DC’s Movie Special adaptation of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was released in June of 1984. Mike W. Barr adapted the story from the script by Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Harve Bennett, and Nicholas Meyer, from a story developed by Bennett and Leonard Nimoy.

It featured pencils by Tom Suttton, inks by Ricardo Villagran, and a lovely cover by Howard Chaykin.

Over the course of 64 uninterrupted pages, the adventure takes us through the third cinematic adventure of the Enterprise crew.

We open with a four-panel introduction with the iconic ‘space, the final frontier…” as we go in for the reveal of Spock’s photon tube on the Genesis planet surface. It’s followed by a splash page featuring Kirk, McCoy, the Enterprise, a klingon we can only assume is Kruge (here’s a good place for an aside – I do like the art, but the characters don’t always look like the actors portraying them. I know I’ve mentioned that before, but it seems important. McCoy is the closest to right), and Saavik and David approaching the photon tube.

We join the U.S.S. Grissom on stardate 8210.3 as they approach the Genesis planet and begin their sensor scans. David and Saavik’s scans not only reveal the variety of weather and landscapes on the planet, but Spock’s tube. Captain Esteban alerts Starfleet Command as we transition to the Enterprise limping home.

I like that the story opens with that, as opposed to re-introducing us to Kirk and crew right away. Kirk’s personal log hints at McCoy’s erratic behaviour, which is a line missing from the film. He’s also already received the message about Grissom’s discovery.

There’s a weird error that has Kirk addressing Uhura, but the dialogue bubble is coming from the science station where Chekov is working.

Kirk leaves the bridge, and we get a scene that wasn’t in the finished film, a turbolift scene between McCoy and Kirk, where he see that there is something wrong with the doctor. He speaks Vulcan, quotes Spock, and is in need of a shave. Kirk is hurt by this, but so is McCoy.

The story shifts again, apparently to somewhere in Organian space. Klingon spy, Valkris, is aboard a cargo ship, and contacts Commander Kruge aboard his cloaked bird of prey. When he learns that she’s watched the tape, he orders the cargo ship destroyed.

Aboard the Grissom, they’ve now detected an animal life form on the planet below. Something that shouldn’t be. And against his better judgment, Esteban orders Saavik and David to gear up to investigate.

Meanwhile, the Enterprise has made it to the Earth spacedock, and amidst the crowded dockyard, which is packed with ships, we get our first look at the Excelsior, ready for trial runs. The moment is interrupted by a report that someone seems to be in Spock’s quarters, which leads to another Kirk/McCoy scene that seems to suggest that the doctor is very much out of sorts.

When Admiral Morrow arrives for inspection, they learn the fate of the Enterprise, to be decommissioned, and that all of them are facing reassignment, including Scotty, who is going to the Excelsior as captain of engineering.

And no one should be talking about Genesis.

And speaking of, Kruge and his command crew are reviewing the Genesis data, and discuss it’s potential as a weapon. Kruge orders his ship to the Genesis planet! Where Saavik and David have just beamed down.

While the Grissom orbits, they discover Spock’s tube, and the microbes that were on it, and have now evolved. And the tube… is empty. Where’s Spock’s body? There also seems to be some geological instabilities occurring around the planet. And as the planet rocks again, a strange cry fills the air.

On Earth, Kirk has Chekov, Uhura and Sulu to his apartment, and they are discussing their futures when Spock’s father, Sarek arrives, wanting to speak with Kirk. Sarek wishes to know why Kirk ignored Spock’s request to bring him to Vulcan.

Kirk says no request was made, and a mind meld shows Sarek what happened. That Spock was separated from Kirk and was unable to place his Katra, his living spirit, within another vessel. Kirk knows Spock would have found a way, and reviews the ship’s visual recorder… finding an answer he may have already begun to suspect.. McCoy.

Sarek says they must be delivered to Mt. Seleya on Vulcan, and Kirk promises to do it. Now, here’s where I wonder something… Kirk hasn’t received word yet that Spock’s body lives, he doesn’t even know the tube soft landed on the surface. So he doesn’t need to go to Genesis, he just needs to get McCoy to Vulcan. A transport should be able to do that.

So why does he go to Morrow to ask for the Enterprise? And why go to Genesis? Just for Spock’s body?

As David and Saavik discover footprints in snow, Morrow shuts down Kirk’s request for the Enterprise, and tells him to stay away from Genesis. The word is no, he is therefore going anyway. And he beings to put a plan into action that will allow him to steal the Enterprise.

