Tag Archives: christopher cantwell

Star Trek #1 helps launch the franchise into the next 60 years

Star Trek #1

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Revlavan people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds—the Trinity—await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast. When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets—as if they’ve been curated…or quarantined. But from who? Or what? Star Trek #1 is a hell of a debut with a fantastic story anchored by amazing art.

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest Star Trek fan. I’ve seen all of the movies multiple times and watched a lot of the television episodes of the various series, but it’s not much watch or must read as far as the comics or books. It wasn’t until Star Trek: The Last Starship that I got invested in a Star Trek franchise where I didn’t want to miss anything. Star Trek #1 might be the start of the second for me. It’s good, really good.

Written by Christopher Cantwell, Star Trek #1 is part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the franchise and balances nostalgia while charting a new course. The Enterprise is back, now with Seven as its Captain and also featuring Jack Crusher, Sidney La Forge, and Lily Sato. It combines an established character like Seven with newer characters that have a legacy that long time Trek fans will appreciate. It celebrates the old and the new and even as a casual fan, I appreciate it and part of the fun, for me, is seeing those names and appreciating the connection. Sato not only has history herself but connects Enterprise and The Last Starship, helping focus this new series on Trek history and a future yet to come.

Beyond the history, even if it wasn’t there, the story itself is engaging and exciting. It takes the Enterprise-G’s crew to a whole new sector to explore, one with new rules and mysteries to discover. The less said, the better as part of the fun is exploring these strange new worlds and anticipating what’s to come. It’s a comic that embraces the idea of Star Trek exploring new worlds, meeting new civilizations, and and underlying theme of the hope the best of humanity can deliver.

The art by Dennis Menheere is jaw-dropping. With lettering by Jodie Troutman that enhances so many moments, the style for the comic is amazing. Great character designs captures the feel of classic Trek but with updates as well. Small updates to uniforms help cement a new flag being planted, the ships look like the next generation of Starfleet while connecting to those of the past. The comic’s action is beautifully rendered even with the destruction depicted. Even simple transportation just looks cool. Menheere does it all and adds in page layouts that are engaging and really enhance Cantwell’s story. Troutman’s lettering adds so much to the comic as well with a style that captures classic Trek in its choices, it helps immerse the reader even more and connects to what has come before.

Star Trek #1 is a hell of a start that delivers a fantastic story with mesmerizing art. It’s a comic that celebrates the past but also charters a new future for the franchise. It shows you can honor what has come while delivering something new. Most importantly, it’s an engaging debut that has us excited to see what comes next.

Star Trek #1 debuts September 23 with pre-orders due August 17.

Story: Christopher Cantwell Art: Dennis Menheere Letterer: Jodie Troutman
Story: 9.0 Art: 10 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – Third Eye Comics – Kindle

Preview: Star Trek #1

Star Trek #1

(W) Christopher Cantwell (A) Dennis Menheere

Their mission is new. Their legacy is not.

From the pen of fan-favorite writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant, Star Trek: Red Shirts) and the brush of psychedelic standout Dennis Menheere (Etheres, Little Nightmares) comes the launch of an all-new flagship… and this time, we’re busting out of the four quadrants.

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Avuran people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds — the Trinity — await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast.

When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets — as if they’ve been curated… or quarantined. But from who? Or what?

The first arc of Star Trek delivers a prestige, mystery-driven, high-stakes psychological thriller of an opening salvo — new worlds, new species, new existential threats — anchored by Seven, Jack, and Crash La Forge fighting to keep the mission together as the Galaxy’s oldest ghosts awaken.

Cover art for Star Trek comic series featuring diverse characters in Starfleet uniforms against a cosmic background.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1 has us wanting an ongoing GCPD series

Batman: Bad Seeds - Gotham Central #1

A killer is on the loose, someone is stalking Arkham Towers’ Dr. Zeller, the subways are out of control, and Anarky’s just pulled a big-time heist! With Vandal Savage diverting the GCPD’s resources to his single-minded war against the Bats and the Bat-Family trying to stop Poison Ivy while evading the GCPD, there’s almost no one left to do actual police work! Looks like officers Gordon and Espinoza have their work cut out for them. Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1 is a fantastic issue that puts the spotlight on the GCPD during the chaos.

Gotham Central was one of the best series DC Comics ever released. The series focused on the GCPD and how they attempted to function and do their job in a city filled with masks and capes. It’s a concept we haven’t really had since, though there’s been some teases here and there, especially recently, as the GCPD has undergone radical changes with Vandal Savage becoming the Commissioner and James Gordon being demoted back to being a regular copy.

Written by Christopher Cantwell, Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1 feels like a nod back to Gotham Central, with Gordon and his partner dealing with a dead body and possible murder even during all of the chaos that’s going on. It feels a little odd that Gordon isn’t knee deep trying to help out during the current “attack” by Ivy and her plant army, but there’s also something to the character bucking the focus on going after the “capes” in the city during it and not helping Savage and his agenda. Instead, Gordon and Espinoza go rather old-school dealing with a found body and determining if it’s just a victim of the plant attack going on or if there’s something else occurring.

Cantwell excels at delivering small details that elevate the story. How Gordon and Espinoza react to the orders from above is great, but it’s really how the two examine the body and the conclusions they come to that’s interesting. It’s solid and has the comic come off as real detective work instead of leaps. It also evolves from that simple homicide investigation to something far more tense with packed crowds and a killer hunting his victim. The comic blends a classic police story with a tense horror story of a murder hunting his next prey. To say it’s good, is an understatement.

The art by Jacob Phillips is near perfect. It’s so close but there’s some panels where the the light on top of Gordon’s police car just disappears and while that might seem minor, it’s a visible art error that I wound up focusing on (probably far more than I should have). It’s a small detail but an important one in an action sequence. Phillips excels at the reactions from Gordon, Espinoza, and the rest of the cast of characters as an investigation takes place then a desperate race to stop a murder begins. The art matches the tension well creating story and visuals that combine for an issue that you can feel the heart begin to race. Phillips is joined by Becca Carey on the lettering which adds to the emotions of the issue. There’s a cool and calm aspect to Gordon and Espinoza as things play out and the lettering reflects it and adds to the atmosphere of the comic.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1 is a fantastic issue that gives us a tense race to stop a killer in the middle of a city in Chaos. It emphasizes the type of person Gordon is and delivers some surprises. The issue is perfect to be adapted for the small screen, or even the big one, and has us clamoring for a new series focused just on the GCPD for all its good and bad.

Story: Christopher Cantwell Art: Jacob Phillips Letterer: Becca Carey
Story: 10 Art: 9.5 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: Star Trek: 60th Anniversary Special #1

Star Trek: 60th Anniversary Special #1

(W) David Gerrold, Dana Gould, Brian Michael Bendis, Ryan North, Dave Baker, David F. Walker, Mike McMahan, Meghan Camarena, Chris Fenoglio, Christopher Cantwell (A) JP Buzio, Megan Levens, Michael Gaydos, Derek Charm, Nicole Goux, Esau Escorza, Isaac Escorza, Michael Allred, Mari Rolin, Chris Fenoglio, Isaac Sánchez González

Celebrate 60 years of Star Trek with an anthology collecting all-new stories from a star-studded list of creators, including Brian Michael Bendis, Christopher Cantwell, David Walker, Ryan North, Meghan Camarena, Mike McMahan, Derek Charm, Michael Allred, Laura Allred, and more!

On September 8, 1966, Star Trek debuted on television and changed the landscape of science fiction forever, bringing us not only characters who were inspiring and smart but storytelling that shaped the way people thought about the world. Since then, every Trek show, movie, and comic has endeavored to do the same. In this seven-story collection, IDW thrills, delights, and contextualizes lore with tales from the original series Star Trek, Lower Decks, The Animated Series, Picard, and Starfleet Academy… plus a preview of the all-new Star Trek flagship title launching in 2026. Join us as we make history!

Star Trek: 60th Anniversary Special #1

Preview: Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1

(W) Christopher Cantwell (A) Jacob Phillips

A killer is on the loose, someone is stalking Arkham Towers’ Dr. Zeller, the subways are out of control, and Anarky’s just pulled a big-time heist! With Vandal Savage diverting the GCPD’s resources to his single-minded war against the Bats and the Bat-Family trying to stop Poison Ivy while evading the GCPD, there’s almost no one left to do actual police work! Looks like officers Gordon and Espinoza have their work cut out for them.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham Central #1

Early Review: Star Trek #1 helps launch the franchise into the next 60 years

Star Trek #1

The Enterprise-G is on a desperate mission beyond the known Galaxy to relocate the dying Revlavan people when its crew finds a perfect new home in a region of unknown space called the Epsilon Corridor. Three pristine Class-M worlds—the Trinity—await the refugees. No signs of civilization. No detectable threats. A colonist’s dream. But the dream fractures fast. When Captain Seven of Nine and her divided, fast-tracked crew begin exploring the Trinity, they uncover disturbing contradictions: vanished structures, inexplicable artifacts, time skips, and evidence of a presence Starfleet’s century-old probes never detected. Each world houses a different ecosystem, different physics problems, and different secrets—as if they’ve been curated…or quarantined. But from who? Or what? Star Trek #1 is a hell of a debut with a fantastic story anchored by amazing art.

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest Star Trek fan. I’ve seen all of the movies multiple times and watched a lot of the television episodes of the various series, but it’s not much watch or must read as far as the comics or books. It wasn’t until Star Trek: The Last Starship that I got invested in a Star Trek franchise where I didn’t want to miss anything. Star Trek #1 might be the start of the second for me. It’s good, really good.

