It used to be that the Star Trek red shirts were so uninteresting their death meant nothing, even to the crew. Then IDW came along and gave them a miniseries. Now IDW is back with Star Trek: Red Shirts – Ghost of the 21st Century, with the first issue out July 22nd, where those who work in the Federation as security officers are known as red shirts, and typically die first. With an advance copy in hand, I was shocked to find a robust story worth investing in, given how disposable red shirts are.
Gerry Duggan writes a strong opening issue, laying the groundwork for a story that’ll keep you guessing while establishing sides in an international, spy-laden Star Trek story. Paired with Scott Buoncristiano’s art reminiscent of Stuart Immonen’s Nextwave and Charlie Kirchoff’s grounded colors, this is an easy recommendation for new and old Star Trek fans. That goes for a recent IDW comic, as well.
Star Trek: Red Shirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #1 is set in the later period of Captain Kirk’s five-year mission, fitting seamlessly into continuity. The quaint nature of TOS isn’t evident, however, with a dark tone and even darker characters’ feet. Set in the far reaches of the frontier, one could equate this narrative with the wild west, yet the Federation is still present. One can only guess at how bad things can get with lawlessness more evident in this timeline, and also this far from Earth.
After a big tip-off, things aren’t going to go well for our characters in the opening scene. The story shifts to a crew of red shirts, one of whom has the ordinary laziness we can all respect. That said, it’s certainly not common in Star Trek Federation clothing, making him immediately a different kind of officer. By the end of the issues, I did want to know more about him, which is both a negative and a positive.
It gets bloody, folks.
Credit: IDW
The issue isn’t just the setup; there is a major confrontation with plenty of blood spilled. Frankly, if you thought Star Trek: Red Shirts was gory, this issue goes above and beyond. Thanks to Buoncristiano’s slightly cartoony look, the gore never feels over the top or exploitive. It’s just the right amount of unnerving mayhem.
By the time this issue establishes its main hook, it moves quickly to get the show on the road with the final few pages. Given the pace, this issue packs a lot of punch while keeping you averse to the various threats.
Buoncristiano gets to toss a lot of familiar aliens into the mix, thanks to a bar setting on a seedy outpost. Between the nods to famous aliens and highly dangerous ones, there’s a good mix here. Layouts are fairly structured, with nine-panel grids amongst a generally well-visualized sequential story. Even when characters are getting verbose, which was really only one scene, the violence and choice of how to frame it kept me invested.
Star Trek: Red Shirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #1 succeeds by turning Star Trek’s most expendable characters into the centerpiece of a tense, violent, and surprisingly engaging mystery. Duggan lays a strong foundation, while Buoncristiano and Kirchoff deliver memorable visuals packed with action, alien intrigue, and just enough gore to keep readers on edge. If the series can maintain this momentum while further developing its cast, it could become one of IDW’s standout Star Trek stories.
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