STAR TREK: THE LAST GENERATION

[Andrew Harris]

If I could burn some bandwidth here engaging in a bit of shameless self-promotion:

Diamond Comic Distribution’s Previews catalog for November hit the comics stores last week, including what is likely its most important book of the month: STAR TREK: THE LAST GENERATION #1. (Yes, I know, a bold statement; thankfully, Action Comics #1 came out 70 years ago, so there wasn’t as much competition.)

The miniseries, from IDW Publishing and written by yours truly, tells a “Days of Future Past” epic for Star Trek saga, inspired in theme by the seminal X-Men storyline, and spirals out of the events of the Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country film. (Check out the X-Men Retailer Incentive homage cover for issue #1 below, along with the main newsstand cover.)

All five issues feature interiors by legendary Trek penciller Gordon Purcell, with covers for the debut issue by X-Factor illustrator Pablo Raimondi and upcoming X-Men: Origins painter JK Woodward. (Both of whom, by sheer coincidence, have in recent years been drawing titles from Peter David, best-selling Trek scribe and creator of the IDW series Fallen Angel.)

If you missed the catalog’s retailer solicitation when it was first released, here you go:

STAR TREK: THE LAST GENERATION #1
​

Andrew Steven Harris (w); Gordon Purcell, Bob Almond (a); JK Woodward, Pablo Raimondi (c)​

Starfleet is no more. The Federation lies in ruin. And the Klingons have conquered Earth.

But a resistance, led by Jean-Luc Picard, seeks to free humanity from Klingon rule. And now, finally, it may have the means to do it: An android named Data, who has scrutinized the timeline and discovered that things are not as they should be. A crucial moment, buried in the past, has gone awry-and as the Klingon warlord Worf closes in, time itself is running out…

For the first time ever, IDW Publishing proudly joins forces with Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books division, to deliver a Myriad Universes title in conjunction with the Star Trek alternate-universe prose novels of the same name. Plus, a special bonus excerpt from one of the Myriad Universes novels!

FC • $3.99 • 32 ad-free pages​

What? Ad-free pages? That’s right–for the first time, IDW will be publishing an excerpt from one of the Star Trek novels from Pocket Books, part of the joint collaboration that I put together with Simon & Schuster editor Marco Palmieri to coordinate efforts on Trek fiction. So: Bonus content, same cover price. Can Action Comics #1 say that? Heck, their guy couldn’t even fly yet.

If you want to see more of this sort of thing, then go to your Friendly Local Comics Shop, and: ask them to order the book. Based on fan reaction so far, I’ve got a great feeling that it’s going to move really well off the shelves; but it’s the retailer orders that play a major role in deciding what kind of Trek books get put on the publishing schedule in the future. So, if you’re into the story and interested in checking out the book, now is the time to show IDW your support.

I’ll post all sorts of background and development stuff on the series in the next coming weeks, but in the meantime, let your retailers know that they’ve got your business.

Thanks!

-ASH-

 

[Starlock]

SOLD!

 

[nickyboy]

i'll get it, i get them all. its sounds great except for the part stating that this reality is different. i wish that bit could be ignored & we just got on with existence in this universe like the other Myriad Universe books.

 

[BrotherBenny]

This might well be the first comic I actually buy.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I'd get it for the X-homage cover alone, but will get the whole thing.

 

[ClayinCA]

I'd get it for the X-homage cover alone, but will get the whole thing.

I love the X-cover (especially "RYALL: Apprehended")! Will probably wait for the trade, but this is a must-buy.

 

[Baerbel Haddrell]

Wow, I am very much looking forward to that story! By the way, I have been collecting Marvel comics for many years and remember the X-Men cover you adapted.

So far I have bought all IDW Star Trek comics and it seems they are getting better and better.

 

[JD]

Wow, that sounds so cool. I will definitely be getting it when I get the chance.

One quick question: Who is the other human on Picard's left supposed to be?

 

[Trent Roman]

I think it's meant to be Sulu. It doesn't look much like Sulu, but then, the character resemblances on this piece aren't so great. Picard doesn't look much like himself; more like that crazy old coot from Redneck Rampage. (Geez, Roman, reaching for references much?)

Fictitously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Christopher]

One quick question: Who is the other human on Picard's left supposed to be?

That's Picard's right; it's the viewer's left. It doesn't look at all like Sulu to me; note that although the figure is wearing a TOS-era tunic, he has a TNG-era combadge on his jacket. That suggests he's a 24th-century figure wearing an old uniform. I was wondering if maybe it was Jack Crusher.

EDIT: No, on second thought, I see he also has a 23rd-century phaser and apparently a tricorder on a strap. So maybe he is someone from the "past." I dunno, maybe it's an original character.

 

[EnochRoot]

(post removed by author)

 

[Brikar99]

One quick question: Who is the other human on Picard's left supposed to be?

That's Picard's right; it's the viewer's left. It doesn't look at all like Sulu to me; note that although the figure is wearing a TOS-era tunic, he has a TNG-era combadge on his jacket. That suggests he's a 24th-century figure wearing an old uniform. I was wondering if maybe it was Jack Crusher.

EDIT: No, on second thought, I see he also has a 23rd-century phaser and apparently a tricorder on a strap. So maybe he is someone from the "past." I dunno, maybe it's an original character.

When I first saw it, I thought Gary Seven, despite the evidence to the contrary.

 

[captcalhoun]

who's the bloke with 'Locutus' on the homage cover?

 

[Andrew Harris]

Hey, wow, I'm really gratified to see people so excited about this book. I'm having a ripping good time writing it, so I hope everyone really likes it. Thanks, all.

The kid on the X-Men homage cover is Wesley Crusher. The character on the other cover to the right of Picard, just below Data is... well, actually, a bit of a secret. I don't want to give too much away, but there are clues to the series in both of the covers below. Remember, though, that it's set in the TNG era, and these are alternate versions of the characters, so they're naturally intended (uniforms, etc.) to look a bit different.

Meanwhile, TrekWeb just posted an extensive interview with me about this series and some other stuff relating to Trek comics at IDW. You can find it here.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Christopher]

Good interview. My first reaction on learning that this was an altered-history/time-travel story was similar to nickyboy's -- it didn't seem quite a proper fit with MyrU, which is about timelines that are spontaneously different and continue on at the end (alternate "quantum realities," to use the "Parallels" term). But what you said in the interview about how

Spoiler: Last Generation

the timeline might not be restored in the conventional sense

explains why it fits under the MyrU rubric.

And I'm glad to hear that Titan falls under the TNG license IDW already has -- but I'm wondering if Tuvok, as a VGR character, would have to be downplayed in a TTN comic.

 

[CaptainDonovin]

Haven't picked up the MyrU books yet but this comic looks and sounds fun, I'll be getting this for sure.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

some other stuff relating to Trek comics at IDW.[/URL].

Okay, Andrew, who do we have to lobby for John Byrne's Gary Seven/Third Doctor story to come to fruition?

 

[Andrew Harris]

some other stuff relating to Trek comics at IDW.[/url].

Okay, Andrew, who do we have to lobby for John Byrne's Gary Seven/Third Doctor story to come to fruition?

CBS/Paramount and the BBC, I'd imagine.

Your best chance of convincing them is through your local parish...