For seven centuries, the United Federation of Planets brought together the entire Galaxy with peace, stability, enlightenment, and the promise of mutual protection. And then, in one terrible moment, it all crumbled in an event known as THE BURN, a Galaxy-wide disastrous event in which dilithium has gone inert, causing the detonation of every active warp core. The only ship remaining is a hack-and-slash Enterprise-Omega and its ragtag crew. Facing a true Wild West in space, the crew will need to make use of what few resources they have to uphold Starfleet’s mission of unity across the universe…and Captain Kirk will have to face a future without the Federation he loved so dearly… Star Trek: The Last Starship #1 explores a dark era of the Federation with a debut comic that’s full of doom and gloom, but also hope.
I’m not a die-hard Star Trek fan. I don’t know all of the details inside and out, so the concept of The Burn, as well as some of the details within the comic are completely new to me. Even as someone new to this bit of Star Trek history, Star Trek: The Last Starship #1 is a very accessible, and entertaining comic. Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, Star Trek: The Last Starship #1 starts off with hope and quickly leads to disaster. Taking place in 2401, about 30 years after the end of The Next Generation, the debut issue begins with hope and peace. The Federation are welcoming new members but disaster strikes. Dilithium has gone inert causing ships to explode and planets to be destroyed, billions dead in an instant. It’s a shocking moment, and especially one to see on page.
Lanzing and Kelly handle the disaster perfectly, delivering a debut issue that’s full of chaos, questions, fear, sadness, and what Star Trek does best, through the darkness a tinge of hope. The Federation has no idea what has caused this happened or why, but they know they are crippled by the destruction of so much and the deaths of so many. It’s a once mighty force reduced to a skeleton crew in an instant. But, this leads also creates an opportunity to build something new and rise from the ashes, to build upon what the Federation stood for, not what it had.
The comic weaves in interesting directions, ending with the return of James T. Kirk. It actually makes sense within the comic and creates an interesting alliance between the Federation and a group that might be unexpected for casual readers though not quite hit for those completely new. It creates a potential and a direction for the series that adds more danger for what lies ahead for the Federation as it attempts to recover.
The art by Adrian Bonilla is interesting. With color by Heather Moore and lettering by Clayton Cowles, they style feels a bit more rough and chaotic than some of the clean and polished art we’ve seen in previous Star Trek comics. The style fits the comic perfectly and reflects the chaos of what’s happening. It also sets itself apart from other series and comics, squarely placing itself in the future of the property. The designs of the characters, ships, everything, feels like a logical step in the progression of Star Trek. It creates an interesting world, especially in the latter part of the comic that feels futuristic and also empty due to the disaster that has taken place.
Star Trek: The Last Starship #1 is a debut that longtime Star Trek fans should enjoy but new readers and casual fans can dive in and pick up what’s happening. It takes Star Trek back to the beginning in a way, forcing the familiar to rebuild and rethink what it means to be the Federation.
Story: Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly Art: Adrian Bonilla
Color: Heather Moore Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
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