Vicious Circle! — memory beta

"Vicious Circle!" is the 33rd issue of DC Comics' 1984 series of TOS comics, released in December 1986. It was written by Len Wein and illustrated by Tom Sutton & Ricardo Villagran. In 2019, Eaglemoss reprinted it in Graphic Novel Collection, Volume 72.

This story was a direct sequel to TOS episode & novelization: Tomorrow is Yesterday, with Captain James T. Kirk's USS Enterprise time traveling from the 1960s but overshooting the 2260s and instead encountering Admiral Kirk and the USS Excelsior in 2285.

Summary

Log entries

[Enterprise] Captain's log, stardate 3114.1: Having been hurled back into the late 1960s as the result of an accidental encounter with a black star, the Enterprise is attempting to return to its proper time via use of the slingshot effect — employing the gravitational field of the sun itself to create a sufficient whiplash to propel us into another time-warp and hopefully home.
At least, that's the theory.

[Excelsior] Captain's log, stardate 8906.3: Having intercepted a distress call on an obsolete subspace communications channel, the Excelsior is en route to the source of the message at all possible speed.

[Excelsior] Captain's log, stardate 8906.4: Coming out of transwarp drive, the Excelsior has found itself confronted by a ship that is either a dream come true — or the stuff of nightmares!
Despite all logic, despite the fact that I saw it destroyed by my own hand. I find myself staring at the USS Enterprise — And I wonder if I am losing my mind!

[Enterprise] Captain's log, stardate 3114.5 (subjective time): The reaction of my transporter room crew is no different from that of those on the Excelsior — Slack-jawed astonishment, pure and simple — and, frankly, who can blame them?

[Excelsior] Captain's log, supplemental: The chronal rippling continues to grow worse, with the Enterprise and the Excelsior at the very heart of the problem...
Time is of the essence — and it is rapidly running out!

[Excelsior] Captain's log, supplemental: We've filled Spock in on the details of our situation, and he has employed all the resources of his vessel and crew to assist us — but the results are not very encouraging!

[Excelsior] Captain's log, stardate inapplicable.: Of all the planets in this universe, there is no world I would less like to return to than the planet of the Guardian of Forever – where I once lost the only woman I've ever truly loved — and now may soon lose my life.

[Excelsior] Captain's log, supplemental.: We have reached the planet of the Guardian of Forever. Here, all that ever was, is, or will be exists, simultaneously – including, we hope, our salvation.

[Enterprise] Captain's log, stardate inapplicable.: We have shut down the Enterprise's engines, preparing to restart them abruptly – and thus trigger the anti-matter time effect. The ship shudders, then moans – but then, like the courageous lady she is, the Enterprise begins to move – slowly at first, then faster – our chronometers rolling backwards, our todays becoming our yesterdays – faster, ever faster – bucking, the ripples of time displacement as we race directly towards the planet of the Guardian of Forever – and what may well be our final rendezvous with destiny!

[Excelsior] Captain's log, stardate 8906.2: Departing Magellan's World, our mission there a qualified success at best... Recommend the Federation's highest honors be postumously awarded to Ambassador Averill R. Stanton, who perished bravely and honorably in the line of duty...

References

Races and cultures

Human • Romulan • Vulcan
Referenced only: Klingon

States and organizations

Federation • Starfleet

Science and classification

chronometer • coordinates • deflector shields • DNA • hail • phaser • radio • retinal pattern • scanner • slingshot effect • subspace communications • time ripple • time travel • time-warp • transmission • transporter • transwarp • tricorder • turbolift • viewscreen • warp engine • warp speed (warp two)

Occupations and titles

admiral • ambassador • captain • commander • helmsman • lieutenant • science officer • yeoman

Other references

alert status (yellow alert) • Antarean brandy • antimatter • armory • assignment patch • bridge • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2267 • captain's log, USS Excelsior • century • chronal warp • death • distress call • dream • engineering • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s-2350s) • ghost • honor • log entry • logic • marriage • milk • mint julep • minute • mirror universe • nightmare • paradox • Starfleet ranks • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • temporal anomaly • time • transporter room • universe • Vulcan salute

Appendices

Related media

TOS episode & novelization: Tomorrow is Yesterday – The comic took place amid the time travel at the end of the episode.
TOS episode & novelization: The Naked Time – Spock's method to return the Enterprise to the 2260s employed a cold restart of the warp engines.
TOS episode, novelization & comic adaptation: The City on the Edge of Forever – Both ships journeyed to Gateway.
TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Wrath of Khan – Captain Spock's death was discussed.
TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Search For Spock – Admiral Kirk lamented having destroyed the Enterprise.

