Star Trek: Lower Decks is arguably the most daring of Star Trek properties, and now it’s in the hands of writer Ryan North. The two-part opening story is wrapped, and now it’s time for another multi-part story with Star Trek: Lower Decks #3 kicking off a new science mystery. Out this week, the latest issue tugs at two different elements, while raising the stakes higher than we typically see in a Star Trek story.
Star Trek: Lower Decks #3 opens on the Clarew people’s planet, which is somehow very much what Earth culture thought the future would look like. It’s a second contact mission that goes off without a hitch unless you count it spurring on anxiety and self-doubt in our main characters. Personality tests pop out reports on each, which seriously screws with Sam Rutherford’s confidence.
The opening allows North and artist Jack Lawrence a chance to probe the characters while establishing Rutherford’s self-doubt as an ongoing issue.
From there, the issue springs into its main conflict, involving a star disappearing off navigation maps. This leads to a wild race to find the best theory, eventually confront the thing zapping stars from existence, and an eventual race to save the entire universe. Seriously, a lot happens in this issue, with characters logically reacting, fearing for their lives, and even getting in an informative explanation video.
Fun opening page!
Credit: IDW
That explanation video does a little explaining as far as metastability is concerned, and it’s a fun video, not unlike the Jurassic Park dino DNA video. This is a great example of North explaining something quite complex comically and clearly. He’s been doing in his Fantastic Four run, and it’s a nice science lesson in this issue.
Speaking of explaining, North’s footnotes continue to add a little extra to every page. The footnote about cowboy planets was my favorite, but a couple genuinely made me smile or laugh.
The art is strong, especially for an ensemble character-driven comic like this. Lawrence captures the personality of each character, especially Commander Andy Billups, who is a bit too excited about problems that need solving. The starship’s interior looks great, with space scenes also capturing a bit of wonderment with the stars in the background. The final page is also excellently done, with black hammering home the danger.
It sounds like a perfect comic, but I’ll continue to relate the stuffiness of the mostly interior-focused book, which adds a claustrophobic element to the series. It almost seems unfair to say it since Star Trek is all about starship problem-solving, but a few more cutaways to the ship or something outside the ship’s interior could open things up more. It’s a minor gripe.
Star Trek: Lower Decks #3 masterfully combines humor, heart, and high-concept science in a tightly woven narrative that stays true to the adventurous spirit of the franchise while exploring relatable character struggles. The start of a new story, jump on board with sharp writing, and stunning visuals make this issue a must-read for Trekkies and comic fans alike.
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