Galaxy’s Finest
After IDW’S milestone 400th issue, Starfleet’s heroes are assembling for a brand new Star Trek series
WITH EDITOR HEATHER ANTOS affirming that “my goal from the beginning was to celebrate Star Trek’s past, present and future in the best way comics know how,” IDW marks its 400th Star Trek issue this month with an oversized special, featuring contributions from creators such as Mike Johnson, Declan Shalvey and Wil “Wesley Crusher” Wheaton, who will “pen his character’s never-before-seen future.”
While Antos emphasises that “as we all know, Star Trek is all about exploration – going boldly where no one had gone before,” the 64-pager also sets the scene for October’s Star Trek issue one. Written by Star Trek: Year Five’s Collin Kelly with Jackson Lanzing, and drawn by Ramon Rosanas, the new monthly boasts a roll call of characters drawn from the entire 56-year canon of Gene Roddenberry’s beloved TV series.
“Star Trek 400 is going to be an utter celebration of all things Trek, but to then launch a new Star Trek – and to be able to call it Star Trek – is an experience that is still hard to put into words,” admits Kelly. “The Star Trek issue 400 story is in many ways Star Trek issue 0, and there’s an inciting incident for the audience as you’re reintroduced to one of Star Trek’s very first characters – and its very first space god – Gary Mitchell. You’ll find out what he’s been up to, where he’s going, and what’s coming up for him.”
Based on the experimental USS Theseus – as previously seen in Star
Trek: Year Five – the book’s roster is headed up by Deep Space Nine’s
Benjamin Sisko, and also includes
Data, Beverly Crusher and “everyone’s favourite Delta Flyer-flying hotshot”,
Tom Paris from Voyager, who according to Kelly “brings some levity, but also the skill to keep
our crew alive.” We’ll have to wait to see who fills the tactical and engineering positions, though. “You’ll see new familiar faces in nearly every issue, as well as new worlds and civilisations,” promises Lanzing. “We’ll be taking you to the edge of the galaxy and into the most familiar of captains’ quarters. This book really does encompass all of Star Trek, and we intend to make the most out of the opportunity to ensure fans get a universe-wide story like none other.”
“It was a case of we have a universe of players, so why not throw them together like any other cinematic universe and create an ‘Avengers of Star Trek’, as it were,” adds Lanzing, who insists that no multiversal, timey-wimey shenanigans are involved. “Our book exists fundamentally in the Prime Timeline and is set irrevocably in the year 2398. We’re not time-travelling or popping through dimensions to recruit characters.
“We picked this time period because most of our favourite characters were either alive, in service, or at the end of their journeys, so we could pick this up by bringing everyone together to chart a new course forward.”
“There’s also a huge secret no one knows,” teases Kelly. “Stay tuned, it’s a doozy!” SJ
Star Trek 400 is out now. Star Trek 1 is out on 26 October.