Lower Decks Vol. 3 finally wraps beloved IDW comic series

“Star Trek: Lower Decks” is back in a new form, though not on screen. IDW Publishing released the trade paperback “Star Trek: Lower Decks Vol. 3 – Second Second Contact” on Sept. 29, giving Lower Decks fans one more adventure with the crew of the canceled animated comedy, CBR reported.

What’s in Lower Decks Vol. 3

The book collects issues No. 13-18 of IDW’s ongoing Lower Decks comic, closing out the series by writer Tim Sheridan and artist Vernon Smith. Charlie Kirchoff handled colors, and Clayton Cowles did the lettering.

IDW’s official solicitation teases the plot: “A whole planet’s population is missing—and it’s up to Captain Freeman, Tendi, Boimler, Mariner, Rutherford, and crew to recover them while fending off the alien invaders who wish them deader than dead.” The story sends the USS Cerritos back to the Laapeerians, the species from the ship’s first first contact.

The Sheridan and Smith run began in 2024. According to CBR, it was IDW’s second comic to use the Lower Decks name, and the first to last beyond a few issues.

Why Lower Decks fans still want more

Created by Mike McMahan, the animated series follows the junior officers of the USS Cerritos, a Starfleet ship far from the front lines. It debuted on CBS All Access in 2020 and moved to Paramount+ when the service rebranded in 2021.

Paramount ended the show after five seasons and 50 episodes, the most of any animated Star Trek series. The cancellation surprised fans because the show was a critical hit. Seasons 2 through 5 each carry a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, CBR noted.

McMahan has said he wasn’t finished. “Couldn’t be prouder of the five we made, but I had at least two seasons more in me,” he wrote on Bluesky in July, Bleeding Cool reported. He added that he wanted to visit the Delta and Gamma quadrants and make one more Vindicta holodeck movie.

What’s next

“Star Trek: Lower Decks Vol. 3 – Second Second Contact” is on sale now from IDW Publishing. Neither IDW nor Paramount has announced another Lower Decks comic or a screen revival.

For more franchise coverage, read how Andy Weir took a swipe at Star Trek after Paramount passed on his pitch, and find more in our books and comics section.