Ghost of the 21st Century begins haunting comic book stores this summer.
Over the last year Star Trek fans have been inundated with must-consume content over numerous platforms. Whether it’s the incredible Khan podcast, the controversial Starfleet Academy series, or the epic Voyager — Across the Unknown video game, there is a Trek for every taste.
Comic books have been no exception, and the first-look panels (check them out below) of the upcoming Star Trek: Ghost of the 21st Century are bound to be right up Romulan enthusiasts neutral zone boundaries. And there's even a Mugato on a bloody rampage!
“On the Federation’s farthest frontier, red shirts don’t just die—they’re used," the synopsis reads (per Popverse). "When conscripted security grunt Harry Deubert finds contraband hidden inside a fallen comrade’s body, he uncovers Section Null—a secret Starfleet directorate turning disposable red shirts into assets in a sprawling criminal conspiracy.”
The Ghost of the 21st Century synopsis continues as follows:
“Teaming with Lyna Taval, an Andorian officer with her own covert agenda, Deubert digs too deep…and becomes a target. Someone inside Starfleet Security is selling out the Federation. And once Deubert and Taval learn what red shirts are really for, there’s no going back.”
Ghost of the 21st Century is a sequel series to the recent IDW comic books by writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Megan Levens. However, these creative talents from the five-issue run do not return for the follow-up. Rather, the storytelling duties on Ghost of the 21st Century fall to Gerry Duggan, while the striking imagery is courtesy of Scott Buoncristiano’s talents. For those not familiar with either, the duo worked together on The Dark Room.
“I’ve not been able to enlist in Starfleet until now,” Duggan explained (per Popverse). “But I can promise this new volume of Red Shirts is going to leave a very big bruise on Star Trek. The Romulans have an insidious plot to destabilize the Federation, and it's my privilege to help them and drop as many bodies as we can along the way. Set your phasers for fun and see you in space.”
In addition to being a lifelong Trekkie, I love horror movies. So, the bloody, green-soaked first look of Ghost of the 21st Century has me as anxious to read the new comics as Cyrano Jones was to get away from Deep Space Station K-7 at the end of The Original Series episode “The Trouble with Tribbles.”
I’m also excited that the sequel to Red Shirts seems to be warp-speeding and slinging around the sun to take place in the future. If the artwork for Ghost of the 21st Century No. 1, is any indication, the Starfleet uniforms indicates readers are in store for either a 23rd or 24th century tale.
Those specific red uniforms were first introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). However, fans have seen The Next Generation’s crew wearing these uniforms, too. Specifically, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) wore a similar wardrobe while he was a Starfleet cadet in the TNG episode “Tapestry.”
Star Trek: Ghost of the 21st Century No. 1 begins haunting comic book stores and online websites on Wednesday, July 22. Do you plan on reading the standalone sequel series? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!
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