Today, we’re bringing San Diego Comic-Con International to you, our beautiful listeners. Writer Christopher Cantwellreturns to the show for a boisterous Star Trek celebration. On September 23rd, IDW Publishing is relaunching its Star Trek line. Cantwell spearheads the main ongoing series alongside his artist collaborator, Dennis Menheere. We’ve been given a sneak peek, and consider their phasers set to stun cuz - We. Are. Stunned.

Years after the Star Trek: Picard finale, Seven of Nine now captains the Enterprise-G. Her crew includes several legacy characters. Picard’s kid. LaForge’s kid. Worf’s kid. Not to forget some characters familiar to those who’ve been reading the IDW comics and several new folks, too. This book is more forward-looking than backward-looking, as all good Trek should be.

Most excitingly, Cantwell and Menheere are free to make COMICS within the Star Trek franchise. In the past, likeness has been the predominant factor when crafting brand comics. Dennis Menheere lets loose with his cartooning, embracing shapes and lines that communicate emotion and thought. They're not just assembled to please entertainment lawyers.

These characters look like who they should look like, but more importantly, they feel like they should. Cantwell, Menheere, and the whole IDW crew seemingly have learned all the right lessons from Absolute Batman’s success. Let’s tell stories that only comics can tell. Let’s engage with this medium’s tools.

This episode is the first of five episodes coming at ya this weekend. Be on the lookout for one new Comic Book Couples Counseling episode for every day of San Diego Comic-Con International. It's a lot, but you're gonna have fun whether you're here in California or not.

As we said, Star Trek #1 arrives in comic shops on September 23rd. Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is August 17th. It’s written by Christopher Cantwell, illustrated and colored by Dennis Menheere, and lettered by Jodie Troutman. Make sure you’re following Christopher Cantwell on Bluesky.

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