Wednesday, 28 February 2018

Spock autobiography cover, new TNG cat previews, and other non-fiction updates

A few bits of Star Trek non-fiction books news today, including new previews from the TNG Cats book, and news of new titles in the works. But first, a new cover.

Due out in October is David Goodman's third in-universe Star Trek biography (following Kirk and Picard), The Autobiography of Mr Spock. IGN have revealed the cover, which follows the now familiar format of the series - I'm quite surprised they went for the Starfleet emblem over the IDIC.


Friday, 23 February 2018

Latest Star Trek Magazine previews

After a period of increasingly irregular publication, Titan Magazine's Star Trek Magazine has returned to monthly releases, now having plenty to talk about thanks to the launch of Star Trek: Discovery. Continue below to check out recent issues, starting with this month's new book.

Issue #193 in the UK, or #66 in the US has just been published, and prominently features Saru on the cover.


Here's the blurb for the book:
In this issue, we talk with Walter Koenig where he reflects on his early life, Russian heritage, and Chekov. In the interview with Doug Jones, even in a crew where self-doubt and traumatic life stories are commonplace, Star Trek: Discovery’s Saru stands out – and not merely by dint of his extreme height and striking appearance.

We look at ‘The Klingon Empire’ - Our chronicle of the Klingons reaches The Next Generation. In ‘Treknology’ we experience the real life examples of Discovery’s Klingon cloaking tech and how Janeway’s ship changed the Delta Quadrant in the ‘Voyager’s Wake’

Thursday, 22 February 2018

First look at XL Enterprise-A, Kelvin Klingons, and much more from the Eaglemoss Starships Collection

Got lots of Eaglemoss Starships Collection updates today, including first looks at several new ships, new images and video of a few more, and other news from the series. Continue below to check it all out.

First up, Eaglemoss have just released their latest round of solicitations, which include the XL edition of the USS Enterprise-A, the sixth in the XL series, giving us our first look at a rather satisfying model. I'm looking forward to having the big version of this elegant classic:


Perth Mint reveal first Star Trek Discovery coins

Perth Mint have made a return to their two-coin character and ship format to add the first Star Trek: Discovery coins to their ongoing series of Star Trek releases. Available now are the USS Discovery, and Michael Burnham, both minted in one ounce of silver, with a face value of one Tuvalu dollar (and accordingly, Queen Elizabeth's head on the other side of each coin). Continue below for more details.



Moebius Models USS Franklin model kit box art and images

Moebius Models have been at work on a new range of Star Trek model kits of ships from the Kelvin timeline movies, and the first of those, the USS Franklin, just got a bit closer. Starship Modeller and Big Bad Toy Store have released several images of the Franklin kit, which BBTS expect to arrive in the second quarter of this year.


The new box art was made by none other than Star Trek production artist John Eaves, and looks great! The 1:350 scale kit will be 15 inches long and almost 9 inches wide. There are several images also freshly released, although I can't tell if these are of an actual built kit, or just illustrations:


Wednesday, 21 February 2018

McFarlane Toys Star Trek Toy Fair previews

At the recent New York Toy Fair McFarlane Toys had a few of their forthcoming Star Trek releases on display, including the first look at their Star Trek: Discovery phaser, and updates on their first Star Trek action figures. Continue below to check them out:

The Discovery phaser will be their first role-play item, and they expect to release it towards the end of the summer or early autumn. It can separate into three parts, including the small hand-phaser on top, and the battery pack inside the grip; the mock-up of the packaging they had on display even suggest they will package it in exploded form. They also had a painted version on display, and to hand a prototype to demonstrate all the light and sound features. Images below come via Awesome Toy Blog, Figures.com, and TrekCore, and you can see more on all of those, but you should definitely check TrekCore's coverage especially for a really good look at the prototype.


Latest Fansets pins celebrate the past and present of Trek

Fansets have released and previewed several new collectable pin designs, which befitting their broad range reflect on both Trek of today and yesteryear. Continue below to check them out.

