Publishing Highlights — June 2020

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some disruptions in the world of publishing, things are beginning to return to normal. After comics publishers went on a hiatus back in April, books trapped in warehouses have begun shipping to comics shops as those who create them get back to work.

The realm of Star Trek publishing felt its own impacts in this arena, particularly with respect to comics. After being stuck in neutral since April, IDW Publishing is up and running and its first order of business is getting backlogged titles out to shops and into the hands of eager readers. This includes a full slate of Star Trek titles, which are already starting to roll out. It’ll take a bit of time to work through those issues which have been awaiting shipment, which publishers are attempting to do without inundating customers with too many titles too quickly while also keeping an eye on how best to adjust those titles which were already slated to come out later this year.

Kicking things off for IDW is Star Trek: Year Five #11. Captain James Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise continue their adventures during the final year of their historic five-year mission of exploration. A new chapter unfolds with the Federation border in sight as a mysterious character from the crew’s past returns, subjecting Kirk and his crew to their most dangerous challenge yet! From Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly, with art from Stephen Thompson, the issue will be released this month for $3.99.

Also out in digital-first format from IDW is a reprint of the classic Star Trek graphic novel Debt of Honor. Originally published in 1992 and out of print for well over twenty years, this landmark, decades-spanning adventure served as part of DC Comics’ celebration of Star Trek’s 25th anniversary. Newly “demoted” Captain Kirk and the crew of the brand-new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-A coming together to fight an enemy Kirk first encountered as a young lieutenant serving aboard the Starship Farragut. Written by renowned comics veteran Chris Claremont with art by the legendary Adam Hughes, this story stands among the most epic of Star Trek tales across any medium. Debt of Honor will be released first in digital format, with a facsimile magazine edition hitting comic shops later this year. Written by Chris Claremont with art from Adam Hughes, the issue will be available for $7.99 in digital formats.

In the world of prose, Captain Kirk and his crew are also the subject of an all-new novel from Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books imprint. In Star Trek: The Original Series – Agents of Influence, Kirk and the Enterprise are tasked by Starfleet to investigate the botched retrieval of three covert intelligence operatives who’ve been working for years deep within the Klingon Empire. While trying to learn the fate of the agents and the starship sent to extract them, Kirk and his people must also discover the truth behind a secret weapons experiment. It’s a dangerous situation with the potential to ignite a new war between the Federation and the Klingons. Can Kirk and the Enterprise recover the agents without destroying the precarious peace between the two interstellar rivals? The book is on sale now from Gallery books; fans can purchase a hardcover copy for $16.00, an eBook for $11.99, or an unabridged audiobook for $23.99.

Dayton Ward (he/him) is a New York Times bestselling author or co-author of numerous novels and short stories, including a whole bunch of stuff set in the Star Trek universe, and often working with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore. As he’s still a big ol' geek at heart, Dayton is known to wax nostalgic about all manner of Star Trek topics over on his own blog, The Fog of Ward.