Latest Star Trek comic previews

A few teases for you from forthcoming Star Trek comics. IDW editor Chris Ryall posted a couple of panels of J.K. Woodward's painted interior artwork from the first issue of the recently announced comic book adaptation of Harlan Ellison's original screenplay for The City on the Edge of Forever.

In a completely different area of comic book art, John Byrne has posted a couple of samples from his forthcoming New Visions photocomics on his forums. These two samples show both extremes of Byrne's manipulating of stills from the show, with a new special effects shot, and a page which is almost entirely constructed from unaltered screencaps:

Amazon have recently added samples page for both of the throw-back omnibuses coming next month. That includes the start of a new series of reprints of the Gold Key Comics. Most of the Star Trek Gold Key Comics have already been collected in omnibus books thanks to Checker's The Key Collection about a decade ago. IDW have claimed the new Gold Key Archives are "fully remastered", and thanks to Amazon we can get a look at those cleaned up pages, which are a pretty huge improvement on the previous books:

The other book coming in April is The Star Date Collection Volume 2: Under the Command of Christopher Pike, and the look inside feature for this book includes the contents page, revealing which issues, and extra content, are to be included. The book continues from the first in the series, released last year, which includes the start of the Early Voyages series, and other Pike-era stories.

Comics news: Khan, omnibuses, and IDW Limited details

A few bits of comics news, starting with a tiny hint of things to come in the nuTrek comics. Apologies for those who still haven't seen Into Darkness, but I think the Khat is out of the bag on the spoiler which I'm about to discuss (look away now?) In response to the following on Twitter:

Can we get canon explanation for Khan's appearance change? Thanks!

Roberto Orci replied:

Wait 4 IDW comics!

Which I presume refers specifically to the John Harrison (probably prequel) series Orci confirmed is in the works, recently. So I guess they're not planning to gloss over the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch isn't Indian, or Mexican... or Spanish...

Aaaanyway, in other comics news, Amazon has added listings for a whole bunch of new omnibuses on the way! Three books all due out in October. Those include the second book in the fantastic newspaper comic-strips reprints. Star Trek: The Newspaper Comics, Volume 2, picks up where the previous book ended, giving us the final ten stories of the US newspaper strips. Lets hope it does well enough to continue the project into the beautiful, and equally rare and under-appreciated, UK strips. Here's the Amazon blurb:

Edited by Dean Mullaney with an Introduction by Rich Handley. Collecting the second half of the rare daily and Sunday newspaper strip. Ten complete missions from October 26, 1981 through December 3, 1983. Stories by Sharman DiVono, Larry Niven, Martin Pasko, and Gerry Conway; art by Ron Harris, Padraic Shigetani, Bob Myers, Ernie Colon, Dick Kulpa, and Alfredo Alcala.

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Another big hardcover on the way is the complete series omnibus of the TNG/Doctor Who crossover, Assimilation². This one has a great new cover by the Sharp Brothers. Here's the Amazon blurb:

The two greatest science-fiction properties of all time crossover for the first time! Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Enterprise have joined forces with the Doctor and his companions to combat an unholy alliance between the Federation's most terrifying enemy and one of the Doctor's greatest antagonists. But once the Cybermen turn on their Borg allies, the Doctor and Picard find themselves at odds over how to proceed against the threat, with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance!

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Finally, and also in hardcover, there's something a little more intriguing, The Stardate Collection, Volume 1. This book is apparently the start of a new omnibus series which aims to reprint Star Trek comics in stardate order. I somehow expect it will be doing so quite selectively, but it's an intriguing prospect none the less, especially as it will include additional commentaries and behind the scenes stuff. Here's the Amazon blurb:

The comic book tales of Star Trek have roamed the universe and spanned publishers, but now Star Trek: The Stardate Collection collects the many iterations of Trek in order... by stardate! Helmed by Trek experts Scott and David Tipton, and featuring special commentary and creator interviews, volume 1 starts at the beginning to reveal the motives, machinations and decisions that shaped the intrepid crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. For new and old fans alike, there's never been a Star Trek collection like this!

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Amazon UK list a wide range of writers and artists, which help determine the probable contents of this April/Pike era collection:

• Writers Dan Abnett and Ian Edginton, with artists Greg Adams and Patrick Zircher brought us Marvel's Pike-era Early Voyages. This collection can't possibly contain the entire seventeen issue series, as it's only 288 pages in total (the previous complete Early Voyages omnibus was over 400!)
• John Byrne, writer and artist of several series for IDW, including the most likely candidate for this book, Crew, which gave the story of Number One's early career in Starfleet.
• Writer James Patrick, with artist Josep Maria Beroy, gave us IDW's Pike-era Alien Spotlight: Vulcans.