Perhaps their most nostalgic release to date, available now, takes us right back to the dawn of Trek, with the new To Boldly Go pin literally framing the TOS opening monologue in the screen of an old TV set.


IDW's May Star Trek comics (lots of them!)

IDW have released their solicitations for May, and it's a huge month for Star Trek. In addition to the latest Discovery comic and an omnibus, the month will see the release of an entire miniseries, with a second visit to the TNG version of the mirror universe, following on from Mirror Broken, to be released weekly. Continue below for all the details.

Through The Mirror #1
Written by Scott and David Tipton, with art by Chris Johnson, and J.K. Woodward
Because you demanded it! Following up the smash-hit miniseries MIRROR BROKEN, the Mirror Universe Next Generation crew is looking for new worlds to conquer, and they’re crossing over to the Prime Star Trek Universe to find them!

Also in each issue: Just how did the Mirror Universe crew find their way to ours, and what does Emperor Spock have to do with it? Backup stories every issue illustrated by MIRROR BROKEN co-creator J.K. Woodward!
The main story in this series will be illustrated by a different artist each issue, who will also be proving the B cover for their respective issues. Meanwhile, as the blurb describes, J.K. Woodward provides a secondary story, as well as the A covers for each issue, which connect to form one massive image (see the whole thing below). Additionally there will be variant character portrait covers by Peter McKinstry, and photos covers too.

So far IDW have released the A cover and photo cover for each issue, plus the McKinstry covers for the first two issues.


Tuesday, 20 February 2018

3D printed Star Trek Online ships on the way

Star Trek Online has announced a new partnership with Mixed Dimensions to offer the ability to 3D print ships from the game. Almost all of the over 500 ships available in the game will be available to order, exactly as you have customised them in-game (only about 15 ships won't be available due to them being physically impossible in the real world).

The ships will be available in three different options, but they are all 12-ish inch long resin models. You can either get a fully hand-painted version, or a solid colour print (so you could make your own collection of golden ship models for your conference room), or a primed plain grey version, ready to be painted at your leisure.

Continue below to check out images of one of those ships, in both painted and unpainted forms.


Monday, 19 February 2018

QMx reveal new insignia badges, action figures, and more

QMx have released a host of new Star Trek stuff at the recent New York Toy Fair, including several new insignia badge, lots of new action figures, and their latests figurines and starship models for Loot Crate. Continue below to check them all out.

They announced three new additions to their long running series of magnetic-backed insignia badges, all drawing from Discovery. First up we have the very mysterious black Starfleet delta badge, seen oh so briefly when we first encountered the USS Discovery and then never mentioned again. Hopefully this release is indicative of that particular detail not being entirely forgotten as we head towards season two; or maybe QMx just think there's enough interest in the mystery.


Gentle Giant reveal new Fleet Flyers range of mini Discovery starships

Gentle Giant, producers of typically higher-end collectables, have launched a new mass market division, Gentle Giant Toys. They have announced plans for several new lines as part of this, including a series of tiny Star Trek: Discovery starship models, called Fleet Flyers. Here's how they describe them:
Boldly GO!… AND take your favorite ships from Starfleet with you!  From the runaway hit TV series Star Trek: Discovery comes Gentle Giant’s Fleet Flyers!   Relive your favorite space battles or explore the outer reaches of the quadrant with these replica spacecraft that have appeared in the new season of Star Trek: Discovery.  Each vessel is sculpted using actual digital models from the show, capturing every detail of each unique ship from both the Federation, the Klingon Empire and the yet unknown!  Each ship comes packed with an articulated arm stand and suction cup so they can be attached to any smooth, flat surface for display!

In their press release image Gentle Giant highlighted three ships, the obvious USS Discovery and USS Shenzhou, plus the USS Europa. But they also had a display at the recent New York Toy Fair, and had five ships to show there. Those included the first ever model of the Vulcan shuttle, plus the  Malachowski class USS Clarke - Gentle Giant could well beat Eaglemoss to market with those two, with no mention yet of the Vulcan shuttle due in the Discovery starships collection, and the Clarke noted as likely future release but not in the initial line-up.

