Review - Star Trek: Red Shirts #5
From IDW Publishing
The final issue - with twists, turns and action in Star Trek: Red Shirts #5 from IDW Publishing.
Only two red shirts remain. The other ten crewmembers on Mission Squawkbox have plummeted hundreds of feet to the ground, been eaten alive by giant alien insects, or been exploded into a million tiny bits by falling torpedoes. Each death has dealt a blow to Ensigns Raad’s and Miller’s morale... Is Starfleet really the paragon of cooperation it claims to be? Or is it willing to expend its members’ lives for the sake of peace? With both Klingons and Romulans breathing down their necks, Raad’s and Miller’s loyalty will be tested. Are they for Starfleet? Or themselves?
by Christopher Cantwell (Author), Megan Levens (Artist)
Wow! That was a ride of a read!
With only two Red Shirts left standing and both Romulans and Klingons in the mix, this issue turns into a tense, action-packed, politically charged thriller that feels right at home in the larger Star Trek universe. It’s incredible how quickly things escalate, and how tightly the creative team balances danger, diplomacy, and good old-fashioned Star Trek intrigue.
From the very start, you can sense that something bigger is stirring beneath the surface. The narrative drops just enough hints to keep you guessing, and as the story moves forward, those threads begin to tighten and align until the bigger picture snaps into place. Some of the twists and turns wouldn’t look out of place in a Cold War spy novel—double meanings, questionable motives, unexpected alliances. It’s clever, and it keeps you leaning forward the whole time.
The dynamics between the different factions—Romulans, Klingons, and Starfleet—are handled with surprising nuance. The fragile peace, the political manoeuvring, and the constant threat of chaos all feel incredibly well-realised. Starfleet hangs over everything like a shadow, not oppressive but unavoidable. We also get a deeper look into one of the key characters, and that bit of personal backstory ties everything together brilliantly. It enriches the mission, the politics, and the commentary woven through the issue, turning what could have been a straightforward story into something much more layered.
And truly, all the deaths have led to this moment! The emotional and narrative tension from the previous issues lands hard here, making every decision and revelation feel earned.
To cap it all off, the ending gives us a fantastic little Easter egg—subtle, clever, and possibly teasing a future adventure. Whether it becomes something more or stands as a nod, it definitely leaves readers with plenty to speculate about.
The artwork is excellent throughout. Not only is the action sharp and energetic, but the character work is superb. The expressions, the body language, the quiet moments between the chaos—they all add so much weight to the story. The colouring is spot-on, too. After spending so long drenched in red, it’s a striking shift to see yellow and blue make their appearance at the end, almost like a visual breath of fresh air.
A fantastic series overall and an excellent read for Star Trek fans—thoughtful, thrilling, and full of surprises.
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