Star Trek: Redshirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #2 (IDW PUBLISHING)

When I reviewed the first issue of Star Trek: Redshirts – Ghost of the 21st Century, it was difficult to explain without giving too much away. There was mystery being set up but I didn’t want to spoil the experience. Expanding on the simple premise of the expendable Redshirt, but now… Holy shit, this story is getting good.

Let’s talk Star Trek: Redshirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #2 by Gerry Duggan, Scott Buoncristiano, Charlie Kirchoff & Jodie Troutman (IDW Publishing)!

Star Trek: Redshirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #2 by Gerry Duggan, Scott Buoncristiano, Charlie Kirchoff & Jodie Troutman (IDW Publishing)

*** spoiler free reminder ***

The first issue felt like an introduction to something strange happening around Harry Deubert. Issue #2 takes the premise and starts building an actual story around it. Star Trek has done sci-fi espionage before, but this is something different. The further we get into it, the darker this series is becoming. 

Lyna shows they’re an absolute badass. After two issues, they’re becoming the character I’m most interested in. Their loyalties are definitely questionable, but in a very different way than Harry’s. Harry feels more like someone who may have simply gotten themselves into the wrong situation, while Lyna feels like someone who knows exactly what they are doing.

read last issue’s review!

There are competing agendas, questions about who can be trusted, and loyalties being tested in ways that make you constantly question where everyone really stands. And there are a couple of panels that show just how far this series is willing to go.

But somehow, through all of that, it still feels 100% Star Trek.

I applaud Gerry Duggan, Scott Buoncristiano, and the entire creative team for what they’re building here. The story is getting more complicated and the characters are becoming harder to trust. They're taking the Star Trek universe and crafting something that feels genuinely dark, deeply layered, a super-spy thriller without losing the parts that make Star Trek work. 

FINAL GRaDE: 9

By the time I reached the end of this issue, I was completely hooked. I’m ready for issue #3. Ghost of the 21st Century feels like we’re in a Jason Bourne style thriller—except it’s happening in the Star Trek universe.

Let me know your thoughts on Star Trek: Redshirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #2 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!