Star Trek #1 is written by Christopher Cantwell and published by IDW Publishing. Artwork is by Dennis Menheere and letters by Jodie Troutman. Main cover art (left) is also by Dennis Menheere.
Star Trek #1 is available from September 23, 2026, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds—the Trinity—await the refugees. No signs of civilisation. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.
When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artefacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets—as if they’ve been curated…or quarantined. But from who? Or what?
Review
It may be cliché to say, but prepare to quite literally go where no one has gone before as IDW publishes its brand new Star Trek #1. Christopher Cantwell returns to his work in the Federation for a brand new flagship series which promises to break new ground by entering unexplored space. As the venerable franchise enters its sixth decade IDW is showing no signs of resting on its laurels, taking the story in a new and exciting creative direction.
Please note: for the purposes of this review I was given access to an early, unfinished copy of Star Trek #1. Minor details may change when the issue releases in stores in September.
Cantwell is no stranger to Star Trek having worked on multiple incarnations of the comic books. Here he’s picking up plot threads from the previous IDW Trek universe and also honouring the highly sought after Star Trek: Legacy series, picking up where Star Trek: Picard left off. Seeing both the comic book continuity and the TV continuity coming together is a cool and unexpected moment. As the series focusses on Captain Seven of Nine on the USS Enterprise-G I had anticipated this book would adhere pretty strictly to the world that show left us in. So seeing elements like T’Lir and Lily Sato being woven in feels like wonderful way to honour long-time readers of the books.
Seven of Nine has long been a compelling character in the Star Trek universe. Fans were easily overjoyed to see her return for Picard and so her instalment as the Captain of the Enterprise in its finale felt like a full circle moment and an enticing look at what could come next. Picking up her story for this series is a no-brainer. It puts the action on the bridge of the Enterprise with a cast comprising of a mixture of new and returning characters. Readers will instantly be at ease knowing we’re in a familiar setting with familiar faces. That level of comfort with the setup allows Cantwell breathing space to be incredibly creative with the story which, of course, he is.
We open on a trippy visual of Seven falling through space whilst an unknown narrator signals “our universe is dead”. Poor Seven appears to be desperately calling to Jack for help and yes that is Jack Crusher, son of Beverly and Jean Luc Picard, who was last seen taking up a position on the Enterprise. The moment itself arrives with little context, instead signalling a tough time ahead for our captain. On the next page we journey to La Barré, France, for a moment which picks up on the Star Trek prelude included in the Star Trek 60th Anniversary Special, also due for release next month. This second moment also sets up potentially high stakes for our crew before their mission is even underway. As teases go, Cantwell certainly knows how to grab his audience by the collar.
Getting down to business the book finds a neat rhythm in order to set out its stall. Confirming that we’re five years out from the Picard series finale, Seven is now long established as Captain. The step forward in time allows for a little shift in the crew roster and for new characters to be introduced. Also working incredibly in the book’s favour is dropping them into a rescue mission before setting up the adventure that will be the backbone of the series. The entire mission to rescue the inhabitants of the Revlavian System is fast paced and tense. It gives Cantwell the chance to show how the crew operates and how Seven captains the ship. Think of it as this incarnation of Star Trek (and its creative team) seeking to prove itself worthy of carrying the name.
And worthy it absolutely is. It’s clear that Cantwell has a plan for where the story is going and there’s plenty of Trek-science-jargon to setup the premise of the Epsilon corridor and what lies beyond it. It’s also abundantly clear that Cantwell has never taken an eye on the character stakes which go along with such a dangerous mission. It’s not a million miles away from what Star Trek: Voyager did back in the 90s, something which Seven remarks in her dialogue with Admiral Janeway. Now it’s just an officially sanctioned mission and not an interstellar accident. A mission whose time dilation means the crew will be away from their loved ones for a considerably longer amount of time than it feels. As a plot device it’s the perfect way to inject a sense of loss into proceedings and Cantwell utilises it perfectly, capitalising on already established relationships these characters have.
Along for the ride is artist Dennis Menheere who is a daring choice for Star Trek and testament to the editorial desire to expand the franchise’s horizons. Traditionally Trek has played safe, choosing capable artists who could translate from screen to page. Menheere is making Star Trek his own through some really bold colour choices and a more abstract, angular and altogether more inspired style. Under IDW Star Trek has made more and more big swings in its approach to both art and storytelling. Here we’re seeing perhaps its biggest step forwards in embracing the style of contemporary comic books. Those character likenesses to the actors who portrayed them still exist but they no longer define how the book should look. It’s intoxicating to see one of my favourite franchises making these kinds of out of the box choices and it instantly energises me for reading future issues.
With its cliffhanger ending Star Trek #1 proves there are no rules in an area of space where we had already established things would be different. Cantwell sets up a potentially exciting conflict for the future made all the more exciting by the fact nothing here is shackled to any already established franchise designs. The gloves are off for Menheere to completely own designing everything about where the Enterprise finds itself as its mission continues. That alone is worth the price of admission.
Verdict
Star Trek #1 boldly proves this incarnation is worthy of carrying the franchise name. Cantwell weaves decades of continuity into something that feels genuinely new, while Menheere’s daring art gives this Enterprise a visual identity all its own. An exceptional start to what promises to be an unmissable series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We are also members of the Forbidden Planet Affiliate Program.
