New breaking developments on the behind-the-scenes staffing at STAR TREK: DISCOVERYhave been revealed today by Variety, which reports that executive producer and up-until-now showrunner Bryan Fuller will be taking on a reduced role in the upcoming Trek television revival.
Fuller, who is currently hard at work running the production of his adaption of American Gods, will stay on as executive producer and will “still be involved in breaking stories,” per Variety, but will no longer be showrunner on DISCOVERY, instead handing over that position to producers Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts in a dual role. Each have been long-associated with DISCOVERY, and with previous Fuller-helmed projects.
Per Variety, some of this leadership flux is connected to the recent rescheduling of the series debut – from January to May 2017 – announced in September, which was deemed necessary due to an additional need for post-production, as well as a need for more time to cast the show’s lead roles:
Fuller, who will remain an executive producer, will still be involved in breaking stories, and the show will continue to follow his vision for the universe that this latest “Trek” series will inhabit.
Sources said there had been some strain between “Star Trek” producer CBS Television Studios and Fuller over the progress of production on the show, as Fuller is also juggling the final weeks of shooting and post-production duties on Starz’s upcoming drama “American Gods” and prepping a reboot of “Amazing Stories” for NBC.
Fuller has penned the first two scripts for “Discovery” and has hammered out the broader story arc and mythology for the new “Trek” realm. But it became clear that he couldn’t devote the amount of time needed for “Discovery” to make its premiere date and with production scheduled to start in Toronto next month.
The new structure was worked out quickly over the weekend in an effort to allow Fuller to remain actively involved albeit not on the day-to-day production level as originally envisioned. There’s also some internal stress at the studio that the lead character, described by Fuller as a female lieutenant commander, has yet to be cast.
Sources emphasized that CBS execs have been happy with the material that Fuller has developed to date but became increasingly concerned that he had too much on his plate and there was no willingness to delay the premiere date once more.
Variety’s report also indicates that current estimates put each episode of DISCOVERY at about $6-7 Million in production costs, and that most roles – aside from the central character – have been cast at this point.
CBS Television Studios issued the following statement regarding this change in leadership on the upcoming series, emphasizing that Fuller’s creative input will continue:
We are extremely happy with the creative direction of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and the strong foundation that Bryan Fuller has helped us create for the series. Due to Bryan’s other projects, he is no longer able to oversee the day-to-day of Star Trek, but he remains an executive producer, and will continue to map out the story arc for the entire season.
Alex Kurtzman, co-creator and executive producer, along with Fuller’s producing partners and longtime collaborators, Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts, will also continue to oversee the show with the existing writing and producing team.
Bryan is a brilliant creative talent and passionate Star Trek fan, who has helped us chart an exciting course for the series. We are all committed to seeing this vision through and look forward to premiering STAR TREK: DISCOVERY this coming May 2017.
With more than six months to go until STAR TREK: DISCOVERY arrives on CBS All Access, it seems like there’s still some need to divert more power to the structural integrity of the production team.
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UPDATE: The original report of a $9 Million episodic budget was in Canadian dollars. We have updated this article to reflect a $6-7 Million USD value.
You know, the Trek universe is big enough to encompass two divergent timelines. The more I get used to this idea, the easier it is to accept the presence of the Kelvin Timeline. After all, we are one big, happy fleet, right?
I’m a classic TOS guy from way back but I have to say, I’m getting used to the idea; and as IDW extends the universe with its development of more stories in this timeline, the better it becomes. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, after all.
Mike Johnson and Tony Shasteen have provided us with a novel and innovative continuation to the current film series. Set a few months after the events of Star Trek Beyond, the crew of the Enterprise have disbanded and all gone their separate ways.
While some have been promoted, taken other commands or accepted lesser positions for the sake of friendships, others have focused on developing relationships and delving deeper friendships.
That’s completely within the vein of the Trek I know. Not only do these characters demonstrate diversity in their lives but we also see the introduction of new characters to the Kelvin continuum as well, as well as some familiar ones to the delight of veteran Trek fans.
Kirk gains a new command, with Chekov and McCoy joining him on board; Spock and Uhura explore the limits of their relationship on Vulcan; Sulu serves at the side of a familiar Prime Timeline starship captain; Scotty has taken a teaching position at Starfleet Academy – where some familiar IDW Trek comic characters make a pleasantly-surprising appearance on campus.
