What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Trek: Picard—Countdown #1-3
Star Trek: Picard—Countdown
Witness the events leading to the new CBS All Access series Picard in this graphic novel where new characters are introduced and secrets will be revealed.
Before he retired to his vineyard, Jean-Luc Picard was the most decorated admiral in Starfleet. Then one mission changed his life forever. After discovering that a looming supernova threatens the entirety of the Romulan Empire, the Federation launches a mission of unparalleled scale. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard heads to the colony to plan the evacuation but makes a shocking discovery!
Written by Star Trek: Picard co-creator and supervising producer Kirsten Beyer and fan-favorite Mike Johnson!
Before he retired to his vineyard, Jean-Luc Picard was the most decorated admiral in Starfleet. Then one mission changed his life forever. After discovering that a looming supernova threatens the entirety of the Romulan Empire, the Federation launches a mission of unparalleled scale. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard heads to the colony to plan the evacuation but makes a shocking discovery!
Written by Star Trek: Picard co-creator and supervising producer Kirsten Beyer and fan-favorite Mike Johnson!
96 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2020
68 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
January 29, 2020
I've been picking these up because I've been really excited about the new Picard TV show (loved the first episode!). The comic is okay. It fills in some of the backstory on one of the plot points from the show, and also provides origin stories for a couple of new side characters. Hardly an essential read, but it's solidly written and well-drawn, so if you can't get enough of the new Star Trek series this book might be fun to check out.
November 27, 2019
Ahhh I love Hernández’s art so much. What a beautiful issue. The colouring also is crisp and clean, not over blended and muddy like recent previous issues of Trek comics. Just so detailed and lovely to look at.
Really strong and fascinating start rich with so many possible leads, and subjects to talk about I am absolutely pulled by intrigue.
Working as intended, the hype for the series is amplified in me to see what happens there too (and for Hot Space Elves.)
Moooreee pls.
Really strong and fascinating start rich with so many possible leads, and subjects to talk about I am absolutely pulled by intrigue.
Working as intended, the hype for the series is amplified in me to see what happens there too (and for Hot Space Elves.)
Moooreee pls.
September 20, 2020
3.5 stars. A little lightweight, and I was able to predict what was coming, but I still liked it because of it was helpful to know how the Romulans ended up on the Picard estate.
November 4, 2020
Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson’s graphic novel “Star Trek: Picard: Countdown”, drawn by Angel Hernandez, is a sleek-looking prequel novel to the CBS All-Access TV show Picard, which I have not seen yet. It is, however, not very exciting.
As someone who has not followed the Star Trek franchise religiously over the years, I am sadly ignorant of much of the necessary back-story that is probably required to understand what is going on in this graphic novel. Much of it has to do with the destruction of the planet Romulus, an event that is, I think, referenced heavily in J.J. Abrams’s 2009 reboot film, a film that I greatly enjoyed as it was a much-needed shot of adrenaline in a franchise that was aging out very rapidly.
Don’t get me wrong: I love me some Star Trek, always have. Probably not as much as Star Wars, but close. If the franchise was sci-fi and had the word “Star” in it, I loved it.
But can I be honest for a second? I was getting pretty bored with the last couple Trek movies, most of which just felt like two-hour long episodes.
I mean, I remember enjoying Star Trek: the Next Generation when it first aired, although probably not as much as the original. In fact, I don’t think I ever continued finishing the last couple seasons of TNG. I never watched any of the spin-offs either. It’s not that what I was seeing was bad, it’s just that it wasn’t really doing it for me anymore.
I am a bad Trekker. Sorry.
I have, however, recently discovered Star Trek: Discovery, which has become my newest favorite TV show. I also look forward to seeing Picard, which looks promising, although I’m certainly not getting my hopes up after reading “Countdown”.
Getting back to Discovery, though: Damn! That’s a good fuckin’ show. Sonequa Martin-Green has injected a much-needed intelligence and sexiness to the franchise, and it’s about time. The show is edgy, super-smart, and deals with some pretty heady topics that are apropos for the current political climate.
I only bring this up because if the franchise can come up with something as awesome as Discovery, I continue to have hope that Picard will be pretty decent.
As someone who has not followed the Star Trek franchise religiously over the years, I am sadly ignorant of much of the necessary back-story that is probably required to understand what is going on in this graphic novel. Much of it has to do with the destruction of the planet Romulus, an event that is, I think, referenced heavily in J.J. Abrams’s 2009 reboot film, a film that I greatly enjoyed as it was a much-needed shot of adrenaline in a franchise that was aging out very rapidly.
Don’t get me wrong: I love me some Star Trek, always have. Probably not as much as Star Wars, but close. If the franchise was sci-fi and had the word “Star” in it, I loved it.
But can I be honest for a second? I was getting pretty bored with the last couple Trek movies, most of which just felt like two-hour long episodes.
I mean, I remember enjoying Star Trek: the Next Generation when it first aired, although probably not as much as the original. In fact, I don’t think I ever continued finishing the last couple seasons of TNG. I never watched any of the spin-offs either. It’s not that what I was seeing was bad, it’s just that it wasn’t really doing it for me anymore.
I am a bad Trekker. Sorry.
I have, however, recently discovered Star Trek: Discovery, which has become my newest favorite TV show. I also look forward to seeing Picard, which looks promising, although I’m certainly not getting my hopes up after reading “Countdown”.
Getting back to Discovery, though: Damn! That’s a good fuckin’ show. Sonequa Martin-Green has injected a much-needed intelligence and sexiness to the franchise, and it’s about time. The show is edgy, super-smart, and deals with some pretty heady topics that are apropos for the current political climate.
I only bring this up because if the franchise can come up with something as awesome as Discovery, I continue to have hope that Picard will be pretty decent.
August 25, 2020
Picard takes his new ship on a mission to evacuate a romulan colony only to quickly discover that the planet has a native population numbering in the millions that the Romulan Star Empire had failed to mention. Picard will not countenance the death of millions and refuses to continue the mission until he's figured out a way to rescue them all.
