IDW's Star Trek comics for March

IDW have released details of the Star Trek titles in their March solicitations a little earlier than normal, via 13th Dimension. Among the titles are two new comics, including a newly announced Discovery comic, plus an omnibus book. Continue below for the details.

Star Trek Discovery Annual 2018
Written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson, with art by Angel Hernandez.

The U.S.S. Discovery is a ship unlike any the galaxy’s ever seen, developing tech based on an unstable mycelial network… and it is all in the hands of Science Officer Lt. Stamets, tasked with perfecting it to win the war against the Klingons.

In addition to the blurb, the solicitations also offer a couple of extra lines detailing what will be included in this bumper 48 page book:

Who is Stamets, and how did he, with his old partner, Straal, come to discover the mycelial network?
Plus: Learn how Lt. Stamets met his significant other, Medical Officer Hugh Culber, and came to know fan-favorite Cadet Sylvia Tilly!

The comic will be offered in at least two covers, with the A cover by Angel Hernandez, and B cover by George Caltsoudas:

Comic previews: Connection part 2, and Star Trek Cover Celebration

IDW's latest Star Trek comic releases include the final issue in the Kelvin timeline ongoing series, and a special cover gallery book to mark the 50th anniversary. Continue below for previews of both.

Issue sixty of the ongoing comic series completes the ingenious TOS/nuTrek corssover story Connection, continuing the split-page style of the first half of the story. This is just about as perfect a way to end the series and mark the 50th anniversary as you could get, and comes after a run of some of the strongest stories in the series. Hopefully the relaunched Boldly Go series, picking up events after Star Trek Beyond, will continue that line of great story telling.

As ever the issue was written by Mike Johnson, and features the art of Tony Shasteen. It is available in two covers, with the main Shasteen cover completing the diptych from the previous issue. The subscription cover is by Jorge Fornés, with colour by Mark Roberts.

Star Trek comics round-up: Green Lantern crossover continues, Captain Data, Gold Key, covers, and more

Lots of Star Trek comics news below, including the return of Captain Data, preview art and covers from several series, and IDW updates from the San Diego Comic Con.

First up, a new crossover series! Last year's really rather good Kelvin timeline/Green Lantern crossover series, The Spectrum War, ended quite surprisingly with the Green Lantern characters apparently having settled in the Star Trek universe. A sequel series due to start later this year promises to pick up where the previous tale left off:

Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will once again cross paths with the Green Lantern Corps in a sequel to last year’s Star Trek/Green Lantern series. The creative team of Mike Johnson and Angel Hernandez will reteam for another epic space opera, this one picking up the new status quo where it left off and introducing additional cosmic heroes and villains familiar to fans of both series. 

Connection part 1 preview

Out this week is the penultimate issue of IDW's Kelvin timeline ongoing comic series, and the first half of the two part story, Connection (renamed since being solicited as Altered Encounters). The pleasingly formatted book highlights the similarities and differences of the nuTrek and TOS worlds, in a story that draws both realities together. Continue below for a five page preview, after checking out all the covers.

The book, written as ever by Mike Johnson, and with art by Tony Shasteen, is available in four different covers. The main cover, featuring the TOS crew and their Enterprise, is by Tony Shasteen, and forms a diptych with the parallel version of the same image on the cover of the next issue. The subscription cover, by Josh Adams with color by Adam Guzowski shows the Kelvin timeline crew looking adventurous. A third cover is part of IDW's themed variant of the month, a crossover with ROM the Space Knight (who appears across numerous IDW titles' covers this month). The final cover, again featuring TOS characters, is also be Tony Shasteen, and is exclusive to the Supply Pod subscription box.

Legacy of Spock, Part 4 preview

Out this week are two nuTrek stories, and both the final chapters in their respective stories. One of those is issue fifty-eight of the nuTrek onging series, the fourth part in the Legacy of Spock story. Packed full of Vulcans, Romulans, space battles, red matter, and of course Spock-prime, this issue bring a very satisfying close to one of the most enjoyable stories in the entire run of the series. Continue below for a five page preview.

This issue written as ever by Mike Johnson is available in three covers: Issue and series artist Tony Shasteen provides the regular cover. Alberto Silva created the subscription cover. And a third cover is exclusive to the Montreal Comic Con exclusive, a Gold Key style photo college by Tom B. Long.

IDW's Star Trek comics for August

IDW have released their solicitations for August, which include just one new Star Trek comic story, the last in the current run of nuTrek comics, but that is joined by a special 50th anniversary publication. Continue below for all the details

Star Trek (nuTrek ongoing) #60: Altered Encounters, Part 2
Written by Mike Johnson, with art by Tony Shasteen

BLOCKBUSTER SERIES FINALE! A Five Year Mission = five years of STAR TREK comics! Celebrate the end of the latest chapter in the Enterprise's epic adventures with this all-new story that brings Captains and crews from two different timelines together!

While we wait with great anticipation to see what September brings us after this "series finale", this second issue of the TOS crossover story will be available in two covers: The main one is by issue artist Tony Shasteen, and completes the diptych with its counterpart on the previous issue. Meanwhile Jorge Fornes will deliver the subscription cover, but that hasn't been released yet.

Purchase: Things From Another World, Forbidden Planet.

IDW's July Star Trek comics

IDW have released their July solicitations, which include one wholly new story, one adaptation, and two omnibus books. Continue below for the details.

Star Trek #59: Altered Encounters, Part 1
Written by Mike Johnson, with art by Tony Shasteen.

Don't miss Part 1 of the 2-part SERIES FINALE! It's the penultimate chapter in the latest Five Year Mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise, as Captain Kirk and the crew encounter... themselves? Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of STAR TREK with this all-new story that brings two timelines together! 

Pre-order: Things From Another World, Forbidden Planet.

You might notice the emphasised "SERIES FINALE" in that blurb. I've been bugging IDW about what exactly that means, but they're keeping quiet for now; what they will say is, fear not, they aren't going away from Star Trek, and, that there is big news on the way. Whatever that means... Of course with the release of Star Trek Beyond imminent, and the trailers implying the destruction of the Enterprise, there is an obvious break point coming in the nuTrek continuity. Maybe IDW will pick up the story after with something completely new (who knows how world altering the events of Beyond will be), maybe they'll return to ongoing with issue 61 being a new jumping on point. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough.

Meanwhile, this issue will be available in three covers, the main one by Tony Shasteen, a subscription cover by Josh Adams, and plus a third cover by Drew Moss, which is part of IDW's celebration of ROM the Space Knight, which will see covers across multiple titles this month (you can see how this last cover was created in an article on 13th Dimension).

Legacy of Spock, part 3 preview

IDW's latest Star Trek comic release is issue fifty-seven of the nuTrek ongoing series, the penultimate chapter in the Legacy of Spock story. This time we get a pleasing flashback to the events of TNG's Unification, while continuing the story of the Spock and aftermath of Vulcan's destruction in the nuTrek timeline.

This book is available in three different covers: The regular cover, featuring Spock and Picard, is by Tony Shasteen (13th Dimension has an article looking at the creation of that cover). The subscription cover, which has Spock framed by two of Nero's crew, is by Angel Hernandez, with colours by J.L. Del Rio. A retail incentive cover, exclusive to Merrymac Games and Comics, and styled like an action figure blister pack, is by J.K. Woodward. Continue below to check them all out, plus a five page preview from the issue.

IDW's June Star Trek comics, and other updates

IDW have announced their June solicitations, which include four Star Trek titles, but only one entirely new comic. The rest of the releases are nuTrek omnibus books, which will arrive just in time to get you in the mood for the release of Star Trek Beyond the following month. Continue below for details of those, and other Star Trek comic updates.

That one new comic in June is Legacy of Spock, part four, which is issue fifty-eight in the nuTrek ongoing series. This final issues in the Spock story-line is from the series' regular creative team of writer Mike Johnson and artist Tony Shasteen. Here's how IDW describe it:

The stunning conclusion of "Legacy of Spock"! The fate of the Vulcan people hangs in the balance as Spock tries to prevent all-out war with the Romulan Empire! Will the Vulcans find a new homeworld on which to rebuild their civilization... or does this spell the end of their species? Don't miss the final chapter of this mini-series event celebrating the 50th anniversary of STAR TREK!

There will be two covers for this one, the regular by Tony Shasteen, featuring Spock from three eras (you can see Shasteen's development process for this in an article on 13th Dimension), plus a subscription cover by Alberto Silva:

Legacy of Spock, part 2 preview

Out this week is issue fifty-six of the Star Trek ongoing comic series, which is the second instalment of the four-issue story, Legacy of Spock. The story set not long after the first nuTrek movie continues to follow Spock, on an adventures that takes us to several familiar locations, and delightfully weaves together Spock's old and new lives, including a flashback all the way to the original series (as you can see in the preview pages below).

This issue is available in three covers: The standard cover, featuring the classic versions of the TOS characters, is by Tony Shasteen, who also provided the interior illustration (you can see how Shasteen developed this cover in an article on 13th Dimension). A subscription cover is by John Watson, and is part of IDW's "Art Appreciation Month", which has covers inspired by classic works of art appearing on many titles from the publisher - In this case we have an Uhura version of Vermeer's "Girl With a Pearl Earring". The third cover, only revealed with publication, is a retail incentive, by Jeffrey Veregge, which is apparently exclusive to the EMP Museum in Seattle (which will soon be hosting the Exploring Strange New Worlds exhibition). As ever, nuTrek comics mastermind Mike Johnson wrote this issue.

Legacy of Spock, part 1 preview

Out this week is issue fifty-five of the Star Trek ongoing comic series, which is the first part in a new four-issue story, Legacy of Spock.

The miniseries takes us back to earlier in the nuTrek timeline, and follows Spock as he sets out to find a new home-world for the Vulcans following Nero's attack. The series is also expected to flashback to earlier in Spock-prime's life, and events from the prime universe. This issue starts by expanding the elder Spock's moment from the end of the first nuTrek movie; as you can see in the five-page preview below.

This issue is available in two covers: The standard cover is by Tony Shasteen, who also provided the interior illustration (you can see how Shasteen developed this cover in an article on 13th Dimension). A subscription cover is by J.K. Woodward. As ever, nuTrek comics mastermind Mike Johnson wrote this issue.

Reunion, Part 2 preview

Out this week is issue fifty-four of IDW's nuTrek ongoing comic series, which is the second half of the two-art Orion-focused story, Reunion.

The issues comes from the regular ongoing pairing of writer Mike Johnso and artist Tony Shasteen, with the main cover also from Shasteen. The subscription cover is by Derek Charm, and is part of IDW's Valentine's card themed covers across various titles this month (although you better get your Orion pheromones pumping to distract your love from the fact this is a wee bit late for Valentine's Day!). Continue below for a five page preview from the issue.

IDW's Star Trek comics for May

IDW have released their solicitations for May, which include four new Star Trek comics, plus an omnibus book! Continue below for the details of all those titles.

Star Trek (nuTrek ongoing) #57: Legacy of Spock, Part Three
Written by Mike Johnson, with art by Tony Shasteen.

The special "Legacy of Spock" event continues here! As the future of New Vulcan hangs in the balance, the elder Spock finds himself a prisoner of the Romulan Empire! Don't miss this exciting chapter the in 50th Anniversary Celebration of the STAR TREK franchise! 

There will be two covers around for this one, the main one by Tony Shasteen, and a subscription cover from Angel Hernandez.

Details of Manifest Destiny and other Star Trek comics news

Starting in April is Manifest Destiny, a new four-part nuTrek comic miniseries featuring the Klingons, which will be released fortnightly. Continue below for new details of that, and other Star Trek comics news from IDW.

Things From Another World have posted an interview with Manifest Destiny's writers, Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrott, artist Angel Hernandez, and editor Sarah Gaydos, revealing some new details about the series. Perhaps the biggest news is a quick note that there will be no prequel comic series for Star Trek Beyond, but that this series kind of fills that event role anyway, as Johnson explains:

We aren’t doing a movie prequel this year, but we wanted to do another event-worthy series to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek. What could be more event-y than a showdown with the Klingons? And this time both sides are out where no one — human OR Klingon — has been before.

As that summary suggests, it seems this series will be exploring strange new worlds from a new perspective, with the Klingon equivalent of our heroes, as Parrott notes:

...who’s the Klingon “Captain Kirk?” What does their “Enterprise” look like? How does the Empire explore? So we did some research into the Vikings and Mongols, just to establish a base...

Parrot also outlined the Klingon-Kirk, someone called Shotok:

There are some great villains in the original series, but outside of Khan, they’re mostly races — Klingons, Romulans, etc. So our goal was to try and create a worthy adversary for Kirk — someone personal, who thinks and acts like he does. Shotok is an outsider who doesn’t conform to the traditional Klingon code of honor. And because of that, he’s dangerous, unpredictable, and a bit of a wildcard when he first encounters the Enterprise.

While Johnson elaborated on the setting:

IDW's titles for April, and other Star Trek comics news

IDW have published their solicitations for April, which include lots of new Star Trek comics, with both the start of one miniseries, and the end of another, and a good dose of TOS too. Continue below for all April's titles, and more Star Trek comics news.

The big news of the month is the start of a new four-issue miniseries, Manifest Destiny, a story featuring the Klingons. This is being marketed as a fiftieth anniversary event series, and will be released fortnightly, so April will see two issues.

Manifest Destiny #1
Written by Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrott, with art by Angel Hernandez.

