Star Trek: Red Shirts

Star Trek: Red Shirts #1-5

by Christopher Cantwell, Megan Levens (Illustrator)

The doomed Starfleet crew members, the red shirts, must track down spies on an isolated planet in this graphic novel.

Stranded on the snow-ridden planet Arkonia 89, the crew of the U.S.S. Warren has a small window in which to pin down spies seeking to steal classified secrets and keep Starfleet data out of their nefarious hands.

They face threats not only from their faceless enemies but from the brutalizing elements and wildlife of a planet far from home. In this complicated story of betrayal, loss, and redemption, the red shirts’ lives and Starfleet’s sanctity are on the line…and no one is safe.

This heartrending story by writer Christopher Cantwell (Star Trek: Defiant) and artist Megan Levens (Star Trek) marks a new beginning for the Star Trek universe, featuring Starfleet’s most intrepid and doomed crew members: red shirts. Now, finally, they get their own story.

Collects the complete miniseries Star Trek: Red Shirts #1–5.

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 12, 2026

Reviews

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Star Trek: Red Shirts" is an intense, suspenseful book that will keep the reader guessing until the very end. Focusing on the "Red Shirts" of the Starfleet Security Service, this book pulls no punches as it portrays the officers of Starfleet who form the tip of the spear and the thankless and often brutal work they are called to perform. Expect strongly defined characters, lots of action - often gory, unflinching adherence to duty, hidden agendas and enemies and a number of sudden twists.

Note: I read this story arc in single issues. I will modify this review as needed when the trade comes out

[Renato]

Redshirts is darkly comedic. But it is also pretty dark.

(In the TOS era) : Ten Redshirts sent to a planet to investigate some spy equipment that has been hacked.

The premise feels akin to that funny D&D campaign idea where you fill entire party is full of Paladins. Mixed in is a "Final Destination" twist with the creative and unique deaths our party is about to encounter.

One nice little touch is that each chapter begins with a Dramatis Personae of all of the redshirt involved, with each subsequent chapter X-ing or greying out the characters as they get killed off.

Once again: if it were not for the tongue-in-cheek trope, this book would come off as extremely dark and cynical, feeling very Un-"Star Treky".

[Joel Jorden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was actually skeptical going into this miniseries, wondering if anyone could actually tell a compelling story focused on a bunch of "redshirts." But these security officers have an important mission, and not all of them will make it out alive...

This miniseries feels like the Quentin Tarantino Star Trek movie we never got. It's got quirky interesting characters, violence, profanity, morally ambiguous characters, and double and triple-crosses!

[Declan O'Keeffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Trek comics taking some wild swings this year, and this one paid off. this was a fun comic with some fun twists and surprises. A great fun mini series.