Sunday 22 August 2021

Star Trek Magazine is reborn, as Star Trek Explorer

Titan Magazine's long-running Star Trek Magazine is getting a relaunch, with this October bringing us issue #1 of the new Star Trek Explorer. Check out the details of that first issue, and other Titan Publishing Star Trek releases, below:

Star Trek Explorer: The Official Magazine(ad)  is set to feature interviews, behind the scenes coverage, and new fiction content. Here's the blurb for the first issue:

STAR TREK EXPLORER THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE LAUNCHES A NEW ERA OF BELOVED SHOW! Featuring exclusive interviews with the cast and crew of Star Trek series as well as behind-the-scenes content you won't find anywhere else! This new magazine will also feature Star Trek exclusive fiction! Plus much more!

The covers for the first issue suggest an emphasis on interviews with the Discovery cast and crew for this issue, alongside a Kirk-focused "mini-magazine", a "Star Trek 101" explainer feature, and the promised "exclusive fiction". The previous Star Trek Magazine has before featured Star Trek Online based short stories, and excerpts form Star Trek novels; will this new format continue those sort of things, or maybe offer so some completely new short stories from different corners of the Trekverse? The only clue is that Disco-era Captain Pike is used to illustrate the new fiction tag on the cover (alongside "all-new magazine" and "new features" mind you).

The book will be offered in two covers, either the regular edition(ad) featuring Burnham in an EV suit, of the Previews exclusive edition(ad) using Tim Anderson's TOS art from the 50 Artists 50 Years collection(ad).



The Star Trek Magazine has run for 207 issues up until March this year, originally launched in the UK as Star Trek Monthly. The numbering continued through a previous relaunch of the publication to Star Trek Magazine, and later in that run it began being released in the US as well, with issues there starting from #1 in that market (so the final UK #207 is US #80; or in fact UK #206 and US #79, as the previously announced would have been final issue doesn't seem to have ever made it to publication). Over the years the magazine has had a number of redesigns and relaunches, including changing size formats and publication frequency. It will be interesting to see how this complete restart compares to previous efforts. I certainly like the fairly clean and simple cover designs compared to the last several issues of the previous publication.


Meanwhile Titan are also continuing to publish what they have started to refer to as "bookazines", collections of articles and interviews from the magazine presented as themed hardcover books. I just recently reported that will include a  Star Trek Online short story collection(ad) soon, which was actually the first use of the new Star Trek Explorer branding.

But typically the books are real-world point-of-view. The latest release will be Star Trek Villains(ad), which as the title suggests, collects various interviews and articles on the bad guys spanning the Star Trek universe. Here's the cover and preview pages, of the book due out next month:









More recently announced, December will be bring us The Genesis Trilogy Anniversary Special(ad), collecting articles based on The Wrath of Khan, The Search For Spock, and The Voyage Home. Here's the cover and blurb for that book:

A special in-depth book celebrating the classic trilogy of Star Trek movies, #2 to 4, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home. With classic interviews, behind-the-scenes features, and rare imagery, relive the thrills and excitement of these unforgettable movies.

The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home – the Genesis Trilogy of Star Trek movies has a firm place in the hearts of Trek fans of all ages. Taking us from a deadly villain, a tragedy on the Enterprise, and to a heart-warming reunion, this special book explores the making of the classic saga. Featuring classic interviews, in-depth features and amazing imagery.


Support The Trek Collective, via order links for mentioned books:
Star Trek Explorer #1
Newsstand edition: Things From Another World(ad)
Previews edition: Things From Another World(ad)
Star Trek Villains
Star Trek: The Genesis Trilogy Anniversary Special

To keep track of all the latest Star Trek book releases, have a look back through my books tags, or hit the books button on my 2021 schedule page





1 comment:

  1. Was issue 207/80 ever released? As far as I can tell, it was announced but never published.

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