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"Nor Iron Bars a Cage" is a TOS comic published by Marvel-Paramount Comics in 1997, the fourth issue in the Star Trek: Early Voyages series, set during Christopher Pike's captaincy of the USS Enterprise, and revisits the events of TOS comic: "The Cage" from a different point of view.

Description[]

Told through the eyes of Yeoman Colt, a lovely young officer newly assigned to the Enterprise, this retelling of sorts is, as editor Bobbie Chase says, "a Star Trek fan's must-read."

Summary[]

On her second day aboard the Enterprise she was kidnapped by aliens, volunteering to rescue her Captain she finds herself in captivity. Yeoman Mia Colt witnesses as Captain Pike tries to resist, and listens as Vina explains the ways of the Talosians.

Colt arrives

Colt arrives on the Enterprise as the ship's dead are prepared to leave.

A day earlier an eager Colt arrives on the Enterprise, but her mood is quickly brought down as Number One gives her a far from warm welcome. The Enterprise mourns for Dermot Cusack, Colt's deceased predecessor.

In sickbay, Yeoman Colt, reporting for her medical, overhears Pike and Doctor Boyce talking about recent events and the strain they have taken on Pike. After the Captain leaves, Colt witnesses strange behavior in the Doctor who asks her to come back for her medical later.

Back in the Talosian menagerie Colt is fearful of Captain Pike's violent behavior, him working hard to block out the Talosians. She tries to help but is hindered by Vina, herself keen to gain the Captain's attention.

At Dermot Cusack's eulogy, Colt feels an outsider, the only kind words coming from another outcast, Nano, who gives her a genial welcome. Their conversation on the potential positive outcomes of the Rigel VII incident gathers some hostile attention from those around, including an agitated Captain Pike, the two exchange barbs, and Colt departs in tears, Pike realizing his mistake to the innocent newcomer only as she departs.

Pike and Colt caged

Pike and Colt get to know each other

At Starfleet Academy, a Talosion illusion, Colt confronts an old love, long lost to the Tholians at Kakrafoon. Colt brings herself back to the real world and she and Captain Pike reconcile as they gain a greater understanding of each other.

Later that night… As the Talosian keeper attempts to remove the group's laser pistols Pike strikes with all his primitive emotions, forcing the Talosians to drop their deceptive images as they make their way to the surface. Resorting to threats of suicide, the Talosians allow them to leave.

On the Enterprise, Colt watches as Talos IV disappears behind them; the incident has made her part of the family, and she heads off with Number One for a cup of coffee.

References[]

Academy EV

Starfleet Academy

Characters[]

Phillip BoyceAlex DumantJ. Mia ColtMoves-With-Burning-GraceSita MohindasNanoChristopher PikeNumber OneSpockJosé TylerVinaRigelian Kaylar
Referenced only
Robert AprilDermot Cusack

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • Balboa (Class F shuttlecraft)
Referenced only
USS Crazy HorseUSS HawkingUSS SavannahUSS Tiberius

Locations[]

EarthSan FranciscoStarfleet AcademyTalos IV
Referenced only
KakrafoonRigel VIIVega colony

Races and cultures[]

HumanLirinTalosianVulcan
Referenced only
RigellianTholian

States and organizations[]

Federation Starfleet

Other references[]

coffeeDemerara sugargravity weightsgymlaser cannonlaser pistol

Appendices[]

Related media[]

  • The Cage (TOS episode) - Takes place within the events of this episode showing them from Mia Colt's point of view.
  • Our Dearest Blood (EV comic) - Takes place immediately after this issue, with the Enterprise taking the wounded from Rigel VII to Vega colony.
  • Flesh of My Flesh (EV comic) - Doctor Boyce reflects concerns that Captain Pike hasn't recovered from his encounter with the Ngultor in this issue.
  • Immortal Wounds (EV comic) - The strange behavior of Doctor Boyce witnessed by Mia Colt is explained in this issue.

