Star Trek: The Last Starship Vol. 1 - Captain Kirk Returns After the Burn
Star Trek: The Last Starship Vol. 1 launches a new era of IDW Trek set after the Federation's collapse. Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing write, Adrián Bonilla illustrates, and the paperback collects the first six issues.
The Premise: A Galaxy Shattered
The cataclysmic Burn brings warp travel to a standstill and shatters centuries of unity, and the dream of the United Federation of Planets collapses almost overnight. Worlds are cut off, civilizations tumble, and chaos fills the void. Nearly 300 years after the fall, an unlikely beacon rises: the U.S.S. Omega, a lone vessel crewed by survivors navigating a lawless, uncharted galaxy.
Preview Art
Interior art by Adrián Bonilla. Star Trek © CBS Studios; published by IDW Publishing.
Captain Kirk Returns
In a desperate act, the remnants of Starfleet strike a dangerous bargain with one of their oldest enemies in order to resurrect Captain James T. Kirk. He wakes in a future where everything he fought for has crumbled, and must decide whether he can become the symbol the galaxy needs one last time.
TrekMovie's review of issue #1 describes a crew led by Captain Delacourt Sato, with Wowie Carter as first officer, Valqis as Klingon helmsman and poet, and Hana as Bajoran communications officer. The review says the Federation lost 96 percent of Starfleet and that the Omega is an 800-year-old ship rebuilt from the Fleet Museum. TrekMovie's Joe Andosca called the first issue "the most confident Trek #1 IDW has shipped since Star Trek #1", which is his opinion.
Creators
Kelly and Lanzing, known as "the Hivemind," are screenwriters and New York Times best-selling comics creators whose credits include Star Trek: Year Five (IDW), Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (Marvel), Batman Beyond: Neo-Year (DC), and Dark One, written with Brandon Sanderson. For the single issues, TrekMovie credits Heather Moore on colors and Clayton Cowles on lettering, with covers by Francesco Francavilla, Skyler Patridge, and Michael Cho. IDW published issue #1 on September 24, 2025.
Format and Details
The paperback runs 176 pages and was published September 8, 2026. Epic Panels Comics price: $24.99.
Who Is It For?
Opinion: this is a good fit for Star Trek readers curious about the far future beyond the Federation era, and for fans of Kirk stories who want something new rather than a retelling.
Buy Star Trek: The Last Starship Vol. 1
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vol. 1 collect? The first six issues of the series.
Who writes it? Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, with art by Adrián Bonilla.
What is the Burn? The cataclysm that halts warp travel and collapses the Federation in the story.
Does Kirk appear? Yes. Starfleet's remnants resurrect Captain James T. Kirk.
More Graphic Novels to Read
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Sources: TrekMovie and the publisher's product description.