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Star Trek: Lower Decks (2024-) #1-6
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol. 1: Second Contact
The crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos is back in a new ongoing comic series that’s a big, fun adventure from the hit TV show Star Lower Decks. First up, a mysterious ghost ship appears just in time, as Mariner is becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of thrills aboard the Cerritos! The thrill level increases significantly when the team is beamed onto an equally mysterious surface of an unknown world populated by an alien race that wishes to learn more about mentorship…through a battle royale! Enter Jadzia Dax, Montgomery Scott, Kathyrn Janeway, T’Pol, and Jean-Luc Picard as the mentors and the Lower Deckers as the mentees! The Cerritos’ next mission is a supply run to Tavela Minor, but they first need to stop by the Alecto system to get some supplies to, uh, supply them with. However, just before they warp, they see the Alecto system isn’t only missing; it doesn’t exist. Like at all. Now they have a space mystery at What could cause a whole star system to disappear? Then, suspicious after the Cerritos docks for its second baryon sweep in the same year, Mariner sneaks into a command meeting. There, the Department of Temporal Investigations tasks the crew with finding a time traveler who is rewriting Federation history at an alarming rate. Mariner finds her friends and tells them what’s really going on…only for the timeline to change around them! Obviously, something has gone wrong with Command’s mission, and per usual, it’s now up to Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford, and Boimler to save the day! Volume 1 collects issues #1–6 of the new ongoing series.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2025
13 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Ryan North
533 books1,600 followersHi, I'm Ryan! I was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and since then have written several books. You can read my Wikipedia page for more, or check out my author site at RyanNorth.ca!
I'm the author of the webcomic Dinosaur Comics (that's the comic where the pictures don't change but the words do, it's better than it sounds and I've also done crazy things like turn Shakespeare into a choose-your-own-path adventure, write a comic for Marvel about a girl with all the powers of a squirrel, or mess up walking my dog so badly it made the news.
I'm working on more stuff as we speak, hopefully it's good
I'm the author of the webcomic Dinosaur Comics (that's the comic where the pictures don't change but the words do, it's better than it sounds and I've also done crazy things like turn Shakespeare into a choose-your-own-path adventure, write a comic for Marvel about a girl with all the powers of a squirrel, or mess up walking my dog so badly it made the news.
I'm working on more stuff as we speak, hopefully it's good
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
August 25, 2025
“Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol. 1: Second Contact” by Ryan North & Derek Charm
5⭐️/5⭐️
Gosh, I’ve really missed the show Lower Decks. This graphic novel, detailing three different missions the crew of the Cerritos embark on, feels like a natural extension of the original show. It’s witty, with layers of references to all corners of the Star Trek franchise, and really captures what made the Lower Decks show so special.
Also, any reference to DS9 is going to warm my heart. I *loved* seeing Jadzia again! She’s probably my favorite Trek character (aside from Sisko), and I was absolutely tickled to see her show up in one of the stories.
5⭐️/5⭐️
Gosh, I’ve really missed the show Lower Decks. This graphic novel, detailing three different missions the crew of the Cerritos embark on, feels like a natural extension of the original show. It’s witty, with layers of references to all corners of the Star Trek franchise, and really captures what made the Lower Decks show so special.
Also, any reference to DS9 is going to warm my heart. I *loved* seeing Jadzia again! She’s probably my favorite Trek character (aside from Sisko), and I was absolutely tickled to see her show up in one of the stories.
December 22, 2025
I like Lower Decks, though not nearly as much as other people seem to. The humor doesn't land for me, and I find most of the characters more annoying than likable. However, I love the way it incorporates all the different Trek universes, characters, and shows. It shows more respect for established canon than a lot of the other new shows. Accordingly, I'm still interested in new content, and I like this ongoing series idea. The characters and style feel authentic to the TV show. There's nothing overly remarkable here. But you're getting just what you want: more Lower Decks.
August 10, 2025
A fun collection of the first six issues of the Lower Decks ongoing series. Ryan North really understands how both the characters and the concept of the series works, and the result is an incredibly entertaining first volume.
Special Thanks to IDW Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to IDW Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
August 26, 2025
As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I can trace my love of both science fiction and science itself directly back to my father introducing me to Star Trek at a young age. While The Next Generation will always be my favorite, and Picard will always be my captain, I’ve developed a deep affection for Lower Decks. The show is a love letter to Trek in all its eras—funny, self-aware, occasionally irreverent, but always true to the heart of Trek’s science-fictional spirit. You can imagine, then, my disappointment when news of its cancellation came last year.
That’s why I was eager to dive into Second Contact, the first collected comic arc from Ryan North. The book doesn’t seem tied to the show’s timeline in any measurable way, and it doesn’t pick up where the series left off. So instead it plays like a collection of side quests: fun, lively, and largely inconsequential. And honestly, for the most part, that works just fine, because North really nails the voices of these characters we’ve come to love.
The volume contains three stories. The first is a throwback to The Original Series era. It’s fun and nostalgic, though its central conflict fizzles out with a resolution that feels too easy.
The second story contains the strongest concept—a rapidly expanding cosmological threat that could consume the universe. It’s classic Trek sci-fi, though once again the story undercuts itself by resolving without any real consequence.
The third story is a playful dive into some temporal shenanigans, complete with a saboteur messing with history. This one has great character beats, but like the others, the ultimate conflict more or less resolves itself.
This collection suffers from a classic case of “Indiana Jones syndrome”—where the protagonists’ actions don’t truly affect the outcome—and this is by far the collection’s biggest weakness. The joy here lies less in the plots themselves and more in spending extra time with Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, and Rutherford, watching them banter and stumble their way through adventures.
