Sometimes a story idea is so good you can’t believe it hasn’t been done before, and Star Trek: Red Shirts is one of them. Notoriously expendable, if a character wore a red shirt in Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), they were likely dead by the end of the episode. That’s partly because they acted as security for Starfleet, but from a production standpoint, they were also glorified extras, adding new faces to the main crew.
Now, those forgettable faces are getting their own series launching July 17th that happily leans into gore and dark themes. With the first issue in hand ahead of its release, it’s as clear as the Borg’s addiction to assimilation that the concept for this series has legs.
Set in the year 2266, the same year as the first season of TOS, Star Trek: Red Shirts #1 introduces readers to two types of red-shirts. One is relatively new with only one mission under their belt but harboring some battle damage. The other is grizzled, seasoned, and somehow still alive when most red-shirts die instantly. It’s a nice juxtaposition to give us a taste for new red shirts, but also what happens to a red shirt when they’ve been around a lot longer than most.
Prepare for gruesome deaths.
Credit: IDW
Artist Megan Levens and colorist Charlie Kirchoff keep the series very grounded with a realistic look and style. A standout moment is a montage of red-shirt deaths. In another great scene, a bunch of red shirts must survive a situation that is dicey at best, and Levens makes you feel the danger.
Rather than the series being an excuse to kill red shirts, there’s a deeper plot at work here. Expect a mystery, some sneaking around, and Starfleet up to something in a mission that maybe only red shirts could resolve. There’s also a hint for romance, so expect a multi-part story with plenty of character development rather than a one-off kill spree. Given the attention to details like the year, this series is likely meant to add to the larger mythos rather than be a one-off.
On the other hand, I will say I was expecting more of a horror angle on the subject matter, especially given the covers revealed so far. Instead, this is more of a character drama with the promise of some gore. It’s not a very scary comic, especially since the death and gore are played up more for humor.
Star Trek: Red Shirts #1 takes a clever, darkly humorous concept and elevates it with grounded, expressive visuals and a surprisingly thoughtful script. Rather than lean too hard into parody or pure horror, it delivers a layered, slow-burn character drama that explores what it really means to be expendable in Starfleet. It’s the kind of first issue that builds a compelling foundation with just enough gore, tension, and mystery to keep readers hooked — and proves these so-called background characters are worthy of the spotlight.
You must be logged in to post a comment.