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 are boldly going where no one has gone before as we follow the new adventures of a returning messiah and intergenerational crew in “Star Trek” by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Ramon Rosanas, and Oleg Chudakov, among others. A mysterious enemy is targeting cosmic beings that could be considered divine, and it’s up to Benjamin Sisko and his crew to investigate the mystery as his crew investigates what happened to him in the Bajoran wormhole. If you like cosmic mysteries, religious debates, and excellent Star Trek technobabble, this is the comic for you! Join us as we tell you why you should be following the adventures of this new crew of Starfleet’s finest.
Who is this by?
“Star Trek” reunites the creative team behind ‘Star Trek: Year Five,’ Collin Kelly (“Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty,” “Batman Beyond: Neo-Year”) and Jackson Lanzing (“Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty,” “Batman Beyond: New-Year,”) who both do a fantastic job of capturing the tone and dialogue of Trek. In this series, they can explore many of the different generations of the long-spanning series in a way that captures each of the show’s unique tone and characterizations.
Ramon Rosanas (“Star Wars,” “The Astonishing Ant-Man,” “All-New Wolverine”) and Oleg Chudakov join Kelly and Lanzing in “Star Trek” as the two primary artists. These artists capture the majesty of the interstellar supernatural but also have good control of dynamic space combat and the crew’s emotions. This creative team has a good handle on what makes Star Trek work.
What’s it all about?
After joining the Bajoran prophets in the wormhole by Deep Space Nine, Benjamin Sisko is sent back to the universe with a simple mission, find the enemy threatening powerful cosmic beings. There’s a problem, though; Sisko is an unknown variable, a being not quite human and not quite divine. These questions of divinity and humanity are at the core of “Star Trek,” without losing a classic series’s high adventure and fun.
On top of dealing with a rogue faction targeting god-like beings, “Star Trek” also explores Sisko building his relationship with his crew. This crew spans different generations and philosophies. Sisko has a reputation for being more unorthodox than other captains. His time with the timeless prophets near Deep Space Nine has also fundamentally changed him. He’s under the microscope of a crew that’s not entirely sure he’s human while dealing with a big mystery.
What makes it so great?
In a series that has explored a lot of territories, “Star Trek” boldly goes to an underexplored area of science fiction philosophy, the role of religion, and powerful beings in the wider universe. Picard and Janeway interacted with Q and members of the Q continuum. The Crystalline Entity showed up once or twice to devour planets. Hell, even Kirk and crew interacted with characters claiming to be Apollo and other mythological figures, but it never really got to the core of Star Trek and the divine. Of all of the series’, Deep Space Nine was the one that deeply explored religion and culture. Sisko’s resolution, becoming one with the prophets, asked a big question, what happens when you become one with the gods? The finale of the Deep Space Nine doesn’t scream for a continuation, but this series does a fantastic job justifying its existence.
One of the reasons that “Star Trek” works so well is the generation-spanning crew. Every generation of Trek is represented, with Scotty representing the original series, Dr. Crusher and Data hailing from the Enterprise-D, and Commander Paris back in action from the bridge of the Voyager. We also have two new Starfleet characters, but the series excels at building the crew’s cohesion in the first few issues. There is a level of mistrust between Sisko and his crew of legends, so much so that it’s a relief when Sisko’s friend Worf rejoins the crew. But this also allows the series to explore something often overlooked, watching a commander gain control of his command. Some of the best sequences in “Star Trek” involve Sisko proving his command ability while also learning to trust his crew. It’s the best resolution, watching a team become a team.
Continued belowThere are also the incredible visuals that Rosanas and Chudakov create in “Star Trek.” The crew’s exploration of the cosmic and divine allow the art team to explore some of the weirder entities of the universe. From incorporeal engineers to living cities, the series shows areas of the galaxy that just might not work on a weekly tv series while exploring themes and ideas that could be considered a little too heady for a big-budget movie. Instead, it’s the kind of story that works best in comics.
“Star Trek” also creates tense standoffs and builds up to some excellent interstellar combat. In general, the creative team knows how to develop clever resolutions to many situations that Sisko and crew find themselves in, but still manage to capture the majesty and excitement of a conflict fought through the view screen. The series has gotten progressively more action-oriented as we advance through the series, as the Klingon’s threat to the divine continues to grow, but if the creative team shows. It knows when to fire phasers or to raise shields.
In general, though, the reason that “Star Trek” is so great is that it excels at the thing that makes Star Trek such a unique series. It excels in well-written dialogue, respectful arguments, and clever solutions, all while creating a credible cosmic threat. In addition, by making the crew cross-generational, there’s something for everyone in this series that continues to boldly explore its expansive universe.
How can you read it?
“Star Trek” is published monthly by IDW Publishing, and the fifth issue hits the stacks this week. You can catch up on the series on Comixology or your local comic shop. For further Star Trek adventures, you can check out many of IDW’s other series, like “Year Five.”
