The Redshirts‘ get the spotlight in the latest issue, but do they deserve it?  Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

The Redshirt’s Tale. Everyone knows the joke about the dire fate of crewmembers who wear red on the Enterprise. Even the redshirts themselves! The countdown to next year’s blockbuster Star Trek sequel continues here, with a new stand-alone story that shows life on the Enterprise through a redshirt’s eyes!

Fans who are eagerly anticipating the forthcoming Star Trek movie I’m sure are looking for any outlet to get their proverbial fix of the enduring space odyssey.  But in the quest to sedate their cravings, some questionable stories that probably should not see the light of day get released.  Sadly, this is one of those an example of one of those narrative mistakes.

Mike Johnson delivers a serviceable script that seems more concerned with recapping the various relationships rather than building towards a new tale.  It’s not terrible, but it offers fans a rather bland read with little to no narrative spices to keep their appetite for space exploration satisfied.  That being said, the work and introspection into the psyche of a minor character was an interesting idea but truth be told it just feels really unnecessary.  The character comes off as throwaway despite the writers attempts to humanize him, leaving fans to conclude that he’s more than likely going to be killed off in the next movie or a forthcoming arc.

Stephen Molnar nearly saves the issue with some very competent art.  His interpretation of the movie universe, offers visuals that perfectly fit the world as each pencil stroke strives to faithfully recreate all the details found in the remake.  There are moments where expressions seem a bit stiff but for the most part the art works well enough to deliver key moments when the script requires it.

Star Trek #13 is a rather boring read that may or may not appeal to fans out there, and despite the art I just can’t muster up the gumption to recommend this release.

2.5/5