Plot wise this could be the plot of an episode of any of the 6 Star Trek shows. The problem is that it doesn't feel like anything more than the plot synopsis of a lost episode. The comic moves so swiftly that it feels more like a plot summary than a story. Picard is locked in a cell and gets out a page later. His ship is taken over by Romulans but the crew beams them into the brig a page later. He's betrayed by his new friends, but convinces them to help him again about 5 panels later.
The art is very good but the comic doesn't care enough about telling a story to be worth reading and there's no meaningful revelations concerning the new show either. Overall it's just painfully mediocre.
Plot wise this could be the plot of an episode of any of the 6 Star Trek shows. The problem is that it doesn't feel like anything more than the plot synopsis of a lost episode. The comic moves so swiftly that it feels more like a plot summary than a story. Picard is locked in a cell and gets out a page later. His ship is taken over by Romulans but the crew beams them into the brig a page later. He's betrayed by his new friends, but convinces them to help him again about 5 panels later.
The art is very good but the comic doesn't care enough about telling a story to be worth reading and there's no meaningful revelations concerning the new show either. Overall it's just painfully mediocre.
February 4, 2022
I was really just looking at this comic to see the uniforms of the 2380s for my own fan-designed starship, but it was a quick read and I got sucked in. It’s a solid if not spectacular example of Star Trek, one that is more Next Generation than the ultra-violent version of Picard.
March 29, 2021
A tight, three issue series that is a (wait for it) countdown to the first season of Picard. This goes into the evacuation of Romulan colonies that Picard was involved with before his break with the Federation. I loved this! My favorite part was that it gave the back story of the two Romulans who live with Picard on the vineyard! I had really wanted their story and it doesn't disappoint. Very satisfying.
August 31, 2020
Did you binge through Star Trek: Picard, and find yourself wanting more? If so, then this graphic novel is probably perfect. It's not the same as getting a second season, but it'll help pass the time as we anxiously await all news on that front.
Star Trek: Picard – Countdown is set before the events of the show, portraying Picard before he left Starfleet – back when he still thought he could help the Romulans. This is the tale of how he tried to help one planet evacuate, and the two allies he found in the process.
Created by Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, and Angel Hernandez, Star Trek: Picard – Countdown is everything it promises to be, and then some.
Star Trek: Picard – Countdown is a fascinating story, one that explains many questions raised from the first season of the series. Mostly, questions about Picard and how the Romulan evacuation went (more accurately, how it got so bad so quickly).
I really enjoyed the perspective, if I'm being honest. I feel like it filled in some of the gaps presented from the past, while also helping with the waiting period for the second season. So that's two majorly positive points, in my book.
Plus, the artwork is absolutely fantastic. It's one part bold and brilliant design/colors (all credit to Mike Johnson and Angel Hernandez for that), and one part infusion from the show. That can be especially notable for the covers, some of which are clearly photographs from the show itself. I thought that was a nice touch, as far as variant covers go. But I am glad that they allowed the artwork to define itself for this prequel.
I'm not going to go so far as to say that all Picard fans need to read this, but I do think that many of them will enjoy it. I know I did, and personally I'm hoping that more graphic novels will follow in the future.
Check out more of my reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Star Trek: Picard – Countdown is set before the events of the show, portraying Picard before he left Starfleet – back when he still thought he could help the Romulans. This is the tale of how he tried to help one planet evacuate, and the two allies he found in the process.
Created by Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, and Angel Hernandez, Star Trek: Picard – Countdown is everything it promises to be, and then some.
Star Trek: Picard – Countdown is a fascinating story, one that explains many questions raised from the first season of the series. Mostly, questions about Picard and how the Romulan evacuation went (more accurately, how it got so bad so quickly).
I really enjoyed the perspective, if I'm being honest. I feel like it filled in some of the gaps presented from the past, while also helping with the waiting period for the second season. So that's two majorly positive points, in my book.
Plus, the artwork is absolutely fantastic. It's one part bold and brilliant design/colors (all credit to Mike Johnson and Angel Hernandez for that), and one part infusion from the show. That can be especially notable for the covers, some of which are clearly photographs from the show itself. I thought that was a nice touch, as far as variant covers go. But I am glad that they allowed the artwork to define itself for this prequel.
I'm not going to go so far as to say that all Picard fans need to read this, but I do think that many of them will enjoy it. I know I did, and personally I'm hoping that more graphic novels will follow in the future.
Check out more of my reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
September 2, 2020
A prequel to Star Trek: Picard season 1, this three issue mini-series does little to shed light on anything we didn't already know from the TV show, but does give us some more time with Picard and Raffi as they attempt to evacuate a Romulan colony and instead end up starting a rebellion. Oops.
It also serves as a secret origin for the two Romulans that are working at Chateau Picard, which I have to say I didn't expect, and gives the series a good grounding. They're two characters that didn't get a lot in the way of spotlight in the TV show, so this exploration is welcome. The overall story's kind of inconsequential (space racism gets a little boring after a while), but the dialogue most certainly rings true and it's easy to hear Patrick Stewart's voice in your head whenever Picard is speaking.
Reliable Trek mainstay Angel Hernandez pencils these three issues, so it looks pretty great too.
Also included is an interview with the writer, which doesn't give much away, and some history on the USS Verity design that ends up delving into Star Trek Online's design process, which was oddly fascinating.
Not a bad prequel, but a little creaky to get going - like Picard himself, I suppose.
It also serves as a secret origin for the two Romulans that are working at Chateau Picard, which I have to say I didn't expect, and gives the series a good grounding. They're two characters that didn't get a lot in the way of spotlight in the TV show, so this exploration is welcome. The overall story's kind of inconsequential (space racism gets a little boring after a while), but the dialogue most certainly rings true and it's easy to hear Patrick Stewart's voice in your head whenever Picard is speaking.
Reliable Trek mainstay Angel Hernandez pencils these three issues, so it looks pretty great too.
Also included is an interview with the writer, which doesn't give much away, and some history on the USS Verity design that ends up delving into Star Trek Online's design process, which was oddly fascinating.
Not a bad prequel, but a little creaky to get going - like Picard himself, I suppose.
March 7, 2021
Pretty much a standard Trek story, however, I thought it was done well and served as a satisfying prequel of the TV series.