The covers are also plentiful for this issue – a hallmark of IDW’s treatment of its titles, but just another reason to appreciate this book.
The regular cover by George Caltsoudas is, sadly, my least favourite cover. I find it a little too cartoony for my tastes. While this may not be to my liking, it still meets the spirit of this comic: it is flashy and with its dynamic lines and colour, it certainly is bold.
The subscription cover is truly superior: Tony Shasteen has a gift for likenesses that really hits the mark on a book like this. Creating a story about an established visual property can be a major insecurity for an artist. Yet Shasteen seems to have no hesitation as he effortlessly delivers images that are exactly detailed. But the information about the interior story is also an added plus as the reader is given a slight hint about the plot. Shasteen’s cover is both entertaining and informative, which are two elements necessary for one to be successful. This is the first of a six-part design, which will continue each month.
The retailer incentive A-cover is a straight-forward photo shot of Chris Pine in full uniform. Deviating from the comic for a little bit, one of the annoying things about Star Trek Beyond was the fascination with wardrobe variety. Choose a uniform and stick with it, please?
The B-cover however, is pretty imaginative. With art by Marc Laming and colours by Mark Roberts, the cover features an old-fashioned paper doll with clothing attachments that you could find in silver age girls’ magazines. It’s actually pretty clever and a novel subject for a comic cover. According to editor Sarah Gaydos, Laming will be doing a paper doll cover for each issue.
The Midtown Comics exclusive cover is another photo-perfect likeness by Tony Shasteen. It’s a variation of a typical TOS pose with Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Uhura on the cover. Of course, it’s fantastic and hope to tap into that tradition TOS fan base. The sub-text is clear: the Kelvin Timeline is still Star Trek.
The Fried Pie Comics retailer exclusive cover is my favourite. Of course, it’s by my favourite Star Trek artist J.K. Woodward. Not only are his likenesses exact but I find them to be near photo-perfect. Plus, Woodward has a passion for Trek that clearly comes out in his work. It’s a delight to see his work and the emotionality in Karl Urban’s face is vibrant, alive and dare I say it: bold? Woodward should be IDW’s first choice for any Star Trek book as his near-perfect renditions can convey a sense of authority and legitimacy to any book.
The focus of this story is the character relationships. Johnson does well in selecting this as the focus for his story as that widens the appreciation for what has been left out or hurriedly addressed in the films. We learn more about the friendship between McCoy and Kirk; Sulu’s desire to command and we learn more about the intimate relationship between Uhura and Spock.
This is rich fodder for hungry Trek fans who want to understand more about the changes and gain a greater appreciation for its background. That’s the purpose of extended universe material like Boldly Go and it’s a welcomed perspective.
That, in itself, makes this book a bold endeavor – if you will excuse the pun-like reference. Johnson delivers a story that not only drives us to learn more about these relationships but one that also is engaging and compels the reader’s curiosity.
What threat could be great enough to bring this crew back together from following their individual pursuits after their time together on the Enterprise? Whatever it is, it’s definitely a story to follow and Johnson, a veteran Trek comic writer, certainly has our attention.
A thrilling original novel set in the universe of Star Trek: The Next Generation / Deep Space Nine!
In 2367, Captain Benjamin Maxwell of the starship Phoenix ordered the destruction of a Cardassian warship and a supply vessel, killing more than six hundred crew members.
Maxwell believed that the Cardassians were arming for a new attack on the Federation, and though history eventually proved he was probably correct, the Federation had no choice but to court martial and incarcerate him.
Almost twenty years have passed, and now Maxwell is a free man, working as a maintenance engineer on the private science station Robert Hooke, home to crackpots, fringe researchers, and, possibly, something much darker and deadlier.
Maxwell’s former crewmate, Chief Miles O’Brien, and O’Brien’s colleague, Lieutenant Commander Nog, have come for a visit. Unfortunately, history has proven that whenever O’Brien and Nog leave Deep Space 9 together, unpredictable forces are set into motion…
Let me start by saying that I love Star Trek novels. I wouldn’t spend so much time reading them, reviewing them, or talking about them if I didn’t!
However, the typical Star Trek novel format can get a little tired at times. So when a novel comes along that breaks those shackles and does something a little different, rest assured I will be all over it!
