The epic Day of Blood comic crossover continues! Now available from IDW Publishing is Star Trek: Defiant Issue #6. Starting from here, the rest of the crossover will be told through the next few issues in the mainline Star Trek series, as well as the Defiant spinoff. As an ongoing series, it’s hard to review this without spoiling previous issues of the series. So be warned, if you’re not fully caught up, you will probably be spoiled here!
Last we saw our heroes, Sisko and Worf hit a landmine. As a result, they walked together toward the Klingon citadel which had fallen into chaos. It was a nice conclusion to what had been an issue full of setup. An introduction though, is only as great as what comes after it. So, continuing the first-ever Star Trek comic crossover event, is the second part of Day of Blood worth the wait?
WARNING – Spoilers for the Star Trek: Defiant Issue #6 are below. You definitely don’t want this spoiled!
Defiant
When it comes to crossovers that are made up of episodes or issues of different series, there’s something that’s really important to me. And that’s that while it’s part of the crossover, it still focuses more on the characters and plot threads from the series it’s a part of. Here, not only does this feel like a continuation of the Day of Blood one-shot, but it’s also an issue of Defiant.
Star Trek: Defiant Issue #6 literally starts with an old log of Worf’s, as a sort of recap, and also an insight into his position on Kahless at the time of his appearance. As the main character of the Defiant series, it’s lovely to frame him front and center. During the ensuing conversation with Sisko, as they make their way toward the citadel, he’s the one who really gets to speak his mind. There were quite a few more references to Deep Space Nine moments than I expected as well.
The way those references to specific events during the TV show are mixed in with the events of the earlier issues of this series is astounding stuff. Like some things I think they could be setting up with some of the other characters, intertwining the TV and comic stories so closely is just what the series needed. I love it when all these different pieces of media can actually come together to form a mostly coherent universe. I desperately need more moments like this going forward!
Long Awaited Reunions
The last issue was more the one for a few sweeping action spectacles. While there are a few martial arts moments and even some ship battles, they take a backseat here. The spectacle of the Klingon homeworld feels ripped out of the series. The explosions and fire everywhere are an absolute treat. There is no such thing as a quiet moment on these battlefields, pushing characters like Crusher to their absolute limits.
That being said, we saw onscreen very recently that Beverly Crusher is more than able to hold her own. While she doesn’t quite get a badass moment on that level, she’s able to stand her ground with Sela. Speaking of Sela, she’s fallen victim to the biggest problem with large-scale crossovers – there are too many characters. Most of the minor characters are mostly there, lucky to get more than a few lines. I only hope that part three shakes up which characters are put at the center.
A moment I didn’t expect, but perhaps should’ve, was a proper reunion between Scotty and Spock. Not only do they use the USS Theseus to keep Kahless’ fleet distracted with some very satisfying action pieces, but their reunion is heartwarming. Unlike a lot of the 24th Century characters, moments like this just couldn’t be put onscreen in any way. Having it done in the form of a comic, especially by writers who have mastered the voices of these characters, has me at a loss for words. Truly magical stuff. More of this, please!
Datalore
I don’t think it’s controversial to say that Data and Lore don’t really get along all that well. During more than a few episodes, they’re at each other’s throats. Here, while there are lasting effects of their rivalry, they appear to be working together. I was initially a little mixed on Lore’s reactivation, but seeing him work (mostly) well with his brother was when it all clicked. As much as that goodbye scene in Picard was perfection itself, getting to see the two characters exist physically together was everything.
There’s even some really cool artwork here, with a full page of the pair being martial arts masters with a bunch of Klingons. It’s the sort of stunt work that you’d probably never get out of Brent Spiner, so this will likely be your only chance. The way they both run into action is awe-inspiring, from the firefight to the interrupted technobabble. It’s seriously amazing stuff that needs to be read to be believed.
However, nothing lasts forever. One of my biggest concerns about the reactivation was the canon interruption, contradicting Star Trek: Picard Season 3, right at the same time it was coming out. It looks like that could be fixed soon. Data promises Lore that he’ll be deactivated following the end of the mission, which would allow both series to co-exist. That being said, we don’t know how this turns out. With just 3 issues left, there’s every chance of a twist that would completely screw with these expectations.
Star Trek: Defiant Issue #6 Preview
Conclusion
This was just the continuation the crossover deserved. It remains as epic and grand in scope as ever, and I can’t wait to read what happens next. The story continues later on this month with the release of Star Trek #11! This issue honestly blew my expectations out of the water, so who knows what the future holds? As an avid comic reader, I’ll certainly be there on day one!
You can pick up your own copy of Star Trek: Defiant Issue #6 from all good comic book stores now. It’s also available both physically and digitally from Amazon and via IDW Publishing’s website. For all news, reviews, and more geeking out about all things Star Trek, be sure to follow Trek Central for more!
Issue Credits
Writer: Christopher Cantwell
Artist: Angel Unzueta
Colorist: Marissa Louise
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Design & Production: Neil Uyetake
Group Editor: Heather Antos
Editorial Assistant: Vanessa Real
In the Next Issue…
Issue #7 – Part four of DAY OF BLOOD begins here! 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: September 6, 2023
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