Gold Key Comics continued to boldly go in July of 1974 with issue 25 of their Star Trek comic. The Dwarf Planet was written by Arnold Drake, featured art by Alberto Giolitti and a cover painting by George Wilson.

The splash page gives us a barely clothed Scotty fighting off a giant microbe! Or is Scotty that small? We’ll find out when we delve into the story.

Uhura (still white and misspelled Uhuru. Come on guys, honestly. ) has detected a signal from sector 119-D. She, Kirk and Spock take a shuttle to investigate the area, and the planet they find there. They find a deserted technologically advanced planet. As they explore more of the landscape they find miniature trees and a miniature city.

To save time, the trio split up to cover more ground, and Kirk comes across a small rocket ship that takes off from his hand. It returns with a whole flotilla and attacks him, tying him down like Gulliver. He has been captured by General Kwy, who insists that he and his people will not be taken as slaves for giants.

The captain is released by the president who reveals that Spock and Uhura have already been captured. Releasing them all, she regales the trio with the story of their world. It seems that radiation and explosions within their system’s sun has caused the civilization to begin shrinking in size and it’s still continuing. Soon the planet’s living inhabitants could shrink away to nothing!

The trio are determined to find a way to help. They propose to put themselves and their ship at risk by drawing close to the star and take samples. They wonder if perhaps they can create some form of antidote.

Uhura agrees to stay behind on the planet as a hostage. At the same time Kwy sneaks two of his men aboard the Enterprise in a box of fruit. They plan to sabotage the mission, believing Kwy’s dogma that they will be enslaved by these giants.

The Enterprise draws closer to the sun, but the dish (which looks to be atop the bridge module of the sauce section) designed to keep the starship safe is unresponsive (sabotage by Kwy’s men?). To effect repairs Scotty suits up for an EVA with extra protection, but will it be enough?

Though Scotty is able to free the dish, he collapses on the hull. Kirk goes out to retrieve him only to discover that Scotty received a huge dose of radiation through a tear in the protective foil and has shrunk in size!

Because of the huge dosage Scotty is shrinking faster and faster. Can the Enterprise find a cure in time to save Scotty from microscopic menaces which are now larger than he is? And what about the planet?

McCoy is able to capture Kwy’s men, but only after they damage the unit Scotty is in, allowing microbes inside. Looks like a fight to survive will ensue for the Chief Engineer!

Scotty is able to beat the beast through some quick thinking. And no sooner has he claimed his victory than McCoy removes him with a pair of tweezers. Why? Well, it seems Spock has perfected his anti-shrink ray thanks to the samples taken. With no time for trials, they test it on Scotty before he shrinks to oblivion.

Scotty is restored! And Kirk and Spock (!) actually share a laugh as Scotty laments the lack of clothes as he regains his size.

They return to the planet and help restore its inhabitants with Kwy being the last returned to full size.

Happy endings all around for both planet and crew and the Enterprise boldly goes into The Perfect Dream.