Latest Star Trek comic previews

A few teases for you from forthcoming Star Trek comics. IDW editor Chris Ryall posted a couple of panels of J.K. Woodward's painted interior artwork from the first issue of the recently announced comic book adaptation of Harlan Ellison's original screenplay for The City on the Edge of Forever.

In a completely different area of comic book art, John Byrne has posted a couple of samples from his forthcoming New Visions photocomics on his forums. These two samples show both extremes of Byrne's manipulating of stills from the show, with a new special effects shot, and a page which is almost entirely constructed from unaltered screencaps:

Amazon have recently added samples page for both of the throw-back omnibuses coming next month. That includes the start of a new series of reprints of the Gold Key Comics. Most of the Star Trek Gold Key Comics have already been collected in omnibus books thanks to Checker's The Key Collection about a decade ago. IDW have claimed the new Gold Key Archives are "fully remastered", and thanks to Amazon we can get a look at those cleaned up pages, which are a pretty huge improvement on the previous books:

The other book coming in April is The Star Date Collection Volume 2: Under the Command of Christopher Pike, and the look inside feature for this book includes the contents page, revealing which issues, and extra content, are to be included. The book continues from the first in the series, released last year, which includes the start of the Early Voyages series, and other Pike-era stories.

IDW omnibuses

IDW's December solicitations revealed/confirmed two new omnibus books on the way: The 100 Page Spectacular format must be doing quite well, as a third volume for 2012 is on the way. They describe the Winter 2012 edition as follows:

Explore the amazing worlds of Star Trek through our continuing series of 100-page spectaculars! How do you deal with killing a legend? Find out in the story of Captain Harriman, the notorious commander of the Enterprise when Captain James T. Kirk was lost and presumed dead. Guest starring Dr. McCoy! Discover the devious inner workings of the Romulan military! Re-enter the Mirror Universe as Kirk's Doppelgänger plots to overthrow his superior... Captain Pike -- And more!

Pre-order: Things From Another World, Forbidden Planet.

The solicitation credits Marc Guggenheim, Scott Tipton, and more as writers, with art from David Messina, J.K. Woodward, and more. From that it's clear Captain's Log: Harriman, and probably the first issue of Mirror Images will feature. The Romulan story could be one of many; the first Alien Spotlight: Romulans has already been reprinted in the first 100 Page Spectacular, but that still leaves an opening for the second Romulan story in the Alien Spotlight series, which seems like the most likely candidate from the vague description. Other options include the rest of John Byrne's Romulan saga, or the TNG series Intelligence Gathering. The 100 page format should also accommodate a fourth single issue story as well.

At the decidedly more generous end of the omnibus scale, December will also see the latest edition of IDW's bulky omnibus series, with the Star Trek: The Next Generation Omnibus. The solicitation confirms the contents as IDW's early TNG miniseries:

Star Trek: The Next Generation Omnibus collects 4 graphic novels into one monstrous book! The Space Between, Intelligence Gathering, The Last Generation, and Ghosts.

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp, Things From Another World.

Meanwhile over in the Czech Republic the Star Trek: The Original Series Omnibus just came out, translated into Czech by Anthony Martin for Nakladatelství BB/art:

Contents of IDW's 100 Spectacular

Out this week from IDW is the Star Trek 100 Page Spectacular, an omnibus of four IDW Star Trek comics bound like a normal comic and sold for the price of a single issue.

IDW's previous solicitation for the issue only identified one issue it would contain, Spock: Reflections #1, and from the creators listed indicted Alien Spotlight: Tribbles would also be a part of it.

Now Comics Continuum have posted a seven-page preview of the book, which also includes the contents page. It seems Spock: Reflections #1 has been dropped in favour of Mission's End #1, while the other three issues are indeed Alien Spotlight: Tribbles, as well as John Byrne's Alien Spotlight: Romulans, plus Captain's Log: Sulu.

Here’s that contents page, see Comic Continuum for the seven page preview of the first story in the book, Alien Spotlight: Romulans, the first part of John Byrne’s magnificent Romulan saga.

Mega update #7: IDW

It's a bit of a quiet time on the Trek front from IDW. The end of last year saw just one series runnning, Khan Ruling in Hell, and following the current Star Trek element in the Infestation crossover we wont have any new Trek comics for at least a couple of months (the first time since IDW starting doing Trek comics a few years ago)!

