Monday 30 March 2020

New images of Funko Pop vinyl Discovery figures

Coming in July are Funko's first Pop! vinyl figures based on DiscoveryMichael Burnham and SaruEntertainment Earth have recently updated their listings for these with new images, giving us a look at the character's final forms (after previous art previews). I think the characters translate really well into the Funko Pop! form, especially Burnham, who looks really sharp here:


Picard finale travel poster and behind the scenes photos

Following the release of the final episode of Picard season one, CBS have released a whole bunch of on set photography, giving us a glimpse behind the scenes. Continue below to check that out.

But first, here's the last in their excellent series of social media travel posters, this time celebrating Coppelius; complete with all the key tourist attractions: The crashed Borg Cube, giant space flowers, android twins, two moons, and cool pointy architecture!


Sunday 29 March 2020

Blue Skies single previews further Picard soundtrack release

Lakeshore Records have announced a second Picard soundtrack album coming along in a few days time, and before that have released separately the beautiful version of Blue Skies from the show, sung by none other than Isa Briones, aka Soji/D'jahl/Sutra. The music was of course orchestrated by Picard and Discovery composer Jeff Russo, in this instance building upon the original creation of the great Irving Berlin. The track is available for download, or streaming, such as on Spotify below:



Here's a closer look at the cover art:


Saturday 28 March 2020

Eaglemoss reveal latest starship books

New listings have revealed covers and blurbs for a couple of forthcoming starships books from Eaglemoss. Continue below for the details of those, plus some other book updates.

First up, the latest volume in the Star Trek Shipyards series will feature The Borg and Delta Quadrant ships, of course mostly from Voyager (the Borg ships should include a few from other series). This series is largely built upon the in-universe segments from the magazines from The Official Starships Collection, thought typically feature a few added entries for ships that haven't been made as a model in that series yet, plus some extra artwork. Here is a not-final cover:


Discovery season 3 teaser, plus behind the scenes round-up

Discovery season three is coming some time this year, as recently reaffirmed in this new teaser for the season released by CBS:


Hopefully not too long to wait, although I wouldn't mind a longer wait if we get Lower Decks first as some summer fun.

A few members of Disco cast and crew have been sharing behind the scenes snippets online recently. Continue below to catch up:

Friday 27 March 2020

Picard 1x10 Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 support shows and promo

Following the final episode of Picard season one, Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2, CBS have released their usual round of support shows, and additional images, giving us a chance to reflect on and explore the production of the finale, and series as a whole. Continue below to catch up:

This week's episode of The Ready Room includes a featurette on ending the story arcs in the season, and the discussion section this week featuring Patrick Stewart (Picard) and Alison Pill (Jirati). There's also a Wil Wheaton blooper reel. Check it out below, or on StarTrek.com, Instagram or Facebook:



Thursday 26 March 2020

The Almighty Star Trek Lit-verse Reading Order Flow Chart 2020 update

Times are changing in the Star Trek universe, and it rather feels like the world of Star Trek tie-in fiction as we've known it for the last two decades is drawing to a close, while new opportunities open up in the space created by a very different new 24th century canon continuity introduced in Picard. But, twenty years of Star Trek novels woven together into one of the most rich and complex mega-book series ever written don't just disappear, and sometimes you might need a little help finding your way through the world of those books. Which is why The Almighty Star Trek Lit-verse Reading Order Flow Chart should still be a useful tool; and as it's been three years since the last update, it just got a whole lot more useful!

Wednesday 25 March 2020

Picard: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 stills, clip, and more

With the final episode of season one of PicardEt in Arcadia Ego, Part 2, on the way this week, CBS are not being shy in their promotional efforts. Continue below to check out the latest stills, clips, trailers, and behind the scenes photos. There's also a new blurb for the episode:
A final confrontation on the synthetics' homeworld, Coppelius, pits Picard and his team against the Romulans, as well as the synths who seek to safeguard their existence at all costs.
CBS have released their usual round stills from the episode, and are careful not to give too much away, although these first two do reveal Narissa isn't quite out of the picture yet:


Saturday 21 March 2020

Star Trek: The Next Generation behind the scenes round-up

Want to check out some goodies from the making of Star Trek: The Next Generation? Well continue below to have a look at some brilliant examples of production art and technique, and on set fun, in my latest round-up of behind the scenes stuff!

