Captain Kirk Is Back from the Dead in New Star Trek Comic ‘The Last Starship’ (Exclusive)

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Captain Kirk is back from the dead.

Kirk, with an aura reminiscent of William Shatner’s, is spearheading a fresh comic series. This comic will be the main title in the Star Trek collection produced by IDW Publishing.

Or,

Kirk, embodying the spirit of William Shatner, leads a new comic book. This comic book will be the lead title for the Star Trek comics published by IDW.

Both sentences convey the same meaning but use slightly different phrasing to make it more natural and easy to read.

In this narrative, we won’t delve into old anecdotes about Captain Kirk from the past or his legendary days. Instead, we’re bringing Kirk back to life – a fact that Trekkies are aware of, as they know the captain perished in the 1994 film “Star Trek: Generations.” This story is set in the future, specifically within Starfleet, and it’s set in modern times. Sadly, it seems that the Starfleet Kirk cherished so deeply is on the brink of destruction.

In September, we’ll be introducing “Star Trek: The Final Spacecraft,” a creation penned by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, with illustrations by Adrián Bonilla. These writers, who studied film at USC, have previously worked for Marvel, DC, and other publishing houses. They have also been writing Star Trek comics for IDW for quite some time now; their previous Star Trek comic title even received a nomination for the best new series at the 2023 Eisner Awards.

Disregard your previous understanding of Star Trek. With The Last Starship, we’re introducing a new team, a fresh era, and a distinctly different atmosphere,” stated Lanzing to The Hollywood Reporter. “Our goal is to be literary, intense, innovative, and above all, easy to understand.

He also explained that series is geared to be accessible to all readers.

We’re taking you into the Federation’s most critical timeframe, illuminated by artist Adrián Bonilla’s captivating, film noir style. There’s absolutely no need for prior knowledge as you embark on this journey. Seasoned Star Trek enthusiasts will find a rich and intriguing read, indeed – this is an unprecedented moment in Trek lore that’s never been seen before. However, the core essence of The Last Starship is a deep and complex work of science fiction that can be enjoyed by anyone.

The story unfolds during the catastrophic event known as The Burn, a galaxy-wide calamity that annihilated every functioning warp core, leading to the loss of trillions of lives and disrupting the Federation’s peace and stability, which it had maintained for seven centuries. In the wake of this new lawlessness in space, an enigmatically revived Captain Kirk must assemble a fresh crew and vessel to undertake an seemingly insurmountable task – preserving Starfleet’s mandate of interstellar unity.

In this production, many fresh faces will join the crew, but the iconic Kirk character will be a recognizable figure for long-time fans.

Kelly remarked, “William Shatner’s legendary portrayal transcends geographical boundaries and Kirk is one of the most significant characters in contemporary fiction. He was our first Star Trek character, a leader and poet-warrior who embodied endless conflict and complexity. It’s an honor for us to be pushing this character into unprecedented, revolutionary realms in ‘The Last Starship’…where the Federation’s foremost explorer must confront the conflagration that threatens to engulf his entire legacy.

IDW’s Starship will serve as the flagship title in their already bustling Star Trek comic collection. Over the years, the publisher has been consistently putting out Star Trek comics, but earlier this year, they concluded several long-running storylines like Kelly and Lanzing’s previous book. In July, they are planning to introduce a limited series titled Star Trek: Red Shirts, followed by another one named Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation in August. In September, they will debut yet another limited series called Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming.

The Final Spaceship showcases the main cover from Francesco Francavilla, along with alternate covers by Skyler Patridge and Michael Cho. Additionally, there will be full-art versions and a foil variant available. The first issue launches on September 24th.

Check out the covers below.

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2025-06-17 21:55