Such is the case with Force and Motion. Focusing on a secondary character we’ve only seen once, this novel brings back former Captain Benjamin Maxwell of the USS Phoenix from TNG’s “The Wounded.” Having spent a number of years in rehabilitation at the New Zealand penal colony, Maxwell has now been released and is working as a janitor on the research station Robert Hooke. It is there that he, O’Brien, and Nog get tangled in a rapidly-unfolding emergency situation.
Disgraced captain Benjamin Maxwell, played by the great Bob Gunton, returns in this story.
Force and Motion uses that crisis as a backdrop for a much deeper character study. I for one love well-developed characters, and Jeffrey Lang uses this book as an opportunity to dig deep into Maxwell’s character. Ever since watching “The Wounded” years ago, I’ve had a fascination with Benjamin Maxwell and what would make a decorated Starfleet officer “go rogue” like he did.
It was the kind of story that presaged the introduction of the Maquis in Deep Space Nine. A number of Starfleet officers, such as Chakotay and Cal Hudson, would turn their backs on their Starfleet duties to fight the Cardassians, but none with quite the flourish that Maxwell did, with the firepower of a Nebula class starship at his disposal.
I loved the scenes depicting his rehabilitation, with the author delving into Maxwell’s past to show how he has gotten to where he is now. With the help of a Dr. Gunther — whose name I love for very selfish reasons — Maxwell comes to terms with his actions and eventually is able to recover. Dealing with trauma and PTSD is something that is sorely lacking in Star Trek, and I appreciated this deeper look into the mental health of 24th century humans.
Nog gets some great character moments in a flashback that shows his inspiration to join Starfleet.
I also really appreciated the flashbacks to the past of both Nog and Chief O’Brien. Nog especially had some great moments, and I couldn’t help but get a little emotional at the flashback to the early days of Deep Space Nine, when Nog first sees Commander Sisko in his Starfleet uniform and is in awe.
Nog’s personal journey throughout the DS9 series is a favorite story of mine, and to see that terrific arc acknowledged here in Force and Motion me smile.
In a new interview with WIRED, outgoing president Barack Obama spent a few minutes discussing why he was such a fan of Star Trek and how the shows’ themes still resonate today.
What made the show lasting – it wasn’t about technology – it was about values and human relationships.
Trek is “really talking about a notion of a common humanity and a confidence in our ability to solve problems,” said Obama, who has been long-known as a fan of the classic series. He spoke to his love of Spock in a 2015 statement after the death of Leonard Nimoy, and has made references to the series other times throughout his time in office.
The Mission New York and Destination Europe conventions may be over, but Halloween is just around the corner – and for those of you preparing to take on the extensive makeup required to portray Jaylah for trick-or-treating, Star Trek Beyond makeup designer Joel Harlow and lead makeup artist Richie Alonzo are here to help.
This simplified implementation may not have the prosthetics used to alter some of Sofia Boutella’s features for the film, but will certainly help average Trek fans take on the popular new character from this summer’s film.
Before Star Trek Beyond hit theaters earlier this summer, Paramount announced their plans for a fourth Kelvin Timeline film – bringing George Kirk actor Chris Hemsworth back to the Trek franchise.
HP: Kirk’s dad, George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), is reportedly coming back in the next “Star Trek” movie. What are your thoughts on running into your dad and how do you think that interaction will be?
PINE: It’s such a trip that, in the first one, Chris [Hemsworth] had such a small but super important part and he knocked it out of the park. He’s only on screen for so little time and he’s really emotionally the centerpiece of that film.
I’ve only really seen him a couple times since then strangely, so it would be fun to reunite with him. I was honestly quite happy where the end of that father-son storyline ended, but I’d be happy to work with Chris again. He’s a great actor and a really nice man.
We’re still a ways out from anything really moving forward on the Beyond sequel – there’s not even a targeted release date yet announced – so anything about the film is likely to be all speculative from the cast until there’s more announced.
If there’s one thing the folks at Bad Robot have proven through two previous home video releases of their Kelvin Timeline films, it’s that they know how to put together quality special features – even if finding a way to watch them all is sometimes an aggravating experience.
That truth is once again evident in the wide release of Star Trek Beyond to home video. While Target stores will carry an additional disc of content in their retailer-exclusive edition – which we’ll review once in stores – everyBeyond Blu-ray will include nine expertly produced behind-the-scenes featurettes detailing every aspect of the film, as well as two brief deleted scenes and a blooper reel.