First up, thanks to Heritage Auctions current movie poster sale we have another Star Trek matte painting to enjoy up close. By Syd Dutton, this cityscape was glimpsed ever so fleetingly as Angosia III, in The Hunted:


IDW's Star Trek comics for June

IDW have released their solicitations for June, which include two new Star Trek comics, plus a surprise reprint of an older classic. Continue below to check them all out:

Too Long a Sacrifice #3
Written by David and Scott Tipton, with art by Greg Scott.
The DS9 murder mystery continues in this new space noir from David Tipton & Scott Tipton (Star Trek: Mirror Broken, Star Trek: The Q Conflict) and Greg Scott (Gotham Central, The X-Files)!

As Odo forges a fragile working relationship with the past-his-prime investigator the Federation sent to help, new suspects emerge amidst a rising body count. But just when the team thinks they’re getting close to the culprit, a shocking discovery changes everything! 
This will be offered in three different covers, the A cover from Ricardo Drummond, a photo B cover, and a retail incentive cover by J.K. Woodward. So far the latter two have been revealed:


Picard 1x09 Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 trailer, and Part 1 round-up

CBS have released a trailer for Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2, the final episode of the first season of Picard. Check it out (via Nacíon Trek upload below, or on StarTrek.com if you prefer):



Unusually there was not a clip from the episode in this week's edition of The Ready Room, but that still had plenty else to look at while exploring Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2. That includes featurettes looking at the synth civilization, and props in the show, plus the usual discussion segment, which this week featured Isa Briones (Dahj/Soji/Sutra). Check it out below (or on StarTrek.com, Instagram, or Facebook):

Thursday 19 March 2020

Check out settings from Sandbox VR's Away Mission VR game

Last year brought us the latest Star Trek VR game, Sandbox VR's Star Trek: Discovery - Away Mission. The game has players join a landing party from the USS Discovery on missions to several different locales, with help form Silvia Tilly, and hindrance from the Klingons.

VR experience artist Cola River was the art producer on the game, and worked on just about every aspect of it, including concepts, level, character, prop, and scene design, lighting, effects, rendering... Well basically everything! He has now shared some of his work from the game on his Art Station portfolio, giving a great clean look at what went into the virtual reality experience. Continue below to check it out:

River has shared sets of images looking at several of locations in the game. My favourite is a shuttle bay littered with crashed shuttles and work bees:


Book bits: Covers and excerpts from the latest TOS and Kelvin timeline books

Lots of Star Trek novel and audiobook updates today, including new covers and excerpts from the latest TOS and Kelvin timeline books, and a little update on the Picard novel. Continue below to check them out.

Starting with a brand new cover reveal for the next TOS novel, Dayton Ward's Agents of Influence. Fresh from the Simon and Schuster digital catalogue, I'm really digging the new-style massive Star Trek title, and always enjoy a starshipy cover; this really ticks my cover boxes!


Eaglemoss book previews: Voyager Illustrated Handbook, and Nerd Search

Got a couple of sets of preview pages for two very different forthcoming books from Eaglemoss today; their latest starship Illustrated Handbook, and a new concept...

Due out in June is Nerd Search - Star Trek: Quibbles with Tribbles. This is a sort of Where's Wally for seriously detail oriented geeks. The latest blurb gives a good idea of what's involved:
Think you know Star Trek, the original series like no fans has done before? Well boldly go and take up our unique puzzle challenge!

It's a puzzle book, Jim, but not as we know it. This is no conventional 'search-and-find.' Each of its detailed, full-color pages is packed with out-of-context items and cosmic continuity errors that only a true fan can spot. It would be illogical to resist this challenge, when the accuracy of the whole Trek universe is at stake.

Captain Kirk, Mr Spock and the Enterprise crew have discovered that a series of exploding tribbles have been hidden by the Klingons in locations visited by the Enterprise. Kirk and his crew must seek and find each exploding tribble. At the same time, fans must spot items from every story in The Original Series, also concealed in the pictures. This is next-level Where's Waldo for adult fans, plus a chance to save the galaxy into the bargain!

The book opens with an article exploring the grand tradition of fans spotting continuity gaffes in the world of Star Trek. Then this is followed by an explanatory spread telling the reader how to use the book. A feedback session at the back clears up all quibbles with tribbles and debates about the non-interference directive!