Written by Christopher Cantwell, Star Trek #1 is part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the franchise and balances nostalgia while charting a new course. The Enterprise is back, now with Seven as its Captain and also featuring Jack Crusher, Sidney La Forge, and Lily Sato. It combines an established character like Seven with newer characters that have a legacy that long time Trek fans will appreciate. It celebrates the old and the new and even as a casual fan, I appreciate it and part of the fun, for me, is seeing those names and appreciating the connection. Sato not only has history herself but connects Enterprise and The Last Starship, helping focus this new series on Trek history and a future yet to come.

Beyond the history, even if it wasn’t there, the story itself is engaging and exciting. It takes the Enterprise-G’s crew to a whole new sector to explore, one with new rules and mysteries to discover. The less said, the better as part of the fun is exploring these strange new worlds and anticipating what’s to come. It’s a comic that embraces the idea of Star Trek exploring new worlds, meeting new civilizations, and and underlying theme of the hope the best of humanity can deliver.

The art by Dennis Menheere is jaw-dropping. With lettering by Jodie Troutman that enhances so many moments, the style for the comic is amazing. Great character designs captures the feel of classic Trek but with updates as well. Small updates to uniforms help cement a new flag being planted, the ships look like the next generation of Starfleet while connecting to those of the past. The comic’s action is beautifully rendered even with the destruction depicted. Even simple transportation just looks cool. Menheere does it all and adds in page layouts that are engaging and really enhance Cantwell’s story. Troutman’s lettering adds so much to the comic as well with a style that captures classic Trek in its choices, it helps immerse the reader even more and connects to what has come before.

Star Trek #1 is a hell of a start that delivers a fantastic story with mesmerizing art. It’s a comic that celebrates the past but also charters a new future for the franchise. It shows you can honor what has come while delivering something new. Most importantly, it’s an engaging debut that has us excited to see what comes next.

Star Trek #1 debuts September 23 with pre-orders due August 17.

Story: Christopher Cantwell Art: Dennis Menheere Letterer: Jodie Troutman
Story: 9.0 Art: 10 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Third Eye Comics

Preview: Star Trek: Red Shirts

Star Trek: Red Shirts

Written by Christopher Cantwell
Art by Megan Levens

The doomed Starfleet crew members, the Red Shirts, must track down spies on an isolated planet in this graphic novel.

Stranded on the snow-ridden planet Arkonia 89, the crew of the U.S.S. Warren has a small window in which to pin down spies seeking to steal classified secrets and keep Starfleet data out of their nefarious hands.

They face threats not only from their faceless enemies but from the brutalizing elements and wildlife of a planet far from home. In this complicated story of betrayal, loss, and redemption, the red shirts’ lives and Starfleet’s sanctity are on the line…and no one is safe.  

Star Trek: Red Shirts

Preview: The Flash #30

The Flash #30

(W) Mark Waid, Christopher Cantwell (A) Vasco Georgiev

SPEEDSTERS FROM THE PRESENT MEET DARKSEID FROM THE PAST! The Speedsters’ race through time has led them to an encounter with a Darkseid from the past, and their escape leads them to a shocking reunion!

The Flash #30

IDW Publishing launches a new era of Star Trek comics Celebrating 60 Years

For 60 years, Star Trek has captivated fans with its inspiring stories of exploration and discovery. To celebrate this year’s milestone anniversary, IDW Publishing is unveiling its biggest and boldest plans yet for the iconic science fiction franchise.

Beaming into comic shops this September is Star Trek #1, the can’t-miss debut issue from the new blockbuster ongoing series. From Eisner-nominated writer Christopher Cantwell and Ringo-nominated artist Dennis Menheere comes the epic story about survival and legacy as a secret mission led by Captain Seven of Nine brings the Enterprise-G beyond the four quadrants of the galaxy for the first time ever. The Enterprise ventures into a hidden region of space where time fractures, minds unravel, and an unseen power manipulates fear itself—testing whether the Federation’s ideals of exploration are salvation… or the universe’s greatest mistake.

 Star Trek #1

Landing in October is Star Trek: Zero Point #1 from Hugo Award-winning writer Charlie Jane Anders. While the Enterprise vanishes beyond the galaxy, Captain Raffi Musiker commands a starship tasked with preventing tomorrow’s disasters today — guided by a powerful artificial intelligence wearing the face of a familiar ally that may know too much, and understand too little about hope.

Star Trek: Zero Point #1

This year will also see the release of two exceptional one-shots that commemorate everything that makes Star Trek truly special. From an incredible lineup of LGBTQIA+ creators comes Star Trek: Celebrations 2026 in May, starring the universe’s queer characters in tales of love and triumph, exemplifying Gene Roddenberry’s mission for us all to one day celebrate infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

This September, the 50-page comic Star Trek: 60th Anniversary Special is one big celebration of the compelling and beloved franchise. Featuring all-new stories by Dana Gould, Ryan North and Derek Charm, David Walker, Megan Camerena, and more! Plus, covers by Michael Cho, John Tyler Christopher, Chris Fenoglio, and more!

Also releasing this year is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – Lost Contact #1 (04/15/26), plus new issues of the hit titles Star Trek: The Last Starship and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Even more new comics will be revealed later this year, too.

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