Also on the list are Scott and David Tipton, they have written a Pike story, Alien Spotlight: Orions, but it occurs later than the rest here, after his time on the Enterprise, so maybe they're listed as the authors of the promised commentary in the book. That would make for a reasonably complete collection of Pike stories set before the transition era to Kirk's joining the Enterprise. The only glaring omission I can think of is the DC Annual, To Walk the Night.

Away from the mainstream omnibuses, IDW Limited have now announced the full details of their luxury reprint of Star Trek, Volume One, from the nuTrek ongoing series. All three of the different limited edition releases will be out in July. Each release comes in a tray case, containing an exclusive hardcover version of the omnibus signed by Mike Johnson, Joe Phillips, and Tim Bradstreet. Each case also contains a portfolio with eight lithographs of cover art from the series. There will be one-hundred-and-seventy-five copies if the Red Label version with just those features. Images and more information after the jump:

An exciting September from IDW

StarTrek.com have posted IDW's Star Trek solicitations for September, which is looking like an exciting month! A new TNG series featuring the Borg, titled, Hive, will be starting; the series recently hinted at be Joe Corroney will be written by no less than Brannon Braga! (And it sounds more like IDW's own Alien Spotlight: Borg than Destiny.) The month also sees a new Redshirt focused story in the ongoing series, the next issue in the TNG/Doctor Who crossover (covers released yesterday), plus a new large format edition of John Byrne's Romulan comics.

Star Trek (ongoing) #13: The Redshirt's Tale
By Mike Johnson, with art by Stephen Molnar and cover by Tim Bradstreet, plus sketch and photo covers.

...even the crew members wearing the dreaded color are in on the joke. Yes, the story is told from the point of a view of a redshirt on the Enterprise. It was nice knowing you!

Assimilation² #5
By Scott and David Tipton with Tony Lee, with art and cover by J.K. Woodward, and alternate cover by The Sharp Brothers.

As the covers and blurb for this were released yesterday, here's the awesome Sharp Brothers cover artwork (without all the titles), from their DeviantART gallery:

Hive #1
By Brannon Braga and Terry Matalas, with art by Joe Corroney and “Famous Borg in History” cover by David Messina.

IDW will join in the celebration of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s 25th anniversary with a four-part mini-series entitled Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hive... Hive #1 posits that in the distant future, the Borg and their king, Locutus, have assimilated the whole galaxy. The only hope can be found in the past, with Captain Picard and his Enterprise crew.

 

Star Trek: Romulans Treasury Edition
By John Byrne

Star Trek: Romulans Treasury Edition, comes from Uncanny X-Men and Next Men veteran John Byrne. And when we say it comes from him, we’re not kidding. Byrne wrote Romulans Treasury Edition – which compiles three TOS stories featuring the Romulans – and also drew the art and cover. It will run 72 pages, measure 9.25” x 14.25.

This is a larger size omnibus of three of John Byrne's Romulan comics (presumably his original Alien Spotlight, and the two part Romulans: The Hollow Crown, but missing out on the three part Schism, or the Balance of Terror comic from the existing omnibus)

Assimilation², Volume 1
By Scott and David Tipton with Tony Lee, with art and a cover by J.K. Woodward

...the first few several titles in the landmark Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover featuring Captain Picard and the Doctor, the Borg and the Cybermen.

While this listing still doesn't officially confirm it, the page count and release date would suggest this will comprise the first half/four issues, of the eight part series.

Contents of IDW's 100 Spectacular

Out this week from IDW is the Star Trek 100 Page Spectacular, an omnibus of four IDW Star Trek comics bound like a normal comic and sold for the price of a single issue.

IDW's previous solicitation for the issue only identified one issue it would contain, Spock: Reflections #1, and from the creators listed indicted Alien Spotlight: Tribbles would also be a part of it.

Now Comics Continuum have posted a seven-page preview of the book, which also includes the contents page. It seems Spock: Reflections #1 has been dropped in favour of Mission's End #1, while the other three issues are indeed Alien Spotlight: Tribbles, as well as John Byrne's Alien Spotlight: Romulans, plus Captain's Log: Sulu.

Here’s that contents page, see Comic Continuum for the seven page preview of the first story in the book, Alien Spotlight: Romulans, the first part of John Byrne’s magnificent Romulan saga.

IDW November solicitations

IDW have released their solicitations for November, which include two new Star Trek titles, plus an omnibus:

Star Trek (ongoing) #3
By Mike Johnson, with art by Stephen Molnar. Covers by Tim Bradstreet (4/5) and Joe Corroney (1/5), plus retail incentive Bradstreet sketch cover and a photo-cover.

