Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly’s run on Star Trek is unique in the way that it’s touched on nearly every era of Star Trek lore. It brought back Benjamin Sisko after the events of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, brought in characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, and even newer shows like Picard and Lower Decks. But Star Trek #26 tops them all by warping the U.S.S. Thesus to the Kelvin Timeline…aka where J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek takes place.
This is a big deal. For one thing, it marks the first appearance of the Kelvin-era crew since Star Trek Beyond (and is a sore reminder that we’ve yet to get another Star Trek movie on-screen), but it’s also a way for Lanzing and Kelly to pay homage to another era of Star Trek comics. Prior to the current run, IDW launched a Star Trek series fully set in the Kelvin Era, including a storyline where Kevin-Kirk met a different version of Sisko. Star Trek #26 feels like a full-circle moment in so many ways.
It also lets Lanzing and Kelly play with a new set of dynamics. The crew of the Theseus is awed by how sleek the Kelvin-era Enterprise looks, while the latter’s crew is unimpressed by the Theseus‘ stripped-down style. But the character interactions are the best, whether it’s Lily Sato gushing over Kelvin-Uhura (who apparently became a Captain in the main timeline) and both versions of Scotty talking to each other about the intricacies of engineering. But the script also showcases that even when they’re different, both crews will hold up to Starfleet’s ethos – even in the face of literal armageddon.
IDW Publishing
Speaking of armageddon, no one can draw big, bombastic action like Angel Hernandez. Hernandez’s done work on previous Star Trek books for IDW, but in Star Trek #26 it gets dialed up to 11. Hernandez excels in page spreads; the opening of the comic features a massive panel of the Theseus and Enterprise hovering apart from each other, while another features a massive fleet of starships charging into the unknown. I also have to give Hernandez credit for capturing the visual look of the Kelvin-era Enterprise crew – there’s points that feel like it could be in a Star Trek movie.
Lee Loughride matches Hernandez’s “big and bold” art style with his color palette, especially in the final pages. Lore’s energy wave is depicted in a brilliant burst of yellow, which then takes on a myriad of zig-zagging colors as the Theseus literally outraces destruction. It’s a beautiful, yet terrible, sight to witness – as is Clayton Cowles’ glowing white letters hinting at an end for Sisko.
Star Trek #26 comes full circle with the appearance of the Kelvin-era crew, and Benjamin Sisko’s fate, in a comic that embodies everything I love about Star Trek. The only way this issue could be better is if Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto acted it out.
You must be logged in to post a comment.