Spock’s mind.

Happily, our Vulcan friend is able to figure out a way to get rid of the last alien being, and restore his sanity – to the transporter ro… err, teleportation chamber!

With Spock back to his regular self (those ears still look a little big), he, McCoy and Kirk share a brief conversation on something that looks kind of like the bridge. And ends with Spock making a somewhat snide remark about humanity.

The journeys will continue next week as the Enterprise boldly goes to The Ghost Planet!