Assimilation, reisitance is futile

A little catch-up on the latest from the TNG/Doctor Who crossover Assimilation²: The eighth, and final, issue of the series has been announced in IDW's December solicitations. Here's how they describe it:

The epic crossover between the two greatest science-fiction properties of all time ends here! Our heroes launch a desperate mission behind enemy lines in hopes of ending the CyberBorg threat, but there's a traitor in their midst...

Scott and David Tipton continue writing duties, with J.K. Woodward still joined by Gordon Purcell on the artwork. StarTrek.com report their will be at least two covers, by Woodward, and Andrea Di Vito:

 

Meanwhile back at the start of the series the first omnibus book, containing the first four issues, is expected this week. Here's the new cover:

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp, Things From Another World, Forbidden Planet.

And also out this week is the fifth issue of the series, a seven page preview, with a Best of Both Worlds flashback, continues after the jump:

Star Trek ongoing, ongoing

The latest from IDW's Star Trek ongoing comic series: Issue 16 has been announced in IDW's December solicitations, the second part of the mirror universe story, they describe it thusly:

Concluding the two-part re-imagining of the classic "Mirror Universe" episode! Don't miss this radical transformation of Kirk and Co., as events unfold leading up to next summer's STAR TREK sequel! Overseen by STAR TREK writer/producer Roberto Orci!

The regular creative team of Mike Johnson writing with Stephen Molnar on art return, while Tim Bradstreet continues his series of delta covers with this:

StarTrek.com report the usual sketch and photo covers will also be available. You can also see Bradstreet's cover with out all the titles on his facebook page, here, as well as his cover for issue 14, here.

Meanwhile if you haven't picked up last week's issue 13 yet, here's a seven page preview to tempt you. It was the first one-shot in the series, focusing on "cupcake" (continues after the jump):

The Body Electric cover

Simon and Schuster have now released all three covers of David Mack's new TNG trilogy Cold Equations, with Worf finishing off the set on the cover of The Body Electric:

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

David Mack has posted all three covers as a triptych, which looks like this:

The Persistence of Memory cover

StarTrek.com has revealed the cover for The Persistence of Memory, the first book in David Mack's TNG trilogy, Cold Equations. This time we've got Doctor Soong and Geordi to keep us company, joining Picard from the book two cover; who will finish out the cover crew on book three, I wonder. My guess is Worf is Wesley (while my dream is T'Ryssa and Jasminder).

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Silent Weapons cover

Simon and Schuster's listing for Silent Weapons, the second book in David Mack's new TNG trilogy, Cold Equations. The cover for the first hasn't been released yet, but I'm sure it will be along soon. In the mean time, here's Captain Picard, with lots of equations:

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Klingon Bird of Prey Haynes Manual cover

The Simon and Schuster online catalogue has been updated with new cover are for the second Star Trek Haynes Manual, the forthcoming Klingon Bird of Prey edition. The new version is red, rather than green as seen in the earlier solicitations, and if you look closely you can see a small cutaway area into the bridge and torpedo chamber in the command bulb. The new cover also specifies the IKS Rotarran as the subject of the book:

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp, Things From Another World.

New Trek titles

TrekMovie has reported that Paramount have apparently pinned down a name for the next Star Trek movie, and they believe that name to be Star Trek Into Darkness, specifically with no colon. TrekMovie anticipate an official announcement of this soon, to be accompanied with some sort of visual (logo/poster/trailer/etc).

Meanwhile in the 23rd century prime, William Leisner's new TOS novel (the fifth TOS novel so far announced for 2013!) has got itself a title, A Conflict of Strangers. Leisner notes (on the TrekBBS) this is a placeholder title, and the novel will be set in the five year mission period. Amazon currently have it listed for June release.

First look at Star Trek Select Kirk and Khan

Diamond Select Toys have released a video as the first look at their prototype Kirk vs Khan figures, the second release in the new Star Trek Select range. Have a looksie:



The first figure in the range, Spock and the Horta, is now widely available for pre-order: Things From Another World, Entertainment Earth, Forbidden Planet.

Previous coverage of Star Trek Select: First look, Spock solicitation.

TNG Season 2, coming this December

Amazon has added listings for the bluray release of TNG season two, which gives a release date in early December. Exactly when depends on your Amazon, in the US it's down for the 4th, while the UK thinks the 10th, and France expects the 12th.

