This is the big one. We’re only weeks away from the big comic event that we Star Trek fans have been waiting for. Out later this month from IDW Publishing is Star Trek Day of Blood Issue #1. The big crossover is upon us at long last, and it couldn’t be more exciting. These past few months have seen some truly amazing comics, especially from the mainline Star Trek range and the recent Defiant series.
The Star Trek comic event of the year comes from the lauded creative team of Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Christopher Cantwell, Ramon Rosanas, and Angel Unzueta. These past few issues of the mainline Star Trek series and the Defiant spinoff have been amazing. I’ve called this series akin to the Star Trek: Legacy spinoff we’ve all been campaigning for, and I stand by that. This has been a wild ride, an epic mesh of characters and plot elements, and this is a big conclusion.
Having a crossover like this has been a long time coming. In fact, it’s been teased from the beginning of the comic run. But just what will they be doing in this crossover event? Which characters are filling out the cast? And just where is this series going to take us? There’s a lot to talk about before the first issue starts the series later this month. This article attempts to answer all those burning questions in a spoiler-free preview of the beginning of this issue.
Plot Details – What We Know So Far
The crossover follows the crews of the USS Theseus and the USS Defiant, finally reuniting after months’ worth of comics. It’s also the massive conclusion to what the entire two series have been leading up to since the beginning. The Klingon Emperor Kahless II seized power and went on a killing spree. We’ve seen planets destroyed, Gods killed, and nowhere is safe. The Federation and Romulans face the same threat from the radical Klingon elements, which is absolute destruction.
Plot details are under wraps, but the coming Star Trek Day of Blood one-shot will kick off the plot. While it’s sure to be heartwarming seeing the two series collide, we know that their darkest battles are ahead of them. The series balances emotion with action spectacle well, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this series leads. The destruction of Kahless and his Red Path cult has been well documented, so there’s no way that this isn’t explosive.
The cast of these is something extraordinary, too. It’s got all of our favorite 24th-century characters, with some original characters tagging along to make things even cooler. Sisko, Worf, Data, Spock, Scotty, Dr Crusher, Lore, Shaxs, Sela, Paris, Torres, and Ro Laren! What an amazing lineup. Filling out the cast is also a slew of new characters who are just as integral to the plot and gripping as the familiar ones. It takes skill to ensure these new characters complement the rest of the crew, and it’s done brilliantly.
Release Timeline
Technically, it’s already begun. For starters, this story arc has been teased for some time, so we already have a lot of the foundational stuff out of the way. Also, we got a special sneak preview of the crossover for Free Comic Book Day in May. If you’ve been following along with the other ranges, nothing in there is a total shock. As a free comic, it’s worth checking out regardless.
After the debut later this month, the epic Day of Blood story continues into the other ranges. This Day of Blood #1 is little more than a one-shot, with the other four parts being told over issues 11 and 12 of Star Trek and 6 and 7 of Defiant. Day of Blood also won’t end the series, with more issues confirmed after. Hopefully, the crew has finally done away with Kahless’ god-killing reign of terror soon.
I’ve also been fortunate to get a small glimpse to see what lies ahead in this event. No spoilers, but on the 19th of July (when the first issue drops), you will want to run to your nearest comic book store. It’s got action, heart, and you don’t want to miss it! The countdown to the Day of Blood event has begun and is just around the corner. We’re after a long-running comic arc in this amazing part of the universe.
Issue #1 Preview
Upcoming Issues
WARNING! The synopses ahead contain SPOILERS for all 5 issues of Day of Blood!
Part #1 – Day of Blood
As emperor of the Klingon Empire, Kahless II has consolidated power, raided ancient tombs and secret bunkers, taken the power of gods for himself, stolen the Bajoran Orb of Destruction, and begun a slaughter across the stars. But this genocide of gods was just the beginning. With the power he has stolen, Kahless is about to declare war on all those who do not follow the Red Path. To prevent genocide unlike any since the ancient days of Qo’noS, the crew of icons led by the emissary known as Benjamin Sisko (Star Trek) and the renegades who follow a desperate and violent Worf (Star Trek: Defiant) must unite for a common cause. Only they can hope to stop the DAY OF BLOOD.
Release Date: 19 July, 2023
Part #2 (Star Trek: Defiant Issue #6)
The crossover event between Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant continues here in part two of Day of Blood! Worf and Sisko begin their trek to Kahless’ spire to stop the false prophet’s siege of Qo’noS with each other being the last man either wants to rely on. Meanwhile, Spock takes the bridge of the Theseus, reuniting with his old friend Captain Montgomery Scott and desperately attempting to keep the Red Path’s Bloodwings at bay.
Release Date: 2 August, 2023
Part #3 (Star Trek Issue #11)
The crossover event between Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant continues here in part three of DAY OF BLOOD!
Only emissary Sisko and his crew of Starfleet’s finest and disgraced ambassador Worf and his band of insurgents can save the universe. But they are divided in every sense of the word… In space, Lieutenants Paris and Torres fight over control of the Defiant while Spock and Scotty do everything they can to keep the Theseus from being cleaved in two. On the ground, Ro and Sela have given up hope, and siblings Data and Lore can’t see eye-to-eye, all while their captains resist the urge to tear each other apart. Can they defeat Kahless and his Red Path when they cannot overcome their own differences?
Release Date: 23 August, 2023
Part #4 (Star Trek: Defiant Issue #7)
Thousands of years ago, Kahless the Unforgettable led his people to glory and raised an empire of honor. But his clone, Kahless II, has gone too far, murdering innocents in cold blood and hungering for power that can no longer be sated by Qo’noS and the Klingon people. He now stands alongside Alexander in front of Worf and Sisko, pitting father and son against each other and making a mockery of the Bajoran Prophets and their emissary. Meanwhile, the power of the Orb of Destruction surges from his ship above. Can Kahless be stopped, or will he once again prove to be the greatest warrior of them all?
Release Date: 6 September, 2023
Part #5 (Star Trek Issue #12)
The crossover event between Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant comes to a thrilling conclusion in part five of Day of Blood! Using powers bestowed upon him by the Prophets, emissary Benjamin Sisko withstands the god-killing weapon for now, but forces of the Orb of Destruction wear on him with each passing moment. Meanwhile, Worf agonizes over a fatal wound of his own that he can never hope to heal. What will become of our heroes? What will become of the universe? Can the crews of the Theseus and Defiant stop the God killer once and for all?
Release Date: 27 September, 2023
You can pre-order all five parts of the Star Trek Day of Blood series now from IDW Publishing, with the first issue due on the 19th of July. The rest of the arc will land in stores across August and September later this year. Needless to say, it’s a fascinating time to be a Star Trek fan. All issues will be available from Amazon, IDW Publishing’s website, and all good comic book stores. For Star Trek news coverage, reviews, and lore discussions, follow Trek Central!
More From Trek Central
📰 – REVIEW: Strange New Worlds: “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”
🔥 – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – ‘Ad Astra per Aspera’ Easter Eggs
🔍️ – Star Trek Library Collection: Volume 1 Review
Join the Star Trek conversation via our social media platforms:
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TrekCentral
- Instagram – https://instagram.com/TrekCentral
- Twitter – https://twitter.com/TheTrekCentral
- YouTube – https://youtube.com/TheTrekCentral
- Mastodon – https://mastodon.social/@TrekCentral@universeodon.com
- Discord – https://discord.gg/fF2heMbfW8
- Twitch – https://Twitch.tv/TrekCentral