Beyond may not arrive on Blu-ray in North America until November 1, but these primary features are included in today’s iTunes digital release of the film, now available for viewing.
“Beyond the Darkness” (10:07)
As a fan of the show, I assumed they would hang out off screen somewhere, but I felt like if I was ever going to make a Star Trek film, I wanted to see that on screen. I wanted to move the camera and put it on these characters. – Justin Lin
That quote perfectly sums up how director Justin Lin approached his filmmaking duties when he was brought on board, with very little notice, to helm Star Trek Beyond. In “Beyond the Darkness,” the longest of the eleven extras featured on Beyond’s standard home video release, we hear extensively from Lin and the entire executive team behind the film.
“Beyond the Darkness” is ultimately a standard behind-the-scenes featurette that broadly covers Beyond’s initial production phase and story development. While the video doesn’t tread any new ground in style or substance, it does a great job of demonstrating how Lin and co-writers Simon Pegg and Doug Jung coalesced as a team.
The feature is a solid introduction to the creation of many of the film’s key elements, including the Yorktown Station, the Franklin, Jaylah and a villain who is basically “a deconstruction of the Federation.”
The video includes quite a few sound bites from Doug Jung, who does a great job of highlighting the creative team’s goal of “showing the friendship, not just talking about it” – a reference to their initial target to differentiate themselves from Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness.
We also hear from executive producer Lindsey Weber, who shows up in a number of features on the disc. She offers a fresh perspective from what we saw in the film’s press junkets, including her realization that Jung was “just the right person” to play Sulu’s partner in the much-discussed plot development regarding Sulu’s same-sex relationship.
The featurette closes with a goosebump-inducing comment from Lin, who shared executive producer J.J. Abrams’ advice when he handed over the reins: “Be bold; make it yours.”
Our take: With no background details on the film’s hands-on production team, this story-driven discussion at the executive level feels a little bit light.
“Enterprise Takedown” (4:30)
“…in a very literal way we were tearing it apart, and tearing all the characters apart.” – Justin Lin
One of the first criticisms from fans regarding Star Trek Beyond, before the movie was released, was the apparent destruction of the Enterprise. In the “Enterprise Takedown” featurette, the executive producers and writers discuss their motivations for this early plot twist. The feature includes sound bites from Lydia Wilson, who plays Kalara, the double agent who sets the entire plot in motion, and her big bad boss, Idris Elba (Krall).
Even though we also hear from editors Greg D’Auria and Dylan Highsmith, the feature only really hits on the motivations behind the ship’s early destruction in the film. It fails to delve into the technical machinations that were required by the production staff to pull off the complex array of visual effects and tricky character movements in and around the ship.
Our take: A lack of production focus doesn’t help this piece rise to the next level, and instead it is a bit of a rehash of the plot motivations for destroying the Enterprise.
“Divided and Conquered” (8:16)
“The scenes between Spock and Bones are, in my opinion, really quite at the heart of the picture.” – Karl Urban
This meaty vignette includes a cornucopia of cast interviews, film clips and on-set production outtakes, all of which allow the viewer to get a real feel for how the producers and writers approached each character’s storyline, as they work in pairs to get the gang back together.
The intricate discussion moves briskly as it explores Bones and Spock trying to survive the Altamid canyons, Scotty and Jaylah creating their strong partnership, Kirk and Chekov working to regain their footing, and Uhura and Sulu resisting Krall and his drones.
The bittersweet inclusion of Anton Yelchin discussing Chekov’s strong story arc will leave you feeling both happy and sad: thankful for his incredible contribution to the Star Trek franchise, and devastated by his tragic loss.
Our take: A wonderful behind-the-scenes feature in all the ways you want a behind-the-scenes feature to be, including a large number of third-camera production views of the crew in action.
“A Warped Sense of Revenge” (5:14)
“The philosophy of Krall was one of the instruments Justin was using to make a film that felt a little bit challenging to the whole Star Trek universe. Some of those lines are really digs at the structure of Star Trek.” – Idris Elba
One of this reviewer’s favorite elements of Star Trek Beyond was the layered, complex motivations of Krall, the film’s villain, and the surprise reveal that he was once a Starfleet captain and MACO soldier. In “A Warped Sense of Revenge,” everyone responsible for this character’s development delves deeply into both his motivations and the mechanisms he uses to enact his plan.