Artwork is good, pacing is good, and the familiar elements (Star Trek ideals, treacherous Romulans ) are used well.
Compared to the TV series, this is much less violent, so we do not get blood splatter covering the screen- a plus in my book. Swearing is also kept to a minimum.
Reading the interviews at the back made me laugh however. So Picard the TV series is much less action but character driven? Okay.....
Anyways, I liked the comic. Much less ambivalent than the TV show.
Artwork is good, pacing is good, and the familiar elements (Star Trek ideals, treacherous Romulans ) are used well.
Compared to the TV series, this is much less violent, so we do not get blood splatter covering the screen- a plus in my book. Swearing is also kept to a minimum.
Reading the interviews at the back made me laugh however. So Picard the TV series is much less action but character driven? Okay.....
Anyways, I liked the comic. Much less ambivalent than the TV show.
February 21, 2020
First off, I read these comics as three parts. But for this review, I will be Star Trek: Picard - Countdown as one comic book. I had not planned on reading this comic this month, but I was drawn in by the cover and the next thing I knew I finished it.
This collection was a superquick read it covered the missing piece between Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard . Once I finished reading the comics, the events of Star Trek: Picard started to make a lot more sense.
Picard did something very much true to his character, he tried to save as many lives before the supernova a star that would destroy an entire system imploded. But of course, when it comes to the Romulans, nothing ever goes as expected. In this colony, everything seems so different the Governor was so accommodating to Picard until he made the point that his goal was to save every life on the planet, including the natives. Then everything hit the fan.
Of course in true Star Trek nature, there are so surprises and unexpected events like being held captive. Oh, and there is the underground network of Romulans sort of like Section 31 of Star Trek. Was here that Picard met Zhaban and Laris.
In the show, I have grown very fond of Zhaban and Laris. But in the comics, they are nothing like their show counterparts, until the end. They may be Romulans but they sure don't act like them. They were part of the Tal Shiar. They had orders but there was a complication, Picard. Things changed dramatically then.
So in the end, if you want a fast read and love Star Trek these comics are what you want. You do not need to have watched Star Trek: Picard or Star Trek: The Next Generation in order to enjoy the comics, but it would help. Overall I really enjoyed these comics and I may have to start reading more of the Star Trek comics in the future.
This review was originally posted on Charles Reads
June 23, 2021
I love Star Trek and I loved this!
I haven't had a chance to watch the Picard show yet, thought I'd check this out first as it's supposed to be a prequel. The Next Generation era has changed a bit, a lot of the characters have moved onto their own ships and Picard is now an Admiral. He's in charge of saving the Romulans from a supernova, of course they don't want to play by the federations rules.
I loved how this was dripping with politics, how can one man have the right to say who lives and who dies? Absolutely amazing!
I haven't had a chance to watch the Picard show yet, thought I'd check this out first as it's supposed to be a prequel. The Next Generation era has changed a bit, a lot of the characters have moved onto their own ships and Picard is now an Admiral. He's in charge of saving the Romulans from a supernova, of course they don't want to play by the federations rules.
I loved how this was dripping with politics, how can one man have the right to say who lives and who dies? Absolutely amazing!
August 24, 2020
A Mission of Urgency
When the 'Verity' is called to evacuate 10 000 Romulans from a colony in the Romulan Star Empire, Picard and Musiker are astounded when they discover the Romulans plan to abandon the four or five million native inhabitants.
Brightly lit and dynamically drafted, this is a delightful prequel to 'Star Trek: Picard'. Johnson and Beyer bridge the gap between 'Star Trek: Nemesis' and the series.
When the 'Verity' is called to evacuate 10 000 Romulans from a colony in the Romulan Star Empire, Picard and Musiker are astounded when they discover the Romulans plan to abandon the four or five million native inhabitants.
Brightly lit and dynamically drafted, this is a delightful prequel to 'Star Trek: Picard'. Johnson and Beyer bridge the gap between 'Star Trek: Nemesis' and the series.
November 7, 2022
The plot of this comic is really color-by-numbers: Picard tries to rescue Romulans; they scheme. But where the comic really shines is in its revelations about the backstories of characters: especially Laris and Rhaban but also Raffi, who we rather joyfully get to see working under a Starfleet uniform!
Obviously, you need to have seen Picard Season 1 for that to be at all meaningful.
Obviously, you need to have seen Picard Season 1 for that to be at all meaningful.
January 31, 2020
Countdown sets up the events that are depicted in Star Trek: Picard. I am loving this show so far and this really keeps with the spirit of the show and ushers us back into Picard's complicated like and done with great illustrations.
February 1, 2020
Beautiful art, well written with natural dialogue and solid pacing. Really fleshed out some of the relationships for the show.
I know the collection isn't out til later on, but I didn't want to list each issue separately.
I know the collection isn't out til later on, but I didn't want to list each issue separately.
January 4, 2021
Tick tock
A good introduction to the Picard series. Picard has never been my favourite captain, but have always respected the character.
The Romulan empire is in big trouble. The Federation offers to help but after years of war and mistrust, the Romulans are very resistant to the help. Leading the effort is Admiral Picard.
On a mission to evacuate survivors Picard discovers more than he bargained for, and as most things Romulan there is a plot inside a plot.
Great artwork. Good story and true yo the Picard character. The book finishes with an interview with the creators and some sketches and art of the ships.
A good introduction to the Picard series. Picard has never been my favourite captain, but have always respected the character.
The Romulan empire is in big trouble. The Federation offers to help but after years of war and mistrust, the Romulans are very resistant to the help. Leading the effort is Admiral Picard.
On a mission to evacuate survivors Picard discovers more than he bargained for, and as most things Romulan there is a plot inside a plot.
Great artwork. Good story and true yo the Picard character. The book finishes with an interview with the creators and some sketches and art of the ships.
January 18, 2023
I'm a sucker for anything Star Trek-related, and especially anything Next Gen/Picard. As far as "prequel" stories go, this one was pretty cool. You get Laris and Zabhan's backstory, and some insight into the Romulan evacuation. It was fun and it was Star Trek, and I wasn't asking for much more than that, so I'm happy.