The adventures of the new Enterprise crew continue in this re-imagining of the classic episode "The Galileo 7"! Mr. Spock finds himself in command of a stranded shuttle crew fighting for survival, in a tale featuring the new cast from the blockbuster STAR TREK film!

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #2
By Chris Roberson, with art by Jeffrey Moy and Philip Moy. Covers by Phil Jimenez (4/5) and Steve Lightle (1/5), plus a retail incentive cover by Gabriel Rodriguez

The epic IDW/DC Comics crossover continues. Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise have returned to Earth, but discover that it isn't the Earth they remember. And a group of Legionnaires stranded in the 23rd century find that history has changed around them. But can either team uncover what's gone wrong in time? And what will happen when they encounter each other?

Star Trek 100-Page Spectacular
By John Byrne, Scott and David Tipton, and Stuart Moore, with art by John Byrne, David Messina, Federica Manfredi, Mike Hawthorne. Cover by Joe Corroney

A quartet of stories offer an exciting—and reasonably priced!—introduction to the IDW universe of Star Trek. The first three are stand-alone stories, while the fourth, Spock Reflections, is the first chapter (but one that works well on its own) of a larger series.

The Stuart Moore and Mike Hawthorne credits can only indicate the inclusion of Alien Spotlight: Tribbles. With Spock: Reflections #1, that leaves two slots, but with Byrne, the Tiptons and Messina having done so many Trek comics for IDW they could be just about anything!

Star Trek comics en Francais

Another foreign market has started to get their own editions of IDW Star Trek comics; since 2009 French publisher Delcourt began to trickle out Star Trek comics in France, with their fourth publication out a couple of months ago. Some of these books have "new" cover art, in that they use montages of different covers, sometimes even from other series. Here's what's been done so far:

La Tactique Romulienne

Published in October 2009 was John Byrne's Alien Spotlgiht: Romulans, this was Delcourts first and so far only single issue release, although it was actually released as a bonus extra with the DVD/bluray release of the 2009 Star Trek film.

Compte à Rebours

Also published in October 2009 came Delcout's version of tober 2009 Countdown.

Spock - Réflexions

In February 2010 came the French edition of IDW's 2009 series Spock: Reflections. The cover featured a montage of images by David A. Williams from retail incentive covers of the second and third issues of Spock: Reflections, plus the Enterprise-E by David Messina from interior pages of Countdown #2 and/or #4.

Leonard McCoy

Finally this April brought Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor, John Byrne's 2010 series. The cover is a montage, using Joe Corroney's images of Kirk and McCoy from the cover of Burden of Knowledge #4.

For less recent French comics make your way over to my other blog, the 8of5 Archive, where I have compiled a history of French Star Trek comics from the 60s right up to these new ones.

IDW reprints in Brazil

If like me you're fascinated and intrigued by the international reprints of all things Star Trek then you're in luck, as thanks to TrekWeb's Gustavo Leao (who posted an image of the most recent reprint in question on the IDW forums) I've been finding out about the Brazilian reprints (in Portuguese of course) of IDW titles coming from the publisher Devir. They're a little behind and a little slow, having started in 2008 and so far only just got to the first Alien Spotlight series. Here's what they've done so far:

Klingons: Blood Will Tell, aka Klingons: Herança de Sangue
-Published in November 2008
-Translated by Antônio C. Neto, with Portuguese lettering by Reinaldo Fraga
-If google's translations are cirrect this book included some sort of technical manual for the D7 class in addition to the comic series!

Year Four, aka Ano Quatro
-Published in May 2009
-Translated by Anthony C. Grandson

The Space Between, aka Interlúdios
-Published in July 2009
-Translated by Anthony C. Grandson, with Portuguese lettering by Reinaldo Fraga

Alien Spotlight, aka Raças Alienígenas (Alien Races)
-Published in August 2010

IDW August

ComicNewsi have posted IDW's solicitations for August, which includes two Star Trek comics and a rather large omnibus:

Star Trek Movie Adaptation #6
The official comics adaptation of the blockbuster film STAR TREK comes to an epic conclusion in this mini-series presented by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman! Kirk, Spock and the crew of the Enterprise fight to save Earth from Vulcan's fate! Brought to you by the creative team behind the best-selling STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN, this series includes scenes not included in the original film!Burden of Knowledge #3
When the Enterprise arrives too late to save another starship in distress, all evidence of guilt points to a shocking source: a fellow Federation member! Can Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock prevent all-out war with the Tellarites? From the creative team behind SPOCK: REFLECTIONS!





