To say that IDW’s Star Trek: The Last Starship has been doing impressive things would be an understatement. The bold new series taking readers far into a future where the Federation is ashes has been a commercial success with the first issue going to unprecedented second printing and both issues #1 and #2 being critical successes as well. Now, the third issue is here with the end of the story’s first chapter and Star Trek: The Last Starship is maintaining that impressive quality all while continuing to up the stakes and throw some major curveballs for readers as well.
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Star Trek: The Last Starship #3 picks up largely where #2 left off. The U.S.S. Omega is under attack from a chaotic Klingon cult. To deal with the attack, Captain Sato, recognizing that the fight is beyond what they are capable of, turns things over to the one person on board who knows exactly what to do: Kirk. Kirk does what he does best and leaps into action, making commands like he’s conducting an orchestra but while the Omega benefits from his wisdom and experience and the battle ultimately goes their way, it’s not without a few surprises — and some pretty heavy costs that are sure to grow even more apparent as the story continues.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| Great emotional depth | Pacing is a little too fast in some spots |
| Excellent twists |
Star Trek: The Last Starship #3 Is Action Packed And Has Some Incredible Twists But Is a Little Too Fast Paced
Overall, Star Trek: The Last Starship #3 is a fantastic issue. It is a very action-oriented issue so much of the story and the art is anchored in that and it’s particularly nice to see Kirk be decisive and do what he does best. The issue has all of the feeling of a particularly thrilling episode of Star Trek television and that’s a very good thing. It’s visceral and interesting and both the art and the words keep things moving and the reader engaged at every turn. There are some particularly cinematic moments in the issue, art-wise, particularly when it comes to the dual-fronted attack on Earth that feels somehow both expected and unexpected at the same time. That same feeling hits in the issues final pages that includes a big twist that I won’t spoil here, but it visually feels much bigger than the page.
What works a little less well in the issue is the pacing. Yes, the action does require things to move very quickly — this is battle, after all — but there are some transitions that do feel like they move a bit too quickly. I had to go back and re-read a few sections over just to make sure I hadn’t missed anything going from scene to scene and even at that, I wasn’t entirely clear I had caught all the detail. Still, there’s something to be said about that disorientation as it reflects a bit of the emotional gravity of the battle and the move that gives the Omega its victory. There’s a deep emotional toll to this victory and while we experience the thrill of the win, we also experience Captain Sato grappling with the reality of what he’s done. It’s a little unsettling — just like some of the frenzied nature of the fight itself.
Star Trek: The Last Starship #3 is an incredible issue and continues the series’ excellent storytelling. The issue continues to raise the stakes of the series overall, and there is fantastic character work at play. This issue just further solidifies the idea that this is the best Star Trek story in ages and it will be very interesting to see where things go next.
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Image courtesy of Universal Pictures. -
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