Star Trek: Lower Decks Fan-Favorite Character Is Getting a Solo Story

A fan-favorite Star Trek: Lower Decks character will get a solo spotlight as part of Star Trek's first-ever comic book crossover, Day of Blood. IDW Publishing's current Star Trek line occurs within the established Star Trek canon, drawing from the classic television shows and the new streaming era series. As such, fans have gotten a glimpse into the history of Lt. Shaxs, the USS Cerritos' chief security officer in Star Trek Lower Decks. It turns out that Shaxs served under Captain Sisko aboard the USS Theseus during his special mission leading into the Star Trek: Day of Blood crossover event.

IDW has announced a new one-shot Day of Blood tie-in, Star Trek: Day of Blood -- Shaxs' Best Day. Ryan North is writing the issue. He previously wrote the first-ever Star Trek: Lower Decks comic book series for IDW. He's reteaming with art Derek Charm, who he previously worked with at Marvel on Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Here's the official synopsis from IDW Publishing:

"You've seen Captains Benjamin Sisko and Worf with their crews of the USS Theseus and Defiant stop the fascist, god-killing clone Kahless II from declaring war on non-followers across the galaxy in a brutal battle on Qo'noS. But you haven't seen it from the eyes of the man, the myth, the legend, Lieutenant Junior Grade Shaxs!"

North tells Popverse, "I was asked if I would be willing to write a Star Trek comic where Shaxs got to live his absolute best day and go completely ham on a bunch of fascist Klingons, and I said yes before our editor, Heather Antos, was even part-way through asking me. And it was only more exciting when I learned Derek Charm was on board to draw it — we'd been trying to find a way to work together again since Squirrel Girl ended, so this was just great."

While it ties into the same story as the realistically drawn Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant ongoing series, North says that Shaxs' Best Day is "an oversized one-shot comic done in the Lower Decks animated style showing a single day in Shaxs's life that just happens to be his best day ever: he gets to kick fascist butt, ride an exploding starship, save the Defiant, invent a new way to use bat'leths in battle, and tons more… I've never written a comic that was non-stop fight scene before and now I never want to sto. Shaxs might be the perfect character??"

What is Star Trek: Day of Blood?

Star Trek: Day of Blood sees the casts of Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant dealing with the Red Path, the extremist faction led by Klingon Emperor Kahless II, intent on killing all godlike beings in the galaxy. Sisko and Worf must put their differences aside to stop Kahless' bloody aspirations.

"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," Lanzing said in a statement when ComicBook.com first revealed Star Trek: Day of Blood #1. "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."

Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 goes on sale on July 19th. Star Trek: Day of Blood -- Shaxs' Best Day goes on sale on September 27th.