Star Trek: Day of Blood Crossover Event Details Revealed, Teasing an Original Series Reunion and More (Exclusive)

Star Trek comics, which have been boldly going in a new direction since October, are entering a new frontier with the first-ever Star Trek comic book crossover. The flagship Star Trek ongoing series and its spin-off, Star Trek: Defiant, will collide in the Star Trek: Day of the Blood crossover event. Fans can get their first taste of Star Trek: Day of Blood via the prelude featured in the Star Trek Free Comic Book Day 2023 one-shot, available in participating comic shops on Saturday, May 6th, featuring a story written by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Christopher Cantwell, with artwork by Mike Feehan. Not only does the crossover between the two series bring the reunion of Star Trek: The Original Series legends Spock and Scotty, but it will feature Star Trek: Lower Decks' Shaxs, revealing his history before Lower Decks for the first time.

ComicBook.com can now exclusively reveal new details and covers for Star Trek: Day of Blood. The five-part crossover begins in July with the Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 one-shot. The story then continues into August's issues of Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant and concludes in September's issues of the series. Here's the full schedule:

JULY 2023

• Part One: Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Christopher Cantwell, and Ramon Rosanas

AUGUST 2023

• Part Two: Star Trek: Defiant #6 by Christopher Cantwell and Ángel Unzueta
• Part Three: Star Trek #11 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Ángel Unzueta

SEPTEMBER 2023

• Part Four: Star Trek: Defiant #7 by Christopher Cantwell and Ángel Unzueta
• Part Five: Star Trek #12 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Ángel Unzueta

What is Star Trek: Day of Blood?

In Star Trek: Day of Blood, the emperor of the Klingon Empire, Kahless II, declares war on all who do not follow the cult of the Red Path. Having raided ancient tombs, claimed near-limitless power for himself, and slaughtered cosmic entities across the stars, Kahless sees the genocide of gods as the first step to total domination. The U.S.S. Theseus' crew, led by Benjamin Sisko, and the renegades following Worf aboard the U.S.S. Defiant must put their differences aside to unite against the Klingon Emperor and stop the Day of Blood.

"Star Trek was the original shared universe…so Collin, Chris, and I are deeply honored to continue to bring a line-wide continuity and intricately planned storyline to the new IDW comics line," says Lanzing in a statement. "Our very first pitch on this story included two interlocking ongoing titles that could build to a kind of event unlike any that Trek comics have managed before—an inspiring, mind-bending flagship series in Star Trek and a more subtle, dark, and dangerous series in Defiant. It was an absolute pipe dream of a pitch, one that we never imagined would become the backbone of a hit new comics line—nor unite us with a writer of Christopher Cantwell's caliber, who would push us to constantly deliver next-level comics storytelling, nor masterful artists like Ramon Rosanas and Ángel Unzueta, who would elevate every page with their designs, artistry, and ambition. And now, one year into the line, we're finally ready to bring it all to a head with our very first line-wide comics event."

Kelly adds, "Worf has a warning for his one-time friend and captain, Benjamin Sisko: Kahless the Unforgettable, the sovereign of the Klingon Empire and killer of gods, is preparing to unleash something truly horrific on his own people. Converging on the Klingon homeworld, the two crews will have their long-awaited reunion…but even with tempers hot, the two have no choice but to put aside old grievances or else watch the carefully cultivated peace of the Beta Quadrant burn in the fires of holy crusade. With mighty Kahless at their head, the Red Path will not be stopped until all those who do not share their absolute faith are cut down. We started laying the groundwork for this story in Star Trek: Year Five, built upon it in Star Trek: Aliens—Klingons, and then will truly kick it off in this year's Free Comic Book Day prelude, so it's no exaggeration that Day of Blood is an event three years in the making!"

Cantwell says, "I sincerely believe that Day of Blood is the 'lost episode/movie/epic limited series' that Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and The Next Generation fans have been dying for. But what's truly amazing is that beyond those series, we're tying in a heaping dose of Lower Decks (in the form of Shaxs), the original series (including a reunion of Spock and Scotty) and so many other aspects of this universe. It's truly a galactic panacea unlike any Trek story I've encountered in the past as a fan. What's also wonderful about this series is that things happen in it that can only exist in the realm of comics in terms of scope and pure sci-fi imagination, all anchored by beautiful core themes of partnership, parenthood, second chances, and the belief in a better tomorrow…whether that be a utopian or a vainglorious one. Buckle in because this is the Trek saga of my dreams!"

The new era of Star Trek comics

IDW's new Star Trek line has been well-received by critics. ComicBook.com called it "quality Star Trek storytelling on a grand scale."

"Creating the first-ever Star Trek comic book summer event was our goal from the very beginning of conversations surrounding Star Trek #1's launch last fall," says senior editor Heather Antos. "The fact that both series have been received so well—all credit to the amazing team of writers and artists across the line—is absolutely incredible. We're only going bigger, badder, and more boldly in Day of Blood."

Star Trek: Day of Blood #1, Star Trek: Defiant #6, and Star Trek #11 will all ship with A covers created by Malachi Ward (Black Hammer Reborn). Star Trek: Day of Blood will feature variant covers by David Aja, Elizabeth Beals, Taurin Clarke, Chris Fenoglio, Bryan Hitch, Daniel Johnson, Liana Kangas, Megan Levens, Joe Quinones, Rahzahh, Rod Reis, Ramon Rosanas, Marcus To, Ángel Unzueta, Suspiria Vilchez, Christian Ward, Malachi Ward, JK Woodward, and more.

Look for the Star Trek: Day of Blood prelude in Star Trek Free Comic Book Day 2023 in comics shops on May 6th. Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 kicks the event off in earnest in July.