Quotes

Spock's death:
- 2285 Kirk: Be careful, Spock. I wouldn't want to lose you a second time.
- 1967 Spock: Second time?
- 2285 Spock: I believe the admiral is referring to my recent untimely death.
Two McCoys:
- 1967 McCoy: Don't take this personally – but I'm a little disappointed. I figured I'd have been retired by your age, living on a plantation somewhere, sipping mint juleps on the veranda...
- 2285 McCoy: You – that is, I — tried that.
- 1967 McCoy: And – ?
- 2285 McCoy: Didn't take.
Two Scottys:
- 1967 Scott: She's a most impressive lady, this Excelsior.
- 2285 Scott: Aye, she is that — but do nae let that fool ye. Glitz an' glitter are one thing, lad, but 'tis heart that makes or breaks a ship — an' the ship hasn't been built t'match the heart o' muh Enterprise.
Two Uhuras:
- 2267 Uhura: I'm not married? No children? No legacy to leave?
- 2285 Uhura: Not the one we'd once hoped to leave. But we've helped to open the universe to all mankind — and that's more than enough legacy for any woman.

Background

The story was released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of TOS.
Sensors reported Enterprise and Excelsior to be roughly the same size. DC Comics usually depicted Excelsior as being several times larger, such as on the cover of issue 12, "The Tantalus Trap".
Uhura's statement to her younger self reflected Nichelle Nichols' real-world contributions to NASA and American culture as well as Uhura's influence.

Continuity

Captain Kirk didn't recognize Commander Chekov. Most sources supported this. For instance, Ensign Chekov transferred to the ship during a layover in the Sol system immediately after this story, according to TOS novel: Living Memory, and ten days later excelled during an emergency that brought him to Kirk's attention, according to TOS - New Visions comic: "Mister Chekov". However, one source, TOS novel: Enterprise: The First Adventure, placed Chekov on bridge duty as early as 2264. Some Gold Key Comics featuring Chekov have therefore been placed prior to "Tomorrow is Yesterday" in the Memory Beta Chronology.
Janice Rand was aboard the Enterprise. This was consistent with several sources that placed her departing a few months later, for varying reasons, such as TOS novel: The Captain's Daughter, TOS - New Visions comic: "Sweet Sorrow", and TOS - Crucible novel: Provenance of Shadows.
Commander Spock recognized Lieutenant Saavik. Later comics and novels would contradict this, setting their first meeting in the mid-2270s.
In discussing Captain Spock's death, 2285's Montgomery Scott quite understandably mentioned Khan Noonien Singh. However, Commander Spock had not yet met the Augment – though Khan and the Botany Bay would be encountered not long after the events of this story.
2285's McCoy commented, "Stereophonic Spocks, as if one of him wasn't enough!"', as if he'd not seen two Spocks in the same room before. He witnessed this twice before, in 2269 in TOS novel: Spock Must Die! and in canon in 2270 in TAS episode & Log Three novelization: The Infinite Vulcan. He was also aware of two Spocks being aboard the ship, though he didn't see them together, in TOS - The New Voyages short story: "Ni Var".
With the time travel prevented from occurring, the last page restarted events from the previous issue, including Kirk's log entry from that story.

Connections

Timeline

published order
Previous comic: Judgment Day!	TOS comics (DC volume 1)	Next comic: Death Ship!
Previous story: Judgment Day!	Stories by: Len Wein	Next story: Death Ship!
chronological order
Previous adventure: Judgment Day!	Memory Beta Chronology	Next adventure: Death Ship!
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2285. The Memory Beta Chronology places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s):
Previous adventure: Tomorrow is Yesterday	2267	Next adventure: Mister Chekov New Visions
Previous comic: Tomorrow is Yesterday	Voyages of the USS Enterprise, Year Two	Next comic: Mister Chekov

External links

Vicious Circle! article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
Vicious Circle! article at Siskoid's Blog of Geekery.