March 1, 2021
Prequel to the events of Picard, always happy to dive back into their universe! Read online through Hoopla and my library.
December 21, 2024
2.5 stars
January 31, 2020
Decent backstory for some of the characters and conflicts in the new CBS series.
February 9, 2022
It was okay, good context for the series but not super pleased with the execution, or the art (Zhaban looks like some kind of monkey, for one)
December 11, 2020
Star Trek: Picard- Countdown
The problem with the Picard show is- well, lots. While one can be excited about the return of Jean Luc Picard to the Star Trek television world, the show spreads itself too thin trying to capture the nostalgia and most of the characters from the Next Generation show and movies while at the same time failing to be anything like the Star Trek we know.
However, this is not about the show and its failings and successes, it is about the comic and recently released collected edition. Picard is a prequel to the show and fills in the backstory of some of the characters including the two Romulan caretakers at the chateau de Picard and his friend Raffi.
Countdown is Star Trek. No one swears. The Federation is still good. Admiral Picard has a chance to command a starship (not the Enterprise) and there is a Star Trek morality question that is lacking in the new show (what to do with a primitive species of “servants” on a Romulan world facing evacuation.) Picard: Countdown is excellent, regardless of what you thought of the show, or even if you saw it.
Star Trek: Picard- Countdown collects issues 1-3 of the limited series. Mike Johnson (Author), Kirsten Beyer (Author), Angel Hernandez (Artist)
The problem with the Picard show is- well, lots. While one can be excited about the return of Jean Luc Picard to the Star Trek television world, the show spreads itself too thin trying to capture the nostalgia and most of the characters from the Next Generation show and movies while at the same time failing to be anything like the Star Trek we know.
However, this is not about the show and its failings and successes, it is about the comic and recently released collected edition. Picard is a prequel to the show and fills in the backstory of some of the characters including the two Romulan caretakers at the chateau de Picard and his friend Raffi.
Countdown is Star Trek. No one swears. The Federation is still good. Admiral Picard has a chance to command a starship (not the Enterprise) and there is a Star Trek morality question that is lacking in the new show (what to do with a primitive species of “servants” on a Romulan world facing evacuation.) Picard: Countdown is excellent, regardless of what you thought of the show, or even if you saw it.
Star Trek: Picard- Countdown collects issues 1-3 of the limited series. Mike Johnson (Author), Kirsten Beyer (Author), Angel Hernandez (Artist)
February 26, 2020
I've never read a piece of Star Trek fiction before. Well, unless you count that weird crossover comic with Doctor Who from 2012/2013. In fact, my only real exposure to Star Trek, in general, comes from a handful of episodes of The Next Generation, the first two JJ Abrams movies, and general cultural osmosis. But when the trailers for Star Trek: Picard started dropping, I found my interest piqued. It looked like the kind of show I'd be interested in, so I made a point of watching it. At this point, several episodes have aired and I'm really enjoying the show, so I went and looked to see if anything had been released to tie into the show. And lo, and behold, there was this three-issue prequel comic from IDW, written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson and illustrated by Angel Hernandez, that promised to reveal some of the events that happened prior to the start of the show. It sounded like the kind of thing I'd be interested in, so I picked up the issues and gave them a read and, I gotta say, it's really solid. Though a bit short, Star Trek: Picard - Countdown tells a really good story that shines a bit of light on Picard's history before the beginning of Star Trek: Picard.
If you, like me, found yourself wanting to know more about Picard's time working with Starfleet to try and evacuate the Romulan people prior to their sun going supernova, then this is the comic for you. If you were wanted to know more about the backstory of characters like Zhaban, Laris, and Raffi, then this is the story for you. If you wanted to know more about what Next Generation characters like La Forge were up to between the end of that series and the beginning of Picard, then this is the story for you. It's actually impressive how much is crammed into these three issues. Star Trek: Picard - Countdown isn't a long story and it never goes as in-depth as you'd like it to, but it does a good job at introducing, and contextualizing, some of the new characters in Star Trek: Picard to readers while also letting us see what some fan-favorites, like Picard and La Forge, were up to during the Romulan evacuation.
In Picard: Countdown, we follow Picard and Raffi as they travel to one of the Romulan colony planets to try and make a deal with the governor to evacuate those on the planet. Once they get there, they quickly learn that the governor has no intention of making a deal with Starfleet but intends to derail the entire operation. To say any more would be to venture too far into spoiler territory, but needless to say it's a pretty exciting ride. One of the coolest things about the story is getting to see how some of the Romulans reacted to Starfleet's efforts to save them from dying in the aftermath of their sun going supernova. It's interesting that the Romulans treated Starfleet about as suspiciously as some of Starfleet have treated the Romulans - but I suppose that makes sense given their history of conflict. Of equal coolness is getting to see Zhaban and Laris, who act as Picard's house staff during the series and are later revealed to be members of the Tal Shiar, in proper action. We also get a hint of why they ultimately decided to live with Picard on his vineyard and that's really cool. Overall, it's totally not a necessary read in order to understand the show, but those who find themselves craving new information will definitely find some here.
While the story is extremely solid, I do have one complaint: it's so short! I understand that comics are usually pretty fast-paced, but this one moves at the speed of a freight train and never lets up. While that works for keeping the energy and excitement up, it does rob some of the quieter moments of the chance to breathe a little. It's clear that Beyer and Johnson know ho wot write a Star Trek story and have perfectly captured the voices of these characters, so it would have been nice for them to have been given a chance to do a little bit more with them. It's a solid story, but I can't help but think a fourth issue might have given it the room to be even better, allowing it to space things out just a bit better and giving everything the room to breathe.
What's probably most impressive about this comic is Angel Hernandez's artwork. Hernandez is able to perfectly capture the feeling of Star Trek while bringing their own style to the mix. All of the characters are immediately identifiable as their on-screen counterparts, but where Hernandez lets loose is with the background designs. Hernandez makes the various starships look that perfect mixture of clinical and homely; they still look like an important government machine but they also feel lived in. The same is true for the colony planet Picard and Raffi visit. This planet is sort of weird-looking, but it also makes sense. Hernandez even gets to design some new creatures, too, in the form of the planet's indigenous lifeform. And those designs are excellent - they look suitably alien without feeling cliche. On the whole, Hernandez's artwork breathes a lot of life into this comic and ends up stealing the show.
