Talking ‘Star Trek: Celebrations’ With Some Of The Creators Behind IDW’s Anthology

June may be Pride month, but the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be celebrated every month. With that in mind, IDW are releasing Star Trek: Celebrations this May, a one-shot anthology centered around the franchise’s LGBTQIA+ characters. For more on what it was like to partipate and how their love of Star Trek began, check out this interview with from some of the contributors below:

Bellwoar: What was your first experience watching Star Trek (whether it be the films, the original series, or any of the spinoff shows)?

Liana Kangas: I was introduced to the Star Trek universe through one of my best friends from elementary school, Mel, who’s a huge Trek fan, and my mom, a sci-fi fan who sometimes would watch Deep Space Nine. My first real uninterrupted engagement with it, however, was with the J. J. Abrams movies. I’ve always had an intrigue for it, but when Strange New Worlds debuted, I binged Picard and Lower Decks, then worked my way back to the original series, Deep Space Nine, and looped back around to Strange New Worlds (AGAIN!). I’m just glad I have enough seasons and such to go back and never run out!

Stephanie Williams: My first experience watching Star Trek was at my grandparent’s house after school. I was around seven or eight, but a rerun of the original series aired right after the cartoon show block I often watched on a local television channel. I would usually immediately turn the channel, but on this day, I didn’t and stuck around long enough to see Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) for the first time, and my curiosity got the best of me. I had to know what this Black lady was on this spaceship. The next thing I knew, I started watching those reruns whenever they were on.

Vita Ayala: As far as I can remember my first experience with Star Trek was watching The Next Generation weekly with my mom. She is a HUGE Star Trek fan, and it was one of the only things she insisted on for herself.

I was pretty young when it was airing, and I remember being scared of some of the scenarios and monsters, but I was absolutely obsessed with Guinan, Worf, and Troi, and even as a child I believed everything that came out of Picard’s mouth was Right and Good.

There was something incredibly comforting about the show for me back then (and now I suppose). Partially because it was something I associated with bonding with my mom, but also because I remember thinking that if that was the future – everybody working together to explore the universe, to learn everything we can and use it to make things better – then the future was bright.

Steve Orlando: Oh for me, it was absolutely The Next Generation. Coming up in the 1990s, that was a must-watch for me anytime I caught it on TV, even if I didn’t always know when it was on. But with older cousins who came up watching The Original Series, I took the initiative pretty early on to watch the TOS movies — probably after watching Generations for the first time. But even back then, Q was one of my favorite characters. And he still is! While I began with TNG, I’d go on to watch all of TOS and come to think of Star Trek: The Motion Picture as one of my favorite movies–and it still is! It’s got less explodo, but it’s about challenging the unknown and it’s about discovery! I will still watch it any time.

Hannah Rose May: It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when I first became aware of Star Trek, but it’s something that has always been around in my life. The Next Generation re-runs were always on in my home growing up but my appreciation for Star Trek really came about during the J. J. Abrams movies. I know they can be a bit of a hot button topic but they really opened up the Trek universe to the uninitiated and the curious. Trek can be a daunting world to dive into given its sprawling history across multiple shows, movies, books, and comics but I just remember being in awe of this world after those Abrams movies.

Heather Antos:  I grew up with Star Trek: The Next Generation, hell, it’s pretty fair to say that Dr. Crusher was one of my first real idols as a kid! The show was always on in my house growing up to the point where I don’t think I realized there were other Star Trek shows until well into my teenage years!

Bellwoar: How deep would you say your love for Star Trek goes, and have you written or drawn any Star Trek comics before?

Kangas: I fell head over heels for Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds! And that is all thanks to Heather Antos, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with on a lot of covers for series runs, and getting to sift through and research into so many characters and series. I have a huge space in my heart for the franchise as a whole, it lends to giving you a lot of hope and inspiration! This will be the first time I’ve worked on sequentials for the series!

Williams: My love for Star Trek has been a constant companion for almost two decades. While I dabbled in fanfic during middle school, this is my first official foray into the world of Star Trek comics. I am beyond thrilled and honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to this beloved franchise.

