The Star Trek Universe's Next Major Crossover Event To Begin in Landmark 500th Issue Special

Summary Star Trek #500 will feature seven new stories, celebrate landmark moments, and hint towards a major crossover event in 2025.

IDW's Star Trek comics have been a hit with fans and critics, crafting some of the best stories in the franchise's history.

The upcoming Star Trek #500 will offer something for every fan, showcasing diverse storytelling from light-hearted tales to universe-shaking events.

The Star Trek universe will soon experience another galaxy-spanning crossover event, and the seeds will be planted in the landmark Star Trek #500. In late 2022, IDW released Star Trek #400. Among other things, the book seeded the “god war” that nearly destroyed the universe in Day of Blood. The books’ creative teams have hinted that something big is coming, and it hits in Star Trek #500.

IDW shared a first look at Star Trek #500 with the Nerdist. The over-sized special will feature seven all-new stories, from a variety of creators, including not only the current creative teams, but others such as Mags Visaggio and even Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt. IDW’s solicitation reads as follows:

Celebrate IDW’s 500th issue of Star Trek comics (and an early Star Trek Day!) with this landmark oversized anthology issue! This collection of seven short stories spans through fan-favorite eras of the beloved franchise from Lower Decks to Strange New Worlds legacy characters from The Next Generation and the original series, written and illustrated by Star Trek comics veterans and new voices alike. Plus, don’t miss out on the prelude to 2025’s big Star Trek and Defiant comic crossover event written by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Christopher Cantwell!

Most notable among Star Trek #500’s stories will be by the current writing team of Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Christopher Cantwell.

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While details are being kept mum, Cantwell had this to say:

Just like our prelude story in the Star Trek Free Comic Book Day issue last year, #500 promises one hell of a tease of things to come next summer in 2025. Both books are building to a crossover event that will truly redefine the Star Trek universe from within its very DNA. There are a boatload of reasons why you’ll want to pick up #500, but the little ticking time bomb Jackson, Collin, and I have planted in its pages will get you anxious for what’s to come.

The book will ship with a variety of variant covers, shared here.

IDW Has Crafted Some of the Best Star Trek Comics Ever

Fans and Critics Have Responded Well to IDW's Star Trek Comics

IDW has held the Star Trek comics license since 2006, and has released some of the greatest Trek comics ever. The aforementioned Star Trek #400 was a celebration of this–and it also looked forward to the future. The book featured the opening shot in the franchise’s god war, when a mysterious force killed Gary Mitchell. Ben Sisko was sent by the Prophets to stop the genocide. To help him in his mission, Starfleet gave Sisko a new ship and a crew culled from various Star Trek shows. Fans and critics loved the series, and it even snagged an Eisner nomination.

Now, Star Trek #500 looks to keep this momentum going by setting up the next big event. For some time, writers Lanzing, Kelly and Cantwell have hinted that Day of Blood and its epic build up was just the first phase in something much bigger, and it begins with Star Trek #500. There are several threads weaving through the books, such as the Pleroma and Lore’s attempted ascension to godhood which could all feed into Star Trek’s next major event. Lanzing, Kelly and Cantwell have permanently raised the bar for the franchise, and Star Trek #500 will continue this trend.

Star Trek #500 Will Have Something For Every Fan

It Will Showcase the Diverse Range of Stories Star Trek Is Capable Of

Yet Star Trek #500 will be more than just a stepping stone for the line’s 2025 event. The one-shot will also feature other stories from across the Star Trek universe. Star Trek #500 will also allow super-fans, such as Patton Oswalt, to take a crack at the franchise. Much like its predecessor, Star Trek #500 will showcase the diverse range of stories the franchise is capable of telling. Oswalt’s story will be light-hearted, and this will appear alongside a major, universe-shaking event. Star Trek #500 sets up not only a major crossover, but celebrates the franchise as a whole.

Source: Nerdist

Star Trek #500 is on sale September 4 from IDW Publishing!