The new Star Trek film will be hitting theaters May 8, 2009. As I’ve stated in previous blogs here on Comix 411, I’m very excited about this and the trailer looks good. IDW Publishing is the current comic book company which owns the rights to publish Star Trek comic books. I’ve never really been one to read Star Trek novels or comics. I primarily stick to the television shows and the movies. However, I decided to take a chance on “Star Trek: Countdown” because it was being presented as prequel to the upcoming film.

This first issue of this mini-series was pretty good. If you are a big time Trekker, I would pick it up, but if you are a big time Trekker, you probably already have. The story revolves around Spock in the “present” world of Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) continuity. Spock has been living on Romulus and has been working towards the unification of the Romulan home world and Vulcan. This mission of Spock’s was first introduced in the classic TNG episode “Unification”.

In that episode, the movement towards unification was an underground movement. In this issue, we find out that the movement is now out and in the open and Spock is now a legal resident of the Romulus. Spock addresses the Romulan Senate and informs them of a supernova that that is occurring in a near by star system which could spread and destroy Romulus if they do not act immediately. The Senate does not believe Spock and some believe that this some sort of Vulcan trick.

A space mining team addresses the Senate and state that Spock is telling the truth as they have just escaped from the supernova’s wrath.  The team is lead by a Romulan named Nero.  Nero will be the main villain in the upcoming Star Trek film.  Spock and Nero meet up and decide to take matters into their own hands.  While they are out in space, they are attacked by Remans.  When all looks lost, they are rescued by a familiar starship which has a new captain at the helm.  I’ll just leave it at that.  It was very cool and shocking.

Whether you really need to read this book before you see the movie, is somewhat doubtful.  I think they’re just trying to make a fun story and for the most part they succeed.  On a side note, there is a scene in the book where Spock is addressing the Romulan Senate.  As he addresses them, he tells the corniest joke ever.  Now I can kind forgive that as Spock, has lightened up a bit in his old age, but if they are going to have him tell a joke, at least let it be a good one.

The art work was okay.  I would have liked to have seen a better artist on a book that will be used to help promote the new film, but maybe IDW aren’t able to get some of the big names as these artists tend to be locked up in contracts by Marvel and DC.

So enjoy Trekkers and live long and prosper.