I prefer a story that involves elements of a character origin rather than a story that is primarily about the origin with a weak plot device attached, especially if they are telling them one after the other. However, if the prequel comic has a 'proper' story and they run in tandem then it might still satisfy me.
I think it will depend on how the origin stories are written too. The Redshirts one-shot was very well done but the Keenser origin was weak - the plot involved how they'd made no effort to accommodate Keenser's smaller size by providing him with an anti-grav board or even a step ladder but wait luckily they have built the Enterprise's access shafts too small for 6 footers. Dreadful.
I was also really shocked that Keenser was a fully-fledged engineer AND an officer given the way Scotty treats him. It was a shame as they could have given the character his own niche as a grease monkey but sending him scurrying into tiny spaces is a terrible waste of the skills set that they've chosen to give him as an officer.
Now a Janice Rand origin story on the other hand... but I jest. I would like to see more alien crew introduced, given more than just a cameo, and perhaps an origin element to the story to establish their skills set. If Carol Marcus' area of expertise is going to be weapons tech, that still leaves a lot of other niches unfilled. Let's have some Arcturian security guards, some Zaranite environmental engineers, and a Saurian zoologist or something.
