NYCC 2022 Trek News Roundup!

Another New York Comic Con is in the books, and it was quite a busy weekend for Star Trek fans.  There’s no way to fit everything into just one post, so let’s start with a news roundup…

The Shows

The big Trek attraction at NYCC was, of course, the Star Trek Universe panel on Saturday afternoon.  As usual, I did my best to live-tweet the panel, but here are the highlights:

The event kicked off with a teaser for Discovery season 5, and we learned that three new cast members will be joining the show:  Callum Keith Rennie, Elias Toufexis, and Eve Harlow.  Rennie will portray the “gruff” Captain Rayner, while Toufexis and Harlow portray L’ak and Moll, two former couriers.  The season is scheduled for release in “early 2023.” (Read more at StarTrek.com)

The second half of the first season of Prodigy is just a few weeks away (coming October 27), and that calls for a mid-season trailer.  We’d already heard news that William O. Campbell would be back as Okona, but on Saturday, we also learned that Ronny Cox would be returning to Trek with Admiral Jellico.  Jellico will be Janeway’s superior officer and foil, as she searches for the Protostar and its crew.  (Read more on StarTrek.com)

Before the panel, I had the amazing opportunity to interview Kate Mulgrew (Vice Admiral Janeway/Hologram Janeway), Brett Gray (Dal) and Jameela Jamil (Asencia), executive producers Kevin and Dan Hageman, and director and executive producer Ben Hibon – Look for those interviews coming soon.

And finally, Picard season 3 with the all 7 of the main TNG cast in attendance and a brand new trailer:

So, what do we know so far?  (Potential spoilers ahead)  We know we’ve got at least three villains:  Amanda Plummer as Vadic, captain of the Shrike, who is seeking revenge; Moriarty! (Daniel Davis); and Lore (Brent Spiner), somehow.  We know that Geordi (LeVar Burton) has married and is the father of two daughters, one of whom will be played by Burton’s own daughter, Mica.  We know that Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) has been working with a medical aid organization (a futuristic Doctors Without Borders, if you will), and is being hunted by someone or something.  And we know the premiere is February 16.  (Read more at StarTrek.com)

But is this really the final chapter for the TNG cast?  They all seemed to be on board for, say, a movie.  And, as Jonathan Frakes pointed out, the Paramount schedule does have an open slot where a Star Trek movie was supposed to go…

The Comics

If you think there are a lot of Trek shows in production, let’s talk about how many comics are headed out way!

• First, there’s the new ongoing, monthly “flagship” book, simply titled Star Trek.  This is set in the year-and-a-half before Star Trek: Nemesis, and features Captain Sisko (recently back from the Celestial Temple) on board the USS Theseus with First Officer Data; Lilly Sato, a seventh-generation communications officer; T’alir, a non-binary Vulcan science officer; Tom Paris at the helm, Worf at tactical, Crusher in sickbay, and “a surprise” in Engineering.  According to IDW, this book is canon.  The first issue will release October 26.
• Next, another new ongoing, monthly book – Star Trek: Defiant, set before the Hobus Supernova in 2387 but after Nemesis.  Worf assembles his own crew, including Spock, B’Elanna Torres, Ro Laren, and Lore for an unsanctioned mission.  The first issue will release in March 2023.
• Coming in November, Star Trek: Resurgence is a precursor to the upcoming game of the same name, and will follow Dr. Leah Brahms as she works to develop a new form of propulsion.
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Illyrian Enigma will release in December, set between the first and second season of the show, and give some “fascinating” insight to the origin of the Illyrians.
• Star Trek Picard: Stargazer, written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson is set between seasons two and three of Picard, and heavily features Seven of Nine.  The first two issues are available now.
• Also available now is the first issue of Star Trek: Lower Decks, another “between seasons” book.
• And finally – a new TNG Mirror Universe omnibus is on the way.

At the IDW booth, Chris Fenoglio – interiors artists for the Lower Decks book – spent most of the weekend painting the incredible mural below.  I had the pleasure to speak to Chris and several of the other artists working on these books, so keep an eye out for those interviews, as well!

