IDW Sets Phasers to STUN at SDCC With The Next Frontier of Star Trek Comics

The final day of San Diego Comic-Con brought with it one last burst of warp speed energy thanks to the IDW Publishing Star Trek: The Next Frontier panel

And if you thought Sunday would be quiet...nah. It was wall-to-wall Trek from Red Shirts to The Last Starship, and we’ve got the full breakdown of what’s next in the ever-expanding IDW Trek-verse.

🩸 RED SHIRTS ARE BACK, BABY. AND THEY’RE DYING GLORIOUSLY.

Writer Christopher Cantwell was on hand to talk about the just-launched Red Shirts comic, and it’s pure 1960s Star Trek camp. “You will see many of them gloriously die!” Chris teased. And yes, you’ll literally see them “X’d out” as the book progresses. We love a commitment to the bit.

Asked about his favorite redshirt demise, Cantwell lit up. “Yes. Someone is ejected into the cold of space in a pretty wonderful way. I think it’s kind of a SWEET moment for that character.” Red Shirts #2 drops in September, with issues four and five set for November and December—featuring some killer covers by JJ Lindel.

Also? This isn’t a one-off joke book. Cantwell confirmed Red Shirts ties directly into Defiant and the main Star Trek comic. So, yeah. Keep your eyes peeled.

💩 Lower Decks: More Poop, More Problems, More Comics

“I don’t think poop jokes should be off limits,” said Lower Decks comic writer Tim Sheridan, and honestly? Mood.

Sheridan gave us a sneak peek at the upcoming run of Lower Decks issues and confirmed that Phil Murphy, who worked on Lower Decks, will be lending his talents for issues 11 and 12. But that’s not all; Lower Decks is going even deeper (deck-er?) with six more issues coming after that!

Issues 13–18 will be a connected story arc featuring some familiar characters in dire need of reintroduction (👀). And yes,there’s a full set of connected covers for those six issues. We've seen the set featuring the Cerritos, Tendi, Mariner, Boimler, and Rutherford, and they are AWESOME!

🦑 Strange New Worlds: Tentacles, Trauma, and Chapel Crushes

Get ready for some eldritch Trek! A brand new Strange New Worlds comic miniseries, "The Seeds of Salvation," is coming in August, written by Robbie Thompson with art by Travis Mercer, and it’s full-on Lovecraftian horror.

“We’re going to a Europa-like planet,” said Robbie, who also admitted, “I’ve been told I can’t kill any legacy characters.” (Relatable.)

Mercer added, “It’s a LOT of tentacles,” which, well, sold. The series introduces a new baddie called The Seed: "Think Swamp Thing," Thompson said. And when asked about favorite characters to draw? Travis may have developed a tiny crush on Jess Bush’s Chapel. Can’t blame him.

🌀 Voyager: Homecoming Brings the Crew Home

We were thrilled to see Susan and Tilly Bridges take the stage for Voyager: Homecoming, especially after just having them on the pod to chat about the book!

“It’s Voyager. Things never go the way they plan,” said Tilly, which might as well be the ship’s motto.

We got a few new looks at issue one, as well as some standout covers from issue two. Seven’s emotional arc is front and center, and Tuvok will be facing the reality of his Bendii Syndrome diagnosis.

And yes, the whole panel danced around it, but we’re calling it: Species 8472 is back. Just admit it, IDW!

Art is by the phenomenal Angel Hernandez, with Susan and Tilly praising his emotional range: “When a character gets sad, you end up feeling bad for them.” We’re ready to cry all the way back home down to Earth.

🚀 THE LAST STARSHIP: Trek's Future Gets Bleak and Bold

Arguably the biggest swing of the panel came with The Last Starship, launching this September from Jackson Lanzing and Colin Kelly, the minds behind Star Trek and Defiant.

“What does a Star Trek that looks like The Last Ronin look like?” asked Lanzing. We’re about to find out.

Set 700 years in the future, this is Trek at the edge of collapse. The Federation is fractured. Earth has seceded. There hasn’t been a space battle in over 120 years. Captain Sato (new fave alert) is trying to hold things together… just as it’s all falling apart.

Colin described it as “The Federation’s last starship trying to hold together a galaxy that’s actively burning.” And ohCommander Abrams is now the face of humanity, and humanity is not the Federation’s golden child anymore after being the first planet to secede after the burn.

Oh, and that big reveal? Yes, it’s Kirk, but not the version you’re expecting. Lanzing and Kelly teased the reveal, saying: “Who would this challenge the most? Who would it hurt the most? The answer was clear. Kirk.” It’s a bold swing that plays with legacy, perception, and what it really means to carry the name James T. Kirk in a galaxy on the edge of collapse.

Julian and Girafe got a first look at the uniforms and both agreed, they’re DOPE. Big “future but still Trek” energy, with a little bit of Gundam and a little bit of The Motion Picture.

SDCC might be over, but with everything IDW is bringing to the table this fall and beyond, the future of Star Trek comics is looking bold, weird, and tentacle-filled in the best way possible.

Live long and pre-order.