First hinted at back at the August Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, comic publisher IDW Publishing today announced a flashback one-shot story centered around a younger Jean-Luc Picard and the USS Stargazer — coming in January.
Written by longtime Trek scribe Peter David with artwork from J.K. Woodward, this one-off release, titled Star Trek: IDW 20/20 in honor of the publisher’s 20th anniversary, centers around Picard, his friend Jack Crusher, and young Beverly Howard in the mid-24th Century.
The official synopsis:
“Twenty years before he took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, Jean-Luc Picard sat in the captain’s chair of the U.S.S. Stargazer. Picard served with distinction aboard the Stargazer for many years on his way to becoming the most respected captain in Starfleet. But in this early mission, Picard shows us a vulnerable side as well as glimpses of the brilliant tactician he would become.”
Notably, the costume design for Beverly Howard — later Beverly Crusher, of course — is the same as was used in the 1997 “Cadet Beverly Howard Crusher” action figure from Playmates Toys, a fun bit of visual continuity.
Be sure and watch for our review of Star Trek: IDW 20/20 when the issue debuts in 2019!