One of the highlights of Starfleet Academy‘s first season was its approach to Jay-Den Kraag, the lone Klingon cadet who flourished into one of the show’s most interesting members of its young cast—and even got a quiet, queer love story of his own in the process. Although the news about Starfleet Academy‘s cancelation recently has cast a somber shadow over Star Trek‘s TV future, fans of the series can take some heart: Jay-Den is beaming over to the world of Star Trek comics in time for Pride Month, and Diané will be a driving force behind it.
io9 can exclusively reveal your first look inside this year’s issue of Star Trek Celebrations, IDW’s annual celebration of queer love across the Star Trek universe. On sale at the end of May, just in time for Pride, this year’s issue pulls together LGBTQIA+ creatives across six different stories, covering queer characters from Lower Decks, Picard and Voyager, and even the Kelvin timeline—including, of course, a Starfleet Academy story called “Klingons Don’t Flirt” written by Karim Diané, with art from Andrew Drilon and Katherine Shuda and lettering from Jodie Troutman (who provides letters for all six stories in the anthology, to boot).
“Star Trek is, and always has been, about envisioning a future in which we band together beneath the flag of infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Celebrations represents a small glimpse at that future,” Cassandra Jones, IDW’s associate editor on the one-shot, said in a statement provided to io9. “Together, we have created a book that emphasizes going boldly means putting your heart on the line, proclaiming you belong, and fighting for the rights of all those who share in this universe alongside us. On behalf of myself and the team, we hope you enjoy the stories we’ve collected and join in with us for a joyful revelry!”
Below, you can check out an exclusive first preview at art from all six stories, as well as the first details about each, making their debut here on io9.
“Girlfriends”
Story by Ashley Cooper
Art by Jack Lawrence
Mx. T’Lir’s Night Out
Story by Ben Kahn
Art by Mikael Lindeberg
Colors by JP Jordan
Worst-Case Scenario Protocol
Story by Meghan Fitzmartin
Art by J. Clarke
Colors by Xenon Honchar
Klingons Don’t Flirt
Story by Karim Diané
Art by Andrew Drilon
Colors by Katherine Shuda
Love’s First Bloom
Story by Jarrett Melendez
Art by Kiku Hughes
Colors by Bex Glendining
Lovesick
Story by Jamila Rowser
Art by Helena Janečić
Lettering in all stories by Jodie Troutman
Star Trek Celebrations will go on sale May 27, with preorders closing in a few weeks on April 20. If you’re interested, make sure to find a comic book store near you and get a preorder!
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
