The Planet of No Return

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An expedition team discovers its secret – too late... K-G, Planet of Death!

Summary

"Captain's log, stardate 18:09.2 - Enterprise carrying out exploration mission through Galaxy Alpha. So far we've seen no indication of life anywhere in the Galaxy."

The starship comes across a planet that appears to be fertile, one they quickly nickname "Kelly-Green". As Captain Kirk prepares an exploration party, the ship passes through a strange fog and are set upon by space-borne spores. The spores get through the ship's hull and transform some guinea pigs into large mutant plants, right in front of Spock and Dr. McCoy.

When the ship reaches the planet, the party beams down to the surface, promising to stay in touch on an hourly basis. Shortly after arriving, Crewman Hunt is horrifically transformed into a mutated plant and dies saving the crew from plant-monsters on the planet. The remaining party continues to explore, finding a community made entirely of vegetation, one that stores and uses animals for food. The plants capture Janice Rand, imprisoning her in a cattle pen with some local animals.

After watching the animals gathered up for the slaughter by the plants, Kirk contacts Spock to fire a laser beam destruct ray in order to save Rand. All odds to the contrary, Spock fires the beam accurately, managing to avoid hitting Rand, and saving her from the giant trees. The party is beamed back up to the Enterprise, and Spock informs the Captain that all life on the planet must be destroyed so that travel in the area is safe.

"Captain's log, stardate 18:10.1 - We are orbiting the planet Kelly Green, performing what will be our last duty here... Total destruction - A mission that must be fulfilled before we can continue our tour of research through the vast reaches of the universe..."

Memorable Quotes

"The suction field... it's being created by a-a giant cannibal plant!"
"Try... try to break free... or that awesome thing will devour us all!"

- Two unnamed Enterprise crewmen

"Don't ask questions! The things are about to devour the doctor and Mr. Spock! Fire! Fire!"

- A security guard, racing to save McCoy and Spock

"Then it is a life-and-death shot that must be taken! All right... send me exact readings! If you are a fraction of an inch off we will fail!"

- Spock, when Kirk tells him to fire a pin-pointed laser beam

"Giant trees are trying to germinate us!"

- Kirk, calling for transport back to the Enterprise

Background Information

This was the first Star Trek comic ever produced, and it contains numerous inconsistencies which persist through this entire series, due to artist and writer unfamiliarity with the source material. References are made here to the Enterprise (sometimes pictured with rocket exhaust emitting from the nacelles) visiting "Galaxy Alpha," using "TV scanners," "TV radio", and laser weapons. Transport is termed "Teleportation".
The complete destruction of a unique planetary ecosystem seem to run a bit counter to the practices of Starfleet depicted in canon productions.
This issue was also reprinted in issue #29 of this series, with a new painted cover listing the planet as "K-2".
Janice Rand makes her only Gold Key Star Trek comics appearance in this issue.
Most guides list the publication date of this issue as July 1967, but according to the publisher's code, it was published in October 1967.
This first issue cost 12 cents.
The photograph of Spock on the front cover seems to comes from a production still taken after the pilot episodes of TOS, but before regular filming began. This is evident from the uniform which has the pilot episode-style rank stripe, but the series-style collar.

Creators

Based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry
Artist: Nevio Zeccara
Cover artist (reprint issue): George Wilson

Characters

Canon characters listed below are linked to the main article about them. Non-canon characters are not linked, but those that recurred, appearing or being mentioned in more than one story, are defined further in Gold Key TOS characters.

Regular and recurring

James T. Kirk: Enterprise captain. He appeared on the cover of the second printing wearing a red jumpsuit.
Spock: Half-Vulcan Enterprise exec and science officer.
Leonard McCoy: Enterprise surgeon. Doctor McCoy was part of the landing party to Planet K-G. McCoy was shown incorrectly wearing a gold command division Starfleet uniform in some panels.
Hikaru Sulu: Enterprise helmsman. Sulu did not appear in the story, but was pictured on the cover.
Janice Rand: Enterprise yeoman who was part of the landing party to Planet K-G. She was briefly captured by animal-herding plant creatures. She appeared on the cover of the second printing wearing a red jumpsuit. The character of Rand only appeared in this issue, but she was included in a later photo cover.

Others

Hunt (Hunt at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works): Enterprise crewman. Mr. Hunt perished on Planet K-G, after having been transformed into a giant plant. He shielded the rest of the landing party from deadly attack by other plant creatures. Hunt appeared on the cover of the second printing wearing a red jumpsuit.
Dean: Enterprise crewman who was part of the landing party to Planet K-G.
Security guards: Crewpeople who act fast and save Spock and McCoy from spores.

Previous issue:	Series	Next issue:
First in series	Gold Key TOS	#2: "The Devil's Isle of Space"
#28: "The Mimicking Menace"	Reprinted as issue #29	#30: "Death of a Star"