Burden of Knowledge preview

Comics Contimuum have released an interview with the Scott Tipton discussing his and his brother's new TOS series Burden of Knowledge. The article describes the first issue thusly: "Captain James T. Kirk, Spock and Doctor McCoy travel to Mygdalus, where a highly-advanced civilization have forged an apparent utopia of perfected nature, miraculous medical technology and benign rule. The Mydalians' petitions for Federation membership, however, have stalled due to some jealously guarded secrets, hidden truths that could sabotage the Enterprise crew's mission."

Tipton summarised the series: "Our intention with this series was to return to the classic feel of the original 1960s series, to tell a series of exciting, thought-provoking adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew that also happen to tackle some current issues of the day, but in a fun and subtle way. Essentially, in our minds, this was a new season of 'Classic Trek,' just maybe with a slightly bigger special-effects budget." He also noted how the four issue series features four separate stories building an overall story arc. Here's a new preview page included with the article (za-chow, za-chow, ka-boom!):
The interview also discusses how the Tiptons approach the different versions of Trek they've worked on.

NX refit preview

Doug Drexler has posted another preview from next year's Ships of the Line calendar, once again teasing us with the NX class refit:He also posted some preliminary sketches for the design, and a few new sketches for the Enterprise-J as well! (A blog always worth following!)

Captain Garrett got lost again!

Robert Greenberger has announced his Captain Garrett/Enterprise-C entry to the Captain's Log series has been cancelled due to "a number of business factors". Greenberger also teased that had the issue worked out it would have featured the Nausicaans.

Shame. Wonder if the rest of the series is affected, would hope not given the art for the other remaining issues is apparently done!

Sulu, pour homme

The offical Star Trek facebook page has announced a new addition to the Genki Star Trek perfume range, with a limited edition Sulu scent. Just 300 to be available at the San Diego Comic Con.Full product description, on facebook.

Illegal imports

Another internet browsing discovery, it seems a company called Boston America launched a promo drink with last years film, Romulan Ale! (As an energy drink) Cool:

DST TOS wave 5 packaging shots

The Art Asylum blog has been updated with new photos of the packaging for the forthcoming wave 5 of TOS figures from DST. Which is comprised of:

Captain Kirk (what wave doesn't have a Kirk afterall) in his green wrap uniformScotty
And a generic Romulan

More pictures, here.

Hot Wheels Narada

While hunting around the internets I found this picture (from last year's San Diego Comic Con) of a prototype Narada model, apparently due out in a new wave of Hot Wheels ship models some time this year.

STO Season 2

The Star Trek Online website has been updated to indicate a title for their forthcoming Season 2 expansion, now know as "Season Two: Ancient Enemies". They released this image to accompany the news:

Burden of Knowledge #1 preview

TrekMovie have posted a five-page-preview for this week’s premier issue of the Burden of the Knowledge series. Including this awesome cover:The full preview, complete with individual issue title (a rare treat from IDW) "Uncertain Prescriptions", can be found, here.

The Competitive Edge blurb

TrekBBS user JD pointed out the Simon and Schuster website has been updated with a new blurb for The Competitive Edge, the second of the new Starfleet Academy series:

A new Starfleet Academy series for teens--filled with romance and adventure! In The Competitive Edge, Kirk finds out how much of a toll the intense training classes and grueling schedule of academy life is taking on all the cadets, including himself. But some recruits seem better equipped to handle the challenges. Is there something that is giving them an edge? Kirk is determined to find out, especially since one of the cadets with a little something extra is his new girlfriend.

Giant bearbricks

TrekMovie have pointed out some new listing at Entertainment Earth for some new variants on one of the oddest Trek products, bearbricks products, now with 400% and 1000% giant versions of Spock. And a mere $500 for the really big one...

Prose publishing schedule updates

According to TrekBBS user JD the latest Star Trek Magazine has a nice chunky report on Trek books; giving us several new titles, a schedule, descriptions, author comments and a cover for Seize the Fire. I won’t be able to get info first hand yet due to that lovely delay in the UK release of the magazine, but here’s the schedule as reported (all mass market paperbacks apparently) from March 2011:

-March: The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor’s Wing (Enterprise, reprint), by Micheal A. Martin
-April: Indistinguishable From Magic (TNG/crossover), by David McIntee
-May: DTI: Watching the Clock (crossover?), by Christopher L. Bennett
-June: Children Of The Storm (Voyager), by Kirsten Beyer
-July: Vanguard: Declassified (Vanguard anthology), by Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore, David Mack, & Marco Palmieri
-August: A Choice Of Catastrophes (TOS), by Steve Mollmann & Michael Schuster
-September. Blind Man’s Bluff (NF, reprint), by Peter David
-October: Cast No Shadow (TOSish), by James Swallow
-November: The Romulan War: In Shariel's Jaws (Enterprise), by Michael A. Martin
-December: 6th Vanguard novel, by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
-January: Mirror Universe: Rise Like Lions, by David Mack

Sounds like an amazing year! James Swallow made a brief note about his new novel on his blog: it is set around The Undiscovered Country and features Valeris and Elias Vaughn (very exciting combination of author, era and characters!).

UPDATE: TrekMovie's report on this schedule has copied over a few more details:
-DTI is set primarily between Destiny and Typhon Pact.
-A Choice of Catastrophes is described as "An original Star Trek era novel focusing on Dr. McCoy who finds "the past catching up with him", while Kirk and Spock explore a planet "not as abandoned as it seemed."
-Cast No Shodows is expanded upon as "dealing with terrorists trying to destroy the Khitomer accords, where a Starfleet Intelligence operative must join forces with the disgraced Valeris."
-In Shariel's Jaws will continue The Romulan War multiple point-of-view approach, and also "delves into ancient Vulcan mythology". TrekMovie also contradict JD's report and list this as a trade paperback (which would be consistent with the previous book).
-Rise Like Lions "deals with the final stages Emperor Spock’s bold plan for the Empire".

IDW September

Comics Continuum have posted IDW's solicitations for September, which include two Star Trek titles:

Captain's Log: Pike
Written by Stuart Moore, art and cover by J. K. Woodward.

After the events of Talos (Which were detailed in the classic television two-parter, The Menagerie), Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the Enterprise have been called back to Earth for a debriefing. Upon entering our solar system they are attacked by a suspicious spacecraft--could this episode somehow be linked to Talos... and what eventually awaits Captain Pike?

Burden of Knowledge #4
Written by Scott & David Tipton, art by Federica Manfredi, cover by Joe Corroney.

After answering a call for help from a most unexpected source, Captain Kirk and the Enterprise return to the site of a previous mission, where they make a shocking discovery, one that may force James T. Kirk to make a decision like no other! It all comes together here!

German Mere Mortals cover

Cross Cult has released their new cover for Star Trek: Destiny, book two: Mere Mortals. Looks like this:

UPDATE: Higher res version on the German Trek books facebook page.

They also recently published Gods of Night with a new variant of the cover, combining elements form both previously released versions:

Thanks to my regular tipster Jens Deffner, of UnrealitySF.

Cryptic have updated the Star Trek Online Cryptic Store with a host of new items, mostly initially offered as introductory bonuses with the purchase of the game. These include all sorts of uniform variants, Targs, Tribbles, playable Caitains:The Luna class variant, Comet class:And the rather snazzy Emissary class variant, the Nomad class:Check out the entire range of new items, here.

New 1:6 scale TNG figures

Toy News International have announced a new line 1:6 scale TNG figures "imported from Dragon". The first wave, available from October, will consist of Picard, Worf, and Data (with Spot!), and will include accessories and cloth uniforms. For a mere $99.99 each.

New Trek games license

Gameforge, a German company, have recently announced they have taken out a new video games license from CBS to produce browser based Star Trek games around the classic Trek series and films (ie everything but the new film). They plan to start with two games in 2011, one in the TOS era and one TNG/DS9 era. According to a TrekMovie article, the two games will have different styles; with one taking on a more RPG-like take on exploration and combat, while the other will be a more light-hearted and social experience.

Gameforge's business model means the games will be entirely free to play, with optional extras available to purchase to allow customisation.Press release at TrekWeb and TrekToday, and interview on TrekMovie.

Mondo prints

A print company called Mondo have launched a new licensing deal to produce Star Trek posters with a (super cool) Space Seed poster. This first Star Trek product from Mondo has already sold out, but was available as a standard screen printed poster with metallic inks, and as a more limited wood effect version.

Mondo's blog gives some incite into how the artist, Martin Ansin, designed the poster. Have a read.

Star Trek HeroClix

WizKids/NECA and CBS Consumer Products have announced a new licensing agreement to produce Star Trek HeroClix miniature games, to be sold both physically and digitally.

The license covers all Star Trek series and films, and the first game is scheduled for release around Christmas this year.

Original release, here.

Path to 2409 complete!

The Star Trek Online website has finally been updated to complete The Path to 2409! A version of the entire timeline has been available for a while now, in the back of The Needs of the Many, but his is the first time it has appear in whole in it's original format.

In other STO news, the latest update is now online, with features including an accolades system, squad support, and improvements and additions to the C-Store, including the new Luna class variant, the Comet class.

Movie Adaptation #5 preview

David Messina has posted a preview page from the fifth issue of the movie adaptation:On his original post you can also see the artwork before colouring.

Finish The Final Frontier!

TrekWeb have launched a campaign to push CBS/Paramount to start work on a special edition of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, to redo the effects and restore scenes removed due to failures in effects.

As this is something I've wanted to see for a while I wholly support the campaign and encourage you dear readers to make your voices heard. TrekWeb's report details the changes they think need to be made. But in short, write to and phone CBS, make your voice heard; that we need The Final Frontier to get the treatment it deserves. I watched the film not long ago and found it far better than I expected; of all it's flaws the effects are certainly the biggest issue, and that's something that can be fixed!

Contact info (Trekweb have a sample letter):
Paramount Pictures
5555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90038

And while you're at it ask them to get on and release the Director's Edition of The Motion Picture on bluray. The theatrical cut just wont do!

UPDATE: There's now a facebook group for it too.

(Image of the rock monster (something cut from The Final Frontier) from DC Comics’ adaptation of the movie.)

Burden of Knowledge #4 cover

Chris Ryall has posted Joe Corroney's cover for Burden of Knowledge #4. It looks like this:

Vanguard, declassified in June (2011)

Little update: According to Dayton Ward, the novella anthology and next entry in the Vanguard series, Declassified, has now been scheduled for release in June of 2011.

Captain's Log Jellico cover

J.K. Woodward has posted his cover art for Captain's Log: Jellico. It's looks like this:
In an earlier blog post Woodward also posted a production log of sorts, on how he made the cover, including alternate designs and pre-coloured versions. Check it out.

Extended soundtrack from the new movie!

Varese Sarabande have announced they will be releasing a limited (to 5000) extended version of the new movie soundtrack. This new version "presents over an hour of additional, unreleased music and sequences it into a chronological presentation of nearly 100 minutes of music from the film".
I know they're down to at least 4999, so go get a copy before they sell out!

Set Phasers to Stunning

TrekMovie has unveiled that latest Star Trek perfume from Genki. This one is Shirtless Kirk, and looks like this:Full details, at TrekMovie.

Star Trek Magazine goes digital.

Star Trek Magazine has launched a digital version of the magazine on the Zinio service for pc, mac and ipad. The digital magazine comes at a discount from the usual print price and can be bought via subscription.

The recent movie edition of the magazine (which is a rather good issue IMO) is the first issue to go digital. And can be sampled on Zinio, here.