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While this has gorgeous illustrations, and I love this movie that I really did adore reading this adaptation it's the movie. That's it. I usually love adaptations because they add something new, or show deleted or expanded scenes that were cut out or edited down because of timing concerns or because the movie shifted slightly and wouldn't support that scene. At the very least, you tend to get more into the characters heads.
Due to the format, you don't really get any of the characters' thoughts, so it feels unexciting. It really is just the movie in comic format. It lost stars/points because it felt completely unoriginal in that aspect.
I would hope that any adaptation, or tie-in, would add something new, but this didn't at all. If that doesn't bug you, though, by all means this is well written - well, if you consider the movie well written - and, again, just can boast beautiful artwork.
Why is it so highly rated given my large flaw with this? Like I said, I found the movie fun, and thus I found this fun. More than that, though, I see more ties to TOS when I read this. I've had people argue that it isn't like TOS, or even TNG, at all, that it isn't Star Trek. How is it not, I've asked back. They still try to provide aid to everyone before fighting. Nero and the Narada are simply too powerful, and refuse to negotiate. What can the Federation do but fight? Did they hesitate when the Borg made it clear that they were unwilling to compromise, or to do anything other than assimilate people? (I'm totally on board, Borg. You can assimilate me anytime!)
Even Kirk and his crew were willing to fight if necessary. Was there more action than the TOS movies? Perhaps, but when I think of Wrath of Khan, I remember some heavy duty fight scenes! (Arguably Into Darkness had even more action, but again, I don't remember it being so much more than either Wrath or the battle with Locutus if you want to go into TNG.)
My point is there were points in both TOS and TNG where mediation and talking things out didn't work. There were times when faking people out wouldn't cut it, and there was a time to lower the shields and fire the photon torpedoes. The Federation has always been presented as focused on science, exploration, and peace, but they have always, always been aware that fighting and even war was a distinct possibility between races. They armed themselves, and made sure that those in command didn't abuse the power of those weapons.
I see nothing out of line in this movie. They had little time, they refused to attack Nero - until he drew a final line in the sand with his actions against the Vulcan people. The Federation, in my opinion, would have reacted as they did whether they were in Nu!Trek, TOS or TNG.
So this became clearer to me when reading. So the three and a half stars are partially for simply entertaining me, and proving me with such a lovely piece of art, but also a lot of this has to do with how I can now articulate why I don't feel this is an abomination to TOS and the original Trek universe as so many TOS fans feel. (And if you do, I would love to hear counter-arguments. I'm intrigued, and I'm willing to concede if there's a convincing argument. Also, I respect those who hate this based on love of TOS, partly because I'm not 100% convinced I'm correct.)
