This classic FoxTrot takes fans back to the debut of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Even in the 1990s, people like FoxTrot creator Bill Amend knew Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would be a huge deal.

It’s been 30 years since Star Trek: Deep Space Nine first debuted on syndication in the United States. In those 30 years, the narrative around the show has changed considerably. Yet, for a time after the show ended, the narrative was that people didn’t show up to watch it and that it was due to its debut on Netflix that fans ever truly appreciated it.

That’s simply not true. While the show did find a new audience on Netflix, the series was not only always well received, but the hype for it transcended the usual avenues upon its release. In a recently re-released comic strip, originally from January of 1993, we get to see a glimpse of the time that was 30 years ago.

Comic creator Bill Amend re-released his FoxTrot comic that celebrated the debut of Deep Space Nine onto Instagram a few days ago. The original run of this comic hit newspaper stands in 1993, and featured Jason, one of the core characters of the FoxTrot series, bothering his sister Paige as he gets himself excited for the release of the show. A show, that many fans had high hopes for.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine even in the 1990s, was expected to be huge

Clearly, the narrative around Deep Space Nine has never truly been accurate. Sure, it wasn’t the easiest to find the show, as compared to Voyager, but it had the same opportunities as The Next Generation. Like with The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine aired on syndication and due to that, the shows would not air in the same markets at the same times or even on the same days. Leading many to conclude that Deep Space Nine just didn’t have the same fan support, or that it was underrated. Unlike Voyager, which debuted on one station, across the country at the same time every week. Making it far easier to keep up with.

Considering FoxTrot was a milestone comic of sorts, constantly commenting on the pop culture trends of the time, like Jar Jar Binks debuting in The Phantom Menace as the series’ first all-CGI main character, it speaks volumes to how the modern zeitgeist saw Deep Space Nine ahead of its debut. Something huge, and worth commenting on in the greater sphere of media.