RECAP & REVIEW: STAR TREK: DEFIANT's Latest Issues Offer "A Nice Little Twist"

Image: IDW Publishing.

NOVEMBER 10, 2023 - First up, as I wasn’t a part of the Daily Star Trek News team when Star Trek: Defiant issue #8 was released and it was the start of this current arc, I will write about it here too to catch up.

The new story arc, titled “Another Piece of the Action,” is a great point to jump on if you want to.

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Issue #8

Written by Christopher Cantwell

Art by Mike Feehan

Colors by Marissa Louise

Letters by Clayton Cowles

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.

We start off with Worf in monologue like the last few Star Trek comics have, and that’s fine, as it’s a great way for exposition and bringing the reader up to speed. In the monologue, he mentions that he is in command and that he now seeks the rank officially, and that he didn’t think Captain was a rank he ever thought he could achieve.

Worf and his crew return to Starfleet headquarters to be debriefed about their recent unauthorized mission in the fight against Kahless and his Red Path. Worf has an issue with his heart and collapses in front of Spock and Commander Sela, then winds up undergoing major heart surgery. He is sorted out.

Worf, Ro, and B’Elanna Torres must stand before Admiral Edward Jellico and Admiral Alynna Nechayev and plead their case. The two admirals have other plans for Worf and his crewmates, and these are plans that do not involve a Starfleet Commission. Worf and his crew are released from Starfleet to pursue a new career as Bounty Hunters, and they are given three priority targets to go after.

Spock goes to California and Iowa respectively to show respect at the memorial statues for Pike and Kirk. A quick visit to my homeboy Quark’s bar and we end with captain’s log and Worf stating this is what his leadership has come to, hunting an individualized Borg known as Hugh.

To be continued…

Issue #9

Written by Christopher Cantwell

Art by Mike Feehan

Inked by Maria Keane

Colours by Marissa Louise

Letters by Clayton Cowles

Disavowed from Starfleet despite their heroic actions, Worf and his crew set out in their new roles as bounty hunters on their first mission since the bloody battle against the tyrant Kahless. Their first target: an individualized ex-member of the Borg Collective known as Hugh.

This issue starts off with a transcript of an interview with the bog target Hugh which is an interesting way to go. Cut to the captain’s log and Worf with a little catch-up of the situation, a little nod to “Day of Blood” speaking about Alexander.

Consulting with his new crew, they attempt to track Hugh’s movements through the quadrant and the attacks he’s been making on rogue Borg elements in the system. When they pick up a ship on sensors, tensions rise as the crew of the Defiant prepares to face their first test.

BOOM! They are hit by a photon torpedo.

It’s Hugh, Worf wants him on screen while some crew want to ready weapons and blast him. Turns out, Hugh wants Lore, Borg transport to the ship, and at the same time, Worf uses the chance to board a party over on the Borg ship. Worf and crew get captured and Hugh gets a bit needy asking if Worf is Hugh’s friend or Lore’s.

They watch Hugh fire Nomad as a probe to a Borg scout cube and show he is some kind of Messiah.

To be continued…

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Both issues are really good, great art and I was unsure where it was going halfway through issue #9 but a nice little twist, and super excited for issue #10 now.

The characters were all given enough time on page even if not used too much in the story they did make an appearance as a lot of group books have a tendency where you can forget about certain characters, but that hasn’t happened here.