Since the show debuted on television in the mid-1960s, comic books have been an essential part of the Star Trek mythos — a legacy currently being proudly carried by IDW Publishing, which is preparing to launch a new ongoing series drawing on all versions of the show to date with none other than Benjamin Sisko at its center.
Saturday morning’s Star Trek: Where No Comic Book Has Gone Before panel at NYCC has writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly sharing some secrets about that new series, along with additional panelists Chris Fenoglio, Liana Kansas, JK Woodward, and editor Heather Antos talking about other comic book incarnations of the Final Frontier, including the Mirror Universe, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds!
As if we were exploring frontiers and new worlds ourselves, Popverse is boldly live-blogging the entire panel, beaming the panelists’ revelations, jokes, and bat’leth training tips live from the Javits Center to wherever you’re reading these words as they happen. Bookmark this page to stay up to date, or come back in an hour when the whole thing is over for the full experience in one sitting.
Throughout all of New York Comic Con 2022, Popverse is going to be keeping tup with everything that happen, from panels and breaking news to interviews and the best cosplay on the show floor. We’ll be sharing everything as it happens — including exclusive livestreams from the biggest panels at the show — so let us keep you in the loop all weekend.
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Coverage
Hi everyone! We're here for the IDW Star Trek panel on Day 3 of NYCC!
– Pierce Lydon
Here is the panel description: In October, IDW will debut a brand-new Star Trek ongoing series, pulling the best elements from across all iterations of Trek lore to create something wholly unique and unexpected! Join writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly to discuss this cornerstone of a new Star Trek continuity, featuring an Enterprise helmed by Benjamin Sisko! Also, additional IDW special guests will provide behind-the-scenes looks at comics based on Lower Decks, the Mirror Universe, and more!
– Pierce Lydon
We are still waiting on a couple of panelists but we will be getting started soon.
– Pierce Lydon
– Pierce Lydon
They're here so here we go!
– Pierce Lydon
First up is Star Trek #1 from Kelly and Lanzing with art from Ramon Rosanas and Lee Loughridge.
– Pierce Lydon
Issue comes out October 26 and will follow a brand new crew on a brand new ship.
– Pierce Lydon
Antos started brainstorming a new Star Trek with Lanzing and Kelly and they wanted to create a story that encompasses so much of what Star Trek has been across the various series to date.
– Pierce Lydon
Kelly explains that there is a space between the return of Voyager and Nemesis that is ripe with storytelling potential and that's where this book lives.
– Pierce Lydon
This book is canon to what has happened on the shows and what will happen on the shows in the future.
– Pierce Lydon
Big cheers from the crowd as the Francesco Francavilla variant cover featuring Sisko comes on screen.
– Pierce Lydon
Lanzing says that this book is designed to be a great jumping on point for new fans because it is a love letter to everything that Star Trek is and can be.
– Pierce Lydon
– Pierce Lydon
The heart of this story is Sisko's relationship with his son as well as with his command.
– Pierce Lydon
"This isn't a stright up Deep Space Nine sequel but Sisko did say that he would return," - Lanzing
– Pierce Lydon
The first iteration of the new ship the Theseus appears in Star Trek Year Five, Lanzing and Kelly's previous book.
– Pierce Lydon
– Pierce Lydon
"It is an experimental ship for an experimental mission" - Kelly
– Pierce Lydon
There will be some returning characters such as Tom Paris as well as a number of new ones. There is a secret character in engineering that the panel will not reveal.
– Pierce Lydon
Issue 2 will see Worf join as tactical officer.
– Pierce Lydon
Kangas says that she has really enjoyed diving into the world of Star Trek. Woodward says that his only regret is that he only came on to do an issue 2 cover but that he loves the world of Star Trek.
– Pierce Lydon
Announcement time! A SECOND ongoing series: Star Trek Defiant by Christopher Cantwell and Angel Unzeta.
– Pierce Lydon
– Pierce Lydon
It will be spinning out of Star Trek in MArch of 2023 so 5 issues of Star Trek will be out by then.
Worf's crew will include Spock, Lore and B'Elanna Torres.
– Pierce Lydon
Lanzing and Kelly originally pitched this book along with the book that they are doing. Cantwell adjusted the crew from their original pitch once he joined the team. He is the one that added Lore.
– Pierce Lydon
"One of the neat things here is finding out what splits Sisko and Worf up...it's not amicable." - Kelly
– Pierce Lydon
"This is not a section 31 mission. This is their own thing." - Lanzing
– Pierce Lydon
Lanzing confirms that Worf steals the ship he'll be captaining in Star Trek Defiant.
– Pierce Lydon
Antos teases a crossover between the two titles as well.
– Pierce Lydon
But she quickly moves on to Picard Stargazer which takes place between seasons 2 and 3 of the show.
– Pierce Lydon
The interiors for Picard Stargazer are by Angel Hernandez who also designed the first version of the Theseus in Star Trek Season Five.
– Pierce Lydon
Next up is Star Trek Lower Decks, written by Ryan North with art by Chris Fenoglio.
– Pierce Lydon
"I always loved Star Trek and I've been campaigning for this for a while and it's been really great." - Fenoglio
– Pierce Lydon
Fenoglio is also painting a Star Trek Lower Decks mural at the IDW booth this weekend.
– Pierce Lydon
Antos asks Fenoglio what its like to work on a book based on such a popular show as its coming out.
– Pierce Lydon
"Being able to play in [this] generation has been really great," - Fenoglio
– Pierce Lydon
The actors who voice the characters on the show have been very supportive of the book as well.
– Pierce Lydon
"I keep on saying 'is this real life?' because I can't believe this is happening." - Fenoglio
– Pierce Lydon
Star Trek Resurgence will be released in November. It is a prequel to the Star Trek Resurgence game.
– Pierce Lydon
"Let's just say not everyone gets a happy ending but check it out." - Antos
– Pierce Lydon
Antos moves on to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Illyrian Enigma and also mentions that IDW will be announcing even more Star Trek books before the end of the year.
– Pierce Lydon
The Illyrian Enigma is a rescue mission that takes place between season 1 and 2. Antos says that fans can expect some "fascinating" developments.
– Pierce Lydon
Next up is The Mirror Universe Collection. Woodward explains that the mirrorverse is an alternate universe where all of the characters we know and love are evil.
– Pierce Lydon
Woodward explains that the first story Mirror Broken kind of happened by accident spinning out of a Free Comic Book Day story that he worked on.
– Pierce Lydon
Woodward explains that his Mirrorverse stories take place before Deep Space Nine.
– Pierce Lydon
There will be a Mirrorverse Omnibus as well!
– Pierce Lydon
Kelly jokes that it's so big that fans can do curls with it to get as "swole" as Riker is in the Mirrorverse.
And that's the panel! Thank you for following along!