Star Trek: The Last Starship #2 is written by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly and published by IDW Publishing. Artwork is by Adrián Bonilla, colours by Heather Moore and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Francesco Francavilla.
Star Trek: The Last Starship #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
In the wake of the cataclysm known as the Burn, the dream of a united Federation stands on the brink of extinction. The only thing holding the Galaxy back from chaos is Captain Sato and the crew of the Borg-enhanced Omega—a ship fueled by transwarp technology and fraught with distrust. No one on board trusts the Borg…and Captain Sato trusts their mysterious new passenger, bearing the face and name of James T. Kirk, even less. This so-called Kirk speaks of a dark future, but Sato refuses to be guided by fear or prophecy. When a distress call from the Klingon Empire pierces the silence—urgent, cryptic, and unexpected—Sato doesn’t hesitate. Whatever the risk, he will answer. Because if Starfleet’s legacy is to survive, it won’t be through retreat. It’ll be through action.
Review
Captain James T. Kirk is back and it’s all thanks to Star Trek: Picard’s Agnes Jurati. Events nobody had on their Star Trek bingo card for 2025. But today issue #2 of Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing’s Star Trek: The Last Starship arrives in comic book stores, diving even deeper into the psychological scars Starfleet is enduring in the wake of The Burn.
Having succinctly setup the events of The Burn in issue #1 the series now turns its attentions to recovery. Or perhaps that should be survival. Whilst it was important to show the event itself to amp up the shock and PTSD felt across the galaxy. It’s now, particularly with Kirk back from the grave, that The Last Starship is really able to get down to the business of serious storytelling.
Kelly and Lanzing has cleverly pinpointed an event in Starfleet history which they are able to explore without the weight of franchise expectation. By the time The Burn is explored in Star Trek: Discovery season 3 it had been over 100 years since the event itself had taken place. Returning to that moment Kelly and Lanzing are able to tap into the fear and paranoia which follow such seismic events. That sense of confusion is something which is captured incredibly well in the behaviours of the crew of the U.S.S. Omega.
The beauty of a scenario like The Burn is that it gives the creative team a chance to tear up the rule book. So whilst Lanzing and Kelly work to keep the heart of Starfleet alive amongst the chaos. Those around them are able to act out in ways which feel natural given the situation. But that also create an exciting and unpredictable story for the reader. So whilst Captain Sato takes the U.S.S. Omega out on a mission of peace, they’re confronted by former allies who are less than happy to see them.
It makes perfect sense for Starfleet to go up against the Klingons on this story. It makes sense for Kirk to experience Klingons in this new time period. It also makes perfect sense that a race whose default setting is war to believe The Burn was an attack on them rather than an intergalactic catastrophe. Once again Lanzing and Kelly hit the nail on the head with their interpretation of Trek lore and I can’t fault them – yet again – finding a new angle to explore this franchise. The Last Starship is easily their biggest swing to-date in this sandbox so the pressure is on to stick the landing.
Tonally this issue feels spot on to what a title like The Last Starship conjures in expectations. There’s a satisfying mix of action and drama with just a hint of dark humour peppered throughout. Our new Ferengi doctor is absolutely one to watch when it comes to cutting through what is a very tense situation with a sprinkle of levity. The unknown quantity in all of this is still Kirk himself. This issue we’re seeing him come to grips with his own sense of being. Something the series couldn’t avoid and is right to tackle. But with the situation escalating rapidly, Lanzing and Kelly are right to thrust him in to the captain’s chair, teeing up some big developments for next issue.
Adrián Bonilla and Heather Moore are continuing to carve out a niche for themselves in dramatic Trek storytelling. The Last Starship is incredibly dynamic and really packs a visual punch. The heightened sense of action in this issue brings an even more fiery appearance, particularly in the second half. Whilst the heavy mix of dark shadows and vibrant Starfleet uniforms continues to make every character spring to life off the page.
It feels right that The Last Starship, with its experimental storytelling, would be equally experimental in its visuals. It stands out against the more traditional look of Strange New Worlds current miniseries and the direction adaptation of Lower Decks which is ongoing. This is a flavour of something new and I’m savouring every moment.
Verdict
With Kirk thrust into the captain’s chair and the crew facing paranoid former allies, The Last Starship is building toward something special. The experimental storytelling and striking visuals make this feel distinctly different from other Trek titles currently on shelves.
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