Star Trek Omnibus: The Original Series
Blast off with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise on fantastic voyages through exciting worlds in this collection of Original Series era Star Trek comics. Collects Star Trek series Year Four, Enterprise Experiment, Klingons: Blood Will Tell, and The Original Series Alien Spotlights.

IDW March

Comics Continuum have posted IDW's solicitations for March, which include three Star Trek comics and one omnibus. The solicitions also reveal Fool's Gold will only have four parts.

Ghosts #5
It's the stunning conclusion! As Worf's execution draws ever closer, Commander Riker sends Data alone into enemy territory to find him. Meanwhile, Picard and his fellow prisoners search desperately for a way out of the white zone before their link to the real world disappears -- trapping them forever! Fool's Gold #4
With Deep Space Nine descending into chaos, Captain Sisko turns to an unexpected source for assistance -- but how can the Cardassian tailor Garak help? It all comes together in this final issue of IDW's debut Deep Space Nine mini-series!
Star Trek Movie Adaptation #2
The official comics adaptation of the blockbuster film Star Trek continues in this mini-series presented by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman! Follow young Kirk and Spock on their journey towards Starfleet Academy and witness Kirk's first encounter with the USS Enterprise! Brought to you by the creative team behind the best-selling Star Trek: Countdown, this series includes scenes not included in the original film! Alien Spotlight, Volume 2
Cardassians, Klingons, Q, Romulans, and Tribbles. Five different and distinct alien races, all part of the Star Trek Universe. Five stand-alone stories that take you on unique and intriguing adventures, each focusing on an alien species that has come into contact -- and often conflict -- with the Federation of Planets!

Comics update

TrekMovie posted a five-page-preview from last week's Alien Spotlight: Cardassians. Here's a page:
Comics Continuum have posted one for the coming week's first issue of Fool's Gold, here's a page of that:And finally John Byrne has announced his next Trek series, Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor will now be starting in April, rather than March as first indicated.

IDW bits

From Joe Corrney's website we have the first look at his cover for the fifth and final issue of the Ghosts miniseries:And from Amazon a cover for the omnibus of Alien Spotlight II (though I'm assuming not final as the Enterprise is rendered rather roughly and it omits the Cardassian issue at the moment):
Also from Amazon the first hints at a new book in IDW's Omnibus series, this time collecting several of their own miniseries. Star Trek Omnibus: The Original Series will apparently contain IDW's Year Four, The Enterprise Experiment, Klingons: Blood Will Tell, and the TOS Alien Spotlight issues (the other series are all IDW's earliest TOS series, so maybe just from Alien Spotlight I?).

IDW in February and comics updates

Comics Continuum have posted IDW's solicitations for February, which include three new Star Trek comics and two omnibuses.

Ghosts #4
With Captain Picard shifted into another dimension, Commander Riker takes command of the Enterprise and negotiates with Worf's hot-tempered captors for his release. Troi tries to pick through the noise in her patient's head to unravel information on the extra-dimensional ghosts. Meanwhile, the missing Picard finds himself in a peculiar leadership role.
Fool's Gold #3
As the temperature rises aboard Deep Space Nine, Captain Sisko, Kira and Odo come closer to getting to the bottom of the mystery. Can Sisko calm the volatile situation and restore order before another riot breaks out? And what does Garak have to do with all that has transpired?
Star Trek Movie Adaptation #1
JJ Abrams' blockbuster revitalization of the Star Trek franchise was the most thrilling film of the year. Now, under the direction of Abrams and screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, comes the highly anticipated graphic adaptation of the film! Additionally, new scenes and moments cut from the movie are revealed‹an event no Star Trek fan can dare miss!
Romulans: Pawns of War omnibus
Collecting Byrne's tales of Star Trek's Romulans in one volume. This special edition tells tales leading up to the seminal "Balance of Terror" episode. Included within is the Romulans Alien Spotlight, the two-part Hollow Crown story, and the three-issue Schism series. As an added bonus, Byrne writes and draws an all-new 12-page "Balance of Terror" adaptation just for this collection.


Nero omnibus
From Star Trek writer/producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, comes an all-new story set within the events of the hit film! Not an adaptation, this exclusive story follows the villainous Nero as he seeks to destroy the Federation.

Meanwhile on his forums John Byrne has given some new details of his forthcoming series Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor. It apparently sees McCoy dealing with a new disease in each issue, and is based on an idea Byrne once had for a TV series set in the American Civil War.

And final some new art. David Messina's cover for Fool's Gold issue 2 (also available on Messina's blog, Captain's Log: Sulu cover art at higher res than previously released):
And from the interior artist of the same series, Fabio Mantovani, a page from the first issue (which you can also see pre-colouring on the original post):