34: Your Father Is a Very Lucky Man

Assignment Earth Comics. At the end of its second season, the return of The Original Series was in doubt and creator Gene Roddenberry wanted to find something to replace his imperilled show. In 1966 he pitched a pilot script to Desilu studios entitled "Assignment: Earth," hoping that this would be his next project. But the studio passed, and so he slipped lead characters Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln—along with their cat Isis—into an episode of TOS in hopes that Kirk and Spock would give the extra push needed to get the new series on the air. It failed, but nearly 40 years later comic legend John Byrne resurrected the idea. In this episode of Literary Treks hosts Matthew Rushing and Christopher Jones take a close look at Byrne's five-part series that delivers (mostly) all-new adventures for Seven, Lincoln, and Isis, and how these stories do more justice to Roddenberry's concept than "Assignment: Earth" ever did. In our news segment we take cover as Kor wields his bat'leth in new art from Keith R. A. DeCandido's The Klingon Art of War, look at the beautiful cover for James Swallow's The Poisoned Chalice, and get another peek at John Byrne's upcoming photo comic. Plus, Chris becomes confused about a classic TV sitcom.