At the end of the day, Star Trek: Picard - Countdown isn't essential reading, but it sure is fun. It's a very solid story, very competently told by two writers intimately involved with the creation of numerous Star Trek stories. While the comic feels a bit too short, it's still extremely entertaining and provides some insights on many of the characters and ideas that the Picard show explores. Hernandez's artwork gives the whole affair a beautiful sheen, breathing life into Beyer and Jonhson's words and tying everything together with a very cohesive look. While I don't know how Picard: Countdown stacks up alongside other Star Trek comics and stories, I can't say I wasn't thoroughly entertained by it. I'm really enjoying Star Trek: Picard and this comic honestly furthered my enjoyment of the show. I hope IDW continues to make comics set around Picard - they're a lot of fun!
If you, like me, found yourself wanting to know more about Picard's time working with Starfleet to try and evacuate the Romulan people prior to their sun going supernova, then this is the comic for you. If you were wanted to know more about the backstory of characters like Zhaban, Laris, and Raffi, then this is the story for you. If you wanted to know more about what Next Generation characters like La Forge were up to between the end of that series and the beginning of Picard, then this is the story for you. It's actually impressive how much is crammed into these three issues. Star Trek: Picard - Countdown isn't a long story and it never goes as in-depth as you'd like it to, but it does a good job at introducing, and contextualizing, some of the new characters in Star Trek: Picard to readers while also letting us see what some fan-favorites, like Picard and La Forge, were up to during the Romulan evacuation.
In Picard: Countdown, we follow Picard and Raffi as they travel to one of the Romulan colony planets to try and make a deal with the governor to evacuate those on the planet. Once they get there, they quickly learn that the governor has no intention of making a deal with Starfleet but intends to derail the entire operation. To say any more would be to venture too far into spoiler territory, but needless to say it's a pretty exciting ride. One of the coolest things about the story is getting to see how some of the Romulans reacted to Starfleet's efforts to save them from dying in the aftermath of their sun going supernova. It's interesting that the Romulans treated Starfleet about as suspiciously as some of Starfleet have treated the Romulans - but I suppose that makes sense given their history of conflict. Of equal coolness is getting to see Zhaban and Laris, who act as Picard's house staff during the series and are later revealed to be members of the Tal Shiar, in proper action. We also get a hint of why they ultimately decided to live with Picard on his vineyard and that's really cool. Overall, it's totally not a necessary read in order to understand the show, but those who find themselves craving new information will definitely find some here.
While the story is extremely solid, I do have one complaint: it's so short! I understand that comics are usually pretty fast-paced, but this one moves at the speed of a freight train and never lets up. While that works for keeping the energy and excitement up, it does rob some of the quieter moments of the chance to breathe a little. It's clear that Beyer and Johnson know ho wot write a Star Trek story and have perfectly captured the voices of these characters, so it would have been nice for them to have been given a chance to do a little bit more with them. It's a solid story, but I can't help but think a fourth issue might have given it the room to be even better, allowing it to space things out just a bit better and giving everything the room to breathe.
What's probably most impressive about this comic is Angel Hernandez's artwork. Hernandez is able to perfectly capture the feeling of Star Trek while bringing their own style to the mix. All of the characters are immediately identifiable as their on-screen counterparts, but where Hernandez lets loose is with the background designs. Hernandez makes the various starships look that perfect mixture of clinical and homely; they still look like an important government machine but they also feel lived in. The same is true for the colony planet Picard and Raffi visit. This planet is sort of weird-looking, but it also makes sense. Hernandez even gets to design some new creatures, too, in the form of the planet's indigenous lifeform. And those designs are excellent - they look suitably alien without feeling cliche. On the whole, Hernandez's artwork breathes a lot of life into this comic and ends up stealing the show.
At the end of the day, Star Trek: Picard - Countdown isn't essential reading, but it sure is fun. It's a very solid story, very competently told by two writers intimately involved with the creation of numerous Star Trek stories. While the comic feels a bit too short, it's still extremely entertaining and provides some insights on many of the characters and ideas that the Picard show explores. Hernandez's artwork gives the whole affair a beautiful sheen, breathing life into Beyer and Jonhson's words and tying everything together with a very cohesive look. While I don't know how Picard: Countdown stacks up alongside other Star Trek comics and stories, I can't say I wasn't thoroughly entertained by it. I'm really enjoying Star Trek: Picard and this comic honestly furthered my enjoyment of the show. I hope IDW continues to make comics set around Picard - they're a lot of fun!
July 11, 2021
I finally got around to reading (because it’s taken my the public library awhile to get a copy ordered for me) “Star Trek: Picard: Countdown”, the trade paperback collected edition reprinting issues one through three of the comic book mini-series of the same title that was published by IDW (November 2019 to January 2020 cover dates).
Written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson (in practice, story by Beyer and Johnson, comic book script by Johnson), with art by Angel Hernandez (and colors by Joana Lafuente). Original covers (reproduced inside the trade) painted by Michael Pangrazio, Sara Pitre-Durocher. Trade paperback cover art by Jim Salvati.
“Star Trek: Picard: Countdown” is one of two prequel tie-ins that came out prior to the premiere of the “Star Trek: Picard” streaming television series on what was then CBS All Access (now Paramount+) in January 2020. (The other being “The Last Best Hope”, a Star Trek: Picard prequel novel written by Una McCormack that I read back in February and March of that year (prior to my watching the TV series).)
Like “The Last Best Hope”, “Countdown” takes place well prior to the events of the first episode of the tv series. Without going overly much into the basic set up for “Star Trek: Picard” again, I’ll just say that this story takes place mostly in 2385, during the period when Jean-Luc Picard is now “Admiral Picard” and has assumed command of the USS Verity and is leading the Federation’s and Starfleet’s efforts to relocate as many Romulans (and other sentient beings) living within the “blast zone” of the soon-to-go-supernova Romulan star. His first officer and partner in the effort is Lt. Commander Raffi Musiker (played by Michelle Hurd on the TV series).