If you’re already a Lower Decks fan, you’ll enjoy revisiting these characters in a comic that captures their voices and energy. If you’re looking for resonant themes, clever plotting, or meaningful stakes, you may walk away disappointed. This is comfort food Trek: familiar, light, and fun, even if it leaves you wanting something a little more substantial.
That’s why I was eager to dive into Second Contact, the first collected comic arc from Ryan North. The book doesn’t seem tied to the show’s timeline in any measurable way, and it doesn’t pick up where the series left off. So instead it plays like a collection of side quests: fun, lively, and largely inconsequential. And honestly, for the most part, that works just fine, because North really nails the voices of these characters we’ve come to love.
The volume contains three stories. The first is a throwback to The Original Series era. It’s fun and nostalgic, though its central conflict fizzles out with a resolution that feels too easy.
The second story contains the strongest concept—a rapidly expanding cosmological threat that could consume the universe. It’s classic Trek sci-fi, though once again the story undercuts itself by resolving without any real consequence.
The third story is a playful dive into some temporal shenanigans, complete with a saboteur messing with history. This one has great character beats, but like the others, the ultimate conflict more or less resolves itself.
This collection suffers from a classic case of “Indiana Jones syndrome”—where the protagonists’ actions don’t truly affect the outcome—and this is by far the collection’s biggest weakness. The joy here lies less in the plots themselves and more in spending extra time with Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, and Rutherford, watching them banter and stumble their way through adventures.
If you’re already a Lower Decks fan, you’ll enjoy revisiting these characters in a comic that captures their voices and energy. If you’re looking for resonant themes, clever plotting, or meaningful stakes, you may walk away disappointed. This is comfort food Trek: familiar, light, and fun, even if it leaves you wanting something a little more substantial.
November 2, 2025
Sadly, the animated series this book is based on has ceased production. Hard core fans need not be disheartened though, since "Star Trek: Lower Decks: Second Contact" is pure unadulterated zany fun that perfectly mirrors the animated series in it's tone, humor and irreverent glorification of all things Star Trek. Enjoy, live long and prosper and do not forget to read the footnotes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, IDW Publishing , for providing with with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, IDW Publishing , for providing with with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 4, 2025
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol.1: Second Contact
Mere moments after Lt Beckett Mariner moans that life on the 'U.S.S. Cerritos' is becoming too safe and predictable, the crew find themselves thrown into a bizarre adventure where they confront the consequences of the actions of James T. Kirk.
Fantastic artwork and a plot that works equally well as a 'Star Trek' story, science fiction and comedy, Ryan North and his team keep the spirit of 'Lower Decks' alive.
Mere moments after Lt Beckett Mariner moans that life on the 'U.S.S. Cerritos' is becoming too safe and predictable, the crew find themselves thrown into a bizarre adventure where they confront the consequences of the actions of James T. Kirk.
Fantastic artwork and a plot that works equally well as a 'Star Trek' story, science fiction and comedy, Ryan North and his team keep the spirit of 'Lower Decks' alive.
August 16, 2025
"Star Trek: Lower Decks, Second Contact" was so good.
The characters were true to the show. The stories were entertaining.
I really enjoy it. If you're fan of Star Trek you'll so glad to read it.
Mark your calendars for September 16 people.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for this digital ARC.
The characters were true to the show. The stories were entertaining.
I really enjoy it. If you're fan of Star Trek you'll so glad to read it.
Mark your calendars for September 16 people.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for this digital ARC.
October 11, 2025
This was a ton of fun! I really enjoy Ryan North's Lower Decks, it's just like the TV series. Complete with all the jokes and references.
October 9, 2025
As far as I am concerned Ryan North can do no wrong when writing comics; even when he has found himself with the worst kind of generic crossover he seems to stuff it with enough humour and idiosyncracy to make it stand out. The humour boiled into the premise and characters of Star Trek: Lower Decks is also a good fit for both his comic voice and the humanism that comes with it. Which makes it odd that this wasn't quite the slam dunk I expected it to be. Perhaps the bar for success was too low, and a little too easy: I am not saying this writes itself but there is something about setting up a scenario and letting the established characters just go in their well-understood voice. It probably didn't help for me that there are a few sequels here to existing episodes, and one almighty crossover, picking and choosing well-known characters across the Trekverse to have a Battle Royale which seemed a little below Ryan North's usual level.
All that said, I am grading on a very high curve, both with the source material "Lower Decks", but in particular, Ryan North writing. That means that it is never not entertaining or funny, and the art by Derek Charm (1-2) and Jack Lawrence (3-6) don't have much wiggle room from the already animated designs from the show, but are clear and get across the core emotions from the script (usually Mariner,s boredom or hyperactivity). And North still does his bottom-of-the-page gags which are always welcome. Basically, this is the Star Trek: Lower Decks comic you'd expect: it is just I guessed we'd get something perfect from North and instead it's just rather good.
All that said, I am grading on a very high curve, both with the source material "Lower Decks", but in particular, Ryan North writing. That means that it is never not entertaining or funny, and the art by Derek Charm (1-2) and Jack Lawrence (3-6) don't have much wiggle room from the already animated designs from the show, but are clear and get across the core emotions from the script (usually Mariner,s boredom or hyperactivity). And North still does his bottom-of-the-page gags which are always welcome. Basically, this is the Star Trek: Lower Decks comic you'd expect: it is just I guessed we'd get something perfect from North and instead it's just rather good.
August 7, 2025
I received an ARC of this comic in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for this opportunity.
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Second Contact was a fun and exciting read. I loved the adventures the characters went on and the art that accompanied the story was perfectly drawn in the same style as the tv show so it made it feel like the two connected.
