Star Trek #27 is written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing. Artwork is by Mike Feehan & Tess Fowler, colours by Lee Loughridge and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Ramon Ronasas. The book is published by IDW Publishing.
Star Trek #27 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
Lore’s destruction has consumed everything in the universe except the U.S.S. Theseus and the Celestial Temple. In one last maneuver, the crew uses every ounce of power left in their main systems to shoot their ship across the galaxy to the temple. While their ship flies, the crew has a Louisiana-style supper and heal wounds between them before they must say their final goodbyes, for Benjamin Sisko is of Bajor, and he must return home if Lore is to be stopped.
Review
Oh boy do Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly know how to tug at the heartstrings. Our build up to 2025’s Lore War is really kicking in to overdrive today as Star Trek shots us its mettle when it comes to night being darkest right before… well… it gets even darker!
We left Captain Sisko in issue #26 preparing for a potential return to the wormhole and to the Prophets. This issue masterfully picks up on that plot thread, expanding it to encompass the entire crew of the U.S.S. Theseus whilst simultaneously exploring the bonds between them through the classically Trek window of family. This might be my favourite issue of Star Trek so-far. It’s certainly up there as one of the best in the series as it hones in on its core cast with a sense of apprehension towards their unknown future.
Lanzing and Kelly have proven time and time again that they’re more than capable of navigating the narratives of these characters. Likewise we’ve seen a number of unexpected partnerships which have provided opportunities to expand their horizons. Nobody saw Beverly being paired with Scotty on an away mission to save a living planet for instance. But it’s been a while since we’ve seen the entire core cast simply existing together on the ship, bonding over their shared experiences. Having this issue slow the pacing right down, focussing on what may be their last night together really gives Lanzing and Kelly the chance to explore these relationships and this family on a deeper level. It’s bleak. There’s just no avoiding it. Tapping in to the inner turmoil each of these characters feels in isolation but playing that off against the warmth of a family dinner is touching.
Of course the stakes have never been higher for Sisko. Whilst much of Star Trek #27 focusses on family, it’s bookended by two very striking scenes. I’m not going to spoil the ending (much). But the first page, with Sisko stood alone in his Ready Room staring out in to the emptiness of their pocket of space, is incredible. Mike Feehan taps in to Sisko’s loneliness and anguish in the moment. The tension and the isolation is palpable on the page and that’s not something to take lightly. This series started with Sisko and so it feels right that he pulls the spotlight as it heads in to its biggest arc yet. But I’m definitely worried for his future at this stage…
What’s surprising about this issue is how Kelly and Lanzing are able to create emotional responses in unexpected places. Whilst there are lighter moments such as Lily flirting with fellow operations officer Descheeni and Scotty serenading his fellow bridge officers. There’s also Data seemingly struggling under the weight of what his brother has done to the multiverse. It’s reminiscent of when Data first installed his emotion chip and struggled to function after Geordi’s kidnap in Star Trek: Generations. Seeing these moments, regardless of how small they are, is still startling and adds to the overall impact of a story like this.
Tess Fowler joins Feehan on this issue. There are story reasons why which I won’t spoil. But visually this is Star Trek leaning in to something very different as we move in to the next phase of the story. It’s a clever move because the current tension can’t hold all the way through to April 2025. Kelly and Lanzing are no doubt conscious of that and have plans on where we need to go before we get there. As teasers go Star Trek #27 leaves us in a very interesting position.
Verdict
This month’s Star Trek offers a compelling, deeply emotional narrative complemented by Mike Feehan and Tess Fowler’s incredible artwork. As the Lore War continues to loom in the distance the series approaches a huge turning point for one of its lead characters…
⭐⭐⭐⭐
