Writers: Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing
Art: Mike Feehan
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Letters: Clayton Cowles
Covers: Mike Feehan; Mike Cho; Malachi Ward
Publisher: IDW
Price: 4.99
Release Date: April 26th, 2022
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Star Trek #7 Review.
The Dispatch
Kahless is killing gods with their own weapon. The Orb of Destruction, created by Bajor’s Prophets, is at the center of Kahless’ weapon. Faced with that kind of power, Captain Sisko returns to Deep Space Nine in STAR TREK #7 and takes the opportunity to both change strategy and reconnect with his family.
STAR TREK #7 is largely a series of vignettes. Theseus is docked at Deep Space Nine for a respite and a mission change. Rather than continue to hunt Kahless, Sisko is turning his attention to the Bajoran orbs. Kahless is using one to carry out his god genocide. Sisko wants to secure the rest. To that end, Lieutenant Shaxs (from Star Trek Lower Decks) joins the crew and plans are made to contact the Cardassians. Meanwhile, the crew enjoys some time off. Jake strolls the Promenade with T’Lir, Beverly and Data visit Quark’s, Tom shares drinks with Scotty, and Sisko meets his daughter Rebecca.
STAR TREK #7 is an issue serving two masters. It sets out to transition the series from one story arc to the next. At the same time it delivers character development for its own sake. Kelly and Lanzing largely succeed in balancing the needs of both goals. In fact, despite plot advancing scenes take up over half of the issue, the plot doesn’t feel like it’s the dominant concern until the final pages. As a result, the character sequences never feel like they’re interrupting the plot. That lets those scenes breathe without making the reader impatient.
The standout character moment is STAR TREK #7’s first scene. Sisko finally gets to meet his daughter (something he skipped before starting his mission in the first issue). It’s a scene of pure delight, and the first time we’ve seen Sisko be genuinely happy since the series began.
Shaxs is a fun addition to the series. He’s depicted as a more serious character than in Lower Decks which is appropriate given the tenor of this series, but he does get a fun moment in late that is very in keeping with his series of origin.
STAR TREK’s new story arc focuses on finding the missing Bajoran orbs before their power can be misused. In a narrative sense, this works to further open up the series’ world by bringing in the Cardassians and any potential baggage associated with them in the aftermath of the Dominion War in Deep Space Nine. It also creates new opportunities for character drama. That potential is most obvious in a brief scene between Sisko and Kira where Kira confronts the idea that her gods created something capable of terrible destruction and then more or less left it lying about. Kira offers a measured response. She is both angry and disappointed in her gods over their cruelty. But she doesn’t launch into a loud crisis of faith. Kira’s lack of histrionics at this revelation is refreshing and comes across as a more honest reflection of the inner turmoil it might provoke.
The Art and Letters
Feehan is new on the art duties in STAR TREK #7, and for most of the issue he’s depicting relatively low stakes character interactions. As with Kelly and Lanzing’s script, Feehan’s art makes the biggest impression in the opening scene between Sisko, Kassidy, Jake, and Rebecca. The first page is a sequence of six panels, all of them closeups: Rebecca’s hands, Rebecca’s eyes, Sisko’s eyes, Kassidy looking on, Jake looking on, and Rebecca and Sisko’s hands reaching for each other. The captions on the page aren’t about this scene, so Meehan has to tell the story of this very first encounter between father and daughter.
STAR TREK #7 is filled with emotional visuals like this, though usually smaller in scale by comparison. Kira’s aforementioned moment reflecting on the Prophets climaxes with her staring out at space, dejected. A later scene sees Sisko promise Kassidy that they’ll be together as a family when his mission is over; Kassidy responds with a look of unhappy skepticism as she rests her head on his shoulder. Overall it’s a very strong first issue for Feehan.
Setting the bulk of the issue on Deep Space Nine means opportunities for Loughridge to deliver vibrant cosmic vistas are limited. His work in this issue is more subtle as he largely helps to differentiate settings on the station and support the emotional weight of Feehan’s art. He does a particularly good job with the two scenes in the Siskos’ quarters. The first scene, taking pace after Theseus’s arrival, is bright, warm, and inviting. The second scene makes a stark contrast. It’s darker and feels overall colder. The darkness underscores the weight of Sisko departing once again and reinforces the emotion projected by Feehan’s depiction of Kassidy.
Most of STAR TREK #7 makes for a quiet story. Until the last quarter of the issue, the only people who raise their voice are some dabo winners, and the sound effects come from clinking glasses. This makes Shaxs’ two outbursts near the end of the issue practically explode off the page. It’s almost impossible not to hear his voice when reading his dialogue.
Final Thoughts
After six issues of almost nonstop high stakes action, STAR TREK #7 is a fun change of pace. It provides a nice opportunity to let recent events breathe. The story’s new direction opens up a lot of possibilities for the future. And the character vignettes are particularly compelling, especially for Sisko whose almost religious fervor finally breaks.