I enjoyed the first and the third stories the most and the second I found to be lacking compared to the two it was between.
The character interactions and dialogue felt true to how they are portrayed in the tv show, and overall this was a fun read.
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Second Contact was a fun and exciting read. I loved the adventures the characters went on and the art that accompanied the story was perfectly drawn in the same style as the tv show so it made it feel like the two connected.
I enjoyed the first and the third stories the most and the second I found to be lacking compared to the two it was between.
The character interactions and dialogue felt true to how they are portrayed in the tv show, and overall this was a fun read.
July 26, 2025
"Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol. 1 – Second Contact" is an absolute blast. This volume collects six issues from the ongoing comic series, and it perfectly captures the chaotic energy, humor, and heart of the show.
The stories are fresh, fast-paced, and full of the kind of absurdity fans love about "Lower Decks." It’s a real treat to see our favorite crew members thrown into brand-new, often ridiculous scenarios that expand on the show’s universe in fun ways.
One thing I almost missed: the small footnote-style commentary at the bottom of many pages. I had to go back and re-read them, and I’m glad I did as they add a clever, meta layer that fits the Lower Decks tone perfectly.
Definitely recommended for fans of the series!
The stories are fresh, fast-paced, and full of the kind of absurdity fans love about "Lower Decks." It’s a real treat to see our favorite crew members thrown into brand-new, often ridiculous scenarios that expand on the show’s universe in fun ways.
One thing I almost missed: the small footnote-style commentary at the bottom of many pages. I had to go back and re-read them, and I’m glad I did as they add a clever, meta layer that fits the Lower Decks tone perfectly.
Definitely recommended for fans of the series!
November 19, 2025
This comic has the same tone and energy the animated series had. I enjoyed watching that and reading this made me laugh all the same. Entertaining and silly, the comic hits all the right marks with a quirky and adventurous storyline. A lighthearted sci-fi comic for both Star Trek: Lower Decks fans and new readers.
•••
I received an ARC through Netgalley. My opinions are my own.
•••
I received an ARC through Netgalley. My opinions are my own.
July 24, 2025
To start, a huge thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC.
"Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol.1: Second Contact" -- a collection of issues #1-6 of Star Trek: Lower Decks -- was excellent. Ryan North has really done a fantastic job capturing the humor of the television series on to the pages. The self-deprecating jokes, the deep lore cuts, and stories really about the characters and not the situation -- it is everything that makes the adventures of Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford, Tendi, and the rest of the crew of the USS Cerritos such a pure joy for Trek fans of all stripes/ages. The additional commentary at the bottom of many of the pages is priceless; the perfect tongue-in-cheek explanations for the events or statements by characters. Added to the fantastic writing, the art of Derek Charm and Jack Lawrence capture the look of Star Trek animation in all its glory. I truly look forward to the continuation of this series on paper since we don't have any further adventures on the screen currently planned.
"Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol.1: Second Contact" -- a collection of issues #1-6 of Star Trek: Lower Decks -- was excellent. Ryan North has really done a fantastic job capturing the humor of the television series on to the pages. The self-deprecating jokes, the deep lore cuts, and stories really about the characters and not the situation -- it is everything that makes the adventures of Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford, Tendi, and the rest of the crew of the USS Cerritos such a pure joy for Trek fans of all stripes/ages. The additional commentary at the bottom of many of the pages is priceless; the perfect tongue-in-cheek explanations for the events or statements by characters. Added to the fantastic writing, the art of Derek Charm and Jack Lawrence capture the look of Star Trek animation in all its glory. I truly look forward to the continuation of this series on paper since we don't have any further adventures on the screen currently planned.
December 31, 2025
Janeway, Picard and Jadzia Dax all together?! BE STILL MY BEATING HEART.
9.5/10 - could (always) do with a little more Janeway
9.5/10 - could (always) do with a little more Janeway
July 25, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC!
People who know me know I am more of a Star Wars fan than a Trekkie but I love the characters from the show, Lower Decks so I was so happy when the request was approved.
I liked that Ryan North included some Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The jokes are priceless and the sense of humour just reminds me of William Shatner, it's like he wrote this.
I love the commentary at the bottom of most of the pages, when I was reading them I was picturing the character, Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) doing the narration/logs.
Looking forward to the next books in the series.
People who know me know I am more of a Star Wars fan than a Trekkie but I love the characters from the show, Lower Decks so I was so happy when the request was approved.
I liked that Ryan North included some Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The jokes are priceless and the sense of humour just reminds me of William Shatner, it's like he wrote this.
I love the commentary at the bottom of most of the pages, when I was reading them I was picturing the character, Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) doing the narration/logs.
Looking forward to the next books in the series.
September 15, 2025
Lower Decks animation may have ended, but at least there's a comic to continue the adventures of the enthusiastic group of younger officers, Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford, and Boimler, on board of U.S.S. Cerritos. Well, Mariner is less enthusiastic and more trouble-making.
Mariner is the narrator of the comic too, though it took me a moment to realise that the footnote commentary was by her and not by the scriptwriters. She's bored, because the efficient crew of Cerritos solves all potential adventures before they've barely begun. There have been three deadly scenarios in one day, all gone in a blink.
She takes her friends to a holo-deck and asks for as deadly adventure as possible without anyone actually dying. The latter is Boimler's addition. But before they can even start, the real adventures begin. For the longest time, I was certain that they would turn out to be on the holo-deck after all, but that wasn't the case.
In short order, the four encounter a ghost ship, end up in an alien reality show, almost get swallowed by another universe, encounter a new life-form, and solve a time travelling mystery. All fairly swiftly and without causing much chaos along the way. It's as if Mariner has matured a bit and is making fairly sensible choices now. At the end, she admits learning her lesson, and prefers the steady life on Cerritos.
