Tranquility Base Comic

Saturday 14th March, 2009 @ 15:51 GMT

The Planet of Hats is a very frequently used concept in science fiction. It is the use of a single defining characteristic for a whole planet - it's like a stereotype, only much more (and like stereotypes, can be positive as well as negative). It is very common in Star Trek - of course!

For example, Klingons are all warriors; Vulcans are all cold logic; Ferengi are all extreme capitalists... and so on. Although later series, notably Deep Space Nine, added more depth to some of these species. I thought I'd make it a literal thing, and a pun at the same time.

Speaking of Deep Space Nine, I've been watching the last two seasons of this show, and think I've been influenced by its decidedly darker tone*. However, don't worry, I'm not going totally down that route, this is primarily a humorous comic, but sometimes there is humour in the darkness.

* Whether DS9 is really "Star Trek" (ala Gene Roddenberry) or not, I shall leave as a debate for the reader -- I'm not getting involved!