Star Trek and Green Lantern To Cross Over In The Spectrum War

IDW Publishing, CBS Consumer Products and DC Entertainment announced today that Green Lantern and Star Trek will cross over in a six-issue miniseries, Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War, beginning this summer.

The series will take place in the universe of the J.J. Abrams-rebooted Star Trek, coming ahead of that franchise's planned third installment next year to celebrate Trek's fiftieth anniversary. This isn't the first time DC and the world of Star Trek have crossed over, but the last time -- Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes -- featured the classic Trek characters, based on the likenesses of William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and their crew.

Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War will be written by veteran Star Trek comic writer Mike Johnson with interior art by Angel Hernandez. The first issue will be available in stores and online in July, featuring covers from Gabriel Rodriguez, Francesco Francavilla, Elsa Charretier, and Garry Brown. Following issues will feature covers from Declan Shalvey, Marc Laming, and more.

"We've looked forward to bringing these two iconic universes together for a long time," said Greg Goldstein, IDW President and COO. "Star Trek and Green Lantern both share so many of the same science-fiction adventure themes and ideals, that a galaxy-spanning crossover like this is simply…logical."

"Green Lantern is one of the most popular, storied characters in the history of comic books and a modern DC Comics icon. An entire universe of Green Lanterns and other supporting characters have grown out from his original adventures in the 1940's, and this series really showcases the intergalactic scope of the franchise," said Bob Harras, Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics.

Set in Star Trek's 23rd Century, the balance of the universe will be tested when the Green Lantern Corps' Power Rings come into the possession of certain Star Trek characters while a dark and powerful evil looms around every corner. Only the combined power of the Green Lantern Corps and the Federation stand any chance of stopping those who worship evil's might.

Based on the cover image at right, it seems likely the ultimate showdown is between Klingons (or at least the forces of General Chang, the villain of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) with Sinestro Corps rings and Ganthet, who presumably is the one to summon Hal Jordan to fight alongside the crew of the Enterprise. That the villain bears little resemblance to Chang beyond the eye patch is not surprising; the rebooted Trek universe has shown some flexibility in that regard, particularly with Khan looking dramatically different. That Christopher Plummer's likeness rights are probably more expensive then they're worth might be an additional motivator to give Chang a more modernized Klingon appearance.

Since the films prior to 2009 are non-canon in the Abrams-created Star Trek universe, this will likely be the first encounter between Kirk and Chang, unless it turns out that this is the Chang from the previous universe, carried over as was Leonard Nimoy's Spock.

It's almost a shame this couldn't have been Star Trek: The Next Generation; it could have been some fun fodder for storytelling to have Data encountering the Emotional Spectrum. Ah, well. Another time.