Trekkies longing for the return of William Shatner’s beloved James T. Kirk continue to play the waiting game over 30 years after the character was shamefully killed off by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, and Ronald D. Moore in Star Trek Generations. However, with the newly merged Paramount Skydance Corporation, some fans are still holding out hope for the return of the USS Enterprise’s captain.
Until then, though, the Captain Kirk-centric comic books in the Star Trek: The Last Starship series will have to suffice. And now we officially know how long creators Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing plan to continue the futuristic tale. Lanzing said (via Comic Book Resources):
“Right now, our plan is 12 issues. And I don't know that we're going to want to change it. I think we're very happy with those 12 […] There's 100 years of frame that we're getting to play with in those 12 issues, which means there's a lot of stories that are gonna be elided over to make room for those 12 that are there."
Lanzing also said:
"So, I think as we dig into that and dig into the century of storytelling there, I imagine there's other stories for us to tell. But in large part, we're very focused on just doing this one book as well as we humanly can and presenting every month to readers a Star Trek book that is just the best damn comic we could put together. After that… who knows?”
For those unfamiliar with the new IDW comic book storyline, James T. Kirk lives again, but it is a bizarre future the resurrected captain finds himself in. And while he does have memories of having died in Generations (1994), this Kirk isn’t quite the commander Trekkies love and remember. At least the fandom does have something Kirk-esque to turn. Meanwhile, Paramount Skydance is too busy, or doesn't care, as three Star Trek feature films are currently in the works — none of which will likely feature Shatner.
Lanzing, The Last Starship’s co-creator, also teased issue seven of the exciting comic book run, which will drop in 2026. He also told CBR:
“We just finished issue seven, and I'm really proud of that issue. I think it's another pivot into cosmic horror. Not like lots of tentacles, but like real cosmic horror. Cerebral, intense, Kubrickian horror, yeah. It's a very disturbing book, and I'm very proud of that. That's a great flavor to get to bring into Star Trek. But that's really where we are.”
Have you read any issues of Star Trek: The Last Starship? Any content featuring James T. Kirk is worth checking out. However, are there any other Trekkies out there like me who just want the Paramount Skydance Corporation to finally redeem the captain of the USS Enterprise and right his death by bringing back William Shatner as the iconic character in a movie or streaming series?
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Live long and prosper, Trekkies!
Star Trek: The Last Starship #2 drops on Wednesday, Nov. 19. And Trekkies can check out the new issue's official synopsis below:
“In the wake of the cataclysm known as the Burn, the dream of a united Federation stands on the brink of extinction. The only thing holding the Galaxy back from chaos is Captain Sato and the crew of the Borg-enhanced Omega—a ship fueled by transwarp technology and fraught with distrust. No one on board trusts the Borg…and Captain Sato trusts their mysterious new passenger, bearing the face and name of James T. Kirk, even less.
This so-called Kirk speaks of a dark future, but Sato refuses to be guided by fear or prophecy. When a distress call from the Klingon Empire pierces the silence—urgent, cryptic, and unexpected—Sato doesn’t hesitate. Whatever the risk, he will answer. Because if Starfleet’s legacy is to survive, it won’t be through retreat. It’ll be through action.”