The feature doesn’t focus on the make-up or production design of Krall’s world, but that’s not an issue here, as the complexity of Krall’s character receives the attention it deserves with a number of lengthy interviews with Elba. The vignette also features a great sound bite from Joe Taslim (Manas), who explained his character’s allegiance to Krall as his “captain, brother, best friend.”
Our take: An insightful examination of Krall’s motivation and structure. Should be required viewing for anyone who didn’t comprehend those deep layers in the film.
“Trekking in the Desert” (3:05)
“It could have been an easy choice to say, ‘Hey, let’s make the Yorktown on a soundstage; let’s make everything CG.’ But I felt it was important to make everything tactile, to make everything real.” – Justin Lin
During the production shoot for Star Trek Beyond, it was widely reported (and promoted) that a number of scenes would be shot in the city of Dubai for the first time. And there’s no way to miss it in the movie: Dubai’s “outrageous, vertical and futuristic” architecture featured prominently in basically every shot on the Yorktown Station.
In addition to Dubai’s stunning cityscape, Lin also used the city’s massive sound stages to shoot a number of other tricky green-screen scenes, including the zero-gravity fight between Kirk and Krall. Watching Idris Elba and Chris Pine soaring majestically on wires across the span of a humongous green screen is the kind of production background shot people who watch special features are looking for.
The highlight, though, of this strong featurette is its shots of the local extras reveling in their chance to be a part of the Star Trek universe. One proud background artist interviewed in a large outdoor plaza pointed gleefully at a building to say, “The office I work in is right there.”
Our take: A fascinating (but too short) video that showcases the many different ways Dubai helped make Star Trek Beyond such an amazing-looking feature film.
“Exploring Strange New Worlds” (6:01)
“I’m used to coming up with ideas, even in the process of shooting, and you’re like, ‘Fine. Let’s go shoot on this street corner.’ But in Star Trek you can’t do that. Every idea is a build.” – Justin Lin
This fantastic look at Tom Sanders’ epic production design for Star Trek Beyond is one of the more impressive features in this release. Interviews with Sanders and much of the cast (Pine, Quinto, Urban, Yelchin, etc.) are accompanied by a number of interesting before and after shots of the large outdoor sets on Altamid.
· A massive quarry converted into yellow canyons and a blue planet with huge mushroom/sand dollar platforms? Check.
· A crashed Enterprise hull (pictured above) towering seven stories tall? You got it.
· Revolving Enterprise sets that allow the actors to scramble in any direction along the walls? Yep.
All of these epic designs as well as the specific elements of the Franklin interiors are discussed and shown in detail throughout this special feature, as are Sanders’ extraordinary miniature models that he uses as part of his creation process.
Our take: The film’s production design clearly aimed high and scored big. It’s one of the film’s many strengths and it is showcased in all its glory in this great vignette.
“New Life, New Civilizations” (8:03)
“With Jaylah, there was a very conscious effort to make her distinct, to make her iconic. And the elegance of the lines on that make-up is what makes it really stand out.” – Joel Harlow
You can say that again! More deep-dive production goodness here as makeup designer Joel Harlow narrates the entire piece and discusses the exquisitely intricate work of his crew in Star Trek Beyond. From initial design, to sculpting, to molds, to re-designs, this featurette does a superb job of showcasing the art of creature design. Fifty unique aliens were created for the film, and you’ll quickly lose count trying to spot them all in this packed special feature.
Additional interviews from Sofia Boutella (Jaylah), Deep Roy (Keenser) and Lydia Wilson (Kalara) add to the piece. The only slight disappointment is the lack of any discussion on what went into the amazing design of Ensign Syl, the crab-head alien who ended up being a pretty major plot point in the film. Unfortunately there are only a few fleeting shots of Syl in the entire piece.
Our take: Seeing Harlow’s brilliant creature design coming to life in the workshop is what makes this video a true behind-the-scenes classic. It’s fantastic – minus the odd exclusion of Syl.
“To Live Long and Prosper” (7:50)
“The core of Star Trek is a powerful, simple idea of what happens if we all work together.” – JJ Abrams
Wow. Just wow. We’ve all seen clip reels before, but this celebration of 50 years of Star Trek, with a strong amalgamation of shots from Original Series television episodes, the first six Trek films, and the Kelvin Timeline movies – as well as sound bites from the entire Beyond cast and crew – might just surpass them all.
From “I don’t believe in the no win scenario” to “There be whales here,” this adrenaline-fueled video gets your blood pumping and pulls at your heartstrings. And the beautiful juxtaposition of Uhura extolling Krall that “there’s strength in unity,” with a clip of Kirk berating Kruge with “If we don’t help each other, we’ll die here” shows the deep connection from The Motion Picture all the way through to Beyond.
Our take: When Doug Jung says, “Ultimately, Roddenberry presents this hopeful universe. We are the answer. We are the thing that will evolve and will bring about a better way of living,” all you can do is nod your head in agreement. That’s Star Trek.
“For Leonard and Anton” (5:03)
“I’m grateful every day that I’m on set. This is what I do and I love it very much. I’m always with my friends and it’s been the loveliest thing. I’m so grateful, because they’re such good people and they’re so much fun to be around and they make me happy.” – Anton Yelchin
You literally can’t make a more moving tribute. From the opening one-minute shot of Spock’s awakening at the end of The Search for Spock to the powerful reflection above from Anton Yelchin as he is surrounded by his friends, it’s the perfect tribute for the Trek family coping with the loss of their elder statesman and their ebullient young star in an unfathomable confluence of sadness.
Our take: Tears. And more tears.
Gag Reel (5:12)
“Captain, we are not engaged for this level of engagement!” – Zachary Quinto
A gag reel for the ages, with a perfect mix of short bloopers, fits of laughter and lines repeated ad infinitum that the cast just can’t get right. Based on these clips, it’s quite possible Chris Pine only said “Fibonan” correctly on one take, and that’s the one they used in the film.
Our take: Laughter. Lots of laughter. (You’ll definitely watch this more than once!)
Deleted Scenes (1:04)
While nearly half an hour of content may have been trimmed from the final cut of Star Trek Beyond, there are only about one minute’s worth of deleted scenes included here.
Deleted scenes usually serve only as a curiosity for fans and completionists, and are rarely essential to the final product (and often make it worse). In the case of Star Trek Beyond’s very slight inclusion of two short deleted scenes, all of the above is true.
It’s probably a good thing “Scotty in the Terminal” (released to the web in late September) didn’t make it into the final film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9G0MTcVluo
While the early attention paid to Kirk’s ongoing angst works fine and Mr. Scott’s reference to his friendship with Lt. Romaine is a fun Easter egg, the inclusion of Keenser’s toxic mucus sneeze would have been excessive (and would have dumbed-down even further his eventual role in the Uhura/Sulu jailbreak).
However, in “Scotty Gets Bib and Tucker,” any chance to get even one additional line of Jaylah dialogue is well worth it. The 19-second scene provides an unnecessary explanation as to how Scotty and Spock suddenly appear in uniforms from the Franklin, but hearing Jaylah say: “Your words are really strange, Montgomery Scotty,” makes it a winner. Jaylah never disappoints.
Our take: Surprisingly only two deleted scenes are included, and as with most cut footage, they add very little to the overall package.
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If you can’t wait for the Beyond Blu-ray release next month, you can purchase Star Trek Beyond on iTunes now and watch all these features today. Here’s a few preview clips of these features which Paramount has released ahead of this week’s digital debut:
First announced back in July,Star Trek: Waypoint is a new anthology-format comic from IDW that seeks to explore all the incarnations of Star Trek in its many formats.
IDW group editor Sarah Gaydos.
Waypoint will be revisiting all aspects of the Prime Trek universe – including all five live-action shows along with the Animated Series era – but won’t necessarily be strictly tied to the on-screen continuity.
“Some of the Waypoint stories will be more in-continuity than others,” IDW group editor Sarah Gaydos told us at the Mission New York convention last month.
Waypoint #1 is the first of a six-issue run set for a bi-monthly release over the next year, but Gaydos is already hopeful that the anthology series will continue past 2017.
“I definitely think of this as the first six issues,” said Gaydos. “If the sales are there, it will be something that we do maybe once a year – I have enough wonderful story pitches that it could to on for a long time. I wish I could green-light them all right now!”
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Order Waypoint #1
This premiere issue includes two of these short stories, while far from disappointing, were a bit too few to give this book the lift it needed to launch. Still, the book was enjoyable and offered a great deal of possibilities to consider for future issues.
Overall, there’s a contemplative vibe about the whole book. The first tale, Puzzles,is a story about Data and Geordi LaForge, who are teamed up in a future version of Star Trek: The Next Generation on board their own ship, crewed by a variety of holographic Datas and captained by LaForge.
