The Best Comics for Star Trek Fans
Optimistic exploration, big ideas, and the final frontier. The best comics for Star Trek fans.
By Web Admin
If Star Trek is your comfort viewing, comics are a natural next frontier. IDW Publishing has held the Star Trek comics license since 2007 and built a deep library of stories set in every era, from Kirk’s Enterprise to Deep Space Nine and Strange New Worlds. Beyond the license, there’s original science fiction that shares Trek’s DNA: exploration, first-contact wonder, big ethical questions and crews you’d follow anywhere. This guide to the best comics for Star Trek fans covers both, with the official books first and the best Trek-adjacent series after. Most of the picks double as easy gifts for the Trekkie in your life.
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How we chose: we compared current Amazon listings with our own reading of the books, favoring in-stock editions that work as a starting point and skipping pre-orders. Prices and availability change, so the buttons show Amazon’s current price.
| Pick | Best for | Why | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Trek: Year Five Deluxe Edition Book One | Best overall for Trek fans |
| $29.25as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Star Trek, Vol. 1: Godshock | Fans of every era |
| $24.99as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Omnibus | Deep Space Nine fans |
| $20.00as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Strange New Worlds Omnibus, Vol. 1 | Pike-era fans |
| $24.62as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Descender: The Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 | Data and android-rights fans |
| $29.90as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Far Sector (DC Compact Comics) | Social-allegory episodes |
| $8.99as of Nov 12, 2026 12:42 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Saga, Vol. 1 | Adult space opera |
| $7.51as of Nov 12, 2026 4:02 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
Prices and availability change; check Amazon for today’s price. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
1. Star Trek: Year Five Deluxe Edition, Book One — Best overall for Star Trek fans
The final year of Kirk's original five-year mission, told in a deluxe hardcover.
Check price on Amazon$29.25as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Fills a real gap in the Original Series timeline
- Captures Kirk, Spock and McCoy's voices well
- Episodic stories inside a bigger arc
- Deluxe hardcover is a ready-made gift
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writers / Artists | Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and others / Angel Hernandez and others |
| Publisher | IDW |
| Collects | Not stated in listing; the first half of the Year Five series |
| Pages | 320 |
| Format | Deluxe hardcover |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; TV-level action, suits teens and up |
Star Trek: Year Five Deluxe Edition, Book One — Lanzing, Kelly and others, IDW, 320-page hardcover
The Original Series covers three years of a five-year mission. Year Five tells the last one: the Enterprise crew, tired and closer than ever, heading toward the end of their voyage and the versions of themselves we meet in The Motion Picture. A rotating team of writers, led by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, delivers standalone missions that feel like lost episodes, threaded through a bigger story about what comes next for Kirk.
It's our top pick because it does the thing Trek fans want from a comic: it sounds like the show. The banter between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is right, the moral dilemmas are classic Trek, and the art keeps the cast recognizable without stiff photo-referencing. It's also accessible to anyone who has seen the Original Series, no deep continuity required.
The deluxe hardcover collects the first half of the series. Book Two finishes it and is also listed, though with slower shipping at the moment.
Pros
- Feels like lost episodes
- Strong character voices
- Handsome deluxe format
Cons
- Art varies across issues
- Second book needed to finish
- Best for Original Series fans
Get Star Trek: Year Five Deluxe Edition Book One on Amazon
2. Star Trek, Vol. 1: Godshock — Best for fans of every era
Benjamin Sisko returns to command a ship whose crew spans the franchise, chasing someone who kills gods.
Check price on Amazon$24.99as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Characters from across the franchise in one crew
- Ambitious, big-canvas Trek storytelling
- Sisko finally gets a starship
- Starting point for IDW's current line
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writers / Artist | Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing / Ramon Rosanas |
| Publisher | IDW |
| Collects | Not stated in listing; the opening arc of the 2022 series |
| Pages | 192 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; suits teens and up |
Star Trek, Vol. 1: Godshock — Kelly, Lanzing and Rosanas, IDW, 192-page hardcover
IDW's flagship Star Trek series, launched in 2022, brings Benjamin Sisko back from the Celestial Temple and puts him in command of the USS Theseus. His crew pulls characters from different shows and eras, and their mission is a strange one: someone is killing gods across the galaxy, and the consequences are spreading.