Background[]

  • The issue takes place in the timeframe of "The Cage", the TOS pilot episode which inspired the Early Voyages series. This is also the first appearance of Mia Colt in the series.
  • This issue contains a sketch gallery by Patrick Zircher, showing how he honed the look for the Early Voyages characters. Interestingly the sketches include Nils Pitcairn who only appeared in the first issue and Garrison, who didn't appear in any Early Voyages issues.
  • The flashback to Colt in the Academy establishes she served under Robert April on the USS Tiberius. Given he transferred to the Enterprise in 2243 she must have completed her Academy course by then, assuming she served on the Tiberius towards the end of April's captaincy and enrolled in Starfleet as soon as possible, this would make Colt's birth year approximately 2221, making her 31 by the time of Star Trek: Early Voyages.
  • Amongst the 16 pages of adverts in this comic is one page that advertises subscriptions to Marvel's comic, highlighting Star Trek comics with an image of the USS Voyager.

Images[]

Connections[]

Media featuring Christopher Pike
Episodes and movies The Original Series The CageThe Menagerie
Movies Star TrekkStar Trek Into Darknessk
Discovery Will You Take My Hand?BrotherNew EdenPoint of LightAn Obol for CharonSaints of ImperfectionThe Sound of ThunderLight and ShadowsIf Memory ServesProject DaedalusThe Red AngelPerpetual InfinityThrough the Valley of ShadowsSuch Sweet Sorrow
Short Treks Q&AThe Trouble with EdwardAsk Not
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Novels Killing TimeaEnterprise: The First AdventureVulcan's GloryLegacyThe RiftWhere Sea Meets SkyBurning DreamsA Less Perfect UnionaThe Children of KingsChild of Two WorldsDesperate HoursThe Enterprise WarThe High Country
Short stories "Conflicting Natures" • "A Private Anecdote" • "Sins of the Mother" • "The Greater Good"m
Comics Early Voyages "Flesh of My Flesh" • "The Fires of Pharos" • "Our Dearest Blood" • "Nor Iron Bars a Cage" • Cloak and Dagger (12) • "The Flat, Gold Forever" • "Immortal Wounds" • "One of a Kind" • The Fallen (12) • "Futures, Part One" • "Future Tense" • "Futures" • "Now and Then" • "Thanatos" • "Nemesis"
Starfleet Academy "Return to the Forbidden Planet" • "A Prelude to War"
Crew "Shadows of the Past" • "The Ends of Eternity"
other "All Those Years Ago..." • "To Walk the Night" • "Door in the Cage" • Alien Spotlight Alien Spotlight, Volume I (VulcansOrions) • Mirror Imagesm (1245) • Spock: Reflections, Issue 2Star Trek Movie Adaptationk (23456) • Captain's Log: PikeAftermath (123)
k : Kelvin timelinem : Mirror Universea : alternate reality

Timeline[]

Published Order
Previous comic:
Our Dearest Blood
EV comics Next comic:
Cloak and Dagger
Chronological Order
Previous adventure:
Our Dearest Blood
Memory Beta Chronology Next adventure:
The Cage
Previous story:
Our Dearest Blood
The Early Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) Next story:
The Cage
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2254.
The Pocket Books Timeline places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s):
Previous adventure:
Star Trek
Chapter 3 (sections 1-3)
2242 (Flashback) Next adventure:
The Final Reflection
Part Three

Production history[]

May 1997
First published by Marvel Comics.
September 2008
Re-released on The Complete Comic Book Collection DVD. (Graphic Imaging Technologies)
May 2009
Reprinted in Star Trek Omnibus, Volume 2. (IDW Publishing)
26 November 2013
Reprinted in The Stardate Collection's Volume 1 omnibus. (IDW Publishing)
27 April 2017
Collected in the Graphic Novel Collection's Volume 9 omnibus. (Eaglemoss Collections)
Translations[]
25 October 2017
Italian: Collected in the Italian release of Graphic Novel Collection, Volume 9: Primi Viaggi. (RCS MediaGroup, ISSN 977228074425770009)

External links[]

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