This was a fun volume, but not quite as funny as the animation. The stories were short and swift, with a lot happening in a little under 150 pages. The characters and the world work well in large panelled comic form, the art was familiar from the animation, with fun retro styles in the mix, and the volume kept me entertained for an evening. I wouldn't mind reading more if I happened to come across it.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Mariner is the narrator of the comic too, though it took me a moment to realise that the footnote commentary was by her and not by the scriptwriters. She's bored, because the efficient crew of Cerritos solves all potential adventures before they've barely begun. There have been three deadly scenarios in one day, all gone in a blink.
She takes her friends to a holo-deck and asks for as deadly adventure as possible without anyone actually dying. The latter is Boimler's addition. But before they can even start, the real adventures begin. For the longest time, I was certain that they would turn out to be on the holo-deck after all, but that wasn't the case.
In short order, the four encounter a ghost ship, end up in an alien reality show, almost get swallowed by another universe, encounter a new life-form, and solve a time travelling mystery. All fairly swiftly and without causing much chaos along the way. It's as if Mariner has matured a bit and is making fairly sensible choices now. At the end, she admits learning her lesson, and prefers the steady life on Cerritos.
This was a fun volume, but not quite as funny as the animation. The stories were short and swift, with a lot happening in a little under 150 pages. The characters and the world work well in large panelled comic form, the art was familiar from the animation, with fun retro styles in the mix, and the volume kept me entertained for an evening. I wouldn't mind reading more if I happened to come across it.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the e-arc of this comic.
2.75 stars
Oh, I love Star Trek: Lower Decks. This is the second graphic novel I read of this series, and sadly this one didn't work for me.
There are three main missions collected here. First, after begging for an adventure, Mariner gets her wish when the Cerritos find a very old federation ship that Kirk and co. once found trapped in the delta triangle. This mission takes our favorite characters to a strange new world where they meet the simulation of legacy characters.
Second adventure has the cerritos trying to save the universe when bubbles of vacuum threatens to destabilize everything. Body snatcher aliens are the enemy here. Lastly, the last couple of issues take the lower deck crew to different moments in time when they have to catch a mysterious time traveller that's changing the timeline.
First, the good? The art style is great. There are a few artists here but it always feels cohesive and consistent with canon. Character designs are fun, the whole vibe is pretty much the same as watching an episode.
I really liked the beginning of the volume. Having a few failed title cards because the Cerritos is just doing its job so well that no rogue agents or adventures are disturbing the missions, meanwhile Mariner is losing her patience with this was really fun. The first twenty pages felt really fresh and dynamic.
Then, I'm sorry to say but the long missions here dragged a lot. I was surprised with how dialog heavy these pages were. So the pacing felt slow a lot of times. I also am sorry to say that most jokes did not work for me. I just felt the humour lacking. I also think some of the characters felt like echoes of their counterparts in the show. Like Boimler, there's too little of him. So many characters felt like they were just there because they had to be, but didn't have a time to shine.
At the bottom of every page, there were always a couple of lines that worked as quirky commentary. Sometimes it felt like they came from a character, or like it came from the author, or an omniscient narrator. I did not think they were necessary to be honest.
Overall, I think if you love this series you should give this a try. It does fit with the original show. Maybe the jokes and humour will work for you more than it did with me. Maybe the callbacks to previous shows and Star Trek lore will make you love this. It just sadly wasn't for me.
2.75 stars
Oh, I love Star Trek: Lower Decks. This is the second graphic novel I read of this series, and sadly this one didn't work for me.
There are three main missions collected here. First, after begging for an adventure, Mariner gets her wish when the Cerritos find a very old federation ship that Kirk and co. once found trapped in the delta triangle. This mission takes our favorite characters to a strange new world where they meet the simulation of legacy characters.
Second adventure has the cerritos trying to save the universe when bubbles of vacuum threatens to destabilize everything. Body snatcher aliens are the enemy here. Lastly, the last couple of issues take the lower deck crew to different moments in time when they have to catch a mysterious time traveller that's changing the timeline.
First, the good? The art style is great. There are a few artists here but it always feels cohesive and consistent with canon. Character designs are fun, the whole vibe is pretty much the same as watching an episode.
I really liked the beginning of the volume. Having a few failed title cards because the Cerritos is just doing its job so well that no rogue agents or adventures are disturbing the missions, meanwhile Mariner is losing her patience with this was really fun. The first twenty pages felt really fresh and dynamic.
Then, I'm sorry to say but the long missions here dragged a lot. I was surprised with how dialog heavy these pages were. So the pacing felt slow a lot of times. I also am sorry to say that most jokes did not work for me. I just felt the humour lacking. I also think some of the characters felt like echoes of their counterparts in the show. Like Boimler, there's too little of him. So many characters felt like they were just there because they had to be, but didn't have a time to shine.
At the bottom of every page, there were always a couple of lines that worked as quirky commentary. Sometimes it felt like they came from a character, or like it came from the author, or an omniscient narrator. I did not think they were necessary to be honest.
Overall, I think if you love this series you should give this a try. It does fit with the original show. Maybe the jokes and humour will work for you more than it did with me. Maybe the callbacks to previous shows and Star Trek lore will make you love this. It just sadly wasn't for me.
November 16, 2025
I received a copy of Second Contact from Netgalley to review.
Rating of 4.5.
The hilarious adventures of the Lower Decks crew continue in the highly entertaining Star Trek comic, Second Contact, an outstanding and amusing read that will deeply appeal to all fans of the animated series.
