Who is Number One?

We all just sort of took Commander William T. Riker for granted when we had him around, but now that we're unlikely to see him again we're all starting to realize how much he brought to our lives with his jolly machismo, jazzy trombone, and that peculiar way he would stand around on the Enterprise bridge, one leg propped up on that expensive Starfleet equipment like he was posing in a 1974 ad for jockey shorts or something. Originally intended as a sort of Kirk 2.0, Will Riker evolved into a bearlike, smarmy awesomeness all his own.

Riker and his imzadi Deanna Troi may have blasted off into rerun heaven forevermore, but the folks at the Number One blog just can't let Riker go. Join them, as they celebrate all things Riker with photos, commentary and even original art. This piece, by Ryan North of Dinosaur Comics, captures something essential about the aggressive young Riker of season one. (Although it also kind of looks like Riker is puffing up his neck like a bullfrog. Perhaps this would explain why he grew the beard?)