Star Trek: Defiant #18 is published by IDW Publishing and written by Christopher Cantwell. Artwork is by Ángel Unzueta, colours by Marissa Louise and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is also by Unzueta.
Star Trek: Defiant #18 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
With Spock rotting in a Romulan cell aboard Sela’s ship, the rest of the Defiant crew readies the farmers of Antara for an invasion by General Revo and his relentless Romulan army. This leaves Worf, B’Elanna, and Ro with two crewmates down, and despite how hopeful the planet’s population is, what are three failed Starfleet officers and lowly resistance fighters to a heavily armed and technologically advanced Romulan strike team?
Review
Star Trek is back in comic book stores today with the latest issue of the brilliant Defiant. The second issue of the latest arc, “The Stars of Home”, continues to ask questions about Starfleet’s actions amidst potential chaos within the Romulan political system.
Christopher Cantwell has two great streams running within the story right now. Whilst Worf, Ro and B’Elanna face a potentially lethal conflict, there political and ethic moral questions of the Romulan Empire continues to be explored through dialogue between Sela and the imprisoned Ambassador Spock.
The issue opens on a startling image of Spock alone in his cell, head in his hands. The only thing cutting through the darkness is a harsh light from outside as Sela enters. Cantwell continues to toe a fine line with Sela. At times she feels almost sympathetic to his plight. As if Cantwell wants to shine a spotlight on her human side, evoking memories of her mother. But then the Romulan side comes through loud an clear, restricting her emotions and pulling her back towards a life dedicated to service.
The push and pull between their characters reaches back through almost 60 years of history within the Star Trek. It provides connection and context for long-time fans. That connection and authenticity is what allows a book like Star Trek: Defiant to elsewhere flex its muscles with franchise lore. So whilst the rest of the surviving cast stare down the barrel of a Romulan disruptor whilst desperately searching for help. But whilst issue #18 lays the groundwork for a fight rather than giving us one. It does linger on some existential questions about Starfleet’s potentially shady intentions.
Whilst the fact of Starfleet has always been a moral centre in the United Federation of Planets. The existence of Section 31, first introduced in Deep Space Nine, has been heavily explored in contemporary Trek. With Michelle Yeoh starring in a Section 31 film launching on Paramount+ next year. The idea that this shining utopian society has a darker underbelly provides more of a metaphor for our own distrust in our elected officials. There are those who disagree with that level of duplicity. But it’s hard to argue with the avenues of storytelling which it opens up. Cantwell doesn’t even mention Section 31. But Ro’s mere questioning of Starfleet plays in to the distrust the idea of a black ops division represents.
That leads me to a fun piece of nostalgia for this month. The addition of Miles O’Brien to Defiant. O’Brien first resurfaced in the recent Star Trek Annual and now makes his ongoing debut. He offers another great connection to the wider franchise. He’s shared the screen with Worf in both DS9 and The Next Generation where he also spent time with Ro. He has a reason to be in this fight and Cantwell treats his return with pitch perfect precision. It leaves Defiant on a very exciting note ahead of part three.
Verdict
The latest issue of Star Trek: Defiant continues the series incredible run of engrossing storytelling. What continues to shine through in Cantwell’s writing is the strength of character in recreating voices from various other Star Trek media. This arc might be smaller in scale. But it certainly isn’t smaller in impact.
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