Star Trek’s comic book licensee IDW are here at Comic Con 2008 and TrekMovie had a moment to chat with the new Star Trek editor Andrew Schmidt, who broke down their plans for the rest of the year and into 2009, including what they hope to do for the Star Trek feature film.
Coming up from IDW
Romulans – The Hollow Crown (October)
Written and illustrated by John Byrne
Follow-up to Byrne’s February 2008 Romulan issue of the Alien Spotlight series. Romulan Alien spotlight issue. Will run for two issues in 2008 with a possible follow-up sometime in 2009.
Star Trek – The Last Generation (November)
Written by Andrew Steven Harris, illustrated by Gordon Purcell
A five issue ‘Myriad Universe’ (not Mirror Universe), story akin to the new Pocket Books Myriad Universe stories. The background ‘what if’ premise is that Kirk did not save the Federation President at the end of Star Trek VI and a war erupted between the Federation and the Klingons with the Klingons eventually conquering Earth. Series takes place seven decades after STVI, or around the same time as the early seasons of TNG. The series will feature alternate timeline versions of Worf, Picard, and Sulu.
Alien Spotlight II (Early 2009)
A six issue series like the previous IDW Alien Spotlight, with each issue focusing on a different Star Trek alien race. So far the only two they have decided on are a Q Continuum issue written by Scott and David Tipton and a Klingon issue written by Keith DeCandido and illustrated by JK Woodward.
Undetermined John Byrne series (Early 2009)
John Byrne will follow his two-issue Romulan series with another series and a number of different ideas are being discussed, but the veteran hasn’t yet decided which one he wants to do yet. One possibility has the working title of ‘Crew’ which would be a pre-TOS era series set on a shake-down cruise. Another possibility is a follow up to his "Assignment Earth" series from this year.
‘Star Trek’ feature film tie-ins (Early/mid 2009)
For other Paramount films (like Transformers and Beowulf), IDW had done both a prequels as well as adaptations. IDW hopes to do the same with the new Star Trek film, but they are not ready to talk about writers, artists or even dates. It is not even firm that these series will happen for sure, but of the two, the prequel seems further along. If the tie-ins do happen, then it is expected that Star Trek director JJ Abrams and co-writer Robert Orci will be involved at some level.
Other possible titles for 2009 – Captains Sulu and Riker?
IDW’s new editor for Star Trek, Andrew Schmidt has literally been on the job for just a couple of weeks so he still has not yet had time to map out the plan for the rest of 2009. One idea being considered is a Titan series (tying into the popular post Nemesis book series featuring Captain Riker). IDW are also considering a Captain Sulu series.
For now Schmidt is trying to determine what fans want to see next most. But Schmidt tells TrekMovie that he plans for 2009 to have even more books than 2008, which has been a prolific year for IDW and Trek. Schmidt says that he wants IDW to "go beyond just filling in the gaps and start to drive the bus" in terms of Star Trek storytelling. He wants the books to "have more unity" as they move forward. Schmidt promised to give TrekMovie an update within the next month as things get more finalized regarding 2009, so look for that report in August.
Cover for Byrne’s upcoming Romulan series
Hope there’s some good movie tie ins. We need an adaption, and maybe a series leading up to the movie story?
i must be the only person wanting IDW to do Enterprise comics.
“Another possibility is a follow up to his “Assignment Earth” series from this year. ”
I know,…..you’re sick of hearing me say this Anthony in one form or other, but this is my vote. ( I see you cringing. I really do have other interests)
But more Gary Seven adventures. It’s going so well, and it’s such a short run. Why stop a good thing?
Keep it going Brother Byrne. Amen!
By the by…..do we not do reviews of the comics anymore? I don’t remember even an announcement for Assignment: Earth number 3.
Captain Riker! Captain Riker! Captain Riker!
I am looking foward to a Titan series!!!! Sulu doesn’t half seem bad at all….
Last Generation sounds like a blast. With its huge burden of canon, Trek can particularly benefit from a good “what if?” story line.
The movie tie-ins could be great too since they’d involve a less covered piece of Trek history, and have implicit permission to reboot the continuity for the sake of a good story.
A Captain Sulu comic would be EXCELLENT! Please encourage this effort, since it has a canon nod with the 6th Star Trek movie. Let’s se what happened to the TOS crew, and Captain Sulu, after Khitomer!
“Enterprise” would be good if they follow “The Good That Men Do” storyline where Trip wasn’t really killed. Thank God someone had the decency to undo that garbage season finale that Berman and Braga gave us!
Would LOVE to see a Titan series and something based on “Enterprise” also.
How about a comic series set after Nemesis, or DS9 TV series?
“Undermined John Byrne series”
Uh, is that supposed to read “Undetermined John Byrne series”? Otherwise, who is undermining John Byrne and to what purpose?
I’d rather read about Picard after Nemesis, than some dull comic about Gary 7.
Count me in for a Captain Sulu series. I will buy it.
Not borrow it. Not read it in the local comic shop. I will plunk down $$ for it when it arrives in the store.
I’ll probably buy a Riker series, too. But if I had my choice, it would be Sulu.
(And IDW – I’m expecting you to use an artist of the caliber of John Byrne or Gordon Purcell. Any chance for Neal Adams to do a cover? :) )
Wow. Is this what the boards are like when everyone’s at the Con but us?
SULU! SULU!! SUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!
Sulu? Uh yeah. I think people would rather read about Kirk.
It would be cool if they adapted that Khan series of books that Pocket Books printed a while back. They had cameos from Gary Seven, Flint, Redjac, the Area 51 scientists (who held Quark and Rom),and even that guy who was cryogenically frozen and resurecte in TNG episode ” The Neutral Zone”. I would definately lik to see this adapted in graphic novel form.
like
Yeah, I absolutely love Sulu in command of the Excelsior. He plays a major role in Star Trek: The Last Generation. Also, it’s being drawn by the awesome Gordon Purcell, who did the Star Trek VI movie adaptation for DC Comics back in the day, so there’s a neat bit of continuity we’re working into things there.
Count me in for an Excelsior series! Of everything listed above, that’d be my top choice.
I think a Titan series would also be pretty cool, and am liking a lot of the other stuff, as well. For that matter, while I’m not sure the story arc will allow it for the foreseeable future, a Vanguard tie-in would be pretty awesome, too.
I also just got my latest order of Trek comic books in the other day, and really enjoyed them. the “Assignment: Earth” story about the Vietnam War protesters is a standout. Really excellent!
I bought the Year Four trade paperback a few weeks ago. I had high hopes but it let me down. Only one story was good enough to be considered part of the ST mythos. I hope the other IDW ST comics are much better.
with the new movie tie ins I hope IDW still realease TOS comics with the likenesses of Shatner and Nomoy etc.
Movie tie ins will be cool but hope TOS is not abandoned for the new actors
Would love to see a post Nemesis Picard comic and a post Nemesis Riker Titan comic.
Just in relation to that Star Trek: The Last Generation where Kirk fails to save the Federation President at the end of Star Trek vi, kind of sounds a bit daft since the klingon empire was expected to die out as a race, I would have thought that Star Fleet would have wiped the floor with an enemy in decline and with dwindling resources???
Actually, that’s a valid observation, and one that the miniseries directly addresses: because it’s a war for their very survival, they fight even more ferociously than ever before, and that’s what makes possible their eventual conquest of Earth.
“We’re through running from these bastards.”
It’s time for a Captain Riker comic. And maybe a new tv show.