Seen briefly at the start and end of this story (for seemingly no other reason than to establish his role as the one overseeing the construction of a brand new fleet of transport ships at the Utopia Planitia shipyards orbiting Mars) is Star Trek: The Next Generation regular, Commander Geordi La Forge. (He is also featured in this same role, much more extensively, in “The Last Best Hope” novel.)
The story here is a nice little one detailing Picard, Musiker, and the Verity being rerouted to evacuate a population of “just over ten thousand” Romulan refugees from a planet along the edge of the blast zone, only to discover that there is also an indigenous sentient population of another species native to the planet that the Romulans have been using as slave labor. Their numbers are four or five million, to which Picard remarks that they aren’t equipped to move that many people. The Romulans are not concerned by this as they have no intention of attempting to relocate (and rescue from the supernova) this servant population. This leads to Picard holding firm that Starfleet will not relocate just the Romulans and leave the millions of others behind to die, to which the Romulan governor orders Picard and Musiker detained and makes plans to try to hijack the USS Verity.
Out of this story comes the origin of two Romulan characters, Laris and Zhaban, seen living with Picard as friends and servants of his at his ancestral French chalet and vineyard at the start of the tv series, which takes place fourteen years after the events of “Countdown” and “The Last Best Hope”.
Also included in the trade paperback collection are a couple text articles in the back. First, an interview with Kirsten Beyer, co-writer of this story and also co-creator of the “Star Trek: Picard” television series and a member of its regular writing staff. The other article, “Visualizing the Verity”, goes into the design history of the USS Verity (Odyssey class, of which the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F was also of the same design) by Cryptic Studios (the makers of the Star Trek Online massive multiplayer online game) and IDW (the publishers of the Star Trek comic books). (The design of the USS Enterprise-F was actually created by fan Adam Ihle, his design winning the “Design the Next Enterprise” contest in December 2010. The article goes into this, as well.)
“Star Trek: Picard: Countdown” is an enjoyable read, especially for those wanting a bit more back story on what happened in the gap of time between the last of the Next Generation movies, “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002), and the start of “Star Trek: Picard” (2020). (Why the title “Countdown”? Well, while Picard does refer to the clock counting down to the supernova, a narrowing window of time to try to rescue and relocate hundreds of millions of people, the other reason this mini-series was called “Countdown” is because it’s the third prequel comic book mini-series to a Star Trek movie or television show published by IDW Publications. The first was “Star Trek: Countdown” (2009), which was a prequel tie-in to the 2009 “Star Trek” film by J.J. Abrams. The second was “Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness” (2013), a prequel tie-in to the “Star Trek Into Darkness” film (2013). So, “Countdown” is merely a common sub-title that IDW likes to used to indicate that it is a prequel tie-in to a simultaneous major Star Trek television or film project.
Written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson (in practice, story by Beyer and Johnson, comic book script by Johnson), with art by Angel Hernandez (and colors by Joana Lafuente). Original covers (reproduced inside the trade) painted by Michael Pangrazio, Sara Pitre-Durocher. Trade paperback cover art by Jim Salvati.
“Star Trek: Picard: Countdown” is one of two prequel tie-ins that came out prior to the premiere of the “Star Trek: Picard” streaming television series on what was then CBS All Access (now Paramount+) in January 2020. (The other being “The Last Best Hope”, a Star Trek: Picard prequel novel written by Una McCormack that I read back in February and March of that year (prior to my watching the TV series).)
Like “The Last Best Hope”, “Countdown” takes place well prior to the events of the first episode of the tv series. Without going overly much into the basic set up for “Star Trek: Picard” again, I’ll just say that this story takes place mostly in 2385, during the period when Jean-Luc Picard is now “Admiral Picard” and has assumed command of the USS Verity and is leading the Federation’s and Starfleet’s efforts to relocate as many Romulans (and other sentient beings) living within the “blast zone” of the soon-to-go-supernova Romulan star. His first officer and partner in the effort is Lt. Commander Raffi Musiker (played by Michelle Hurd on the TV series).
Seen briefly at the start and end of this story (for seemingly no other reason than to establish his role as the one overseeing the construction of a brand new fleet of transport ships at the Utopia Planitia shipyards orbiting Mars) is Star Trek: The Next Generation regular, Commander Geordi La Forge. (He is also featured in this same role, much more extensively, in “The Last Best Hope” novel.)
The story here is a nice little one detailing Picard, Musiker, and the Verity being rerouted to evacuate a population of “just over ten thousand” Romulan refugees from a planet along the edge of the blast zone, only to discover that there is also an indigenous sentient population of another species native to the planet that the Romulans have been using as slave labor. Their numbers are four or five million, to which Picard remarks that they aren’t equipped to move that many people. The Romulans are not concerned by this as they have no intention of attempting to relocate (and rescue from the supernova) this servant population. This leads to Picard holding firm that Starfleet will not relocate just the Romulans and leave the millions of others behind to die, to which the Romulan governor orders Picard and Musiker detained and makes plans to try to hijack the USS Verity.
Out of this story comes the origin of two Romulan characters, Laris and Zhaban, seen living with Picard as friends and servants of his at his ancestral French chalet and vineyard at the start of the tv series, which takes place fourteen years after the events of “Countdown” and “The Last Best Hope”.
Also included in the trade paperback collection are a couple text articles in the back. First, an interview with Kirsten Beyer, co-writer of this story and also co-creator of the “Star Trek: Picard” television series and a member of its regular writing staff. The other article, “Visualizing the Verity”, goes into the design history of the USS Verity (Odyssey class, of which the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F was also of the same design) by Cryptic Studios (the makers of the Star Trek Online massive multiplayer online game) and IDW (the publishers of the Star Trek comic books). (The design of the USS Enterprise-F was actually created by fan Adam Ihle, his design winning the “Design the Next Enterprise” contest in December 2010. The article goes into this, as well.)