Plot Synopsis:
The crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos is back in a new ongoing comic series that’s a big, fun adventure from the hit TV show Star Trek: Lower Decks.
First up, a mysterious ghost ship appears just in time, as Mariner is becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of thrills aboard the Cerritos! The thrill level increases significantly when the team is beamed onto an equally mysterious surface of an unknown world populated by an alien race that wishes to learn more about mentorship…through a battle royale! Enter Jadzia Dax, Montgomery Scott, Kathyrn Janeway, T’Pol, and Jean-Luc Picard as the mentors and the Lower Deckers as the mentees!
The Cerritos’ next mission is a supply run to Tavela Minor, but they first need to stop by the Alecto system to get some supplies to, uh, supply them with. However, just before they warp, they see the Alecto system isn’t only missing; it doesn’t exist. Like at all. Now they have a space mystery at hand: What could cause a whole star system to disappear?
Then, suspicious after the Cerritos docks for its second baryon sweep in the same year, Mariner sneaks into a command meeting. There, the Department of Temporal Investigations tasks the crew with finding a time traveler who is rewriting Federation history at an alarming rate. Mariner finds her friends and tells them what’s really going on…only for the timeline to change around them! Obviously, something has gone wrong with Command’s mission, and per usual, it’s now up to Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford, and Boimler to save the day!
Second Contact was a very fun and compelling addition to the Lower Decks canon that sent its loveable cast on several great new adventures. Loaded with intriguing adventures, light-hearted character moments and the self-referential humour fans of the Lower Decks animated series will know and love, Second Contact was a great comic I had an awesome time getting through.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2025/11/16/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Rating of 4.5.
The hilarious adventures of the Lower Decks crew continue in the highly entertaining Star Trek comic, Second Contact, an outstanding and amusing read that will deeply appeal to all fans of the animated series.
Plot Synopsis:
The crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos is back in a new ongoing comic series that’s a big, fun adventure from the hit TV show Star Trek: Lower Decks.
First up, a mysterious ghost ship appears just in time, as Mariner is becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of thrills aboard the Cerritos! The thrill level increases significantly when the team is beamed onto an equally mysterious surface of an unknown world populated by an alien race that wishes to learn more about mentorship…through a battle royale! Enter Jadzia Dax, Montgomery Scott, Kathyrn Janeway, T’Pol, and Jean-Luc Picard as the mentors and the Lower Deckers as the mentees!
The Cerritos’ next mission is a supply run to Tavela Minor, but they first need to stop by the Alecto system to get some supplies to, uh, supply them with. However, just before they warp, they see the Alecto system isn’t only missing; it doesn’t exist. Like at all. Now they have a space mystery at hand: What could cause a whole star system to disappear?
Then, suspicious after the Cerritos docks for its second baryon sweep in the same year, Mariner sneaks into a command meeting. There, the Department of Temporal Investigations tasks the crew with finding a time traveler who is rewriting Federation history at an alarming rate. Mariner finds her friends and tells them what’s really going on…only for the timeline to change around them! Obviously, something has gone wrong with Command’s mission, and per usual, it’s now up to Mariner, Tendi, Rutherford, and Boimler to save the day!
Second Contact was a very fun and compelling addition to the Lower Decks canon that sent its loveable cast on several great new adventures. Loaded with intriguing adventures, light-hearted character moments and the self-referential humour fans of the Lower Decks animated series will know and love, Second Contact was a great comic I had an awesome time getting through.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2025/11/16/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
August 6, 2025
A huge thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for giving me an ARC of Star Trek Lower Decks: Second Contact!
I had a blast with this comic! It really captured the spirit of the television series while still telling an original story set in the Star Trek world. This graphic novel told three stories across six issues, mostly following Lieutenant Beckett Mariner as the viewpoint character, but still featuring the rest of the Warp Drive Five as major characters - which means, yes, to my utter delight, T'Lyn was a feature character! Genuinely I have never loved a Star Trek character like T'Lyn, and I do hope this comic series runs long enough we get some storylines that focus on her.
The art is vibrant and perfectly mimics the animation style of the series. Many of the backgrounds on alien worlds are beautiful, making excellent use of colour and shading to add dimension to what could otherwise be flat backgrounds. The writing is strong, too - the story is full of quips and jokes so accurate you can just hear Tawny Newsome's voice saying them! Most commendably, the voices of each minor character were distinct too - for characters we knew (such as Captain Freeman and Ransom) the dialogue was believable to their prior characterisation on the show, and for new characters, especially aliens, it was different enough to be distinct from the Federation characters.
The last storyline, following a mishap with Starfleet's Division of Temporal Investigations, was genuinely heartwarming and an excellent way to end this volume. Before reading it, I was confident this would be a four star read: good, but not great. But that last story involving time travel truly elevated the book from four stars to five. I absolutely loved it - especially Beckett's nickname for T'Lyn, which I thought was an incredibly sweet character moment that only built on their interactions from season five.
I strongly recommend this graphic novel for any fan of Star Trek Lower Decks, but also just for anyone who enjoys fun sci-fi stories in general. It doesn't rely heavily on past canon, and I found it an accessible read as someone who hasn't watched the TV series in months and had forgotten a lot of the main plot points.
I had a blast with this comic! It really captured the spirit of the television series while still telling an original story set in the Star Trek world. This graphic novel told three stories across six issues, mostly following Lieutenant Beckett Mariner as the viewpoint character, but still featuring the rest of the Warp Drive Five as major characters - which means, yes, to my utter delight, T'Lyn was a feature character! Genuinely I have never loved a Star Trek character like T'Lyn, and I do hope this comic series runs long enough we get some storylines that focus on her.