Ayala: My love goes VERY deep (my vibe in high school was described to me as Starfleet Punk) — Star Trek (Voyager specifically) kept me alive during one of the hardest times in my life. To this day, I’d say half of my Top 20 favorite characters of all time come from the Star Trek universe!

I’ve never had the pleasure writing an official Star Trek story before, no, but I hope this is only the FIRST and not last time I have the honor!

Orlando: It’s pretty deep! As a creator, part of the gig is getting excited about and finding ways into whatever you’re working on. But as a fan, Star Trek is my chosen franchise. I like others, of course. But I’ve always loved that Star Trek was about exploration and discovery first, and punching and explosions second. And of course, that’s not a hard rule — Trek can be chock full of action! But it is a lens, it’s a point of view — one of always working for a better future and always leading with an open mind. That said, though it’s always been a dream, I’ve never written a word of Star Trek until right now! So, I was honored to received the invite.

May: Over the last few years my love for Trek has really grown. Through Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, Brave New Worlds and of course, Lower Decks, I’ve found myself incredibly inspired by Trek‘s hopeful optimism for the future. So many sci-fi franchises take a dystopic look at the future and Star Trek offers one of positivity, inclusiveness and togetherness. This is my first Star Trek comic but I hope it’s not my last!

Antos: I’ve always had a deep respect for Star Trek but I will admit my fandom only penetrated the aforementioned TNG series until my 20s. It was then that I began a deep dive back into the original series all the way through the Kelvin films. After spending the first half of my career focused on a different “Star” franchise, it’s been such a joy to re-invigorate and explore my Trek fandom these last couple of years!

Bellwoar: Can you tell us a little bit about your story and which character or couple is featured?

Kangas: Vita Ayala and I are working on a side story featuring Raffi and Seven of Nine, set in the same universe as “No Man’s Land” by Kirsten [Beyer] and Mike [Johnson]. Their character dynamic in the show, book, and our short is among my favorites, and I’m so excited to work with Vita, one of my favorite collaborators in comics!

Williams: My story features two Star Trek: Discovery characters with an entertaining dynamic: Jett Reno and Paul Stamets. They give each other a hard time when the opportunity presents itself but have mutual respect and understanding. I wanted to write a story that gave a glimpse of their relationship while throwing in some experiment technology gone wrong.

Ayala: Sure! Liana and my story centers around Seven Of Nine and Raffi, set between Season one and two of Picard.

Without giving too much away, we thought that it would be fun to play a little with Raffi’s past and with Seven’s inability to not be a Borg in shining armor, so to speak!

Orlando: We’ll be featuring John Cho‘s Sulu from the Kelvin universe. But not just him — we’ll be featuring his husband Ben and their daughter Demora as well! Our short is framed as a bedtime story for Demora, a tale of knights and discovery. But little does Demora know, Sulu’s tale of a knight sworn to return home to his family no matter what is no fairy tale…it’s a real adventure that he’s just survived on the planet below! And in the tradition of shirtless Sulu with a sword, Sulu will be surviving this adventure thanks to a well timed challenge for a duel.

May: My story focuses on one of my favorite characters, Beckett Mariner. Lower Decks grabbed me from the moment it premiered, I was so excited to get a chance to play with Mariner and the crew of the USS Cerritos. The focus in this is on Mariner’s relationship to Jennifer and how for all the bravado that Mariner embodies, she’s actually a softie underneath it all. We explore that dynamic while also exploring the budding romance between the two that had Mariner trying to keep up appearances while also dealing with matters of the heart. You can expect to see the usual suspects aboard the USS Cerritos but there’s a fun visit to a fan favorite planet that I think provides a perfect setting to explore this little love story. Jack Lawrence did an incredible job on the art! He gave it life.

Bellwoar: What does it mean to you to be part of an anthology specifically centered around Star Trek‘s LGBTQIA+ characters?

Kangas: Being part of an anthology focused on Star Trek‘s LGBTQ+ characters is incredibly meaningful to me — Star Trek has been one of the few series that highlights relatable queer representation, having stories that resonate deeply with me. Working on this project allows me to give a lot of myself to that, while contributing to a community of fans who seek the same connection and validation a lot of us need!