“Star Trek: Picard: Countdown” is an enjoyable read, especially for those wanting a bit more back story on what happened in the gap of time between the last of the Next Generation movies, “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002), and the start of “Star Trek: Picard” (2020). (Why the title “Countdown”? Well, while Picard does refer to the clock counting down to the supernova, a narrowing window of time to try to rescue and relocate hundreds of millions of people, the other reason this mini-series was called “Countdown” is because it’s the third prequel comic book mini-series to a Star Trek movie or television show published by IDW Publications. The first was “Star Trek: Countdown” (2009), which was a prequel tie-in to the 2009 “Star Trek” film by J.J. Abrams. The second was “Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness” (2013), a prequel tie-in to the “Star Trek Into Darkness” film (2013). So, “Countdown” is merely a common sub-title that IDW likes to used to indicate that it is a prequel tie-in to a simultaneous major Star Trek television or film project.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2021
Zwischen dem Ende von «Star Trek: The Next Generation» und dem Auftakt von «Star Trek: Picard» hat sich Admiral Picard aus der Sternenflotte zurückgezogen und Wein angebaut. Aus der Fernsehserie erfahren wir nach und nach in groben Zügen die Hintergrundgeschichte: Nachdem das Romulanische Sternenimperium von einer Supernova bedroht wurde, führte Picard die Evakuierungsmission an, mit der die Föderation ihre früheren Feinde zum großen Teil rettete. Doch nach einem Terroranschlag war die Föderation schockiert und in Trauer und die öffentliche Meinung wendete sich gegen den Plan, viele Jahre und gigantische Ressourcen in die Rettung der Romulaner zu investieren. Insofern ist die Geschichte hinter «Star Trek: Picard» eine Allegorie auf die Migrationskrisen des 21. Jahrhunderts.
Relativ neu in der Welt von Star Trek ist, dass die neue Serie von Erzählungen in anderen Medien begleitet wird, die als kanonisch betrachtet werden. Uma McCormacks Roman zu «Star Trek: Picard», »Die letzte und einzige Hoffnung«, versucht in epischer Breite die Rettungsmission mit Tausenden Raumschiffen zu schildern, die Picard als Projektmanager anschiebt. Der Comic »Countdown« erzählt eine viel kleinere Episode aus der Zwischenzeit zwischen den Picard-Serien: Er spielt auf einer einzigen romulanischen Kolonie, deren Evakuierung Picards Flaggschiff “Verity” vorbereiten soll.
In aller Kürze: Die Kolonie wird von Bösewichten regiert, Picard und seine Crew bekommen es mit gewaltsamem Widerstand und wie nebenbei noch mit einer ethischen Krise zu tun, es gibt einen Showdown und so weiter. Was auch gut unter die in McCormacks Roman erzählten Anekdoten gepasst hätte, ist für die Serie besonders relevant, weil Laris und Zhaban auftreten und eine Hintergrundgeschichte erhalten. In der Serie lernten wir sie beiläufig als Picards Hausgenossen und vielleicht Angestellte kennen, aber ihre Herkunft blieb offen.
Der Comic ist konventionell erzählt. Die Spannung hält sich in Grenzen, aber die Science-Fiction- und Sense-of-Wonder-Elemente sind charmant und gut gezeichnet, wobei die Stärke der Bilder eher in den Farbwelten als in den Gesichtsausdrücken liegt. Wo Uma McCormacks »Die letzte und einzige Hoffnung« ein interstellares Weltraumepos über Jahrzehnte der Handlung aufzuspannen versucht, beschränkt sich »Countdown« zum Glück auf ein kleines Abenteuer auf nur einem Planeten und renkt sich dadurch nichts aus.
Relativ neu in der Welt von Star Trek ist, dass die neue Serie von Erzählungen in anderen Medien begleitet wird, die als kanonisch betrachtet werden. Uma McCormacks Roman zu «Star Trek: Picard», »Die letzte und einzige Hoffnung«, versucht in epischer Breite die Rettungsmission mit Tausenden Raumschiffen zu schildern, die Picard als Projektmanager anschiebt. Der Comic »Countdown« erzählt eine viel kleinere Episode aus der Zwischenzeit zwischen den Picard-Serien: Er spielt auf einer einzigen romulanischen Kolonie, deren Evakuierung Picards Flaggschiff “Verity” vorbereiten soll.
In aller Kürze: Die Kolonie wird von Bösewichten regiert, Picard und seine Crew bekommen es mit gewaltsamem Widerstand und wie nebenbei noch mit einer ethischen Krise zu tun, es gibt einen Showdown und so weiter. Was auch gut unter die in McCormacks Roman erzählten Anekdoten gepasst hätte, ist für die Serie besonders relevant, weil Laris und Zhaban auftreten und eine Hintergrundgeschichte erhalten. In der Serie lernten wir sie beiläufig als Picards Hausgenossen und vielleicht Angestellte kennen, aber ihre Herkunft blieb offen.
Der Comic ist konventionell erzählt. Die Spannung hält sich in Grenzen, aber die Science-Fiction- und Sense-of-Wonder-Elemente sind charmant und gut gezeichnet, wobei die Stärke der Bilder eher in den Farbwelten als in den Gesichtsausdrücken liegt. Wo Uma McCormacks »Die letzte und einzige Hoffnung« ein interstellares Weltraumepos über Jahrzehnte der Handlung aufzuspannen versucht, beschränkt sich »Countdown« zum Glück auf ein kleines Abenteuer auf nur einem Planeten und renkt sich dadurch nichts aus.
September 15, 2022
Star Trek: Picard - Countdown is so many things all at once. It serves primarily as a prequel to the newer Star Trek series Star Trek: Picard, but it also serves as a follow-up to the series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the film Star Trek: Nemesis. Written by Star Trek: Picard writer Kirsten Beyer (which makes it very clear that it's 100% canon) and Mike Johnson and with art by Angel Hernandez, I quite honestly found it difficult to put down, not only because it's very energetic and exciting but also because it's really well written. A great example of great writing is this quote from the eponymous Jean-Luc Picard (which is not only beautifully written but is also very much in keeping with Picard's character): "You did precisely the right thing... You offered to help people in need. That those people would then betray you was no fault of yours. More importantly, you must maintain that impulse to help. Do not let suspicion undermine it." As previously stated, Countdown is also a follow-up to Star Trek: The Next Generation (which makes a lot of sense because, of course, Picard is the captain of the ship in that series and is arguably the main character), and there are several little references to TNG throughout the graphic novel including but not limited to flashback panels that call back to a couple of fan-favorite episodes as well as a character showing up whom I wasn't expecting to see, but I don't want to be any more specific than that because I don't want to spoil the fan-service nods. At the back end of the book, there is also a really insightful Q&A session with Kirsten Beyer featured as well as the interesting story regarding the origin of the design of Picard's ship the USS Verity. I really, really enjoyed Star Trek: Picard - Countdown and would strongly recommend it to Star Trek fans, especially fans of Star Trek: Picard who would like to fill in some of the show's backstory.
August 9, 2025
I’ve been a Star Trek fan all my life, and a fan of every era, from the original series (including the animated one) to the films to the Picard era to the Abrams era to the streaming era. They’re all their distinct versions, and yet they pivot on the same ideas. There are certainly plenty of fans who disagree. Well.
Star Trek: Picard, for me, was easily the most pleasant surprise of this current era. Nemesis came and went like an unwanted stepchild, and I never really reconciled myself to how that played out, since I always liked it. During the course of three seasons Picard explored the improbable gap from its failure to how things should’ve been, that turning point that had so effortlessly been performed from Wrath of Khan to The Undiscovered Country, from the death of Spock, in other words, to the graceful bow of a generation.
This Countdown story (as fluent as its predecessor in the same-titled comic preceding the 2009 film, and between them, from Nemesis to Star Trek to Picard), the very needful connective tissue, lightly touches on Picard’s activities around the previous Countdown.
Somewhat clearly Kirsten Beyer doesn’t have in mind quite Laris’s true significance, but it’s nice to see Raffi hanging out with JL as active fellow officer.
Anyway, what do I know? There are plenty of people who hate most of this. Are they fans? Probably. Just not in the way I understand it. With material like this, I don’t see how. The best that can be said about the actual story in these pages is that it’s probably the last time we see the Romulans in their classical sense. Then off to new adventures…
Star Trek: Picard, for me, was easily the most pleasant surprise of this current era. Nemesis came and went like an unwanted stepchild, and I never really reconciled myself to how that played out, since I always liked it. During the course of three seasons Picard explored the improbable gap from its failure to how things should’ve been, that turning point that had so effortlessly been performed from Wrath of Khan to The Undiscovered Country, from the death of Spock, in other words, to the graceful bow of a generation.
This Countdown story (as fluent as its predecessor in the same-titled comic preceding the 2009 film, and between them, from Nemesis to Star Trek to Picard), the very needful connective tissue, lightly touches on Picard’s activities around the previous Countdown.
Somewhat clearly Kirsten Beyer doesn’t have in mind quite Laris’s true significance, but it’s nice to see Raffi hanging out with JL as active fellow officer.
Anyway, what do I know? There are plenty of people who hate most of this. Are they fans? Probably. Just not in the way I understand it. With material like this, I don’t see how. The best that can be said about the actual story in these pages is that it’s probably the last time we see the Romulans in their classical sense. Then off to new adventures…
May 30, 2022
Picard is now an Admiral, and the Romulan Empire is in dire peril. It has been predicted that a star in the Empire will supernova sometime in the near future. Picard is commander of a ship, and he is tasked with overseeing and carrying out the evacuation of a Romulan planet. As is always the case with the Romulans, there are many stages to the assistance, with several factions of the Romulans, not all of which are in favor of Federation help.
When Picard meets with the Romulan governor and tours the planet, he discovers an indigenous, intelligent species that the Romulans were planning on leaving behind. When he objects to this plan, the governor has him incarcerated. This is when two members of the Romulan secret police known as the Tal Shar break Picard out of prison and get the evacuation back on track. It demonstrates the Romulans at their scheming, duplicitous “best.”
It is gratifying to see one of the primary Star Trek characters back in action. Picard demonstrates once again the skill set he has that made him one of the best starship commanders in Star Fleet. He is capable of meeting and dealing with any situation, preferring to think/negotiate his way out of grim difficulties. Outplaying the scheming, factionalized Romulans is not an easy task.
When Picard meets with the Romulan governor and tours the planet, he discovers an indigenous, intelligent species that the Romulans were planning on leaving behind. When he objects to this plan, the governor has him incarcerated. This is when two members of the Romulan secret police known as the Tal Shar break Picard out of prison and get the evacuation back on track. It demonstrates the Romulans at their scheming, duplicitous “best.”
It is gratifying to see one of the primary Star Trek characters back in action. Picard demonstrates once again the skill set he has that made him one of the best starship commanders in Star Fleet. He is capable of meeting and dealing with any situation, preferring to think/negotiate his way out of grim difficulties. Outplaying the scheming, factionalized Romulans is not an easy task.
October 7, 2023
I haven't read a Star Trek book in many, many years and have never read a graphic novel. With Star Trek Picard now well and truly behind us I thought it was time to get back on the horse and there is no better place to start than with the prequel graphic novel to the series.
As with most graphic novels based on films/tv shows the art never quite gets the look of the characters quite right. Picard looks considerably younger than he appears in the show and I'm talking Next Generation here not the new one. Apart from that the art work is well done, nothing fantastic, but fits the story.
The story itself is pretty solid but as expected from an only 3 volume miniseries things move very quickly and nothing is really explored in detail. We build up to a conflict that is then instantly solved and not in a very satisfying way.
The main point of this graphic novel was to show how Picard met and befriended the new Romulan characters in the show and on this front it is a success.
Nothing Earth shattering but enjoyable for fans of the show.
As with most graphic novels based on films/tv shows the art never quite gets the look of the characters quite right. Picard looks considerably younger than he appears in the show and I'm talking Next Generation here not the new one. Apart from that the art work is well done, nothing fantastic, but fits the story.
The story itself is pretty solid but as expected from an only 3 volume miniseries things move very quickly and nothing is really explored in detail. We build up to a conflict that is then instantly solved and not in a very satisfying way.
The main point of this graphic novel was to show how Picard met and befriended the new Romulan characters in the show and on this front it is a success.
Nothing Earth shattering but enjoyable for fans of the show.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews