Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Scorpius Run #1 – IDW Publishing

Creative Team: Writers: Mike Johnson, Ryan Parrott, Art: Angel Hernandez, Colors: Nick Filardi and Lettering: Clayton Lewis

Welcome to another New Comic Book Day review from the N.I. Bullpen!

Star Trek is back, and this run starts with a stellar first issue. The crew of the Enterprise is on a survey mission in unexplored space. Gravitational fissures and cosmic storms are rocking the ship as it moves through the Scorpius region. The crew is on edge and are being pushed to their limits, and then a distress call comes in.

If you’re a fan of the show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, then you don’t want to miss this stand alone adventure expanding on the franchise you know and love! 
Let’s examine Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Scorpius Run #1 from IDW Publishing.

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD**

Just A Routine Survey Mission

Our story begins aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise as it attempts to carry out what was supposed to be a routine survey mission in the unexplored Scorpius region of space. The crew is tense as they try to navigate constant gravitational fissures and stellar storms. Captain Cristopher Pike is attempting to relax the crew by cracking a few jokes as usual. 

Amidst the stress and chaos, Ensign Uhura, the ship’s communications officer, detects what she believes to be a distress call. She advises that she can’t be certain of this due to the storm’s interference with the comms equipment.
After a short back and forth with his First Officer Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Number 1), Pike decides that the two endangered vessels may actually be able to help each other. He orders his Helm Officer Lt. Erica Ortegas to get them as close to the signal as possible, but not too close.

The Kestrel

When they find the source of the distress signal, it’s determined that they can’t penetrate the hull of this mystery vessel with their scanners. There is also no response to any attempts at communication. Pike sends over an away team to “say hello in person”. 

He sends his Science Officer Lt. Spock and Chief of Security Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh to investigate the ship. The pair find no crew on board, but they do find one pilot who appears to be unconscious. So they wake her up.
The pilot wakes in a panic and lunges at La’an, who promptly slams her to the ground. She then apologizes for attacking when startled and explains that her name is Aisla and her warp core is fried. The ship she is piloting is called the Kestrel.

Mutual Benefit

After a quick examination from Dr. Joseph M’Benga and Nurse Christine Chapel, Aisla is found to be fine apart from a bruise from being slammed. Aisla says she is what is known as a Kleesian from a system far away from the Scorpius sector.

Captain Pike offers to fix the Kestrel’s warp core, in exchange for assistance in plotting a course out of this sector of space. Aisla says she can help, but they do not have time for any repairs, as they owe a payment to a local crime lord named Zephyx from a planet called Celius Prime. 
After fully explaining the situation, Captain Pike agrees to give Aisla transportation to pay off her debt in order to make the bargain work.

Spock’s Concerns

On route to Celius Prime, Spock and Pike are discussing their current situation. Neither of them trust Aisla fully, and Spock is recommending extreme caution. They are in an unknown region of space going into an unknown situation. 

Spock thinks that they should not be heading into the unknown so soon after the storms and stresses of recent weeks. He is concerned for the morale aboard the ship and the crew’s stress levels.
Pike assures Spock that he understands, but they are left with very few options given the current circumstances. They then arrive at their destination.

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Celius Prime

Upon their arrival, the ship is immediately immobilized and the part of the bridge crew are beamed away.

The senior officers then find themselves face to… head, with Zephyx himself. He is impressed with their ship. He is NOT impressed with Aisla having shown up without her ship the Kestrel. Saying that she has lost the race before it started, and just as he is about to kill Aisla, Captain Pike interrupts.

He very politely offers to leave Zephyx’s region of space immediately, and even offers to take Aisla away with them saying “no one has to die.”  Zephyx threatens that the only way out of their predicament is to compete in and win a race known as The Scorpius Run. After a demonstration of his ability to manipulate the space surrounding Enterprise to destroy the ship at any time, Pike reluctantly accepts.
As a token of Zephyx’s “excitement” he offers Captain Pike the “gift” of Aisla being allowed to act as a guide during the race.

The Scorpius Run

Zephyx goes over the basic setup of The Scorpius Run. 9 ships start the race each representing their own homeworld. Only 1 ship can win. One winner is rewarded by being absolved of any and all debts to Zephyx, and their planet is rewarded with riches. The 8 losers forfeit their ships, and their lives to Zephyx.  

The crew is then beamed away again, this time to the pre-race gala that is currently underway. While La’an wants to attempt an escape right away, Pike vetoes this idea, instead deciding to play along until an alternative plan can be devised.

Just then, Zephyx announces to the gala that this year they have added a new stipulation to the race. Random crew members from each ship will be beamed aboard a rival ship for the duration of the race. Meaning that each ship in the race now has a crew member from a competing vessel.

Unfortunately, there is no response now from Zephyx and no time to figure out a plan. The race is about to start. Losing is not an option. Will the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise find a way to win? Will they find some other means of escape without having to play along with Zephyx’s plans? We have to wait for issue #2 to find out what happens next!

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Story Review

Johnson and Parrott scored a direct phaser hit with this first issue.

They manage to capture the personalities of each character from the show, giving established fans a new story with the same characters they know and love already. Captain Pike is level headed and tactical throughout the issue, not allowing his or his crew’s emotions to dictate his decisions. Pike is only one example of how this team has made these characters feel just like their on screen counterparts.

The Scorpius Run is not dissimilar to other dangerous races within the Star Trek franchise. What is different are the stakes and circumstances. Not only is their ship and crew on the line for each racer, but their very lives are at stake as well. It feels epic. It feels special. It feels like Star Trek.

Artwork Overview

Hernandez and Filardi have gone to warp 10 with their work in this series so far. 

I can not overstate how much it bothers me when characters don’t look like themselves in adaptations. Whether it be from screen to page or vice versa, I want the characters to feel the same as what I have seen already. That is NOT an issue with this series. The characters are instantly recognizable if you’re a fan of the show. The likeness of every crew member is spot on.

As for space and the other environments, I struggle to find the proper words. The stellar storms feel huge and imposing with electric energy and plasma swirls a plenty. The sheer scale of space can be felt as Enterprise approaches Celius Prime, as the art team shows other ships in the distance looking as if they’re mere specks next to the massive installation.  

The final page when we see the race officially begin is sheer intensity put on a page. If you ever wanted to feel like you are getting blasted through space at breakneck speed, just stare at the last page for a few seconds and you’re there!

Overall Score: 9.5 OUT OF 10 – “Must Pull”

If you’re a Trekie like myself, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this first issue.  

It has everything Star Trek fans know and love all packed into this book. Drama, action and science are everywhere you look in this comic.

So if you can’t get enough of Star Trek content then I highly recommend you check out Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Scorpius Run #1 from IDW Publishing this week on New Comic Book Day!

As always everyone Be Safe, Be Kind, and Take It Easy!

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