Penultimate issues are always fun, aren’t they? Well, Star Trek: Defiant Issue #7 is the penultimate issue for the epic Day of Blood crossover from IDW Publishing. As someone who’s been following these comics for a while now, this second-from-last issue in this story is a real make-or-break point. From a storytelling perspective, it’s here all the plot elements should come together and set the stage for an epic showdown.
But what do you do when, like Day of Blood, and the past 2 issues of Star Trek: Defiant, the comic is filled with incredible action? Not to mention awe-inspiring set-pieces, and showdowns and reunions we’ve been waiting years for to boot! And for one of the final times, how much closer will Sisko, Worf, and the entire team get to defeating the evil Kahless? Find out in my review of the latest Star Trek comic book adventure!
WARNING – This review will contain spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #7. Please read at your own peril, you have been warned!
Alexander
I’d love to feign shock, but it was a strong cliffhanger ending of the last part of the crossover in Star Trek #11. Although, from the second I saw the cover of Star Trek: Defiant Issue #7, I was hooked. We knew exactly who it was going to be about, with the cover being a portrait of Alexander. This was only emboldened by the choice of prologue, a long message from Alexander to Worf. As a fan of the character, who’d been waiting to see the character properly back in action for the first time, this was so gripping.
The actual content of the comic doesn’t let me down as a reader either. I’ve gone on at some length in the past about how this series juxtaposes Worf and Sisko’s parenting techniques. In fact, this void between them is most of the reason why this lovely Defiant spinoff exists in the first place. So obviously this confrontation has been a long time coming. It was first set up way back when Worf ran into Alexander back on the USS Theseus.
The conversation and fight between them pulls no punches. The action is tight, with it presented in such a way that the fight choreography feels really easy to follow. From the perspective of a reader, being able to actually follow what’s going on like this makes it so much better. It also feels a lot more personal than some of the grand-scale martial arts and starship skirmishes we’ve caught over the past few months. I’m very pleased to say that this fight lives up to each and every ounce of hype, potentially one for the ages.
Back to the Prologue
You may or may not remember Free Comic Book Day, it’s one of my personal favorite days of the year. To celebrate the occasion, IDW put out a sneak peek at this very series. At the time, I didn’t really make anything of it, but now every Day of Blood story is converging. While it’s mostly characters we have a well-established connection to in the shows, sometimes it’s stories of unknown officers that can impact us as the audience the hardest.
Such is the case with Captain Meyerson of the Santa Cruz. Seeing a Starfleet captain so open to killing officers, so beaten, tortured, converted to the cause of the Red Path. As much as he’s a villain, it’s a bit of a tragic and sad sight. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a villain you can feel for. Unlike Kahless, a cold uncaring Klingon hellbent on galactic domination, here’s a brainwashed human being. It really gives the space scenes some well-needed emotional weight.
Far too often I go in, see some lasers flying all over the place, ships moving in every direction, and just feel nothing. I appreciate the scope and the scale, but sometimes the action can very on being a little empty. Although the highlight was by far the action down on the Klingon homeworld, this was a solid B-story. Really makes a lot of the meandering in space for the past issues feel worth it, this bit was so well done.
Big Grand Finale
What was happening to Sisko wasn’t quite as easily explained, but it’s probably among one of the coolest things I’ve seen a human do in one of the Defiant comics so far. As a series that’s had a big focus on action spectacle, that’s saying something. Deep Space Nine is that one Star Trek show I’ll never stop talking about, so seeing some Prophet and Orb-centric action with Sisko attached is always a big tick for me! In fact, my biggest complaint is that there’s not more of it, although it looks like that’s being remedied in the final showdown!
It’s as if there are two sides to this finale – Worf saving his son, and then the big showdown with Kahless. Given this is the Worf-centric series, the emphasis here really works. With Kahless having a comparatively small presence, it looks like his fight is mostly going to be with Sisko. This was still a gripping read though, for instance, up there is perhaps the most liberal use of the word “saving” ever recorded. It was all over so quickly, but Worf deprogramming Alexander, redeeming him, and losing him was absolutely gutwrenching.
My biggest problem with reading these comics has always been how safe they are, and how they don’t love to shake up the status quo too much. Getting to see an actual death scene did a wonderful job of raising the stakes before the finale, really turning that dial up to eleven. Genuinely every panel over the last two pages is a thing of beauty, some proper riveting stuff on display here! If it’s meant to get my attention for the finale, it’s worked.
Star Trek: Defiant Issue #7 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
Preview Images
Conclusion
I am actually speechless after reading this. For a while, I didn’t even know what to say. This has met and exceeded all of my expectations of what a Star Trek comic is. I’ve read and reviewed dozens of these over the past few months, and this is by far the coolest. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it could reach this sort of epic scale.
Needless to say, I’m beyond excited to read the finale! The fifth and final part is coming out later this month in the form of Star Trek #12, and it looks to be one for the history books. As a sort of spinoff, we’ve got Shaxs’ Best Day coming soon as well, which seeing how well he’s been written in this series is going to be hilarious.
You can pick up your own copy of Star Trek: Defiant #7, out now in all good comic book stores. You can also shop online, finding digital and physical versions on Amazon. For news, lore, and more Star Trek reviews, be sure to follow Trek Central!
In the next issue…
In Issue #8: Arc two of the acclaimed Star Trek: Defiant series starts here! Still reeling from the battle on Qo’noS, Worf and the Defiant crew have been ordered to return to Starfleet headquarters where they await learning the Federation’s thoughts on their involvement in the fight against Kahless and the Red Path.
Release Date: October 8, 2023
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