The day is here! At long last the first ever Star Trek comic book event has finally hit the shelves. Star Trek: Day of Blood Part #1 is the beginning of a five-part adventure, pushing the characters we’ve come to know and love to their absolute limits. But there’s been a fair bit of hype generated for these releases, so does this crossover live up to the hype? Will Worf, Sisko, and this ragtag team be able to put aside their differences to defeat Emperor Kahless? Read on!
Reunions
The comic begins with a quick introduction to the story, told through Sisko’s log on the USS Theseus. It’s kind of an answer to Worf’s message in the last issue of Star Trek: Defiant, and also a brief summary of where Sisko is at this point in the series. While I’ve been reading along, I haven’t touched the mainline Star Trek series for a few months. From a certain point of view, this then feels like a reunion of sorts, but it’s nothing compared to what’s waiting on the next page.
As soon as the crew of the Theseus beams down to meet Worf on Qo’nos, it’s like all the nostalgia comes running back. It’s the sort of euphoria I’ve not felt since the full TNG reunion on Star Trek: Picard (which really wasn’t all that long ago). There’s even a full page of both crews’ personnel files, with T’Lir’s redacted file, the unknown name of the Orion Medical officer, and even full names and pronouns. It’s truly a sight to behold. While half of Star Trek: Day of Blood Part #1 may make it a bit on the long side, it’s a joy to read (and re-read!)
Their interactions are as brilliant as ever, too. Sisko and Worf do just about all the planning, the rest of the characters just pair off and comedically bicker for a few pages. It’s brilliant. For every predictable pairing like Paris and Torres, we get something inspired like Ro Laren and Shaxs. The crossover really makes good on its premise here, we get to see characters interact with one another. It’s a nice way to help lighten the mood before the back half of Star Trek: Day of Blood Part #1 really kicks things into gear
Rise of the God-Killers
The reunion ends with an exchange between Worf and Sisko. I love the way it presents them both as fathers. While until this comic series, I would’ve classed Worf as a bad father, and still do, he’s genuinely trying to redeem himself. Sisko on the other hand was one of the greatest fathers on television. There’s a nice conflict there that I’m glad they’re exploring fully. Now that Alexander’s life is on the line, it puts Worf in a far more delicate position.
What follows is a glorious, barely comprehensible series of fire, angry speeches, ship battles, and the occasional explosion. That’s not a complaint either, I loved it. Pages upon pages of stuff that you only really start appreciating when you read it a second or third time. There’s a lot to love about Kahless’ speech, which is reminiscent of some fascist calls to action we’ve seen in our own world. The way we see ordinary Klingons reacting, mixed with some murder and explosions around the page, really gave the scene some scale.
The crew left on the Theseus remarks that the fight over Qo’nos is not a fight that they were ready for. With the large fleet, and then the ensuing civil unrest all over the planet, you can hardly blame them. I’ve reviewed more than a few of these comics and this is without a doubt the most action I’ve ever seen translated into a Star Trek comic. It’s that cool. If the rest of the series has anything in store quite like that, we are not ready for what’s coming.
Into the Warzone
Saying Star Trek: Day of Blood Part #1 technically calms down from that before it ends is accurate. However, calling the rest of this calm would be so far from the truth. We cut to the Klingon High Council Chambers, and who do we meet up with there? None other than the leader of the Klingon Empire himself, Martok! Seeing him refute Kahless’ grip on the Klingon people was amazing. He’s such a good leader and is easily a favorite recurring character from DS9.
With Klingon violence targeting political leaders, it looks like he’s in a lot of danger. Thankfully there’s no confirmation of his death in this issue, and he’s not the sort of character you kill without a proper glorious death scene. Beverly also sets up a medevac rescue mission, with her classic wit in tow. There’s little in the way of confirmation, but it’s safe to assume that she lives to fight another day.
It genuinely doesn’t let up for so much as a panel, it’s on such a grand scale. There’s a nice mix of light comedy moments and sweeping epic battles that continue throughout the whole thing. Thankfully, the cliffhanger isn’t quite as extreme as some of the more recent ones have been. Sisko and Worf are driving toward the capitol, and they hit a landmine. The fact that that’s on the milder end of cliffhangers tells you everything you need to know about this series. When Worf says the darkest is yet to come, he means it.
Star Trek: Day of Blood Part #1 Credits
Writers: Christopher Cantwell, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Issue Preview
Conclusion
This epic five-part story will continue in Star Trek: Defiant #6, which comes out in August. I don’t know about you, but I can barely contain my excitement. Their darkest battle is still to come, and the Red Path is as deadly as ever. I’m also looking forward to seeing how they rescue Martok, as Beverly’s got quite the brilliant crew assembled. Bring it on! This is everything I wanted from this comic and so so much more.
You can pick up your own copy of the one-shot Star Trek: Day of Blood Part #1 in all good comic book stores. It’s also available to order from Amazon and IDW Publishing’s website, with both physical and digital editions available for purchase. For more Star Trek reviews, news, lore, and more, be sure to follow Trek Central!
In the next installment…
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
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