Star Trek: Lower Decks #8 Review

 

Writer: Tim Sheridan

Artist & Colorist: Robby Cook

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Design & Production: Johanna Nattalie

Editors: Heather Antos & Cassandra Jones

Cover Artists: Robby Cook

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 11, 2025

 

Abseiling the warp core lands Mariner in the doghouse. While lecturing her daughter, Mariner’s mom lapses into a sitcom-worthy flashback. Fifteen years ago, Captain Carol Freeman was a risk-taking ensign. After taking time off to start a family, Carol transferred to the USS Illinois to resume her career. But girls (and young mothers) want to have fun.

 

Ensign Freeman hopes rerouting the site-to-site transporters through the axillary phaser array can help her evade Captain Inman and Dr Pulaski’s restrictions. Will Ensign Freeman resume her late-night skiing on the holodeck? Or will Carol’s unsanctioned repairs land the adventurous ensign in hot water? Let's grab our transporter inhibitors, leap into Star Trek: Lower Decks #8, and find out!

 

Story

Ensign Freeman didn’t want to shortchange her family. Nor did she want to endanger her ship. Still, she's older than other Lower Decks personnel and chafes at Captain Inman's parental curfews. So, Ensign Freeman takes advantage of the USS Illinois’ quiet patrol along the Romulan Neutral Zone to reroute the site-to-site transporters. When Inman’s First Officer activates the axillary phaser array, Carol and her friends watch the rest of the crew disappear.

 

Star Trek: Lower Decks #8 contrasts the types of people who achieve power. Some, like Captain Inman, seek to repress their subordinates and attack when they feel threatened. Others, like the visiting Dr Katherine Pulaski, have the rank and wisdom to be effective leaders but don't relish making decisions that will protect or injure others. Finally, there is Carol Freeman, who prioritized her family over her career. After resuming her Starfleet duties, the ensign savors her journey through the ranks instead of racing for command.

 

When a Romulan Subcommander delivers an ultimatum, the ensign disagrees with Captain Pulaski’s tactics. So, Carol takes responsibility for rectifying the situation and retrieving her missing crew. Star Trek: Lower Decks #8 is an enjoyable story filled with humor and spunky characters. As characters race against a deadline to find a solution, Tim Sheridan plants a mystery for future stories to explore.

 

Art

Robby Cook positions Carol and her daughter in her gray Captain’s office aboard the USS Cerritos before returning her to the USS Illinois' beige and tan bridge. While yellow and red uniforms bring the characters forward against the yellow-and-black LCARS wall displays, a green Romulan ship appears on the monitor. Yet even beneath the glowing red ceiling panels, Dr Pulaski's blue uniform and plumage-like hair demand your attention.

 

A scene in the transporter room recalls Pulaski's distrust of molecule-scrambling travel. Her reactions flit between irritation and smiles as she orders and observes her subordinates. A conference amid Red Alert evokes Captain Picard's fondness for Senior Staff Meetings in Star Trek: Lower Decks #8. Carol's constant arguing and outrage herald her need to rise through the ranks and assume the Captain's chair.

 

Clayton Cowles beams black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons. Letters embolden for emphasis and shrink for lowered voices. Balloons deform when an ensign demonstrates his unsuitability for command. White letters in red banners denote the passage of time as a triple divorcee shepherds a young wife and mother through the ranks. Thanks to IDW Publishing for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Captain Freeman’s daughter frustrates her. Mariner seems to bounce between childish irresponsibility and sterling service in the best traditions of Starfleet. But then Carol Freeman remembers a time when, like Mariner, she wasn’t as sensible and respectable as she is today. Star Trek Lower Decks #8 ponders how mistakes help us grow while reminding us that life is about more than status and achievements.

 

Rating 9.8/10

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day Review

 

Writer: Ryan North

Artist: Derek Charm

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Derek Charm, Robby Cook & Rahzzah

Design & Production: Neil Uyetake

Editors: Heather Antos & Cassandra Jones

Publisher: IDW

Price: $5.99

Release Date: May 28, 2025

 

Once, Shaxs battled Cardassians to live in freedom on his planet. But when Lore rewrote the universe, the almighty android made Shaxs a tool of oppression. Now, High Pah-Wraith Shaxs lives as Lore's ultimate enforcer and slays anyone who threatens the android’s dominion of the universe.

 

All that changes when Shaxs slays Kahless. When Shaxs picks up Kahless’ bat’leth to kill Worf, the scales drop from the Security officer’s eyes. Shaxs realizes he has been persecuting and killing the people he should have helped. Thankfully, Worf is there to guide his steps along the interstellar Damascus road. Embracing freedom means doing what you do best. But can Shaxs free the universe of fascist usurpers like he kicked the Cardassians off Bajor? Let’s grab a phaser, leap into Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day, and see!

 

Story

Devastated that Lore swayed him from his ideals, Shaxs vows to redress the situation. After he allows Worf to escape, Shaxs decides to take the LSS Enterprise to Starfleet command. But that’s a long journey, and too many people will question Shaxs’ unauthorized return to Earth. So, Shaxs lists all the Security weaknesses and systems anomalies. Then, the Security officer exploits the loopholes in the system to take unquestioned command of the LSS Enterprise.

 

Ryan North fuels Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day with zany fun. Yet he also shows Shaxs’s ingenious side. Worf wants him to accomplish what seems impossible. So, Shaxs demonstrates how hard he has worked to become one of Starfleet’s best Security officers. The Bajoran may have played a small role in freeing his planet. Still, he can return freedom to the universe.

 

Shaxs may have anger issues. Others may see him as rough around the edges. In Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day, the Security officer plays to his strengths. Despite the grim nature of battling good people with twisted ideals, Shaxs relishes the opportunity to return democracy to the stars. Hopefully, Worf is correct, and everyone Shaxs kills will be reborn. But then, everyone who dies in the 24^th Century eventually lives again, including Security officers like Shaxs.

 

 

 

Art

Derek Charm imbues panels with Lower Decks-style art as humanoids and aliens with various colored skin try to stop Shaxs from disobeying almighty Lore. While Worf wears his Starfleet uniform and Klingon sash, Shaxs wears medieval armor as he cuts a swath through fascist hordes in hallways. Shaxs battles his way through the set pieces of Starfleet ships, such as the bridge and engineering. While filling pages with action-packed panels, Charm occasionally pulls the camera back, devoting more page space to epic shots.

 

The bright colors showcase iconic members of the Lower Decks crew, such as purple-haired Brad Boimler, green-skinned D’vana Tendi, and silver-adorned Sam Rutherford. Blues and greens dominate starship interiors and red fills panels when Shaxs cleans house in Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day. Then, yellow and orange blossom in the starry black void. Ships of the fleet welcome Shaxs’ treachery as warmly as the Daystrom M-5 computer controlling the USS Enterprise.

 

Clayton Cowles fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase text and black narrative boxes with italicized white and lavender words. The letters frequently grow bold for intonation, swell for volume, and shrink for lowered voice. While large, uppercase sounds evoke R2-D2, colorful sound effects accompany Shaxs destroying Lore's evil empire. As a bonus, tiny footnotes evoke Terry Pratchett's humorous commentary on his otherwise serious Discworld novels. Thanks to IDW Publishing for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

When Kahless’ bat’leth helps Shaxs realize he has become Lore's servant, Worf makes the Security officer a promise. With Shaxs' help, everyone who dies will be reborn when Sisko reboots the universe. With nothing to lose and a universe to gain, Shaxs embraces this ultimate holodeck session. Then the Security officer raises Kahless’ bat’leth and declares it’s a good day for everyone else to die in Star Trek: Lore War—Shaxs’ Worst Day.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.