Three levels of engagement:
- TRIBBLE TREK: SPOT the all-important EXPLODING TRIBBLE
- NERD ALERT: Spot five continuity errors, mistakes within the featured episode itself.
- THE ARTEFACT INCIDENT: Find the out-of-context items from other episodes, ten to a spread.
They've released three preview spreads to give an idea of how this all works. As I'm sure you can see, there are some obvious things to spot, but it's quite a challenge to find everything out of place:

Picard Et in Arcadia Ego part 1 clip, and promo round-up

Ahead of the latest episode of PicardEt in Arcadia Ego, part 1, IGN have released a new clip, featuring Seven of Nine. It strongly hints at events leading up to this moment, so pretty spoilery; proceed with caution:



CBS have also been releasing some other interesting promo stuff around last week's Broken Pieces. Continue below to check out the latest:

Wednesday 18 March 2020

The best Star Trek playing cards?

There are plenty of Star Trek playing cards out there, they're one of those things that are pretty easy to slap a picture of Captain Kirk on the back and think yourself an exciting merchandise maker. So it's a very welcome moment when a licensee does something more interesting with what could be a very ordinary product....

Forbidden Planet have just done that, with the launch of a new crossover set of playing cards that fully integrate Star Trek into the deck; each suit is based on a particular Star Trek series, with the set including TOS, TNG, DS9, and Voyager, each represented by key characters and their respective Starfleet deltas/combadges, or for DS9 the Bajoran insignia. To make things extra clear, each suit is a different colour too.


Tuesday 17 March 2020

Picard 1x09 Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1 images

CBS have released a selection of images for this week's coming, and penultimate, Picard episode,  Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1. They clearly don't want to give too much away this time, as in contrast to some of the other episodes' previews there's just four images this time. Continue below to check them out. But first, here's the blurb for the episode:
Following an unconventional and dangerous transit, Picard and the crew finally arrive at Soji's home world, Coppelius. However, with Romulan warbirds on their tail, their arrival brings only greater danger as the crew discovers more than expected about the planet’s inhabitants. The episode was directed by Akiva Goldsman, and was written by Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman from a story by Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman and Akiva Goldsman.
The first two images here are presumably on Coppelius, and maybe the very lab in which Soji and her sisters were created?


Monday 16 March 2020

Short Treks coming to Bluray and DVD

CBS have announced first dedicated home video release of Short Treks. Coming in June on Bluray and DVD, Star Trek Short Treks will collect all nine of the Discovery-connected Short Treks episodes to date - That includes the wide range first four episodes (RunawayCalypsoThe Brightest Star, and The Escape Artist), the more recent trio of Pike/Enterprise related tales (Q and AThe Trouble with Edward, and Ask Not), and the two animated episodes (The Girl Who Made the Stars, and Ephraim and Dot).

Only one Short Treks episode is missing from the collection, the Picard prequel Children of Mars, which one assumes will come on the eventual Picard home video releases instead. A couple of of the Disco Short Treks episodes were released on the Disco Season Two home video releases, but otherwise this will be the first time most of these have been available on disc.

At the moment only North American release has been confirmed, but this will surely be coming to the rest of the world too; the first time many of us will be able to watch most of these episodes, which have not been made available to stream outside North America.

The set will also include a bunch of extra features exploring the production of the shorts. Continue below for full details.

Friday 13 March 2020

Picard 1x09 Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1 trailer, and Broken Pieces round-up

CBS have released a trailer for Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1, the penultimate episode of the first season of Picard. Check it out (via Nacíon Trek upload below, or on StarTrek.com if you prefer):



As ever there was also a preview clip from the forthcoming episode in this week's edition of The Ready Room, which otherwise focuses on this week's episode, Broken Pieces. This episode of The Ready Room also includes featurettes on Seven of Nine's reBorging and props in the series, plus the usual discussion segment, this week featuring Jeri Ryan (Seven) and Jonathan Del Arco (Hugh). Check it out below (or on StarTrek.com, Instagram, or Facebook):

Wednesday 11 March 2020

Picard 1x08 Broken Pieces preview images

CBS have released a set of preview images from the next episode of Picard, Broken Pieces. Continue below to check them out, plus a round-up of other recent Picard promo.

