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THE FIRST DECADE
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20 STAR TREK C
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In 2007, IDW secured the license to publish comic
books based on Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next
Generation. Over the past two years, IDW has published
a variety of Star Trek titles, including a Year Four series
written by original Trek writer D.C. Fontana, a series
of Alien Spotlights, and most recently, Star Trek:
Countdown, a series that acts as a prequel to the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek movie. Securing John Byrne as a writer/artist for a Star Trek: Alien Spotlight that focused on the Romulans was a real coup for Chris and led to Byrne doing several other Star Trek–themed series for IDW. In this interview, Chris and John discuss his Star Trek work. • • • •
_____________________________________________________________ Opposite Page: Star Trek: Alien Spotlight-Romulans, art by John Byrne.
CR: We first started talking maybe two years ago, and the result of the conversation was a cover for our first Angel series. I know I'd been wanting to work with you more but in my head, you were the “hot supermodel at the party,” the one who might go out with an 261
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20 STAR TREK C
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A
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In 2007, IDW secured the license to publish comic
books based on Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next
Generation. Over the past two years, IDW has published
a variety of Star Trek titles, including a Year Four series
written by original Trek writer D.C. Fontana, a series
of Alien Spotlights, and most recently, Star Trek:
Countdown, a series that acts as a prequel to the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek movie. Securing John Byrne as a writer/artist for a Star Trek: Alien Spotlight that focused on the Romulans was a real coup for Chris and led to Byrne doing several other Star Trek–themed series for IDW. In this interview, Chris and John discuss his Star Trek work. • • • •
_____________________________________________________________ Opposite Page: Star Trek: Alien Spotlight-Romulans, art by John Byrne.
CR: We first started talking maybe two years ago, and the result of the conversation was a cover for our first Angel series. I know I'd been wanting to work with you more but in my head, you were the “hot supermodel at the party,” the one who might go out with an 261
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______________________________________ Star Trek: Countdown, art by David Messina.
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___________________________________ Opposite Page: Star Trek: The Enterprise Experiment, art by Gordon Purcell.
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______________________________________ Star Trek: Countdown, art by David Messina.
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___________________________________ Opposite Page: Star Trek: The Enterprise Experiment, art by Gordon Purcell.
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average Joe if only he had the nerve to ask, but he never asked. So, I figured, getting a cover from you would have to suffice, rather than get a good idea in my head and have you turn it down. So, you agreeing to do a Star Trek one-shot [Romulans] a year or so later was a pleasant surprise. How did that come about in the first place beyond my asking? Was doing a Trek book sort of a whim at the time or was it something you'd been wanting to do? JB: As a fan of the original Trek since, oh, forever, I'd been interested in doing something that would allow me to connect to the 264
______________________________ Star Trek: Crew, art by John Byrne.
mythos, even on the understanding that anything not produced directly by Paramount was considered glorified fanfic by the Powers That Be. But the right combination of time, place, and a project had not quite come together—until you asked if I would be interested in doing something, and the Romulans job more or less invented itself. CR: I know I'd seen in interviews that you mentioned being a big fan, but being a big fan and wanting to jump back into doing licensed comics after a couple decades of not having to worry about strict actor likenesses is another matter entirely. And I remember you had
trepidations about your likeness acumen. So was I just that persuasive? JB: You cleverly suggested something where no one would have to sign off on the likenesses! That lifted a great weight from my shoulders—and actually made the Mark Lenard likeness come out better than it probably would have otherwise! CR: Even still, your first few issues were concerned with Romulans and Klingons, not really likenessheavy books. What was it that made you then decide to leap full-force into Star Trek with the Assignment Earth series?
