Just two minor things concerning the crossover/FCBD issue: https://twitter.com/thomasthecat/status/1613250096954740736 Thomas Marrone: Thanks so much to @JacksonLanzing for being open to using an STO original design in this new Trek Comic. The Shikar class was designed and modeled by Eric Henry for @trekonlinegame, and I'm very excited to see it join the broader Star Trek universe in the new IDW comic series! https://twitter.com/cpkelly/status/1613295548156751873 Collin Kelly: An event that was planted WAY BACK in Star Trek:Year Five, was continued in our ST Aliens: Kahless one shot, and begins in the Star Trek FCBD short… … it is time for blood to flow.
https://aiptcomics.com/2023/01/11/idw-star-trek-crossover-comics-day-of-blood/ There is a preview of the FCBD and Defiant here.
Issue 4 out now and interesting reveal on the identity of the God Killer, assume that this is the person that Worf takes the Defiant to hunt down
I liked where issue four is taking the story. It feels like the story is congealing more now. I didn't get all the technobabble, but I did like the nods to Trek lore, and I thought the use of some of the legacy characters was unexpected and made so much sense that I should've suspected it before. I forgot that Paris was in this series so it was good that he got some lines and something to do this issue. They also made more use of Scotty. Spoiler I wasn't expecting Kahless to be the villain. I didn't recall him being depicted as villainous or even having that inclination in the TNG episode he starred in, but now his depiction in the second issue makes sense. I saw him as more of the noble alternative to the sketchy Gow'ron, but with Martok in that role after DS9, this left a lot of room to play with Kahless and I'm liking the use here so far. I also liked the aside from circa TNG Worf that expressed doubts about his role in restoring Kahless to a place of prominence in the Empire. How he described Kahless's actions, killing his own brother and all the killing he had to do to create the Klingon Empire, stripped of the mythological gloss, makes him a pretty bloodthirsty villain. Also one that has more weight than just creating a new character for this series, owing to audiences already knew him, and he has the personal connection with Worf. With this being a very nostalgia deep series, having an established character as the antagonist makes sense.
Concerning issue four, Spoiler that perspective of Kahless' backstory was shown in last year's Klingons one-shot, which ties into this run. And I guess in this issue there are more connections to the Year Five series, or at least the two parter that introduced the Theseus, as that story also featured a red spiky klingon ship with a powerful mysterious weapon...
One thing I have just thought - T'Lir is the only crewmember to wear an inverse uniform with the black and coded panels reversed. Is this perhaps significant given the end of Issue 3?
The crew return to DS9 in issue 7 for Sisko's family reunion. Plus a guest appearance from a Lower Decks character.
the full page image with Worf and Sisko, shows the STO Theseus Class instead of the Theseus from this comic. https://sto.fandom.com/wiki/Theseus_Temporal_Escort
I guess it was an error but I want to believe it was intentional/a tip of the hat. It's sooo good to see a STO design in a comic, plus a rare 26th century Federation starship to boot!
Issue 5 out today - interesting developments. Also first issue of Defiant, interesting plot but I'm not sold on the art, which is not bad by any means, just not to my taste.
I know the writer of these comics has been going around at conventions saying they're canon, but this series has been pretty bad so far in my opinion. Spoiler Emperor Kahless is completely different from the guy in TNG. And Alexander suddenly joining with him also struck me as completely contrary to the kid we saw in TNG and even the possible K'Mtar future. Furthermore, Avery Brooks insisted Sisko eventually return so he wouldn't be an absentee black father stereotype. So why does Sisko return and not spend any time with Kasidy and his other child? Lore is revealed to have been stolen by Worf. As Lore is said to be showing up in Picard, I assume the comic will line up with Picard in regards to Lore. But I still have massive misgivings about considering any of this even as headcanon. It's pretty terrible and everyone acts out of character; however considering the shows themselves have everyone acting out of character...
Spoiler: Sisko's Behaviour The description of Issue 7 suggests that the title will address Sisko's behaviour, "Benjamin Sisko returns to Deep Space 9, and it’s the family reunion we’ve all been waiting for—or is it? Meanwhile, the crew of the U.S.S. Theseus meet a familiar face from Paramount+ hit show Lower Decks. Continuing Benjamin Sisko’s quest to stop celestial genocide in THE RED PATH, the second arc of the critically acclaimed Star Trek flagship comic series continues!"
Spoiler It just occurred to me that since these comics HAVE to be before Nemesis (because of Data being alive and present), the whole premise of Worf going rogue and stealing the Defiant falls flat in shock value because we know he's perfectly fine by Nemesis.
Someone from Lower Decks is appearing in the ongoing, tweet from IDW concerning issue 7: https://twitter.com/IDWPublishing/status/1636473525304459266