It's the most ambitious Trek comic in years, written by the same team behind Year Five, and the best on-ramp to IDW's current continuity if you've watched several series. Deep Space Nine fans will get the most from it, since Sisko is the anchor. It does assume some franchise knowledge, so it's less ideal for newcomers than Year Five.
Volume 1 is a hardcover with limited stock right now; Volumes 2 and 3 are also listed in paperback.
Pros
- Bold, high-stakes premise
- Crossover cast is a fan treat
- Leads into a wider line of books
Cons
- Needs some franchise knowledge
- Ongoing, so no ending in one book
- Limited stock on Volume 1
Get Star Trek, Vol. 1: Godshock on Amazon
3. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Omnibus — Best for Deep Space Nine fans
Several IDW Deep Space Nine stories gathered into one 384-page paperback.
Check price on Amazon$20.00as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- More time on the station and its crew
- Several stories in one book
- Good value for the page count
- In stock and recently released
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writers | Scott Tipton, David Tipton, Mike Chen and others |
| Publisher | IDW |
| Collects | Not stated in listing; multiple Deep Space Nine stories |
| Pages | 384 |
| Format | Paperback omnibus |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; suits teens and up |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Omnibus — Tipton, Tipton, Chen and others, IDW, 384 pages
Deep Space Nine was the Trek show most interested in politics, faith and war, and it left fans wanting more time with Sisko, Kira, Odo, Quark and Garak. This omnibus gathers several of IDW's DS9 comics into one 384-page paperback, from writers including Scott and David Tipton, longtime IDW Trek hands, and novelist Mike Chen.
The appeal is simple: more stories set on the station and in the show's era, written by people who know the characters well. The listing doesn't detail which stories are included, so check the contents preview if you're hunting for a specific miniseries.
It pairs naturally with Godshock above, which picks up Sisko's story after the show ended.
Pros
- Lots of DS9 in one book
- Writers who know the cast
- Paperback is easy to hold
Cons
- Contents not listed clearly
- Mixed creative teams
- Mostly for existing DS9 fans
Get Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Omnibus on Amazon
4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Omnibus, Vol. 1 — Best for Pike-era fans
IDW's comics set alongside Strange New Worlds, collected in one paperback.
Check price on Amazon$24.62as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Extra adventures for Pike's Enterprise
- Co-written by veteran Trek writer Kirsten Beyer
- Episodic, show-like structure
- Easy entry for newer fans
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writers | Mike Johnson, Kirsten Beyer, Ryan Parrott and others |
| Publisher | IDW |
| Collects | Not stated in listing |
| Pages | 240 |
| Format | Paperback omnibus |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; suits teens and up |
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Omnibus, Vol. 1 — Johnson, Beyer, Parrott and others, IDW, 240 pages
Strange New Worlds brought back classic episodic Trek with Captain Pike, Spock and Number One, and it has won over plenty of younger viewers. IDW's tie-in comics add stories set alongside the show, and this omnibus gathers them into one paperback. Kirsten Beyer, a Trek novelist and one of the people behind the modern shows, co-writes with Mike Johnson, IDW's longtime Trek writer.
It's the best pick for a fan who came to Trek through the current shows rather than the classics. The stories are self-contained enough to follow without deep lore. Stock is thin, with only a few copies left, so if it's gone, the Discovery Omnibus is in stock as an alternative for fans of the modern era.
Pros
- Ties into a show people love now
- Strong Trek-veteran writers
- Self-contained stories
Cons
- Very limited stock
- Contents not detailed in listing
- Shorter than the DS9 omnibus
Get Strange New Worlds Omnibus, Vol. 1 on Amazon
5. Descender: The Deluxe Edition, Volume 1 — Best for Data and android-rights fans
A boy robot wakes up in a galaxy that has outlawed androids. Painted, moving and very Trek.
Check price on Amazon$29.90as of Nov 12, 2026 4:12 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Asks Data's question: what makes a person?
- Dustin Nguyen's watercolors are stunning
- A galaxy of planets and politics
- Finished story with a sequel series
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Jeff Lemire / Dustin Nguyen |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| Collects | Not stated in listing; the first half of the series |
| Pages | 400 |
| Format | Deluxe hardcover |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; violence, teens and up |
Descender: The Deluxe Edition, Volume 1 — Lemire and Nguyen, Image Comics, 400-page hardcover
Ten years after giant robots called the Harvesters attacked every planet in the United Galactic Council at once, androids have been outlawed and hunted. TIM-21, a robot built to be a young boy's companion, wakes up on an abandoned mining colony and discovers that his code may hold the key to the Harvesters. Everyone wants him: scrappers, scientists, the Council and a robot resistance.
If your favorite Next Generation episode is "The Measure of a Man," this is your book. Jeff Lemire's story is about personhood, prejudice and what we owe the beings we create, and Dustin Nguyen's painted art is among the most beautiful in modern comics. Read our Descender review.
The deluxe hardcover collects roughly the first half of the story in an oversized format that suits the watercolors. The full series is also available as a single compendium paperback, and the sequel series, Ascender, continues the story.
Pros
- Gorgeous painted art
- Big, Trek-like ethical themes
- Complete story across two deluxes
Cons
- Watercolor action can be hard to follow
- Need Volume 2 to finish
- Bleaker than Trek's optimism
Get Descender: The Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 on Amazon
6. Far Sector (DC Compact Comics Edition) — Best for social-allegory episodes
A Green Lantern investigates the first murder in centuries on a distant alien city. Complete in one book.
Check price on Amazon$8.99as of Nov 12, 2026 12:42 pm UTCWhy we like it
- A first-contact murder mystery
- Written by Hugo-winning novelist N. K. Jemisin
- Social allegory in the best Trek tradition
- Complete story, no superhero homework
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | N. K. Jemisin / Jamal Campbell |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Collects | The complete 12-issue series |
| Pages | 296 |
| Format | Compact-size paperback |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; violence and drug themes, teens and up |
Far Sector (DC Compact Comics Edition) — Jemisin and Campbell, DC Comics, 296 pages
Sojourner "Jo" Mullein is a new Green Lantern assigned to the City Enduring, a vast megacity far outside normal Lantern territory, home to billions of beings from three species. The city's people have suppressed their emotions for centuries to keep the peace. Then someone commits the first murder in hundreds of years, and Jo has to solve it while navigating a politics she barely understands.
It reads like a great Trek episode stretched to a season: an outsider with a code of conduct, an alien society with its own logic, and a story that uses science fiction to talk about policing, protest and social media. N. K. Jemisin, a three-time Hugo winner for her novels, wrote it, and Jamal Campbell's bright, detailed art makes the city feel real. See our Far Sector review.
The DC Compact Comics edition is a smaller-trim paperback with the whole story, and it's in stock. The larger deluxe hardcover is also listed if you want a bigger gift.
Pros
- Complete, standalone story
- Smart worldbuilding and allegory
- Vibrant art
Cons
- Compact trim shrinks the art
- Superhero framing may put off some
- Dense with alien politics
Get Far Sector (DC Compact Comics) on Amazon
7. Saga, Vol. 1 — Best for adult space opera
Two soldiers from warring worlds fall in love and go on the run with their newborn daughter.
Check price on Amazon$7.51as of Nov 12, 2026 4:02 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Makes a huge galaxy feel intimate
- Fiona Staples's alien designs are endlessly inventive
- Funny, moving and sharp on war
- Low-cost first volume to try
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Brian K. Vaughan / Fiona Staples |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| Collects | Issues #1–6 |
| Pages | 160 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; explicit sex, violence and nudity, adults only |
Saga, Vol. 1 — Vaughan and Staples, Image Comics, issues #1–6
Alana and Marko are soldiers from two sides of an endless galactic war, between a planet and its moon, who fall in love, desert and have a baby. Now both governments want them dead. Their daughter, Hazel, narrates the story from some point in the future. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples's Saga is the most acclaimed space opera in modern comics, and it tops our best sci-fi graphic novels list.
It's less utopian than Trek and much more explicit, so this is strictly for adult fans. What it shares with Trek is a love of strange aliens, an anti-war conscience and a family-as-crew dynamic. Our Saga Vol. 1 review has the details.
Volume 1 is the cheapest way to see if it clicks. The series is ongoing, with the larger hardcover "Book" editions and the compendium as next steps.
Pros
- Brilliant characters and dialogue
- Inventive alien worlds
- Cheap first volume
Cons
- Explicit content
- Ongoing, no ending yet
- Little of Trek's optimism
Licensed or original: which should you buy?
| Pick | Type | Era or vibe | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year Five | Official | Original Series | Kirk, Spock and McCoy fans |
| Star Trek (2022) | Official | Cross-era, Sisko-led | Fans of every show |
| Deep Space Nine Omnibus | Official | DS9 | Station loyalists |
| Strange New Worlds Omnibus | Official | Pike era | Newer fans |
| Descender | Original | Android rights | Data fans |
| Far Sector | Original (DC) | Alien-society mystery | Allegory lovers |
| Saga | Original | Adult space opera | Character-drama fans |
Official IDW books give you the actual crews and ships but can assume franchise knowledge, and their trade paperbacks drift in and out of print. Original series offer finished, self-contained stories and some of the best art in comics. For a gift, match the recipient's favorite show if you know it; if you don't, Year Five is the safest official choice and Descender the safest original.
How to choose your first pick
- Know their era. Original Series fans want Year Five. DS9 fans want the omnibus and Godshock. Newer fans get Strange New Worlds.
- Check their age. The IDW books, Descender and Far Sector suit teens. Saga is adults only.
- Decide on ongoing or finished. Far Sector is complete in one book; Descender finishes in two deluxes.
- Avoid pre-orders. IDW has several new Trek collections announced for the coming months; we've stuck to books you can buy now.
For more beyond Trek, see our best space opera comics, best Star Wars comics and best cosmic Marvel comics guides.
The classics that shaped the genre
Two European works cast a long shadow over everything here. Valerian and Laureline, by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres, follows two spatio-temporal agents across the galaxy and quietly influenced decades of screen sci-fi. The Incal, by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius, is a psychedelic, philosophical space epic and one of the most acclaimed European comics ever made. Both trade in the scale and big questions that make Trek special.
Frequently asked questions
Who publishes Star Trek comics?
IDW Publishing has held the license since 2007. Before that, Star Trek comics were published by Gold Key, Marvel, DC and others.
Where should a new reader start with Star Trek comics?
Year Five if they know the Original Series, Star Trek, Vol. 1: Godshock if they've watched several shows, and the Strange New Worlds omnibus if they came in through the current series.
Do I need to know the shows to enjoy these?
For the IDW books, some familiarity helps. Descender, Far Sector and Saga need no Trek knowledge at all.
Are Star Trek comics suitable for kids?
The IDW books are generally in line with the shows, so most suit teens. Saga is adults only. For younger readers, look at the all-ages section of our kids' guides instead.
Are Star Trek comics canon?
No. Tie-in comics generally aren't considered canon by the franchise, though they're often written by people close to the shows and fit around them carefully.
Is Descender finished?
Descender is finished as a series, and its story continues in a sequel, Ascender, by the same creators, Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. Descender follows Tim-21, a childlike android who wakes up in a galaxy where robots have been outlawed. It's a natural fit for fans of Data and Star Trek's questions about artificial life. Ascender completes the story.
What is Far Sector?
Far Sector is a Green Lantern story by N.K. Jemisin, the award-winning science fiction author, with art by Jamal Campbell. Sojourner Mullein, a new Green Lantern, is sent to a vast alien city where emotions have been banned, to solve its first murder in centuries. It's a self-contained social allegory about policing and protest, much like Star Trek's message episodes.
Were there Star Trek comics before IDW?
There were Star Trek comics long before IDW: Gold Key published them in the 1960s and 70s, followed over the years by Marvel, DC and others. IDW has reprinted some older material in collected editions. Most fans should start with IDW's modern books, which match the shows' voices, then explore the classics for nostalgia and fun.
Who is the captain in IDW's Star Trek: Godshock?
IDW's Star Trek series that opens with Godshock is led by Benjamin Sisko of Deep Space Nine, commanding a crew that draws on characters from several eras of the franchise. Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, it's a big-canvas story about gods and faith. That mix makes it our pick for fans of every era, though it rewards some familiarity with the shows.