The art is vibrant and perfectly mimics the animation style of the series. Many of the backgrounds on alien worlds are beautiful, making excellent use of colour and shading to add dimension to what could otherwise be flat backgrounds. The writing is strong, too - the story is full of quips and jokes so accurate you can just hear Tawny Newsome's voice saying them! Most commendably, the voices of each minor character were distinct too - for characters we knew (such as Captain Freeman and Ransom) the dialogue was believable to their prior characterisation on the show, and for new characters, especially aliens, it was different enough to be distinct from the Federation characters.
The last storyline, following a mishap with Starfleet's Division of Temporal Investigations, was genuinely heartwarming and an excellent way to end this volume. Before reading it, I was confident this would be a four star read: good, but not great. But that last story involving time travel truly elevated the book from four stars to five. I absolutely loved it - especially Beckett's nickname for T'Lyn, which I thought was an incredibly sweet character moment that only built on their interactions from season five.
I strongly recommend this graphic novel for any fan of Star Trek Lower Decks, but also just for anyone who enjoys fun sci-fi stories in general. It doesn't rely heavily on past canon, and I found it an accessible read as someone who hasn't watched the TV series in months and had forgotten a lot of the main plot points.
August 14, 2025
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol. 1: Second Contact is the second “volume 1” graphic novel that takes place in the Lower Decks Star Trek timeline. Chances are, if you picked up this book, you are already a fan of this extremely well done animated series. If you haven't watched it, go do it now… I'll wait.
Ok everyone back?
The graphic novel collects several comics that make up 3 distinct story arcs. The artwork is very consistent and fully matches he animated series(as it should).
The first story starts with the Cerritos carrying on its normal operations… much to the dismay of Mariner who would prefer more action. There is a great call back to two episodes of Star Trek the original series as Mariner gets the excitement she was looking for and then some. The story felt like there was almost too much going on at once at times (like a normal episode) with a great chaotic ending.
The second story starts with the Cerritos making a standard supply run that goes awry when the system disappears. This story could have been, except for the irreverence, told in any of the Star Trek series. It is a well done story with heart.
The final installment calls back to the many episodes that involve time travel and brings a Lower Decks spin to it.
All in all, these stories are fun and move pretty quickly. Any one of them would have been great as episodes just as they are comics. They have the addition of written asides from various characters at the bottoms of most pages that would have been hard to work into the TV show.
I would certainly recommend this book and, if you haven't read it yet, the other Lower Decks graphic novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read a pre-release copy of this book.
Ok everyone back?
The graphic novel collects several comics that make up 3 distinct story arcs. The artwork is very consistent and fully matches he animated series(as it should).
The first story starts with the Cerritos carrying on its normal operations… much to the dismay of Mariner who would prefer more action. There is a great call back to two episodes of Star Trek the original series as Mariner gets the excitement she was looking for and then some. The story felt like there was almost too much going on at once at times (like a normal episode) with a great chaotic ending.
The second story starts with the Cerritos making a standard supply run that goes awry when the system disappears. This story could have been, except for the irreverence, told in any of the Star Trek series. It is a well done story with heart.
The final installment calls back to the many episodes that involve time travel and brings a Lower Decks spin to it.
All in all, these stories are fun and move pretty quickly. Any one of them would have been great as episodes just as they are comics. They have the addition of written asides from various characters at the bottoms of most pages that would have been hard to work into the TV show.
I would certainly recommend this book and, if you haven't read it yet, the other Lower Decks graphic novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read a pre-release copy of this book.
September 22, 2025
The lower decks crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos consists of the crew you usually don't see in the normal Star Trek universe. These are the ones that keep everything going in the background, and are usually not on the main missions or the ones that get any of the real credit.
This volume contains a story where a ghost ship appears, it just so happens to show up with Mariner ( a lower deck red shirt crew member ) is lamenting about the lack of action and fun going on lately. Then for even more fun the lower deck team gets beamed onto a mysterious world , that has way more action than the crew was hoping for. We get to see some of our favorite past captains like Picard and Janeway. The mysteries keep getting odder and more frequent as they go to get supplies and notice a whole star system is missing. The antics and chaos continues.
Volume 1 collects issues #1–6 of Lower Decks new and ongoing series.
As a long time Star Trek fan and someone who has also watched Lower Decks, I absolutely loved this. The art work is true to the TV series as is the writing style, pace and overall atmosphere. If you haven't seen the show you can jump into the comics / graphic novels with no issue. The comedy is on point and shows the more awkward and clumsy sides of the missions we haven't seen before, while staying within directive....mostly...kindda...well they try-ish.
I recommend this for any existing fans of the series as well as anyone looking to dip their toes in to Star Trek, this is a great place to start. I hope that these volumes will create new Trekkies, that will want to explore the Star Trek Universe.
Thank you NetGalley and IDW Publishing.
Live long & Prosper ( couldn't help myself )
This volume contains a story where a ghost ship appears, it just so happens to show up with Mariner ( a lower deck red shirt crew member ) is lamenting about the lack of action and fun going on lately. Then for even more fun the lower deck team gets beamed onto a mysterious world , that has way more action than the crew was hoping for. We get to see some of our favorite past captains like Picard and Janeway. The mysteries keep getting odder and more frequent as they go to get supplies and notice a whole star system is missing. The antics and chaos continues.
Volume 1 collects issues #1–6 of Lower Decks new and ongoing series.
As a long time Star Trek fan and someone who has also watched Lower Decks, I absolutely loved this. The art work is true to the TV series as is the writing style, pace and overall atmosphere. If you haven't seen the show you can jump into the comics / graphic novels with no issue. The comedy is on point and shows the more awkward and clumsy sides of the missions we haven't seen before, while staying within directive....mostly...kindda...well they try-ish.
I recommend this for any existing fans of the series as well as anyone looking to dip their toes in to Star Trek, this is a great place to start. I hope that these volumes will create new Trekkies, that will want to explore the Star Trek Universe.
Thank you NetGalley and IDW Publishing.
Live long & Prosper ( couldn't help myself )
July 29, 2025
Thank you to IDW Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
First off, I'm a HUGE fan of the Lower Decks show and was super disappointed when it was cancelled after the most recent season. So when I saw that this collection of comics was coming out I had to get my hands on it! This volume contains #1-6, and represents three distinct stories. Each story is just like watching an episode of the show, and they REALLY capture the essence of the show. The art style is identical, the writing style fits perfectly, and the sense of humor is great. (Be sure not to overlook the footnotes on each page. They're easy to miss, and often have some of the best jokes)
Lower Decks has always been a treasure trove of easter eggs for those of us who watched all of the old Star Trek series, and these comics also provide, especially the first story. It even references the TOS animated series for the dedicated Trek fans who suffered through those cartoons!
This is a 100% recommend for fans of the show. For everyone else, I would say watch the show first, so you know and love the characters before reading this. I'm very much looking forward to future installments.
First off, I'm a HUGE fan of the Lower Decks show and was super disappointed when it was cancelled after the most recent season. So when I saw that this collection of comics was coming out I had to get my hands on it! This volume contains #1-6, and represents three distinct stories. Each story is just like watching an episode of the show, and they REALLY capture the essence of the show. The art style is identical, the writing style fits perfectly, and the sense of humor is great. (Be sure not to overlook the footnotes on each page. They're easy to miss, and often have some of the best jokes)
Lower Decks has always been a treasure trove of easter eggs for those of us who watched all of the old Star Trek series, and these comics also provide, especially the first story. It even references the TOS animated series for the dedicated Trek fans who suffered through those cartoons!
This is a 100% recommend for fans of the show. For everyone else, I would say watch the show first, so you know and love the characters before reading this. I'm very much looking forward to future installments.
August 6, 2025
Thank you to IDW for the ARC!
I'm a huge Star Trek fan, and also fan of Lower Decks in general, so was really excited to review this volume. There were a few hiccups in the process, but I'm not going to review it based on some technical issues that were probably 50% my fault anyway -- just know that the process for comics ARCs in this format is a bit more complicated than I anticipated.
This was such a fun and enjoyable continuation of Lower Decks. I've been mourning the end of the show, and diving into the comic felt like getting to revisit all my favourite characters again; the stories were silly, dynamic, and heartfelt. I'll definitely be looking into the rest of the series and the previous 2022 run in the future! Definitely recommend this for all the Star Trek/LD fans who miss the show.
The only issue I had was that on almost every page there were 1-3 lines 'aside' from a narrator or one of the characters or something? It was confusing and they were only funny/useful once or twice throughout the whole volume. They were also hard to read, as the text was smaller than the dialogue text.
I'm a huge Star Trek fan, and also fan of Lower Decks in general, so was really excited to review this volume. There were a few hiccups in the process, but I'm not going to review it based on some technical issues that were probably 50% my fault anyway -- just know that the process for comics ARCs in this format is a bit more complicated than I anticipated.
This was such a fun and enjoyable continuation of Lower Decks. I've been mourning the end of the show, and diving into the comic felt like getting to revisit all my favourite characters again; the stories were silly, dynamic, and heartfelt. I'll definitely be looking into the rest of the series and the previous 2022 run in the future! Definitely recommend this for all the Star Trek/LD fans who miss the show.
The only issue I had was that on almost every page there were 1-3 lines 'aside' from a narrator or one of the characters or something? It was confusing and they were only funny/useful once or twice throughout the whole volume. They were also hard to read, as the text was smaller than the dialogue text.
September 6, 2025
I like Ryan North's storytelling usually. He's good at spinning a yarn, and 50 issues of Squirrel Girl couldn't put me off him, so I'm always happy to check out his stuff.
That said, and I think I've mentioned this before, but sometimes it feels like he's patting himself on the back a little too hard. The stories he puts our poor Lower Deckers through here are very scientific and convoluted, so they fit the Star Trek of it all quite well, but I really don't need such intricate descriptions of why something does what it does in this kind of detail in my silly comic book about space lasers.
Also, that fucking ticker thing at the bottom of nearly every page is amusing once or twice, but eventually it just grates. Put your jokes in the story, man, c'mon.
This makes it sound overly negative, and I'm not, not really - I loved Warp Your Own Way, for example, and these six issues are still fun, but they definitely didn't land the way I wanted them to for me personally. Maybe too much Ryan North is a bad thing?
That said, and I think I've mentioned this before, but sometimes it feels like he's patting himself on the back a little too hard. The stories he puts our poor Lower Deckers through here are very scientific and convoluted, so they fit the Star Trek of it all quite well, but I really don't need such intricate descriptions of why something does what it does in this kind of detail in my silly comic book about space lasers.
Also, that fucking ticker thing at the bottom of nearly every page is amusing once or twice, but eventually it just grates. Put your jokes in the story, man, c'mon.
This makes it sound overly negative, and I'm not, not really - I loved Warp Your Own Way, for example, and these six issues are still fun, but they definitely didn't land the way I wanted them to for me personally. Maybe too much Ryan North is a bad thing?