Of course, with Data’s positronic matrix uploaded into the ship’s computer, it’s a very interesting and refreshing interpretation of Data’s character. The duo encounter an extremely unique lifeform and while the story offers new dimensions on the relationship between the two, it’s an excellent rendering of the partnership that would live up to fan expectations.
True to form, writer Donny Cates does a particularly fine job of capturing the friendship between these iconic characters. While he redefines them, he also doesn’t lose track of the essential dynamics of the friendship between these two but still manages to add something new for fans to appreciate.
The artwork is solid and clear. The likenesses are pretty accurate – which is particular insecurity for artists. Mack Chater accredits himself well with his penciling. However, I found that the limited use of colour palette muted the artwork somewhat and reduced its vibrancy.
Still, it was an extremely thought-provoking story that gave something new for Next Generation fans to enjoy. This creative approach to the franchise was definitely something to appreciate and think about.
Daylily, with both story and artwork by Sandra Lanz, is an Original Series story that solely focuses on everyone’s favourite communications officer, Lieutenant Uhura, placing her in a first contact situation. While the ending seemed a little vague, the story had a relaxing vibe to it that reminds us that exploration and the discovery of new life in Star Trek can also be peaceful and pleasant.
The one-sided dialogue mode is a difficult one to employ when telling a story, but it allows for a more in-depth perspective in the lead character – and what Star Trek fan doesn’t like a story about Lieutenant Uhura?
In this story Uhura encounters a new lifeform and initiates communication with it. As it is a lifeform we are treated to see a gentle and relaxing way of first communication between a new species and a crewmember of the Enterprise which is a different mode of first contact than traditional Star Trek fans are used to.
Well, just when you thought you’d figured out your plan to pick up the best release of STAR TREK BEYOND in the coming weeks – weighing all the retailer-exclusive editions and deciding which is best for you – a new update to the digital listing of the film on iTunes is going to muddy the waters a bit.
Back in 2013, when Star Trek Into Darkness hit home media, video bonus content was spread between many different retailers in the USA – and one of the most coveted feature was the film’s audio commentary track, which was isolated to the movie’s digital release on iTunes and not available on any physical-media release of that film. (We reviewed that “Enhanced Commentary” in September of that year.)
The iTunes “enhanced commentary” menu for STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.Fans who purchased the film in any of the physical releases all received a Digital HD redemption code that allowed for a free copy of the iTunes release – so an additional purchase wasn’t necessary – but that still meant that viewers without an Apple TV or device-to-TV capabilities were forced to watch the film with commentary on their computer, iPhone, or iPad.
When the Star Trek Compendium Blu-ray collection hit stores a year later, all the video content – along with the iTunes commentary, presented in a branching format – were all brought together in one packaged release, making those who waited a year for this expanded edition sigh with relief that their decision to hold off was a good one.
Just over a week ago, Paramount announced the home media release details for BEYOND, and there was a noticeable lack of audio commentary track on the press release – meaning there would not be on on the multitude of on-disc availability options, a strange and unexpected development as director Justin Lin has recorded audio tracks many of his other films.
Now, just days ahead of the October 4 Digital HD release of STAR TREK BEYOND, the iTunes listing for the newest Trek film has been updated with a new special feature: another “Enhanced Commentary” component.
The iTunes launch screen for STAR TREK BEYOND, which goes live on October 4.Once more, it seems that Paramount has chosen to hold one of the most desired bonus features from the physical-media edition of the film, and relegate it only to the iTunes digital edition.
For those of you who have no problems with iTunes – and care about media content over packaging or ship models – we now must recommend that you purchase the Target bonus-disc edition of STAR TREK BEYOND, and then redeem the digital code via iTunes to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the prepared bonus material.
While we again expect those who purchase any version of the BEYONDBlu-ray to receive a redemption code for a free download of this add-on, those who do not use iTunes – or those who chose not to watch the two-hour movie on a mobile device or computer – will miss out on this feature… that is, until the now-obvious re-release of BEYOND becomes available for purchase some time in the future.
The time has come again for you completionists to decide if you will buy BEYOND now, and collect all the various material where available – or wait until a new version of the Compendium collection is announced at some undefined point in the future.
We’re sure you’ve got some thoughts on this situation: sound off in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Patrick Hayes, leading our Trek Comic reviews for the past several years. He’s moved on to other endeavors, and we wish him well.