Unfortunately, things are complicated by McCoy’s attempt to find transport to Genesis at a local bar, and end up in a bar brawl with Starfleet security, which ends up with him in lockup. In the film, it’s a simple arrest; in the original screenplay and comic, it’s an all-out brawl.

Saavik and David discover a small Vulcan child… Spock? Somehow regenerated by the Genesis wave? They contact the Grissom to inform them of the discovery, but before Estaban can contact Starfleet, they come under attack by Kruge!

And Kruge learns there is a landing party on Genesis. While that occurs, David and Savik discuss what is really going on with the planet. He used protomatter in the ematrix, an unstable substance that is unpredictable and most scientists refuse to use it. His mother didn’t know, and now, we have to worry about what is going to happen on this planet.

What follows is my favourite sequence in the film, breaking McCoy out, and stealing the Enterprise. There are a couple of changes to moments in the comic; things changed to expedite the way the narrative plays out in panels.

Uhura’s screentime in the film is short; it’s even shorter here. Unfortunate.

There are also a couple of errors in the panels for this sequence; both Kirk and Chekov appear to be in their Starfleet uniforms. In fact, these errors continue on the bridge throughout the comic now. As the Enterprise escapes the disabled Excelsior, we rejoin Kruge and his men as the Klingon leads a landing party to Genesis.

David reveals the planet may only have hours, and his tricorder indicates someone is coming their way. And as the Enterprise continues on its way to Genesis, a teen/twenty-something Spock goes through Pon Farr for the first time.

The Enterprise arrives in the Mutara sector, and the Klingon bird of prey is able to stay out of sensor range, while Kruge (he does not look like his cinematic incarnation) has just found Saavik, David and Spock. He leaves some of his men to guard his prisoners as he returns to his ship to take on the Enterprise.

Despite an early blow delivered by the Enterprise, the Klingons are able to render the Starfleet vessel almost inoperative. When the two commanders confer, Kruge demands the secrets of Genesis, and to prove his point, he orders his men to kill one of the hostages on the planet below.

Kirk’s son David is the victim.

Kirk is grief-stricken, but still focused enough to turn death into a fighting chance to live by sacrificing the Enterprise. He surrenders his vessel to the Klingons, but not before starting the self-destruct. They beam down to Genesis as the Klingons come aboard.

I feel the Enterprise blowing up needed a splash page or a double page spread, so the adapation missed the mark on that one. And now, Kirk and his crew are in Starfleet field jackets instead of their movie costumes.

Kruge is shocked that Kirk blew himself and his ship up. But his landing party is surprised by Kirk and company’s sudden arrival. Before he even gets to mourn the death of David, and Spock’s somehow miraculous appearance, and lack of marbles, Kruge beams down.

Kruge beams everyone up but for himself, Kirk and Spock. He wants Genesis. Fisticuffs ensue, and all of a sudden, Kirk is in his movie costume again. Just in time for Kruge to fall from the cliff.

He then has his field jacket back on as he beams aboard the bird of prey, and seizes command from the one surviving Klingon. And his crew figure out how to fly the ship just as the Genesis planet blows.

So they race to Vulcan, Kirk says goodbye to David, and Saavik informs him of the Fal Tor Pan ritual to recombine katra and body. And the dangers it presents. Finally, Kirk and McCoy share a quiet moment over Spock’s resting form.

When the bird of prey lands, they are met by a long line of torch bearers lighting their way up the steps. The ritual has much at stake, Saavik claims. Spock is carried by his crewmates through the lines, a child wishes him long life, and then Sarek, and a group of priestesses take over for the crew, who are left to watch.

Except McCoy that is. He carries the katra, he will be needed.

T’Lar of Vulcan stands over McCoy and Spock for a full day, working to meld Spock together and extract him from McCoy.

Finally it’s over, and Spock, warily greets his comrades, his mind slowly recalling faces, situations, and names. The adaptation ends with Spock surrounded by his crewmates, his friends, and a wonderful quote from City on the Edge of Forever; “You belong at your captain’s side, Mr. Spock… as if you’ve always been there, and always will.”

A decent adaptation. Some interesting costume errors, some changes from script to final product, but overall, faithful, and sets up the crew for more journeys. The DC comics continue the human adventure with issue 9, Promises to Keep, which starts an 8 issue arc! Boldly go!