One of the most iconic phrases you’ll ever hear when it comes to Star Trek, other than the iconic speech about space being “the final frontier”, is “infinite diversity in infinite combinations”. Simply put, this is a franchise meant to celebrate the vast differences in humanity and showcase a future where mankind has put aside its petty biases to work together and explore the stars. Star Trek Celebrations 2026 is a reminder of what “infinite diversity in infinite combinations” looks like, as it explores the franchise’s LGBTQ+ characters across different eras.
This approach means that no matter what era of Trek you’re a fan of, you’re bound to find a story that appeals to you. Celebrations starts off strong with its introductory story “Girlfriends”, focusing on Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ Beckett Mariner nearly spiraling when her significant other, Jennifer “Jen” Sh’reyan, says she wants to talk. Beckett immediately assumes that this means Jen wants to break up with her, and ropes her friend Brad Boimler into a crazy scheme involving a bar fight. Ashley Cooper captures the chaotic humor of Lower Decks, but also brings some heartfelt moments as Beckett and Jen have a heart-to-heart while Boimler is mercilessly getting thrashed by a muscular Orion. It definitely helps that Jack Lawrence manages to perfectly replicate Lower Decks‘s art style, meaning that this feels like it could have been a lost episode of the show.
Celebrations 2026 continues with some strong entries, including “Mx. T’lir’s Night Out” by Ben Kahn and Mikael Lindeberg. Taking place after the tail end of Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing’s Star Trek run, former god turned Vulcan T’Lir seeks out the help of their best friend Lily Sato for a spy mission. It’s a fun caper that spotlights two queer characters who were highlights of the previous Trek series and also finds T’Lir musing on their newfound mortality. “Worst Case Scenario Protocol” by Meghan Fitzmartin and J. Clarke is also a very fun read, as it finds Seven of Nine and Raffi Musiker attempting to go on a holodeck date gone horribly wrong (because is it really a Star Trek story if your holodeck doesn’t malfunction?)
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The real standout of Celebrations 2026 is “Klingons Don’t Flirt”, which takes place during Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and finds the Klingon Jay-Den on a date with fellow cadet Kyle. Kyle soon learns that Jay-Den, like most Klingons, views courting their mate as they do battle, but instead of bloodshed, it’s a very unique ritual. “Klingons Don’t Flirt” is penned by Karim Diane, who plays Jay-Den in Starfleet Academy, and it’s safe to say that he understands his character well enough to translate his performance onto the comic page. So does Andrew Drilon, whose art feels extremely detailed and visually stunning; you can see the ridges on Jay-Den’s forehead and the movements he and Kyle make in their courtship “ritual,” culminating in a stunning kiss.
Star Trek Celebrations 2026 spans the breadth of Star Trek canon with a collection of tales spotlighting the franchise’s LGBTQ+ characters and the depth of diversity that makes Star Trek an iconic franchise. Every so often, a franchise puts out a story that reminds you why you fell in love with it in the first place, and this could be that story for some fans.
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