TrekMovie talked to IDW about this and were reassured there was more Trek coming later this year:

IDW is not moving away from Star Trek. We’ve included it in our company-wide event, INFESTATION, and are working on some big things to start in the spring. There are several Star Trek books in the works. 

Those books apprently include stories form both the prime and new-movie timelines.

If you missed any of Khan you can find previews for the final three issues: here, here, and here.

Solicitations for the next few months:

February

Star Trek Infestation #1

The first-ever event in IDW Publishing’s history crosses over into the Star Trek universe with this two-part, bi-weekly series! A routine visit to a colony world takes a horrifying turn when Admiral Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy find themselves surrounded by hordes of the undead! Spinning out of the pages of last month’s INFESTATION, this series takes the crew of the Enterprise into a dark and deadly new direction!

Star Trek Infestation #2

The second chapter of a bi-weekly Infestation tie-in! Admiral Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy fight for their lives against mobs of zombie colonists! Will they be able to prevent the Infestation from spreading throughout the Federation? And will they discover the greater threat behind the undead invasion in time to save themselves?!

March

Captain's Log omnibus

The most legendary captains of Starfleet get their due in this collection of five standalone tales! See how Captains Pike, Sulu, Harriman, and Jellico handle the responsibilities and challenges they face as Starfleet Captains.

April

Infestation #2

IDW's first-ever mega event ends here! Britt has returned from the universes of TRANSFORMERS, GHOSTBUSTERS, G.I. JOE and STAR TREK, armed with new technology that will spread the Infestation across all known realities. Zombie apocalypse looms and the remaining members of CVO are running out of options... humanity's last hope may be a risky sacrifice that could alter the IDW universe forever!

Khan: Ruling in Hell omnibus

When the most infamous villain in Star Trek history is last seen in the Original Series episode "Space Seed," Khan Noonien Singh's an elegant, proud warrior-king. When he's next seen in Star Trek II, he's a grizzled maniac, twisted by loss and an unquenchable thirst for revenge. What has happened between these two points in time to so radically alter what seemed to be an unbreakable will? That story is finally told!

Countdown #1 100 penny reprint

Our line of affordable reprints continues with the prequel to the blockbuster film from Paramount Pictures! JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman present the origin of Nero, the mysterious Romulan who will ultimately threaten the survival of the entire universe.

And finally with Infestation now begun, and the Star Trek section starting this week, there are lots of previews about! From Infestation #1 preview pages before colouring, and after. From Star Trek Infestation, three pages to get you going. Some character designs from David Messina. And a zombie-McCoy by J.K. Woodward, which appeared in the retale incentive Infestation Sketchbook. There's also a Comic Book Resources interview with Scott and David Tipton on their work on the Star Trek issues. They noted the choice of setting:

...one choice we did make was to use a slightly later incarnation of the Classic crew, as seen in ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture.’ This was done in part in the hopes of setting the stage for future stories to be told in that period, which has long been a favorite of ours, and also because that 1970s feel that's found in ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’ seemed to be a good match for this more bleak kind of tale.

IDW October

Comics Continuum have posted IDW's solicitations for October, which include two Star Trek comics and two omnibuses:

Captain's Log: Jellico

The story behind the man who replaced Captain Picard! When Captain Edward Jellico took command of the Starship Enterprise in the landmark NEXT GENERATION two-parter "Chain of Command," it took the STAR TREK world by storm! Now, learn the background of one of the most controversial characters in TREK history, as Captain Jellico's new first officer joins the U.S.S. Cairo only to find herself thrust into a conflict with the Cardassians...

Khan: Ruling in Hell #1

When the most infamous villain in STAR TREK history is last seen in the Original Series episode "Space Seed," Khan Noonian Singh's an elegant, proud warrior-king. When he's next seen in STAR TREK II, he's a grizzled maniac, twisted by loss and an unquenchable thirst for revenge. What has happened between these two points in time to so radically alter what seemed to be an unbreakable will?

Star Trek Movie Adaptation omnibus

J.J. Abrams' blockbuster revitalization of the Star Trek franchise was the most thrilling film of 2009. Now, under the direction of Abrams and screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, comes the highly anticipated graphic adaptation of the film! Additionally, new scenes and moments cut from the movie are revealed--an event no Star Trek fan can dare miss!

Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor omnibus

Space, the final frontier... And on that frontier and beyond, humans and aliens alike need medical care. Enter Leonard McCoy, Doctor of Space Medicine, later of the U.S.S. Enterprise! Now delight at John Byrne's tale set in the period before Star Trek: The Motion Picture! Featuring appearances by Captain James T. Kirk, Montgomery Scott, and other familiar faces!

Captain Garrett got lost again!

Robert Greenberger has announced his Captain Garrett/Enterprise-C entry to the Captain's Log series has been cancelled due to "a number of business factors". Greenberger also teased that had the issue worked out it would have featured the Nausicaans.

Shame. Wonder if the rest of the series is affected, would hope not given the art for the other remaining issues is apparently done!

IDW September

Comics Continuum have posted IDW's solicitations for September, which include two Star Trek titles:

Captain's Log: Pike
Written by Stuart Moore, art and cover by J. K. Woodward.

After the events of Talos (Which were detailed in the classic television two-parter, The Menagerie), Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the Enterprise have been called back to Earth for a debriefing. Upon entering our solar system they are attacked by a suspicious spacecraft--could this episode somehow be linked to Talos... and what eventually awaits Captain Pike?

Burden of Knowledge #4
Written by Scott & David Tipton, art by Federica Manfredi, cover by Joe Corroney.

After answering a call for help from a most unexpected source, Captain Kirk and the Enterprise return to the site of a previous mission, where they make a shocking discovery, one that may force James T. Kirk to make a decision like no other! It all comes together here!

Captain's Log Jellico cover

J.K. Woodward has posted his cover art for Captain's Log: Jellico. It's looks like this:
In an earlier blog post Woodward also posted a production log of sorts, on how he made the cover, including alternate designs and pre-coloured versions. Check it out.

Another page from Mr Woodward

J.K. Woodward has posted another page from Captain's Log: Jellico. Looks like this:
And you can see it pre-colours too, on the original blog post.

Captain's Log: Jellico and Pike updates!

Keith R.A. DeCandido has posted some remarks on his Jellico Captain's Log issue; it will take place before Chain of Command, featuring Jellico's command of the USS Cairo, and "will please both people who think that Jellico was a pretty darned good captain and the ones who think he's a flaming asshole".

And it looks like Gordon Purcell is out of the picture for Captain's Log, as J.K. Woodward is doing both the Jellico and Pike issues! Between his blog and facebook he's posted several pages from both. Here's a couple from Jellico:And a cover and page from the Pike issue:You can see a lot more (of this incredible work!) on facebook and these blog posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, which also shed some light on the processes Woodward used to create them.

Thanks to Unreality SF's Jens Deffner for pointing me towards much of this!

Captain's Logs

TrekMovie have announced the final selection of captains for IDW's Captain's Log series. They are:

-Pike (September), by Stuart Moore, with art by J. K. Woodward.
-Jellico (October/November), by Keith R. A. DeCandido, art by Gordon Purcell.
-Garrett (November/December) by Robert Greenberger, art by George Freeman

A nice mix of creators and captains I think (especially another Pike story), although disappointing to see we're still not getting a Titan comic! And notable that J.K. Woodward seems to have switched, from his previously announced work with KRAD on the Jellico issue to doing the Pike issue.

UPDATE: KRAD has commented on this very blog-post, and elsewhere, that TrekMovie have been misinformed and his Jellico issue is still being illustrated by J.K. Woodward. With the obvious assumption being that Gordon Purcell gets the Pike issue. Robert Greenberger has also noted on his blog that his Enterprise-C crew is derived from the novel Well of Souls, which gives me continuity pleasure.

UPDATE 2: Woodward is doing both the Pike and Jellico issues, see more, here.

Captain's Log: Harriman preview

TrekMovie have posted a five-page-preview of this week's Captain's Log issue, featuring Captain Harriman of the Enterprise-B. Here's one page:See the rest, here.

KRAD does Jellico

Keith R.A. DeCandido's latest Star Trek comic has been revealed to be Captain's Log: Jellico, coming out some time this year, and, as mentioned by KRAD on the Destinies: the Voice of Science Fiction radio program, will be illustrated by J.K. Woodward.

Thanks to Unreality SF's Jens Deffner for the tip!

