IDW return to TNG's mirror universe in The Mirror War

IDW have announced a big new comics project set to start later this year. After a little while away from the mirror universe they are returning in 13-issue year-long event, Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Mirror War.

Following up on the previous three TNG mirror miniseries Mirror Broken(ad), Through the Mirror(ad), and Terra Incognita(ad), the series will begin with an issue zero one-shot in September, with an eight-issue miniseries to follow. That will be interspersed with tie-in character-focused specials, the first of which will focus on Data and release in December. IDW promise that:

the 13-part saga will chart Mirror Picard’s path of conquest across all of the Mirror Universe, stoking the wrath of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance along the way.

The series will be written by Scott and David Tipton, who previously wrote all the preceding TNG mirror comics (and many other IDW Trek titles). The #0 issue will be illustrated by Carlos Neto, who also worked on several of the previous TNG mirror books. Here's how IDW describe that issue:

...a new story of “Mirror Picard” as he’s summoned to Earth to face the wrath of his emperor, deftly weaving threads from past Mirror Universe tales in a way entertaining to newcomers and the initiated alike.

UPDATE: IDW's August solicitations, in which The Mirror War #0 is the only Star Trek release (rather than September?), include this blurb as well:

Get caught up with the Mirror Enterprise-D before its crew—helmed by Jean-Luc Picard—faces new threats and challenges in the upcoming Mirror War event!

Following the failure of the attempt to steal ships from the Prime Universe, Picard and the Mirror Crew are called back to Earth to report to the Emperor personally… so long as they can survive the trip!   

This issue will be offered in three different covers; either cover A by Carlos Nieto, Cover B by Ejiwa “Edge” Ebenebe, or a retail incentive cover by Bex Glendining. IDW have released the A cover so far:

IDW have also released the artwork without the titles:

Speaking about the series in IDW's press release, Scott Tipton outlined it like this:

What’s in store for our Mirror Jean-Luc Picard and his Enterprise crew? New faces, new places, and old grudges. Picard’s ambitions are grander than ever, and nothing short of the throne itself will satisfy him!

While David Tipton perhaps gave a clearer indication of where they're going with Picard:

In The Mirror War, we’ll be seeing what happens when Picard gets hold of information that can change the fortunes of the debilitated Terran Empire. The Enterprise crew will find themselves in positions of potential power and wealth like never before.

Starting from issue one of the main series J.K Woodward will be providing covers for each issue, and IDW have released the issue one cover as well:

IDW also mention there will be new artists and storytellers involved in the series, I would imagine contributing to the one-shots.

If you've not caught up with the adventure so far, which features the Terran crew of the ISS Enterprise-D (the triple-nacelled version of the Galaxy class with Terran yellow markings), IDW are conveniently releasing an omnibus of all the miniseries so far in June. You can pick it up via any of this lot:  Bookshop(ad), Amazon(ad). Book Depository(ad), Things From Another World(ad), Forbidden Planet(ad).

The series has also seen one-shot spin-offs in-continuity in other corners of the Trekverse: Voyager's Mirrors and Smoke(ad), featuring a very different take on Voyager's visit to the Delta Quadrant. And TOS's Hell's Mirror(ad), a surprising and delightful approach to mirror Khan. A DS9 one-shot was also in the works when those were announced, although that's yet to materialise.

The series' designs have popped up in all sorts of other tie-in media and merchandise, including being part of the Star Trek Timelines game, being made in FanSets pins, a QMx combadge(ad), and Eaglemoss have released the mirror version of the Enterprise-D as a model(ad) too!

To keep track of all the latest Star Trek comic releases, hit the comics button on my 2021 schedule page, or have a look back through my comics tag for the latest posts. You can also find reading lists for several Star Trek comic series on my Trek Collective Lists site.