JB: I know the "Assignment: Earth" episode is not a favorite with many Trek fans, but it was one of mine. I wanted to see more of Gary Seven and Roberta— and Isis! So once I'd stuck a toe in your corner of the Trek-verse, it seemed like I pretty much HAD to pitch Assignment: Earth. CR: You've worked with pretty much every publisher over the last three decades. Since this book celebrates IDW's 10th anniversary of publishing comics, I wanted to explore what it is that's kept you around for the past year or two and into the future with additional books planned for us. Namely, based on your experiences over the years, is there anything in 265
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average Joe if only he had the nerve to ask, but he never asked. So, I figured, getting a cover from you would have to suffice, rather than get a good idea in my head and have you turn it down. So, you agreeing to do a Star Trek one-shot [Romulans] a year or so later was a pleasant surprise. How did that come about in the first place beyond my asking? Was doing a Trek book sort of a whim at the time or was it something you'd been wanting to do? JB: As a fan of the original Trek since, oh, forever, I'd been interested in doing something that would allow me to connect to the 264
______________________________ Star Trek: Crew, art by John Byrne.
mythos, even on the understanding that anything not produced directly by Paramount was considered glorified fanfic by the Powers That Be. But the right combination of time, place, and a project had not quite come together—until you asked if I would be interested in doing something, and the Romulans job more or less invented itself. CR: I know I'd seen in interviews that you mentioned being a big fan, but being a big fan and wanting to jump back into doing licensed comics after a couple decades of not having to worry about strict actor likenesses is another matter entirely. And I remember you had
trepidations about your likeness acumen. So was I just that persuasive? JB: You cleverly suggested something where no one would have to sign off on the likenesses! That lifted a great weight from my shoulders—and actually made the Mark Lenard likeness come out better than it probably would have otherwise! CR: Even still, your first few issues were concerned with Romulans and Klingons, not really likenessheavy books. What was it that made you then decide to leap full-force into Star Trek with the Assignment Earth series?
JB: I know the "Assignment: Earth" episode is not a favorite with many Trek fans, but it was one of mine. I wanted to see more of Gary Seven and Roberta— and Isis! So once I'd stuck a toe in your corner of the Trek-verse, it seemed like I pretty much HAD to pitch Assignment: Earth. CR: You've worked with pretty much every publisher over the last three decades. Since this book celebrates IDW's 10th anniversary of publishing comics, I wanted to explore what it is that's kept you around for the past year or two and into the future with additional books planned for us. Namely, based on your experiences over the years, is there anything in 265
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______________________________________________________________ This Page and Opposite: Star Trek: Assignment Earth, art by John Byrne.
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______________________________________________________________ This Page and Opposite: Star Trek: Assignment Earth, art by John Byrne.
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particular you look for in a publisher for whom you decide to work now? JB: Well, as you know from working with me, I am a tyrannical ogre who makes constant and nearly impossible demands, so if you drop the ball even once, I'll be gone so fast you won't even know what hit you. Or, to put that another way, IDW has been very easy to work with. So has Paramount. And that makes _________________________________________ Opposite Page: Star Trek: Alien Spotlight–Borg, art by Sean Murphy.
for a good combo for someone who, yes, was really, really gun-shy after previous bad experiences with licensed stuff. Both Howard Mackie and Roger Stern have given the same answer when asked by potential editors “What do I have to do to work with Byrne?” “Don't lie to him.” So far, you haven’t. Or maybe I just haven't caught you yet! Either way, the best way to have a professional relationship with me is to... be professional! So far, that's what I find at IDW. IDW __________________________________ Star Trek: Intelligence Gathering, art by David Messina and Mirco Pierfederici.
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particular you look for in a publisher for whom you decide to work now? JB: Well, as you know from working with me, I am a tyrannical ogre who makes constant and nearly impossible demands, so if you drop the ball even once, I'll be gone so fast you won't even know what hit you. Or, to put that another way, IDW has been very easy to work with. So has Paramount. And that makes _________________________________________ Opposite Page: Star Trek: Alien Spotlight–Borg, art by Sean Murphy.
for a good combo for someone who, yes, was really, really gun-shy after previous bad experiences with licensed stuff. Both Howard Mackie and Roger Stern have given the same answer when asked by potential editors “What do I have to do to work with Byrne?” “Don't lie to him.” So far, you haven’t. Or maybe I just haven't caught you yet! Either way, the best way to have a professional relationship with me is to... be professional! So far, that's what I find at IDW. IDW __________________________________ Star Trek: Intelligence Gathering, art by David Messina and Mirco Pierfederici.
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