Trekcore recently reported than in addition to the expected audio commentary for the extended episode The Measure of a Man, they believe the first Borg episode, Q Who?, may also be getting a commentary. As commentaries were about the only thing I felt the season one set let us down on (featuring exactly none) I'm happy to hear such news.

The Amazon listing also includes a higher resolution version of the cover art, which if you look closely you might note has the TNG Starfleet emblem added to the spine, so it will match the re-issued version of season one, which uses the appearance of said emblem to mark it as a corrected version.

UPDATE: TVShows onDVD has posted a press release which confirms the 4th December release date and all the extra features: There are indeed to be two audio commentaries, by Dan Curry, Don Berman and Mike Okud, and by Melinda Snodgrass and Robert Scheerer. There are to be two versions of the extended cut of The Measure of a Man, one in HD and one described as "hybrid" (maybe they could only find SD versions of some scenes?). There will also be the old DVD features, the continuation of the behind the scenes documentary series, the cast reunion feature, and another gag reel. On top of all that another screening event is planned to mark the release, no details on which episodes yet, but it kind of has to be The Measure of a Man, doesn't it? Read the full release, here.

Bye Bye Robot's latest TNG treats

MORE Trek art you want? Well ok then, I saved the best until last I think: Bye Bye Robot have added four new TNG prints to their range, including beautiful Romulan Warbirds and the Enterprise-D from Jeff Foster, and vibrant Borg Cubes and another D from Drew Johnson:

Steve Thomas's Red Shirt Recruitment poster is now on their site too, here's a clearer look than my previous report:

Iron Gut's TOS trio

Want more Star Trek art? Ok then! Iron Gut have now released a trio of TOS portraits by Dave Merrell. There are just 95 copies of each:

 

 

Iron Gut are also currently offering prints of all Mark Rademaker's Ships of the Line images, and several Joe Corroney comic cover art pieces. Check them all out, here.

September's TOS retro posters

StarTrek.com has previewed the second set of retro TOS posters, which should be appearing this month. Featured this time are the episodes Balance of Terror, Charlie X, Wink of an Eye, and And the Children Shall Lead. Here they are, along with comments from the artist, Ortiz:

I made several of these poster centerfolds that I used to see in fanzines. Visually, I wasn't going for any specific style. I already knew what I wanted, so I just went through a few sketches with the layout until I was happy with it. I sort of think the final product has an animated feel to it.

The font is called Long Underwear. It's similar to what you might find in some 50's sci-fi films.

I always try to bring some relationship between the font and the visuals. Otherwise you end up with too many elements competing with each other. The twist key helps depict the Enterprise as a toy for Charlie to play with and eventually discard, in this case in the sand.

I was going for a surreal look. At one point I had a floating eyeball and some bare trees in the background, but I felt that there was too much going on. Plus the focus was really on the child aspect of it, not so much the surrealism.

I think that subconsciously I was inspired by the Man from U.N.C.L.E. logo. I can't think about the original Star Trek and 60's TV without some of those other shows filtering in.

The figure is of a statue used in a scene just before the opening credits. I thought it looked really cool and decided to use it. The circles indicate the sound waves generated by the Scalosians.

It's supposed to be a crude child's crude drawing of the Enterprise with the primary and secondary hull in the shape of a skull with the warp engines as bones. It's meant to signify the evil that has taken control of the Enterprise.

The sixties were not all swinging and groovy. There were also ugly images of the Vietnam War on television. Star Trek was one of the first series to confront the war and I think “ATCSL” is a perfect example of that. The colors green and orange represent autumn, the time associated with maturity, death and rebirth.

This Month: September 2012

This month is another busy one for Star Trek stuff, including five releases from IDW! Three of those are all new, including the unlucky thirteenth issue of the ongoing series, which is also the first one-shot from the series, The Redshirt's Tale. Also among those three is the first issue of the new Borg-centric Hive miniseries, which is only the seventh IDW Trek comic featuring the Enterprise-E! That same ship is also appearing in model form, with DST's latest re-issue being a newly repainted version of their Enterprise-E. Plus there's the English language release of Star Trek Catan, and The Eternal Tide, the latest in Kirsten Beyer's magnificent Voyager series.

Continue reading after the jump for links to all my previous coverage of the September releases: