For the first time since taking over command of the official "Star Trek" comic book line in 2007, IDW Publishing will present "Star Trek: Day of Blood," an absorbing 5-issue crossover event beginning this July that joins together the new "Star Trek" flagship title with the upcoming "Star Trek: Defiant" series arriving in March.
This brash "Star Trek" new storyline is being given a special introductory one-shot for Free Comic Book Day on May 6 with "Star Trek: Prelude to Day of Blood," co-written by esteemed Trek comic creators Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Christopher Cantwell with artwork by Mike Feehan.
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""Star Trek: Day of Blood" is what this last year of comic book planning has been all about," says senior editor Heather Antos in an IDW press release. "It all leads to this moment. Was Sisko the correct choice of the Prophets? Will Worf's Klingon honor serve him well? Or will the two remain in the crossfires of the godkiller? Jackson, Collin, and Chris are asking some of the biggest questions we've ever seen in "Star Trek" comics, and it's time to answer them in the franchise’s first-ever classic summer crossover event."
Here’s the official synopsis:
"In Prelude to Day of Blood, the U.S.S. Santa Cruz travels to the Korvat colony for Kot’baval. But what was supposed to be a simple observation of the sacred Klingon festival quickly turns into a bloodbath when the cult of the godkiller reveals themselves to the universe."
"It's time for Benjamin Sisko to face the past," Lanzing said in the statment. "And for readers to finally get a look at the true fallout of the Dominion War. "Deep Space Nine" is the inspiration for this entire line, so it feels only right that the crew of the U.S.S. Theseus come back to where it all started."
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Cantwell admits to being nothing short of ecstatic to be a vital creative player in IDW's expansive "Star Trek" initiative.
"There were moments in our writers' room with Jackson and Collin where I couldn't believe we were really doing this," he adds. "Not just telling one "Star Trek" story but weaving together multiple Trek stories at the same time, with plotlines from "Star Trek" and "Star Trek: Defiant" converging. We threw all our boldest ideas and best character pairings into a story of pure chaos, starship battles, and real epic dramatic resonance you can only achieve in the scope of comics."
"Star Trek: Prelude to Day of Blood" lands on May 6 with cover art by Malachi Ward.
"As lifelong "Star Trek" fans, Jack and I have been dreaming of this kind of thing since we can remember," Kelly notes. "This is the kind of event you could only do in comics, with enormous stakes and two starship crews colliding in the middle of a truly deadly crisis. This is our season finale."
To follow the entire "Day of Blood" story arc, readers can step aboard these five issues: "Star Trek: Day of Blood #1" (July 2023); "Star Trek: Defiant #6" (August 2023); "Star Trek #11" (August 2023); "Star Trek: Defiant #7" (September 2023); and "Star Trek #12" (September 2023).
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Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.