Continue below to check out all five ships on display, which have remarkable great for small models, although the design of the ships do seem to have been slightly distorted in some cases, most notably the Discovery itself. Images via TrekCore, Awesome Toy Blog, and Figures.com:

Friday, 16 February 2018

Bye Bye Robot's Discovery art prints

Bye Bye Robot have revealed a new range of art prints based on Star Trek Discovery. Seven prints are available from three different artists, featuring variously the ships and characters of the series. Continue below to check them out.

Four different designs come from Cliff Cramp, who has previously produced TOS and DS9 artwork for Bye Bye Robot. Three of the new prints feature the ships of the series, and are limited editions to just 40 prints a piece - All the other prints in the new collection are not such limited editions. All of Cramp's pieces are 18 x 24 inches

USS Discovery

Monday, 12 February 2018

Anovos reveals high-end Discovery starship models

Anovos have revealed details of the most elaborate Discovery tie-ins yets, two large filming miniature style replicas of the USS Shenzhou and USS Discovery. Anovos appear to have taken the reins from QMx's previous artisan replica line, with this similar offering of large detailed starships models, with lighting and some internal sets. Continue below to check out all those details.

The USS Shenzhou is the smaller and cheaper of the two models, measuring 26.6" x 16.4" x 4.6", it will set you back a mere $8000. The model features 160 LED lights which illuminate the impulse engines, warp nacelles, deflector dish formation lights, and anti-collision lights, as well as the bridge dome, and the shuttlebay, which itself has a detailed interior and a good complement of shuttlecraft! Anovos also promise the model will feature "removable panels, exposing engineering elements" which for this ship appears to be a room behind the deflector dish (you can see it with the removed panel in one of the photos below).



Friday, 9 February 2018

Discovery: Will You Take My Hand? previews

The final episode of Discovery, Will You Take My Hand?, is almost upon us, and so of course CBS have released plenty of promotional materials. Continue below to check out the latest stills from the show. But first, here's the trailer:



And the official description:
With Georgiou at the helm of the plan to end the Klingon war once and for all, the USS Discovery crew struggles to fathom and tolerate her hostile tactics. Memories of past hardships are rekindled within Burnham.

Thursday, 8 February 2018

Vulcan earbuds from Anovos

Ever felt like you're just not getting the most out of a Vulcan harp performance? Well it's probably because your inadequate humans ears just aren't the right shape to really pick up on the find notes of the performance. But fear not, Anovos have the answer with their new Vulcan earbuds.

They have two versions available, with the newer wireless option having just become available. Each pair gives you a normal earbud, attached to a pair of costume ear points to enhance your own ears. Plus there's a built in mic and remote. The new wireless come in a slightly greener Spock-style flesh tone.


Wednesday, 7 February 2018

New Visions #20: Isolation preview

Out now is Isolation, the twentieth issue of IDW's and John Byrne's New Visions photocomic. The story sees the main bridge crew each lost alone on the Enterprise, in a situation which allowed Bryne some interesting visuals, and a few cameos (which the photo-comic format neatly permits), including the one hinted at on the cover.

The book, like many New Visions issues, also features a short back-up story, Like a Shadow... ...Like a Dream.

Continue below for a five-page preview of the main story.

Second Discovery novel, Drastic Measures, previews

Out this week is the second Star Trek: Discovery tie-in novel, Dayton Wards' Drastic Measures. Like the other Discovery novels so far announced, the book is a prequel to the events of the TV series, this time take us back some considerable time; a decade before the Battle of the Binary Stars, around the events of the Tarsus IV massacre; a historical event of significance (not least to the childhood of James T. Kirk), established in TOS's The Conscience of the King.

Our witnesses to this event will be Discovery's two captains, Philippa Georgiou, and Gabriel Lorca, both some time away from their future postings - Given the recent revelation about Lorca, I'm particularly intrigued to get to know the character from this time (and universe...).