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the STAR TREK franchise in 2016 with this all-new bi-weekly comics event beginning in April! It's Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew vs. the Klingons in the ultimate showdown! Art by STAR TREK/GREEN LANTERN fan-favorite Angel Hernandez!

This first issue will apparently be longer than usual, noted as a forty page book (rather than the usual thirty-two). It will also be issued in a Klingon-language edition!

There will be at least six different covers/editions. The standard cover is from the issue artist, Angel Hernandez. The subscription cover is a homage to Bob Peak's The Motion Picture poster, by Tony Shasteen. There will also be a variant cover from Rachael Stott (not revealed yet). Then there will be Klingon language editions from the same artists (none have been released so far, so it's not clear if the same artwork will be reused for these or not).

Reunion, Part 1 preview

Out this week is the latest issue (number fifty-three) of the nuTrek ongoing comic series, which is the start of a new Orion-focused two-part story, Reunion. This story comes from the regular creative team for the series; written by Mike Johnson, with art by Tony Shasteen.

Shasteen also provides the regular cover, while Cat Staggs did the artwork for the subscription cover. Both feature the focus Orions of the story, Uhura's old roomate Gailia, and the Enterprise's security officer, Kai.

Note this is the first issue of the nuTrek ongoing series to feature IDW's new cover layout style (with the little tab of information top left). In the process of redesigning they seem to have dropped the 5 Year Mission subtitle which has featured on the last several stories.

Continue below for a five page preview from the issue.

IDW's March titles, and other Star Trek comics updates

IDW have released their solicitations for March, which include five Star Trek titles, including the start of a new story, and the long awaited UK comic strips book. Continue below for full details of those, and other Star Trek comics news.

Star Trek (nuTrek ongoing) #55: Legacy of Spock, part 1
Written by Mike Johnson, with art by Tony Shasteen.

This all-new story set in the universe of the new STAR TREK films celebrates the life of the most iconic character of them all: Leonard Nimoy's SPOCK. In Part 1 of this 4-part epic, the elder Spock joins the last survivors of Vulcan to search the galaxy for a new homeworld! Don't miss this special series, part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the STAR TREK franchise!

Writer Mike Johnson recently outlined the series while talking on J.K.'s Happy Hour podcast, giving a bit more detail on what it's all about:

...it actually starts with that scene in the 2009 movie, where Nimoy Spock meets Quinto Spock. And in this comic we follow Nimoy Spock away from that meeting, and follow him as he joins with the survivors of Vulcan and they develop plans to find a new homeworld, and consequences and tribulations ensue from there. And then over the course of these four issues we will see Spock reflecting on the life - It's really looking back over the whole of his life. We'll see cameos and flashback with familiar characters from the original universe/timeline. It's like a celebration of his life, at the same time we're telling a very important story in the Trek present about finding a safe location for the new homeworld.

And speaking of J.K. Woodward, he will provide the subscription cover for this first issue in the series, alongside the regular cover from Tony Shasteen:

Preview of the final issue in the nuTrek mirror universe comic arc

Out this week are two new Star Trek comics from IDW, both final issues in their respective story arcs, both featuring nuTrek interactions with alternate realities, and rather curiously both seeing a restoration of sorts of the planet Vulcan!

From the nuTrek ongoing series, we have the final issue in the mirror universe trilogy, Live Live. Written as ever by Mike Johnson, the story is illustrated by Tony Shasteen. There are two covers for this book, the main one by Shasteen, featuring a Khan as a religious icon, and the subscription cover by Dan Parent, which is part of IDW's wider Archie Comics cover collection, which see variants from multiple titles across their output this month.

Continue below for a five page preview of the issue, and look for a separate post with a preview of this week's other release, the final issue in the Green Lantern crossover.

IDW's February titles, and other Star Trek comics news

IDW have released their solicitations for February, which include two new Star Trek comics, plus an omnibus book. Continue below for the details of all those, and more Star Trek comics news:

Starfleet Academy #3
Written by Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrott, with art by Derek Charm.

The all-new hit STAR TREK mini-series continues here, as Uhura and Kirk draw closer to uncovering the truth surrounding a century-old mystery. Meanwhile, T'Laan and the new cadets find themselves on the brink of elimination from the Centennial Competition!

This one has three covers: The A cover by Charm, a subscription variant by Paulina Ganucheau, and a retailer incentive by Adam Rosenlunc.

Live Live part 2 preview

Out this week is the middle issue in the three-part mirror universe story, Live Live; part of the nuTrek ongoing comic series. Regular writer Mike Johnson penned the tale with art by almost as regular artist Tony Shasteen, who also made the main cover art. The subscription cover comes from Lorelei Bunhes. Continue below to check out those, and a five page preview from the issue: