Captain Kirk is Back From The Dead For Star Trek: The Last Starship Series

The legendary Captain Kirk is back from the dead in the forthcoming Star Trek: The Last Starship. Captain Kirk famously died in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, but now IDW, who have just wrapped up a highly-acclaimed, multi-year Trek arc, are bringing him back to life during the galaxy’s darkest hour in a new title that will take the franchise in unexpected directions.

IDW announced Star Trek: The Last Starship today via The Hollywood Reporter. The book will be written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Adrian Bonilla, and will be set during a period in galactic history known as “the Burn.” IDW provided The Hollywood Reporter with a plot synopsis:

Forget everything you know about Star Trek. The Last Starship is a new crew, a new era, and a completely different tone; our aim is to be literary, intense, innovative, and most of all, accessible... We’re bringing you into the Federation’s darkest hour through the brilliant, noir-soaked lens of artist Adrián Bonilla with zero homework required,” he continued. “Longtime Trek fans will have a deep and fascinating reading experience, to be sure – this is a pivotal moment in Trek history that’s never been even glimpsed before – but above all, The Last Starship is a dark and complex sci-fi you can hand to anyone.

Kelly revealed that Kirk will be the only familiar face in The Last Starship, and there will be many new faces. Lanzing and Kelly are no strangers to Star Trek comics, having written the recently concluded Star Trek, along with other titles set in the franchise.

Captain Kirk Is a Star Trek Icon, Both in Life and Death

Captain Kirk Has Returned from the Dead Once Already

Captain Kirk is one of the most iconic characters not only in science fiction, but in pop culture overall. Played by a handful of actors, most notably William Shatner, Kirk was the skipper of the Enterprise during a historic five-year mission, which would turn him and his crew into legends. Kirk’s first five-year mission saw him face down Klingons, Romulans, the Gorn and many other galactic threats. Kirk beat them all, not necessarily with brawn, but with brains and wit. He blazed a path across the galaxy, one which later captains still travel.

However, legends come to an end, and Kirk’s death in Star Trek: Generations marked the end of an era. Or at least it should have, as Kirk would return in a series of Star Trek novels, co-written by William Shatner himself. These books met with acclaim from critics and fans, demonstrating there was still plenty of interest in Kirk’s adventures. Furthermore, the “Kelvin” timeline movies brought Kirk, now played by Chris Pine, back to the forefront. Paul Wesley is currently portraying a younger Kirk, just before his five-year mission on the Enterprise on Strange New Worlds.

Who (or What) Has Brought Captain Kirk Back to Life?

Star Trek: The Last Starship Will Be Another Win for IDW

IDW is keeping a good deal of information about Star Trek: The Last Starship under wraps, namely the identity of whoever resurrected Kirk, as well as why he was brought back to life. The Burn, as revealed in season three of Star Trek: Discovery, was arguably the galaxy’s darkest hour, resulting in incalculable losses. Trillions died and civilizations fell apart, and only after Discovery’s arrival does the galaxy begin to dig itself out of the hole it is in. Kirk returning during this time is no coincidence, but what role will he play?

Regardless of Kirk’s function in Star Trek: The Last Starship, the fact remains that the legend himself is back from the dead. The mysteries of Kirk’s return will drive the series, but not lose sight of the exploration of the human condition that has made Star Trek so endearing for the past 59 years. Lanzing and Kelly seeded their previous Star Trek comics run with plenty of Easter Eggs and fan service, but also balanced it all with amazing characterizations. Now they turn their attention to Captain Kirk, bringing this Star Trek icon back in a grand fashion.