Star Trek #7 is written by Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzig and published by IDW Publishing. Artwork is by Mike Feehan and colours by Lee Loughridge, letters are by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Mike Feehan.
Star Trek #7 is available now in print and on digital where all good comic books are sold.
Synopsis
Benjamin Sisko returns to Deep Space 9, and it’s the family reunion we’ve all been waiting for—or is it? Meanwhile, the crew of the U.S.S. Theseus meet a familiar face from Paramount+ hit show Lower Decks. Continuing Benjamin Sisko’s quest to stop celestial genocide in THE RED PATH, the second arc of the critically acclaimed Star Trek flagship comic series continues!
Review
Okay, you got me Star Trek. This issue was an outstanding example of new storytelling that still keeps one eye on the legacy of the past. Kelly and Lanzig kicked things in to a brand new gear with issue #7 and I’m impressed with the trajectory of this new continuity.
I had mixed thoughts on IDW going back to the start and beginning again with Star Trek. But over the last seven months the creative team has proven themselves with consistently strong and dynamic storytelling.
Issue #7 has a fair amount of ground to cover by bringing Sisko and his crew to Deep Space 9. It would be a disservice to the character and fans not to take him back to the station. I had anticipated the series would either start there or return at the end of the first arc. Colour me surprised that it’s happened at this mid-point. But what a perfect way to circle the story back to events from Sisko’s past.
I’ve said the same of the Defiant spin-off series but Star Trek has a near-perfect grasp on the voices of its characters. Many of the leads feel as though they’re ripped straight from the screen, particularly standout characters like Sisko and Data. This month that courtesy also stretches to a handful of incredible guest appearances.
The change in location obviously opens up a world of possibility for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cameos. But Kelly and Lanzig are reserved in their approach, striking a similar tone to the final season of Star Trek: Picard. It brings in only those characters who feel necessary and organic to the story they are telling. Of course Kira and Quark are both there. It would be similarly criminal to have left them out. Both feel like no time has passed and I instantly heard their dialogue in the voices of Nana Visitor are Armin Shimmerman.
The inclusion of Cassidy Yates injects a nice shot of adrenaline in to the Sisko family dynamic as well. Star Trek has been so full on from the start that issue #7 begins to feel like a chance to catch a breath which I also appreciated.
Which leads me to something I never saw coming. Leaving in to connections glimpsed briefly during a recent episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Kelly and Lanzig introduce none other than Lieutenant Shaxs to the new continuity! Yes. Arriving direct from the U.S.S. Cerritos – establishing that the Lower Decks’ ship exists in this continuity – is the Bajoran security officer. Courtesy of artist Mike Feehan, Shaxs looks brilliant. Capitalising on the foundations set in Lower Decks was a stroke of genius and has me excited for who else is lurking out there…
Speaking of Feehan, I’m in love with the artwork of Star Trek. Again, I’ve talked about this at length with other IP adaptions but there’s a weight which comes with bringing much loved actors and characters to the screen. Feehan is deftly walking that tightrope. Trek throws plenty of opportunities at Feehan for playing with the visuals, particularly with a story of this scope. This month also brings the challenge of lovingly recreating locations on Deep Space Nine, all of which felt recognisable.
Verdict
The whole creative team take things to the next level with Star Trek #7. Giving it all she’s got, this is a series travelling at warp 9.9 hurtling towards a huge, legacy-serving conflict.
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