July 29, 2025
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vol. 1: Second Contact is a comic spin off from the hit TV series (itself a spin off from the wider Star Trek franchise). Featuring Lieutenants Marriner, Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford, and the rest of the crew from the USS Cerritos, this book features 3 story arcs across 6 individual comics, involving ghost ships, alien possession, time travel, and a battle royale between Picard/Janeway/Daz/T'Pol/Scott. All in a day's work for the Second Contact team.
This is such a fun book. You can hear the voices of the characters in your head, and they're as fun to read as they are to watch, which is a testament to the writers and artists behind both the series and the book. Now that the show has been cancelled, this is a fantastic way to continue journeying with the Cerritos.
~This is a NetGalley Arc. All opinions are my own~
This is such a fun book. You can hear the voices of the characters in your head, and they're as fun to read as they are to watch, which is a testament to the writers and artists behind both the series and the book. Now that the show has been cancelled, this is a fantastic way to continue journeying with the Cerritos.
~This is a NetGalley Arc. All opinions are my own~
November 22, 2025
This is the second “volume 1” for a Lower Decks series, and maybe why we have “second contact” as the volume title?
Parts 1 & 2 reference TAS and the USS Bonaventure, with a side quest of energy-manipulating aliens. The adventures resolve pretty much on their own and partly off screen.
Parts 3 & 4 begin with a cool space anomaly mystery with high stakes. After a star system vanishes, the cause begins to spread, threatening to destroy the universe. Energy beings and alien possessions ensue.
Parts 5 & 6 involve a secret Temporal Investigations mission using the Cerritos senior staff, which is obviously crashed by the lower deckers.
This volume took me a little time to warm up to. The characterisations seem fine, and the art is great, but the adventures themselves may have been the thing holding me back. Still entertaining though.
Parts 1 & 2 reference TAS and the USS Bonaventure, with a side quest of energy-manipulating aliens. The adventures resolve pretty much on their own and partly off screen.
Parts 3 & 4 begin with a cool space anomaly mystery with high stakes. After a star system vanishes, the cause begins to spread, threatening to destroy the universe. Energy beings and alien possessions ensue.
Parts 5 & 6 involve a secret Temporal Investigations mission using the Cerritos senior staff, which is obviously crashed by the lower deckers.
This volume took me a little time to warm up to. The characterisations seem fine, and the art is great, but the adventures themselves may have been the thing holding me back. Still entertaining though.
July 31, 2025
Lower Decks Vol. 1: Second Contact was very entertaining. Both the writing and art is the same as the show, so it felt like watching an episode. There are 3 different stories in this volume and it is a continuation from where the show left off. I really enjoyed the 1st and 3rd stories they were fun and engaging. The 2nd story dragged a bit but was still good if a little sad. My only real complaint is the dialogue at the bottom of the pages, it wasn’t always very clear who was speaking which took me out of the stories trying to figure it out.
Overall a solid graphic novel that I would recommend to anyone that is a fan of the animated series.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall a solid graphic novel that I would recommend to anyone that is a fan of the animated series.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 31, 2025
I received an advanced copy of this graphic novel for review. All opinions are my own.
This is my first graphic novel in a while. I'll admit they're not my favorite format, HOWEVER. You can't present me with a Lower Decks GN and not expect me to jump on it! I LOOVE Lower Decks (all the new Star Trek shows tbh) and I've missed it since the finale. This was perfect! It really is just like the show, and I think being so familiar made it easier for me, as a person who struggles with graphic novels, of having preexisting characters and something so familiar for me to connect it to? Sort of?
Anyway, we follow the Cerritos crew on a few (mis)adventures. The art was fantastic, and I can't wait for the next one!
This is my first graphic novel in a while. I'll admit they're not my favorite format, HOWEVER. You can't present me with a Lower Decks GN and not expect me to jump on it! I LOOVE Lower Decks (all the new Star Trek shows tbh) and I've missed it since the finale. This was perfect! It really is just like the show, and I think being so familiar made it easier for me, as a person who struggles with graphic novels, of having preexisting characters and something so familiar for me to connect it to? Sort of?
Anyway, we follow the Cerritos crew on a few (mis)adventures. The art was fantastic, and I can't wait for the next one!
September 6, 2025
This was a fun collection of stories set in the Lower Decks story. There were a few moments where the story got a bit text-heavy for my taste, but the plot lines were interesting enough to slog through those parts. The way characters were written was honestly great. I could totally picture them saying the same things in the actual show. This comic does have some plot beats that require you to have also watched SNW to make sense. The art style was also almost identical to the show, but a little bit better. My only tiny nitpick is that the footnotes are on almost every single page were super annoying. It was cute in the first few pages, but by page 10, I was over it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
September 11, 2025
I was so excited to receive this as I have watched the show multiple times and absolutely loved it. This was no different.
The stories were just as gripping and had me hooked/flying through it. I really enjoyed that there was multiple stories in the book and loved the ‘notes’ at the bottom of the pages that just added to the scenes.
I adored all the characters, the family they’ve created and the banter they all share is what makes the story. Each character stands out in their own way as they’re all so unique and intriguing. I can’t get enough or mariner’s enthusiasm to go on adventures and the way she sees the world. I love the side she brings out of boimler.
Overall it was such a fun read, the artwork was amazing, the plot line was hooking and I cannot wait for the next one.
The stories were just as gripping and had me hooked/flying through it. I really enjoyed that there was multiple stories in the book and loved the ‘notes’ at the bottom of the pages that just added to the scenes.
I adored all the characters, the family they’ve created and the banter they all share is what makes the story. Each character stands out in their own way as they’re all so unique and intriguing. I can’t get enough or mariner’s enthusiasm to go on adventures and the way she sees the world. I love the side she brings out of boimler.
Overall it was such a fun read, the artwork was amazing, the plot line was hooking and I cannot wait for the next one.
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