Most of this set of images feature the La Sirena crew, plus Soji, and a lot of time spent sat at a table (talking about serious stuff by the looks of things):


Sunday 8 March 2020

Picard behind the scenes: TNG cast reunion, Borg sets, Mr Vup, and so many Romulans

Looking for the latest behind the scenes photos, videos and insights from the cast and crew of Star Trek Picard? Then continue below for a round-up of the latest make-up, costume, sets, and props, and sweet moments on set:

And they don't come much sweeter than five of the TNG main cast reunited. Isa Briones (Soji/Dahj) shared this set of photos on Instagram, capturing the moment Michael Dorn and LaVar Burton visited the location shoot where Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis were bring Riker and Troi back to life alongside Patrick Stewart's Picard in the latest episode, Nepenthe.


Saturday 7 March 2020

Standees and prints bring Picard to life

The Star Trek Shop have revealed a selection of new Picard products that bring the series home at life size. Those include a range of new Picard standees, with options including Seven of Nine, Picard, and of course the unavoidable No 1 the dog. They measure 68, 70 and 38 inches all respectively, and look like this:


Picard 1x08 Broken Pieces trailer and Nepenthe round-up

CBS have released a trailer for next week's eight episode of Picard, Broken Pieces. It looks like a lot is about to happen! And a new blurb for the episode also suggest some of the show's mysteries will finally been resolved:
When devastating truths behind the Mars attack are revealed, Picard realizes just how far many will go to preserve secrets stretching back generations, all while the La Sirena crew grapples with secrets and revelations of their own. Narissa directs her guards to capture Elnor, setting off an unexpected chain of events on the Borg cube.


Friday 6 March 2020

More Borg attack the Kelvin timeline in latest Fleet Command missions

Scopely have released an action packed new narrative trailer for their current Borg arc in the Kelvin timeline video game Fleet Command. Continue below for more updates from the game, but first, check out the trailer:



Take your crew for a ride, with passenger window decals from FanWraps

Automotive accessories maker FanWraps have come up with an innovative way to take Trek with you wherever you go, with their passenger window decals.

These feature the torsos of several different Star Trek characters, which can be stuck to your car window to give the impression you're giving them a lift - Or if you don't fancy endorsing car culture, maybe you can stick them up in your conservatory and pretend you're having a little briefing meeting?

So far you can get Captain Picard, Spock, Captain Kirk, or clearly the best, a Gorn! Here are some in-action photos:


Book Bits: Discovery: Die Standing cover, and other updates

A few little Star Trek book updates today, and one big one: A new cover! Coming in July is the next Discovery novel, John Jackson Miller's Die Standing, and thanks to Simon and Schuster's online catalogue we now have a first look at the cover.

Note this is currently tagged as "Cover is NOT Final", so tweaks or something different altogether could still come. The book focuses on the Section 31 adventures of former Terran Emperor Philippa Georgiou, and the cover leans on her mirror universe origins:


Wednesday 4 March 2020

Mugato mask on the way from Trick or Treat Studios

Trick or Treat Studios have revealed the latest in their impressive range of Star Trek costume masks, the Mugato. Sculpted by special effects make-up artist Chris Gallaher, the mask promises to be a "perfect replica of the mask worn by Mugatu in the original Star Trek episode A Private Little War". That includes a massive horn, and a lot of white fur. Check it out:


Tuesday 3 March 2020

Picard 1x07 Nepenthe stills, the return of Riker and Troi

CBS have released a generous selection of stills from this week's forthcoming seventh episode of Picard, Nepenthe. The episode sees Picard reunited with Will Riker and Deanna Troi, and the set photographers certainly seems to have been enjoying those moments between old friends, in-universe and real world alike. Continue below to check out the reunion, plus a new friend:


Sunday 1 March 2020

Book bits: New covers for ABC book, comic, and notebooks, plus audio excerpt

A few books updates today, including some new covers, new releases, and previews, from forthcoming Star Trek children's books, audiobooks, comics, and stationary. Continue below to check them all out:

First up, the latest from the Little Golden Book Star Trek range, a fantastic new cover for the Star Trek Alphabet Book:


Find Star Trek comics, toys, statues, and collectibles at TFAW.com!