Captain Kirk Returns from the Dead & It’s Not a Flashback In a New Series called ‘The Last Starship’

Captain Kirk is coming back, and this time, it’s not in a flashback or some forgotten mission. He’s literally returning from the dead in a brand-new Star Trek comic series called The Last Starship, and it’s being treated like a major moment in the franchise’s comic book universe.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, IDW Publishing is launching the new title this September, with writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, who previously worked on the Eisner-nominated Star Trek comic, leading the charge.

Artist Adrián Bonilla will bring the story to life with a darker, more intense style that matches the story’s tone.

What makes this comic different is that it doesn’t take place in the past like many other Kirk stories. This is a modern-era tale, set after Captain Kirk’s death in Star Trek: Generations back in 1994. Somehow, he’s back — and just in time to witness the collapse of the very institution he once stood for.

The comic is set during The Burn, a catastrophic event that wiped out warp travel across the galaxy and led to chaos in the United Federation of Planets. Trillions died, and Starfleet has never looked weaker. Now, Kirk has to help rebuild hope in a universe that’s tearing itself apart.

Lanzing described the book as something bold and fresh. “Forget everything you know about Star Trek. The Last Starship is a new crew, a new era, and a completely different tone,” he said in a statement. “Our aim is to be literary, intense, innovative, and most of all, accessible.”

He emphasized that this comic doesn’t require readers to know all of Star Trek’s backstory. “We’re bringing you into the Federation’s darkest hour through the brilliant, noir-soaked lens of artist Adrián Bonilla with zero homework required,” Lanzing explained. “Longtime Trek fans will have a deep and fascinating reading experience, to be sure — but above all, The Last Starship is a dark and complex sci-fi you can hand to anyone.”

Kelly added that writing Kirk again is a major deal for them, and that this version of him will be pushed into brand-new territory. “William Shatner’s iconic performance transcends borders and Kirk is one of the great characters of the modern fiction canon,” he said. “He was also the first Star Trek character we ever wrote. Now, we’re honored to be taking this character into truly uncharted, groundbreaking territory in The Last Starship… as the Federation’s greatest pioneer must face down the inferno that threatens to consume his entire legacy.”

While Kirk is the only familiar face, the rest of the cast will be made up of all-new characters. The comic will focus on this new crew trying to survive in a post-Burn galaxy, with Kirk leading the charge once more.

The Last Starship hits stores on September 24, 2025. It will be the main title in IDW’s expanding Trek lineup, following other releases like Star Trek: Red Shirts and Strange New Worlds – The Seeds of Salvation. The comic will also feature a main cover by Francesco Francavilla and variant covers by artists like Skyler Patridge and Michael Cho.

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