Star Trek is in a somewhat uncertain time at the moment. What was once a robust TV push is now winding down; the next movie is in the works but won’t be arriving anytime soon. It’s especially unfortunate since the sci-fi stalwart is approaching a big milestone: its 60th anniversary, marked by the original series’ premiere on September 8, 1966. But fret not—Strange New Worlds season four arrives this summer, and soon after that, the world of Star Trek comics will celebrate with a big special issue from IDW.
As The Hollywood Reporter writes, a 68-page anthology will gather seven stories from an array of authors that span a wide swath of Trek timelines.
Highlights include entries by comics legend Brian Michael Bendis about original series character Sulu, with art by Bendis’ Jessica Jones co-creator Michael Gaydos; original Trek writer David Gerrold (he penned “The Trouble With Tribbles”), who explores a Harry Mudd story; and a Lower Decks story by Decks creator Mike McMahan with art by Mike and Laura Allred.
Other eras represented include The Animated Series, Picard, Enterprise, The Next Generation, and the recent Starfleet Academy. The issue will also preview IDW’s upcoming Star Trek flagship title, which is relaunching later this year from writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Isaac Sánchez.
“The prelude story I wrote in the oversized Star Trek 60th anniversary issue in a way sets up the most important question facing Star Trek right now: What’s next?” Cantwell said in a statement to THR. “We have six decades of incredible, deep legacy behind us, but where do we boldly go with it? […] This story is a handoff from Picard to something that is so new it’s nearly from whole cloth—soaring into the future—which is what Trek is when at its best.”
The Star Trek 60th anniversary special issue goes on sale September 2.
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