boldly-go-1Words by Mike Johnson

Art by Tony Shasteen

IDW, out now

NB This review contains some spoilers for the set-up of the new series (and has been edited)

The former crew of the USS Enterprise find their paths crossing in unexpected ways…

Okay, this I wasn’t expecting when I heard that IDW were continuing the adventures of the Kelvinverse – as becomes very clear early on in this opening instalment, things have changed with a vengeance. This series is set apparently while the Enterprise-A is being built so Jim Kirk and his crew are no longer serving together: as the “previously on” box at the start indicates, some have new ships and new roles, others have chosen to spend time away from Starfleet. It’ll come as no surprise that Jim Kirk remains in the captain’s chair – but he’s on board the USS Endeavour, Chekov and Bones still at his side (but with the doctor perhaps already regretting the choices he’s had to make in order to be there). Spock and Uhura are on New Vulcan, Sulu’s First Officer under Captain Clark Terrell on the USS Concord, while Scotty is lecturing on Earth (with some recognisable faces in the audience from past adventures both screen and comicbook). But when a very familiar menace appears on the galactic horizon, all of them are affected.

Johnson doesn’t waste time recapping events between Beyond and the start of this issue – no doubt we’ll find out why they made their decisions down the line – and addresses some of the niggling issues about the Kelvinverse almost in passing (one of the comments Kirk’s new crew make about him indicates that one huge plothole in Into Darkness hasn’t been forgotten). The new crews are, of necessity, not given that much time, but are already distinctive.

Shasteen’s art suffers occasionally from the likenesses going from almost photorealistic to impressionistic (sometimes in adjoining panels, which is quite disconcerting!) but unlike some recent tie-in material, you’ve never unclear as to who the characters are meant to be. As ever, though, his ships and backgrounds are superb.

Verdict: A reboot of the series that works well. 8/10

Paul Simpson