IDW Celebrates 15 Years Of Star Trek Comics With Special 400th Issue And New ‘Lower Decks’ Series

IDW has been publishing Star Trek comics since 2007, and this September, they will be celebrating the 400th issue from the franchise. The occasion will be memorialized with a special one-shot full of stories from across the Star Trek eras, including a TNG story by Wil Wheaton. Also coming in September, the launch of the first comic tie-in to Star Trek: Lower Decks. There will also be new issues from the Mirror War series and the Star Trek: Picard: Stargazer series.We have a first look at covers and details from all of it.

Star Trek #400

IDW’s celebration of 15 years and 400 issues of Trek comics arrives with an extended one-shot (priced at $7.99) full of brand-new stories from different artists and writers. Here is the synopsis:

Celebrate IDW’s 400th issue of Star Trek comics with this monumental issue highlighting fan-favorite eras of the acclaimed series. This collection of minis brings together Star Trek comics veterans in an equal celebration of IDW’s Star Trek comics past and future. Join little Keyla Detmer—as seen in Star Trek: Discovery—Adventures in the 32nd Century #3—on a new expedition, visit the Kelvin Universe, witness a heartfelt tale by TNG’s very own Wil Wheaton, and more by Chris Eliopoulos, Declan Shalvey, Rich Handley, and Mike Johnson, with art by Luke Sparrow, Seth Damoose, Megan Levens, Angel Hernandez, and Joe Eisma!

There will be five different covers:

A cover by Louie de Martinis

B cover by JK Woodward

C cover by Megan Levens

D cover by Angel Hernandez

RI cover by Chris Fenoglio

Lower Decks miniseries

September will also see the launch of a brand new 3-issue miniseries (each priced at $3.99) tied into the animated adult comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks. The series is written by Ryan North with art from Chris Fenoglio. Here is the official synopsis:

The hit Paramount+ animated series makes its comics debut with Eisner-winning comics writer Ryan North (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) at the helm! Soon after leading her crew on a planetary expedition aimed at building bridges and advancing Federation technology, Captain Freeman begins to suspect that the planet and its people are not all what they seem… Meanwhile, the crew in the lower decks take to the holodeck, enjoying some much-needed recreational time—until a bloodthirsty visitor decides to join in on their games.

There will be three covers for each issue, here are the ones for issue #1:

A cover by Chris Fenoglio

B cover by Jay Fosgitt

RI cover by Philip Murphy

More September 2022 Star Trek comics

Star Trek: Picard—Stargazer #2 (of 3)
(36 pages • $4.99)

Written by Mike Johnson and Kirsten Beyer; art by Angel Hernandez

Continue the never-before-seen journey set between seasons two and three of the Paramount+ hit series Star Trek: Picard! Following an unsettling discovery on the planet Jenjor VI, Picard and Seven band together to save the native population and the Stargazer crew.

There will be three covers:

A Cover by Angel Hernandez

B cover by Butch Mapa

RI variant cover by Aaron Harvey

Star Trek: The Mirror War–Troi (one-shot)
(32 pages • $3.99)

Written by Marieke Nijkamp; art by Megan Levens.

The spotlight turns to Deanna Troi in this one-shot set in the Mirror Universe of The Next Generation. Expand upon the world of The Mirror War! At the turn of a new dawn for the Terran Empire, having achieved victory over the Cardassian-Klingon Armada, Deanna Troi reflects on just how far her ambition has driven her on her calculating quest to seek power and escape among the stars.

There will be three covers:

A cover by Megan Levens

B cover by Ejiwa Ebenebe

RI cover by Ejiwa Ebenebe  


Keep up with all the Star Trek comics news, previews and reviews in TrekMovie’s comics category.

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What in the fresh hell is that D cover by Angel Hernandez. Its the stuff of nightmares.

That really is a weird cover, yes.

Now now…young minds, fresh ideas.

Nice one, Phil. :)

I’m actually stoked about all of these projects and I think most of the covers are great. I want to make that clear.

I really wish they’d up the quality of their omnibus print bindings.

Some of us still like hard copy, but if they fall apart in our hands it’s a huge put off. We have lots of DC series omnibus editions and it never happens with those.

It’s true. IDW’s binding (and editing quality in general) often leaves a lot to be desired.

I assume it’s based on some obscure toy brand. Whatever it is, it’s an eyesore.

I don’t believe any of the covers by Angel Hernandez feature the Enterprise D. Perhaps you’re looking at the Ceritos and conflating them?

It’s just a style difference. Like when Scotty Young draws characters in a similar but more street art style. If you read comics, it’s a fine alt cover

Gorgeous art

They get me at “Rarely going where no one has gone before”

That awesome 1st cover – soon to be seen in cinema lobbies Dec 23. hopefully 😊

“witness a heartfelt tale by TNG’s very own Wil Wheaton,”

Wheatons Close Encounter of the Shatner Kind finally adapted ?

This is Wheaton’s third Star Trek comic, for those interested.

No characters from Enterprise but Discovery gets included?? Ridiculous beyond measure.

