Ensign’s Log: STAR TREK (2026) #2 advance review

Space: the ol’ near-infinite panel gutter. These are the carefully recorded Star Trek voyages of Ensign Avery Kaplan. Her mission? To dutifully observe and analyze the various arms and evolutions of the ex-Borg-iest sci-fi Franchise ever to assimilate the small screen. This week, she and her husband Ollie Kaplan are reviewing IDW’sStar Trek(2026) #2, the sophomore issue of the publisher’s flagship title relaunch.

Star Trek (2026) #2

Writer: Christopher Cantwell

Artist: Dennis Menheere

Letterer: Jodie Troutman

Design & Production: Darran Robinson

Publisher: IDW

Just yesterday, the first issue of Star Trek (2026) was released at local comic shops. You can read our spoiler-free advance review of that issue here. And today, we’re bringing you an advance review of Star Trek(2026) #2. Naturally we won’t be including any spoilers for the second issue, but we will be considering discussion of the entirety of the now-available first issue fair game.

Captain Seven and her crew

In the sophomore issue of the freshly relaunched Franchise comic book flagship series, the stakes, risks and possible rewards of the U.S.S. Enterprise-G’s latest mission are explored. We get to know a few members of the Enterprise-G’s crew (and their dynamics) a little bit better against a backdrop of Star Trek trope story elements. The result is a solid issue that delivers a satisfying chunk of additional narrative (but will still leave you clamoring for more).

Let’s get one thing clear: all of the members of this comics creative team continue to be firing on all dilithium chambers. Cantwell’s writing is sharp, especially in its character work and the way it confidently delivers an obviously Star Trek story that nevertheless feels fresh. Menheere’s art is always interesting and at times breathtaking, and it consistently communicates story information in captivating visual ways. Meanwhile, Troutman clearly continues to challenge herself to push into new territory with her lettering, achieving some truly exciting heights in this issue, especially during the xB-telepathy conversations between Captain Seven of Nine and her first officer, Jack Crusher.

While this issue does tease out some of the threat Seven and her crew are facing, it doesn’t go overboard with any kind of exposition dump. We found this to be an effective technique, because while some advancement of the threat is necessary for narrative purposes, we were most excited to spend more time with the Enterprise-G’s crew. Obviously and inevitably, some of the characters get more paneltime than others, but we’re hoping this series gets to continue long enough that we get to know each of the new characters quite well. The potential here cannot be understated.

Wagon train to the stars
LCS

Star Trek (2026) #2 will be available at your local comic shop on November 18^th, 2026, but to ensure your copy is secured, contact them and order your copy by Final Order Cutoff on October 12^th, 2026. And if you missed it, Star Trek (2026) #1 is available at your LCS now – we cannot recommend this exciting new series highly enough.

Keep up with all of The Beat’s Star Trek coverage here.