Monday, September 22, 2025

Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 Review

 


Writers: Susan Bridges & Tilly Bridges

Artist: Ángel Hernández

Colorist: Charlie Kirchoff

Letterer & Design: Neil Uyetake

Editors: Heather Antos & Cassandra Jones

Cover Artists: Ángel Hernández, David Nakayama & Photo Cover

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 3, 2025

 

It is a time for celebration. The USS Voyager has traveled through a heretofore unexplored region of space. Forget the USS Enterprise’s five-year mission. The crew of the USS Voyager has spent the last seven years returning home after the Caretaker abducted them. They return with a treasure trove of information on the Delta Quadrant.

 

Captain Janeway may have made some controversial calls during her captaincy. But she accomplished the impossible and got her crew home. How will Starfleet Command welcome them? Will any problems arise as the crew stands down? Let’s grab our phasers, leap into Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1, and see!

 

Story

The crew welcomes Admiral Paris, Admiral Kittim, and their associates to the bridge. The Admirals commend Captain Janeway for enhancing her crew with former Maquis and Borg soldiers. Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres introduce Admiral Paris to his grandchild. While most of the crew is relieved to achieve this Endgame, the ship's Second-in-Command suffers. Tuvok looks forward to mind melding with a relative before the disease ravaging his brain inflicts permanent damage.

 

Trouble arises in Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 when Harry Kim disturbs Captain Janeway during her final cup of coffee in her Ready Room. The Ensign reports that he cannot access his controls. Other officers report similar difficulties. Captain Janeway looks out her window and discovers that they are leaving space dock. The crew should be transporting to Earth. Instead, someone has hijacked the USS Voyager.

 

Janeway and her crew must once again adopt controversial strategies to uphold Starfleet ideals. Technically, they have handed over control of their vessel to the Admirals. Perhaps Janeway and her crew are breaking regulations again. But they're determined to return to Earth, whatever the cost. Susan Bridges & Tilly Bridges deliver a taut sci-fi mystery. The drama and action build as the crew investigates their abductors. As Starfleet President Laira Rillak will one day say, "Reasons do matter. It’s the only way justice can be just.” But in Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1, their abductors aren’t asking for leniency.

 

Art

Ángel Hernández begins with a splash page of Voyager approaching Earth, before showing snapshots from their journey. Despite their elation at returning home, only Harry Kim stands facing the Admirals as they enter the bridge. But Captain Janeway turns to face the welcoming party. The camera shows Earth on the viewscreen as Janeway transfers power to Admiral Owen Paris. Then Tuvok clutches his forehead. Two hands, one alien, the other human, sprout from the deeply spiritual Vulcan’s face.

 

Charlie Kirchoff lavishes a loaded palette on Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 as the action moves throughout the ship. Starfleet may have relegated Red Shirts to the records banks. Still, red unites the crew, as many wear it on their shoulders or necks. Blue links the ship's interiors and Janeway's materializing coffee mug with Earth's oceans. Yet in this series that celebrates found family, the highlights in Janeway's auburn hair link her with the sickbay wall behind Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres, and baby Miral.

 

Neil Uyetake opens Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1 with uppercase black letters in white narrative boxes. A red stripe, accompanied by four gold pips, adorns Captain Janeway's contemplation. Letters shrink for lowered voices. Com transmissions appear in balloons without arrows and with blue outlines. The hijackers’ words inhabit puffy clouds. Yet their outrage fills the air as a volley of phaser fire shoots toward them. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As they hand over control of the USS Voyager, the crew is jubilant. But their jovial mood fizzles as Lieutenant Tom Paris notices someone is acting weird. Once again, her remark to Ensign Harry Kim, “Weird is part of the job,” returns to haunt Captain Janeway in Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming #1.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For a two-page preview and more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch



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