It’s a likeness rights issue, so blame it on Scott Bakula, not IDW. So it’s not “ridiculous beyond measure.” It’s entirely measurable since it’s long been known as the barrier facing Enterprise comics.

Do explain, please.

Scott Bakula has never refused people to use his image if it’s for fan-art or private works. If he’s got any “likeness rights” issues, and I seriously doubt such a thing exists, it will only be the same as any of the other ST stars have. Don’t make things up

“and I seriously doubt such a thing exists”

LOL. Well, your lack of knowledge of how likeness rights work–or even that they exist–is your problem, not mine. In any case, I didn’t make anything up. Anyone with knowledge of the comics world and Hollywood can tell you that actors’ likeness rights are a common problem when it comes to licensed comics and has been for decades. And Bakula’s reluctance to grant likeness rights is well-documented. He’s picky when it comes to this sort of thing, and he’s not the only actor for whom that’s the case. It’s why Harry Mudd was drawn to look like Dom DeLuise in DC’s Harry Mudd stories, because Roger Carmel’s estate wouldn’t grant likeness rights.

Nice but it sucks we never see characters from “Enterprise”. Will they ever get the license?

The problem is likeness rights. Scott Bakula is to blame, not IDW.

Is it speculation or is it confirmed? He is on the cover of “Star Trek Waypoint #4” but that might be a photo.

Yes, it’s a matter of public record. The novel publishers have several times run into this issue with Enterprise novels.

Thanks. I see it’s also mentioned on the IDW page on memory beta wikia.

It’s really a frustrating situation. With a franchise like Star Trek, it wild that they were so desperate to get him on the show that they didn’t even secure his likeness rights for future tie-in products.

That’s interesting.

Bakula must have had very different terms in his contract than the TNG cast.

Marina Sirtis has been quite clear publicly that she has no control or rights in respect of herself in images portraying Deanna Troi. She was delighted with her image on a UK postage stamp, but had no awareness it was happening until close to it was announced.

It all comes down to lawyers, and these things also change over time. The TOS and TNG casts can’t stop their likenesses from being used, but over time the paradigm shifted and actors’ lawyers started focusing more on likeness rights. Plus, Bakula was already a big name when he joined Enterprise, as opposed to the TOS and TNG casts, none of whom were yet household names except for Shatner (because of The Lieutenant) and Wheaton (because of Stand By Me). So he had a lot more clout than the first few casts did when it came to his contract. In truth, I agree with Bakula that actors should be able to say “no” when asked to have their likeness used to sell products.

They should recast. Say there was some weird scifi freak accident and Archer now as the head of a random long dead actor from TOS. Problem solved.

LOL. Thankfully, that is not what they’re doing. :)

I wonder what Scott Bakula’s issue is – perhaps he didn’t like how he looked in the QUANTUM LEAP comic (Which was a lot of fun!) and the cover of the QUANTUM LEAP novels?

He doesn’t have one. It’s a lie.

LOL love that LDS photo! I almost want to have it for my screen saver! :)

And I do wonder how much those Stargazers stories will be the basis for Picard season 3? It’s hinting Seven is in Starfleet now and I do wonder will that carry over next season. Even though how she was promoted was about as ridiculous as Kirk being promoted to Captain in the Kelvin universe, I would be lying if I said I would be unhappy with it. Seven should’ve been in Starfleet long ago with her skills and crazy degree of intelligence and knowledge. It’s absolutely ridiculous they would turn her down.

Lastly while I have never read a Star Trek comic to this day; one of the things I do love about them is just how creative they can be and all the crossovers they have done over the years. It’s fun seeing things like the Kelvin and TOS crews join together for a special issue or the Q issue where every crew from every show are thrown together. There is a lot of talk about crossovers and multiverse stories these days with all the new shows and even the next Kelvin movie if it happens but I don’t think such cross stories could ever reach that level in live action as it does in comics or novels.

Anyway happy 400th IDW!

I’m hoping the covers are hinting at Seven still being conflicted over Starfleet rather than have her joining up. But Starfleet does, unfortunately, seem to be where TPTB want the character.

do they address how troi came to be in mirror universe since she’s half alien and humans view aliens as we view rats. plus how can someone who is only half human be allowed anywhere?

Spock was allowed in Starfleet.

The same reason the MAGA cult has people of color and women in their ranks–it shields them from people noticing that they’re racist and misogynistic bigots.

(It doesn’t work. Everyone notices it anyway. These are not bright people.)

It’s too bad Enterprise never gets any respect from the comics

Although Mad Magazine did an Enterprise parody.

Parody falls under a different set of rules I believe. That’s how Weird Al got away with “Amish Paradise” (and just about every other big hit)

Parody is different since it’s protected speech. Securing likeness rights isn’t required.

“It’s too bad Enterprise never gets any respect from the comics”

It’s not a matter of respect. It’s a matter of unavailable likeness rights, as is explained in other conversations above.

So has anyone confirmed this is in fact issue #400 issue of the American published comics of ALL Star Trek since Gold Key #1? DC did a few specials, and annuals, and I’d count the “Who’s Who in Star Trek” (2 issues) as well.

No, that’s not what this is about. This is IDW’s 400th issue. There are close to a thousand issues going back to Gold Key #1.