Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #2 is written by Robbie Thompson and published by IDW Publishing. Artwork is by Travis Mercer, colours by J.P. Jordan and letters by Jodie Troutman. Main cover art (left) is by Mercer.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation #2 is available from today, 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
Now deep under the ice-crusted surface of the planet Poilant in search of a missing team of Starfleet researchers, Una, Chapel, La’An, Spock, Scotty, and D6 discover a mysterious alien temple.
It’s covered in vines and the tech on the crew’s submersible is showing the researchers are inside but before they can investigate further, a new enigma appears…and this one’s got tentacles!
Review
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds may be off our screens for another year but that doesn’t mean it’s away from comic book stores. The second issue of Robbie Thompson’s brilliant away mission-centric Seeds of Salvation releases today. Issue #2 expands heavily on Thompson’s cool concept, giving context to the series’ title and putting the entire crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise in mortal danger. What more could a Star Trek fan want on a dreary Wednesday?
I was overjoyed at how well the first issue of Seeds of Salvation played out. Thompson really succinctly tapped into what makes an episode of the series stand out. The character voices felt on point. The balance of action and drama felt authentic. Meanwhile artist Travis Mercer and colourist J.P. Jordan brought a life and energy to the visuals which made the book even more compelling. So coming in to issue #2 my anticipation for what the team could deliver was pretty high and deliver they do.
Seeds of Salvation #2 doesn’t miss a beat in picking up where we left off. Thompson perfectly utilises the captain’s log to recap the events of issue one. It’s short, sharp and gets right to the point and allows for little time wasted before the story continues. Issue #2 has to find a new balance between events on the ship and those on the planet to keep the ensemble cast all in play. The balance is struck pretty quickly and works well in not short-changing any of the major players. There’s also some fun crossover between elements of storytelling despite the fact that the away team has lost contact. Beyond its contributions to the story the push and pull between locations does also remind us that Thompson fully understands the structure of a classic Trek story.
It’s really the events down on Poilant where all the action takes place. The away team, along with robot D-6, has ventured under the ice to find the missing research team. Thompson is able to play with some classic deep sea monster storytelling as the team explores this strange new world. It tees up some very cool visuals for Mercer but also brings a larger scope than we’re likely to see on a streaming TV budget. As a fan of the show what’s also great about these moments is how the character voices still remain true. I could hear Martin Quinn and Christina Chong speaking the dialogue as Scott and La’an verbally spar. If that isn’t a ringing endorsement for Thompson’s writing then I don’t know what is.
There’s a neat escalation throughout the issue which carries the series forward. It brings the away team to an underwater location where the Seeds of Salvation title is revealed to connect to the vines all over the base. Nurse Chapel is brought face-to-face with the missing Jinare but with a twist which adds plenty more momentum to proceedings. Things get complicated fast but not in a way which feels artificial or purely for the sake of shock value. Thompson is setting up a complex adversary which will no doubt become more nuanced as we move through the story. For now it’s a case of being more black and white but with three more issues in the series there has to be more going on.
Once again Mercer and Jordan impress with their adaptability. There are moments I can see the actors from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds reflected in the book. There are plenty of times where I can’t but in those moments these are still the characters I know and love. The heart of what makes these characters so compelling is completely intact throughout. Trek is a franchise whose books are often very traditional and there’s nothing wrong with that. But Mercer’s artwork is contemporary through and through and I love to see it push the boundaries of what the franchise can do in comic books.
Verdict
Seeds of Salvation #2 doesn’t miss a beat, expanding Thompson’s compelling away mission with underwater thrills and character moments that feel authentically Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The creative team delivers exactly what fans want while demonstrating there’s plenty more stories to tell before the show returns.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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.
