There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week we’re looking at the morally grey side of the universe in “Star Trek: Defiant” by Christopher Cantwell and Angel Unzueta. As a mad emperor hunts galactic gods, one Klingon has made it his mission to bring him to justice and restore the honor of his empire. In order to get the job done, he will have to rely on the skills of an unlikely team of characters. If you enjoy redemption arcs, high-octane space battles, and a new look at the darker side of the Star Trek universe, then this is the comic for you. Join us as we tell you why you should check out this cosmic team of misfits.
Who is this by?
“Star Trek: Defiant” is Christopher Cantwell’s (“Iron Man,” “Doctor Doom,” “Angel”) debut in the IDW Star Trek line of comics and already proves to be an excellent edition. Cantwell is no stranger to the sci-fi genre and brings a clever twist to exploring the morally grey side of an otherwise idealistic universe.
Angel Unzueta (“Iron Man,” “Titans,” “Star Wars”) joins Cantwell on “Star Trek: Defiant,” and his time spent on the other side of the cosmically titled franchise helps give the book a unique tone and feel. Marissa Louise (“Robocop,” “Books of Magic,” “Stranger Things: Six”) and Clayton Cowles round out the art team of the book.
What’s it all about?
While Sisko and his carefully curated crew of Starfleet’s finest engage in a quest of spiritual importance, protecting divine beings from a cosmic hunter, Worf has a different plan. He is seeking justice. “Star Trek: Defiant” explores the morally grey side of the often utopic view of the future, as Worf and his crew do whatever it takes to track down the Mad Emperor Kahless and save his son from the cult of Klingon extremists killing powerful cosmic entities.
Worf is joined by an unlikely crew, including Ro Laren, B’Elanna Torres, Data’s “brother” Lore, and Ambassador Spock, each with unique motivation and prejudices, to bring Kahless to justice. “Star Trek: Defiant” explores the corners of the universe outside the control of the Galactic Federation of Planets, in places where scoundrels reign and information is valuable.
What makes it so great?
Plenty of Star Trek ideas have tested the Federation’s ideals. From the dark “mirror universe” to the extremist Maquis, it’s a franchise that has never been shy about putting the optimistic view of the future under the occasional stress test. While some things work better than others (the Maquis, for example, put the Federation’s compromise over everything to the test vs. Section 31’s “Starfleet is built on lies” narrative), very rarely has a series explored the shades of grey outside the Federation. Sure, we’ve seen captains deal with those organizations outside of their ideals, but those episodes quickly resolve the conflict. What makes “Star Trek: Defiant” so interesting is that it puts the crew in the line of fire of these other worlds. There isn’t a Federation to fall back on, even if Worf still tries to follow a semblance of their ideals. Cantwell does a fantastic job of threading the needle of the contradiction. Worf and his crew are fugitives, this is not news to them, but Worf is doing this because he knows it’s important to the galaxy’s safety.
Another thing that makes “Star Trek: Defiant” great is the crew’s makeup. While most of our bridge crews explore Starfleet’s best and brightest, this is a crew of those with some serious baggage and, with that, serious tension. The Maquis element is particularly interesting, considering that B’Elanna’s time on the Voyager seemingly hasn’t helped her standing in the Federation, and the Maquis question Ro Laren’s commitment to the cause. The only one who doesn’t necessarily have the same baggage level is Ambassador Spock, who seemingly is the crew’s moral compass, but is increasingly aware that his crew is madness. Cantwell does a good job of writing inter-crew conflict that helps to raise the tension of the various issues. If Star Trek is about the power of working as a team, this series explores what needs to happen for a team to coalesce from disparate parts truly. It’s unlike anything the franchise has followed before in an incredibly compelling way.
Continued belowSimilarly, the look of “Star Trek: Defiant” is unique to other series in the franchise. While we’ve seen the interiors of the Defiant in Deep Space Nine , Unzueta does a fantastic job of showing you how much more militant this class of Starship compared to the luxury cruiser of the Enterprise. Similarly, Marissa Louise’s coloring makes the ship feel dark and ominous instead of overlit and sterile. But what makes Unzueta’s art stand out is his way of capturing the book’s more seedy setting. Again, his work on “Star Wars,” a franchise known for its lived-in and “dirty” setting, allows him to make the interior of an Orion ship look more like a Tattoine junkyard than a sleek designed bridge. It’s the kind of thing that sets this book apart and makes it a fun experience.
Overall, it’s a smart way to look at the “darker” elements of the universe without necessarily putting the Federation on trial. For all their idealism, Star Trel writers knew that the universe wasn’t all friendship circles and polite conversations. But “Star Trek: Defiant” explores those settings, creating a tense and thrilling book.
How can you read it?
“Star Trek: Defiant” is published monthly by IDW Comics, and the 5th issue hits the stacks this week. You can catch up by picking up the back issues at your local comic store or on ComiXology.
