While intergalactic mycologist Paul Stamets generally has a one-track mind, focused on intergalactic spores and fungi, his 21st century counterpart Anthony Rapp has a few more down-to-Earth interests, like his love for comic books.
“I grew up reading comic books like a fiend,” the actor told me at San Diego Comic Con last week. “When I was on tour as a little acting kid, I would find the local comic book shop [in each city] and cart my comic books around the country.”
Rapp’s character served as the focal point of this spring’s Star Trek: Discovery Annual comic from IDW Publishing; the story was set in the years before the television series, illustrating how Stamets met his future romantic partner Hugh Culber, and how he discovered the mycelial network behind Discovery’s spore drive technology.
“When it was revealed that I would be in a comic book – it blew my mind. I mean, every aspect of this is unbelievable,” Rapp said. “It’s so cool. I mean, it’s one thing to see yourself on television, but in a comic book? No, that’s cool. I’m a huge comic geek.”
In addition to his love of acting and comic books, Rapp is also a major fantasy literature and gaming fan. He is an active PlayStation gamer, and if you follow him on Goodreads, you’ll often see him posting updates on his most recent literary adventures, including the works of classic fantasists Anne McCaffrey, H.G. Wells, and Ursula K. LeGuin.
I asked him about the freedom that comics and ancillary fiction like novels can offer in extending the characters stories for Discovery, and he nodded vigorously at this — and continued to express his delight with the notion of being recreated in graphic form.
“If you told the 12 year old me that I was going to be in a comic book, I would have looked at you and said, ‘Whaaaat?!'” Rapp exclaimed.
“I mean, I LIKE these things, but it’s not like [I thought that] I’m going to be a part of it. It’s truly incredible and joyful.”
It’s clear that Rapp sees magic that comics can offer in telling the story of Discovery — and hopefully this coming second season will extend Paul Stamets’ life on the comic page!
Anthony Rapp is making his first-ever visit to Star Trek‘s annual Las Vegas convention this week.