Today, “Captain” John Kirk joins the TrekCore team, manning the helm on our continuing Star Trek comic coverage.
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You know, if there’s anything that IDW needs to be proud of, it’s their respect for, and treatment of the Star Trek Franchise.
Star Trek: New Visions by John Byrne – edited by Chris Ryall – is living testament to this accomplishment. I mean, not only did IDW have the foresight to snare the license of this incredibly influential property, but it also had the good sense to enlist legendary comics creator, John Byrne to draw their books for the last few years. On the heels of successes like Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor, or Star Trek: Crew, only Byrne could have managed to re-invigorate the entire notion of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing.
After seeing Byrne’s dedication to series like The Fantastic Four, The X-Men or Alpha Flight, It’s fair to say that Byrne was the right choice to deliver it in such a devoted way that honors this ground-breaking television show and pays homage to the creator, performers, and technicians who worked on the original series. Byrne has painstakingly taken thousands of stills from the 79 TOS episodes and re-purposed and arranged them into completely new adventures that continue the voyages of the starship Enterprise and allow a new generation to witness the excitement and fantastic nature of this classically timeless series.
Issue #12, “Swarm,” is the latest edition in these amazing adventures. To quickly sum up the story, the Enterprise encounters a new species of interstellar life that feeds on the raw power of stars in a swarm. Warping into a system where a star has recently gone nova, Captain Kirk and his crew are faced with a lifeform that mindlessly devours and poses a threat to the populated centers to the galaxy and it up to them to somehow stop it. How? Well, that’s for the reader to discover, but take it from me, it’s classic Trek and the plot could have come from the pages of Norman Spinrad’s own scripts.
…which is exactly the type of thing that a die-hard Trek fan wants to read. Byrne, a Star Trek fan in his own right, has lovingly recreated the same atmosphere, pacing and substance of the show that fans would experience when watching it. Each page is a careful choice – in terms of positioning of the characters, selection of the right emotion for the story or scene, and even lighting is brought into effective use to help convey mood.
If Byrne had have drawn these, then that would have been an aspect that he would have included near subconsciously but working with photographs – and a limited stock of them to boot, is a far more difficult process. It’s a sign of Byrne’s attention and talent that he is able to select or modify photos to achieve the same atmosphere as he would in telling a story of his own rendering.
Some critics have voiced an issue about Byrne not drawing his story. However, while Byrne is sensitive about his self-perceived inability to effect likenesses (though personally, I think he’s a little too hard on himself) this is an adaptability that is definitely laudable and should not be underestimated. However, the pace of this fifty page volume is also not to be missed. Byrne manages to communicate the story as you would have expected to develop at the same rate as a television episode.
In the case of “Swarm,” Byrne has a natural advantage. Given that one of Byrne’s most celebrated works was “The Last Galactus Story” (featured in Epic, Illustrated in the early 1980’s), he has a natural affinity with sun-consuming alien entities. This familiarity with subject material might make it an easier story for him to plot, but Byrne knows how to insert story-developing aspects like Spock’s discovery of relevant scientific facts, combined with McCoy’s philosophical insights all lead to Captain Kirk’s bold, tactical decision-making ability. It’s this progression of the story that Byrne has keenly assimilated into this book and it’s dead-on.
But it’s the integrity of the characters that really catch a reader’s attention. The fact that Byrne can reinforce this by using actual images of the original characters not only lends credibility to the book, but also makes it a nostalgic joy for original generation fans as well as fully portraying the original characters in a way that a new generation can appreciate.
Byrne has the mannerisms, the expressions and the scenery literally picture-perfect, but his own original scripting has captured the essence of the characters’ dialogue so well that it truly is a recognizable tribute of his own love and respect for the series. Only someone who knows Star Trek so well could manage to so accurately replicate its nature. It’s a thing of beauty.
Of course, this is an easy sell for me. Given that I’m one of those die-hard Trekkies as well as being a complete fan of John Byrne’s work, the combination of these two elements makes this a book that I can’t help but want to buy. Also, IDW’s strategic ability to license the right properties makes this a book that people will need to collect.
“Swarm” is high quality, definitely unique and created by legendary talent. In fact, it makes you want to quickly draft your resume and send it to editor, Chris Ryall. Clearly this company knows what it’s doing when it comes to Star Trek.
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