IDW's Star Trek: The Last Starship comic series is heading towards its conclusion with issue #12 in October. Writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing have stated that the 12-issue run was always the intended length, designed as a prestige maxi-series to cover 100 years following an event known as The Burn. The story has centered on the resurrection of Captain James T. Kirk in the 31st century and his efforts to guide the Federation through a period of crisis.
The Dynamic Duo and Time Dilation
The series has heavily explored the complex relationship between Captain Kirk and Captain Delacourt Sato. Kelly and Lanzing described their dynamic as two men who are alike yet different, whose conflict brings out the best in each other. While they clash over the methods and reasons for saving the Federation, their shared goal will ultimately force them into an alliance, leading to a significant achievement. The writers also acknowledged the narrative challenges presented by the use of time dilation, a device employed to cover the 100-year span of the story. This narrative choice was intended to explore the emotional toll of long-duration space travel, where the crew's connections to their past lives inevitably fade.
Federation Ideals Under Pressure
At its core, The Last Starship examines whether the Federation's ideals can endure in the galaxy's darkest hours. Kelly and Lanzing confirmed that the series will provide a definitive answer by its conclusion. The introduction of the Emerald Chain, depicted as a mob-like protection racket, serves as a foil to the Federation's principles. The writers clarified that the Chain is not the Federation's opposite but rather a dark reflection, driven by capitalism, exploitation, and selfishness, which stands in contrast to the Federation's ideal of IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations).
Future Endeavors
While Kelly and Lanzing have enjoyed their tenure on Star Trek comics, they are moving on to new projects. They are launching a new Dungeons & Dragons series in November from Dark Horse and a creator-owned horror series with IDW Dark titled You'll Never Leave This Place Alive. They have not ruled out returning to Star Trek in the future, even suggesting that there might be room for new stories within the established universe of The Last Starship. However, their current aspiration is to work on Star Trek television projects.
Star Trek: The Last Starship #12 is scheduled for release on October 21, with the final order cutoff on September 14.