Here's a reminder of the blurb, from the back cover. Continue below for excerpts from the print and audio editions:


Monday, 5 February 2018

Non-fiction round-up: Lost Scenes, biographies, obsession, posters, and cats

I've got an assortment of news on a very varied selection of Star Trek non-fiction books coming over the next few months, including new previews of the next Star Trek Cats and poster books, details of new in-universe biographies, and and update to Obsessed with Star Trek. But first...

Due out in August from Titan Books, is Star Trek: Lost Scenes, a new behind the scenes book by David Tilotta and Curt McAloney of StarTrekHistory.com, which presents their restoration of rare clips from the production of TOS in a new accessible format:
Fascinating compilation of previously unseen and fully restored stills from The Original Series, showing William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and other cast crew filming the iconic show.

Think you know everything about the Original Series? Think again. Star Trek: The Lost Scenes is packed with hundreds of never-before-seen color photos of the world's ultimate sci-fi series. Professionally restored images are used to chronicle the making of the series, reassemble deleted scenes, and showcase bloopers from the first pilot through the last episode. Whether you're a new Star Trek fan or a seasoned veteran, this book is a must-have.

StarTrek.com released the cover, and a whole load of preview pages - Alas at rather low resolution so we can't really take in what they're showing, but at least get a good idea of the format. They report the book will cover some fifty lost scenes, using photography and script excerpts. Other sections will cover optical effects, filming miniatures, makeup, exterior shooting locations, and bloopers. Over 700 photos will fill the 272 page book. It looks like quite the treat!

Saturday, 3 February 2018

Eaglemoss Starships Collection up to issue 130 revealed

It's been a while since Eaglemoss gave us an update on what's ahead in The Official Starships Collection, so much so in fact that the next issue due to be revealed was simply done so in their last round of solicitations - Issue 122 is the Yeager class, one of the obscure kitbash ships from DS9; made almost literally by raming a Maquis raider in the back of an Intrepid class!

But we do now know many more issues ahead, not via the usual official announcements, but from Eaglemoss customer services, who provided a list to one of the users of the very active Eaglemoss fan group on Facebook. So continue below to have a look at what's ahead in the series. There's some surprisingly ships included, and some surprising ships still missing!

First Discovery soundtrack now available on CD

The first Discovery soundtrack, Season 1, Chapter 1, has now been released on CD, following the digital release of Jeff Russo's music from the first half of the season late last year. Publishers Lakeshore Records posted a couple of images on Twitter, revealing the disc art:


Friday, 2 February 2018

Discovery: The War Without, The War Within previews

The penultimate episode of the first season of Discovery, The War Without, The War Within, is almost upon us, and it looks like we're back to the Klingon war in a big way to wrap up the season - With the "Dominus of Qo'noS", Emperor Georgou of the mirror universe, perhaps providing an atypical means to reverse the Federation's apparent defeat. Here's the official description:
Back on the USS Discovery, Burnham and the crew are faced with the harsh reality of the war during their absence. In order to move forward, Starfleet must use unconventional tactics and sources to take their next action against the Klingons.
And the trailer for the episode:



CBS have of course released a bunch of images too, with Admiral Cornwell and Sarek featured prominently, no doubt dealing with the loose ends of the mirror universe arc; the surprise return of a version of Philippa Georgiou, and the absence of Captain Lorca:

Boldy Go: IDIC part 4 preview

Out this week is issue sixteen of Boldly Go, IDW's current Kelvin timeline series. This is also the fourth issue of the six part mega-multiverse crossover story, IDIC, the final story in the Boldly Go series.

Regular writer Mike Johnson continues his work on the series, while the revolving art duties for this story this time brings us Angel Hernandez to illustrate.

Hernandez also provides the many-Spocks A cover. Beside that there are three other covers, with the B cover part of IDW's Funko month (spanning several of their titles), featuring a Funko Pop! rendition of Kirk by Mike Martin. Kirk also features on the retail incentive photo-cover, and the final retail incentive cover is the latest by Yoshi Yoshitani, this time featuring Uhura, Spock, and Kirk.

Continue below to check out all the covers, plus a five page preview from the book.