IDW April

Comic Newsi have posted IDW's solicitations for April, which include three Star Trek titles:

Captain's Log: Harriman
Written by Marc Guggenheim, art by Andrew Currie
Captain John Harriman is the commander of the USS Enterprise B. He is also the man many hold responsible for the mysterious disappearance and presumed death of James Tiberius Kirk, the renowned Starfleet captain by whom all others are judged. How does a man recover from killing a legend? Find out in this very special issue! Guest starring Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.Star Trek Movie Adaptation #3
Written by Mike Johnson & Tim Jones, story by Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci, art by David Messina
JJ Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci present the official comics adaptation of their blockbuster film STAR TREK! The creative team behind the best-selling STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN returns to continue the story as Kirk and Spock meet for the first time at Starfleet Academy! Don’t miss this exclusive mini-series, which includes scenes not included in the film!Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor #1
Written and illustrated by John Byrne
Space, the final frontier… and on that frontier and beyond, humans and aliens alike need medical care. Enter Leonard McCoy, Doctor of Space Medicine, late of the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE… his first assignment: save the human colonists from a mysterious plague on a distant world whose only native lifeform is a vast and suddenly hostile jungle. Shipped with a special variant Byrne “gag” cover!

Captain's Log: Sulu preview

TrekMovie.com posted a five-page preview of this week's first issue in the Captain's Log series. Here's one page (you can see the rest on TrekMovie):

Additionally Scott Tipton (the writer of the issue), posted another page on his website Comics 101.

IDW January

Comics Continuum have posted IDW's solicitations for January, which include three Star Trek comics and one omnibus, and the start of the Captain's Log series:

Ghosts #3
Written by Zander Cannon, art by Javier Aranda, cover by Joe Corroney.
With Worf captured and under threat of execution, Geordi, Troi, and Dr. Crusher race to get information that will exonerate him. Picard and Riker negotiate with Worf's captors, but the paranoid warlords continue to regard all outsiders as a threat, and launch a military attack on the ship under the Enterprise's protection.Fool's Gold #2
Written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton, art by Fabio Mantovani, covers by Sharp Brothers and David Messina.
Deep Space Nine teeters on the brink of anarchy as swarms of treasure-hunters and mercenaries continue to flood the station. Major Kira and Constable Odo are on the case, and the investigation leads to a not-unexpected destination: Quark's Bar!
Captain's Log: Sulu
Written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton, art by Federica Manfredi, cover by David Messina.
Introducing a brand-new series focusing on some of the most famous Captains in Starfleet history! In the debut issue, Captain Hikaru Sulu, still new to the command of the U.S.S. Excelsior, finds himself once again face to face with one of the Federation's most dangerous and mysterious adversaries -- the Tholians! From the creative team behind Spock: Reflections!Spock: Reflections omnibus
Written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton, art by David Messina and Frederica Manfredi, cover by Messina.
In the follow-up collection to the smash hit Stark Trek: Countdown movie prequel, we discover what could drive a man to abandon all he knows and go to live with the Federations sworn enemy. Discover his real motivations and how he looks back at what brought him to this stranger place in his life.

New IDW news from Mr Harris

Andrew Steven Harris has posted information on a whole bunch of new Trek stuff from IDW, that he expects official announcements for very soon.

On the DS9 front IDW apparently have an artist lined up, a painter, who has done covers for IDW Trek comics before (which gives a few possibilities, J.K. Woodward is the name that immediately pops into my head).

On the TNG front there's to be a new series titled Ghosts, which will be set in the TV era and see the TNG crew dealing with two warring factions on a world that wants to join the Federation (nothing like the soon to conclude TOS: Mission's End then...). The series will apparently take a CSI sort of style. That series has a writer, Alexander Cannon, and will have at least some covers by Joe Corroney (like that one>).

The previously mentioned Sulu-Excelsior story it turns out will be part of a new spotlight-style series called Captain's Log. Like Alien Spotlight the series will feature multiple creative teams, this time focusing on different commanding officers - Harris mentioned Jellico and Garrett, and fingers crossed for Riker on the Titan.

Beyond that Harris anticipates more omnibuses from IDW, and possibly deluxe reprints of the movie tie-in series to cash in on the DVD release. And looking at IDW's general approach wonders whether we might see an on-going Trek series some time soon, in line with similar series announced for other IDW properties.

Read all the details, here.