Williams: Thanks to Gene Roddenberry‘s vision of what science fiction should represent, Star Trek has always been known for its effortless diversity and inclusivity. This is what made the franchise feel so welcoming to me. Being a part of an anthology that aligns so perfectly with what Star Trek stands for at its core, a safe space for all to imagine themselves in the future, means a great deal to me. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute a story to a franchise that has been so pivotal in my life.

Ayala: Star Trek is deeply important to me as a queer Black person, and as a baby queer growing up, Seven and Voyager especially gave me hope that I would be able to find both myself and my place in the universe.

To be able to contribute not just to the Star Trek universe, but to tell a fun queer story involving Seven? To be a part of something that potentially helps a queer teen feel seen? It means the world to me.

Orlando: It’s very exciting! I’ve done my share of pride anthologies before, it of course comes with the territory. But being part of Star Trek: Celebrations just hits different for me. Here, I’m privileged to be part of my favorite franchise and celebrate it as it celebrates folks like me. And there’s a wonderful synchronicity to that which I can’t ignore. Just as Star Trek inspired me decades ago, I am so pleased to be part of an incredible creative team doing our part to inspire generations to come. Lauren Knight and J.P. Jordan‘s work on our short is energetic, emotional, and perfect for the story – I can’t wait for everyone to see it!

May: Oh my gosh! It means so much. I love that Star Trek has always pioneered characters who viewers and readers alike have been able to see themselves in regardless of race, gender or sexuality. If I can help tell a story that someone feels seen by, then that’s everything I could have hoped for as a writer.

Bellwoar: The title of this anthology is “Celebrations.” Which story are you most excited to read as a fan?

Kangas: I’m already ready for this entire lineup of the book, but I’m SUPER thrilled to work with Vita again, given that we haven’t worked together since 2018, AND their passion and fan podcast deepened my curiosity for Trek over the years.

Also, I’m a fan of Hannah Rose May’s writing, and she’s working on the Lower Decks piece in this anthology! I plan to dive into the entire thing the moment my comps hit the doorstep.

Ayala: I can’t choose just one! I think what I AM most excited about, as a fan, is having the chance to read the variety of stories we are gonna get! I feel spoiled by this bunch of tales, though I would be lying if I said I’m going to be anything but hungry for more!

Orlando: I’m excited for them all, of course! That’s part of the unique joy of anthologies, even as a creator — you get to be a fan as well, someone surprised and delighted by the work of your creators. That said, Vita Ayala has been and is a career-long friend, and Liana Kangas is a new friend and master of the craft. So in a sea of excitement, their story just has to be the one rising to the top of me.

May: I’m very excited to read them all! There’s a Seven of Nine and Raffi story written by Vita Ayala and drawn by the lovely Liana Kangas. Jeri Ryan is one of my favorite actors so I’ve always had a soft spot for Seven of Nine. I’m sure Liana and Vita have hit it out of the park so I’m particularly looking forward to reading that one.

Bellwoar: Feel free to be as specific as you want but if you could wear any Starfleet uniform, which one would you choose?

Kangas: I am sort of low key obsessed with the Voyager uniforms’ nautical ’60s vibe. They give off a very retro spy or Barbarella aesthetic, but somehow still LOOKS COMFORTABLE. What more would you want out of a uniform?!

Ayala: Oh man, the hardest question of all saved for last! Voyager era uniforms are top choice, though I really dig the Strange New Worlds uniforms too! In my heart I’d wanna wear Science blue/green (with some fancy Lt. Commander pips) – I always wanted to be a ship’s counselor!

May: Oh that’s easy, I’d go with the Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms from season three and beyond. As much as I would like to be able to see myself in the miniskirt uniforms from the original series, they don’t seem very practical for an away mission. Comfort is key!

Antos: There’s something so sleek and clean about the Strange New Worlds uniforms that I really like. Also the boots are very comfy.

Orlando: 

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview everyone!

Star Trek: Celebrations goes on sale May 29th from IDW.