The Books

Friday night, Chase Masterson and author Ryan Britt hosted a book party for his new release, Phasers on Stun!  How the Making (and Remaking) of Star Trek Changed the World.  The Acknowledgements even include a shoutout to Women at Warp in general, and the amazing Kennedy Allen in particular.  Expect a review on the blog in the next few weeks.

The first Strange New Worlds tie-in novel, “The High Country” by John Jackson Miller, is scheduled for publication on February 21, 2023.

And, coming in December 2023 from Nacelle Studios, is Star Trek III …Remember: The Uncensored and Unauthorized 40th Anniversary Oral History of Star Trek III by Ed Gross.  I chatted with Nacelle CEO Brian Volk-Weiss about this and other projects during the con and you guessed it – that interview is coming to the blog later this week as well.

The Merch

First, I was invited by CEO and Designer Allison Cimino to stop by the RockLove Jewelry booth for a sneak peak of a new Star Trek line. I’m not allowed to say much and she wouldn’t just let me buy the pieces.  Besides, I’m with Starfleet and we don’t lie steal.  So unfortunately, I can’t show them to you.  But I can say that this line will be released before the winter holidays this year, and we’ll be talking to Allison on the podcast a little closer to the launch.

Of course, the talk of Twitter was the Murf plushie giveaway!  While all of the plushies were distributed within about an hour on Saturday morning, the Paramount and Nickelodeon folks working the pop-up were heavily suggesting that fans might want to keep an eye on the Star Trek socials over the next couple weeks for more giveaways.  It’s possible that we have one to give away as well… check out the next podcast episode (202) for details.

The Playmobil booth was displaying the new prototype for the Klingon Bird-of-Prey playset, and it’s absolutely beautiful.  But, if you’re like me and don’t have the kind of space (or disposable income), you could also pick up the Spock keychain of the set of 4 character figures, which includes Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Uhura.

Hallmark‘s Trek ornaments this year include the SNW Enterprise and Mirror McCoy, though this will be the last year for Trek “Storytellers” ornaments.  The gifts include a transporter glitter snow globe, a Borg alcove phone stand (which is unfortunately not also a charger), and Guinan and Q itty bitties (coming in November).  Plus, there was a sneak peek for one of 2023’s ornaments: Data, holding Spot, and reciting part of his iconic poem.  (Shut up and take my quatloos!)

Super7 had Fridaa “convention exclusive” Re-Action figure of Picard in a transporter beam, which does appear to be available on their website now as well.

Zen Monkey Studios has released a line of character Delta enamel pins, and a special set of 4 emblem pins featuring the Fave Four on Lower Decks to celebrate the company’s 10th Anniversary.

Hero Within features custom Star Trek jackets.  You choose your “shell” and add-ons, and can walk away with you new jacket or hoodie in just a few minutes.  This year, they also had embroidered character t-shirts, including Janeway and Guinan.

Volante was also back at NYCC, this year featuring the prototype for the Strange New Worlds away team jacket, as seen in “Ghosts of Illyria.”  Preorders are open now.

So, how about a merch slideshow?

Trek-Adjacent

Friday morning, NacelleCast Studios also announced that Gates McFadden’s podcast, InvestiGates: Who Do You Think You Are?, will be back for a second season, with guests from new and legacy shows, including Tawny Newsome, Anson Mount, and Kate Mulgrew.

And finally, season four of Mike McMahan’s Solar Opposites will be airing on Hulu “sometime next year,” and was just renewed for season five.  I happened to be in the pressroom for this show as well, and found a way to make it about Star Trek, as I am wont to do.  Stay tuned.

And that’s just about all the news that’s fit to Trek from NYCC 2022.  Interviews with the cast and creatives of Prodigy, IDW comic book artists, Mike McMahan, and Brian Volk-Weiss will be hitting the blog later this week, so be sure to check back in!