Surfing On The Edge Of Tomorrow: Reviewing ‘Star Trek’ #24

With one move, the maniacal android Lore wiped out reality with a plan to replace it with his own creation. All that remains to even possibly dent his plans is the crew of the USS Theseus, as they race against the forces of the universe itself before it’s too late.

It’s the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning, as Star Trek #24 hastens the series’ path toward the upcoming The Lore War event. Another harrowing and heartfelt tale from Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Megan Levens, Lee Loughridge, and Clayton Cowles.

Hot damn is this a gorgeous amazing series.

I know, I’ve probably said that like fifty times in the reviews for the previous 23 (25 counting the two annuals) issues. Yet, I’ll keep saying it till I can’t type the words anymore, because it never stops being true.

From the opening spread of Lore basking as his ship and the Pleroma (and the Gods that were within it) are wiped out, to the spread of the Theseus beating out destruction to sail into the Guardian of Forever, there’s proverbial candy for the eye all around.

Levens has this tremendous ability to make things not only balance but do a intricate dazzling dance upon the line between whimsical and realism. Giving everything such delicate depth and hefty life, without losing out on the fun energy that should be coursing through the ‘veins’ of a story. This creates a duality that makes everything on the page pop and make me believe these ships, characters, and situations are about to burst from the page any moment.

While it’s been the case in the previous issues too, the Hivemind (Kelly and Lanzing) really gave Levens a lot to chew on this time. Very little traditional ‘action’ happens, as everything is about the characters in this moment as they use their skills, knowledge, and in some cases, godly derived powers to escape the collapse of reality itself. At its core, this issue is so Trek.

Which is something that can be said about every single issue. The way that the Hivemind can take the various incarnations of Trek and weave them together into the most comprehensive shared space imaginable is top tier quality. Just with the crew of the ship we have the original series, the next generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager elements coexisting gorgeously.

Hell, we’re about to see some Species 8472 in all their CGI-less gloriousness!

It’s the sort of cohesiveness that we’ve all dreamed of but could never have since television shows are a hard medium to do such things with. Too many hands and figures involved, and studios looking at bottom lines, budgets, and logistics. Unlike comics which are a few hands and have no concern about budget.

That’s why so many scenes here are like nothing we’ve ever seen on the screen before. No amount of CGI or clever camera work could do justice to what Levens and Loughridge brought to life on these pages.

Through and through, Loughridge has been here to bring the bold and vivid color palette to play with different artists. Finding what works with their art and running with it, while maintaining little bits that are clearly his stylistic flourishes.

Everything here is naturally beyond vibrant and loud, the realms beyond our own tend to be that way, in fiction at least. Swirls of light and darkness, allowing the ship interior to be direr and ‘normal’ compared to all that they are surviving.

Characters are running the gamut of emotions here. They are facing their potential destruction alongside everything they know, of course. Not to mention issues with lost people, hope vs defeat, and even good old fashioned issues with one’s wormhole God/entity mother. Sure, can take a lot out of folks.

With each word on the page, we can feel and hear those emotions. Coupled with Leven’s visual work that brings them to life, Cowles makes sure it all flows and resonates on a different level. Punching up words or other bits here or there with some different colors, shapes, or positions. Letting it all help tell the story and get the character’s voices running through our heads (naturally most sounding like the actors who brought them to life).

Star Trek #24 is now available from IDW Publishing.