Star Trek Trailer To Be Dropped on Bond



Trekkies have been holding their breath in anticipation for Paramount to announce which fall movie they will drop the first Trek trailer on. TrekMovie is reporting that the new Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, will be the lucky bearer of the preview. They also claim that “Our current poll states that 45% of Trek fans will see ‘any movie’ or ‘almost any movie’ just to catch a glimpse of the trailer. Many Trek fans went to see Cloverfield in its record-breaking opening weekend, just to be the first to see the Star Trek teaser trailer.” That is quite a statistic. Almost every guy I know is into Star Trek. Which means, almost every guy I know will go see the new Bond movie, to see the preview for the Star Trek movie. Is it me, or is this all sounding super geeky?

The Star Trek movie will chronicle the early careers of the Enterprise crew. It’s an origin story about Kirk, Scotty, Spock and company. With Transformers and MI III scribes, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman writing the script, it sounds like its going to be huge. Paramount is hoping it will be, at least.

The European press tour will kick off after the trailer has gone public. Because Star Trek hasn’t done as well across the pond, Paramount wants to get the buzz lit over there. Abrams and executive producer Bryan Burk will show clips to European journalists to spark the planned media frenzy.

Abrams Plans To Boldly Go Fast



It’s getting to the point where you need to clear a good four hours off your schedule to see a major movie. Nobody can tell a good story in under two and a half hours and combined with the trailers, the drive time, and the need to get there a bit early, we are spending longer at the theater than we do watching the Oscars, which is pretty scary.

One filmmaker who is sick of the longer and longer run times is J.J. Abrams. He’s making a stand with Star Trek. It’s going to be two damn hours and not a second longer. Well, maybe a second longer, but not much more than that. As he tells the MTV Movie Blog, “I’m sick of these two hours and forty-five minute movies. Seriously, it’s like I don’t have enough time to stay two hours and forty-five minutes. I’m exhausted just saying that twice. I can’t stand it.” So, he’s going to buck the trend of movies that seem to be getting longer and longer for no real reason.

I’m a firm believer that many movies would be improved with tighter editing. Something like The Dark Knight works at a longer running time and I remember watching L.A. Confidential and wishing it was twice as long, but they are the exceptions. Other directors need to keep one eye on the clock and it’s good to hear Abrams will be a vanguard in that brigade.

Abrams talks Trek time



If you were expecting JJ Abrams' STAR TREK to be an endlessly epic experience, make plans for after the flick.

The director believes you actually can get too much of a good thing -- he fully intended to keep the film contained around the two-hour mark. “I’m sick of these two hours and forty-five minute movies," he tells MTV (obviously referring to lengthy summer fare like THE DARK KNIGHT). "Seriously, it’s like I don’t have enough time to stay two hours and forty-five minutes. I’m exhausted just saying that twice. I can’t stand it.”

It seems ironic that the guy who stretched convoluted subplots and obfuscation across several seasons of TV's "ALIAS" (not to mention his complicity in the frustrations of "LOST") is someone without significant patience for entertainment, or maybe he just learned something about brevity from working on the hit-em-and-run horror flick CLOVERFIELD.

Extra Tidbit: Abrams discusses the furor about the (non) participation of Shatner right here, which could conceivably be yet more misdirection.

More Star Trek Exclusives, Fan Sites In Revolt



Paramount has now accomplished two very distinct things with the release of this increasingly large batch of photos from Star Trek. First, the images are great and they have everyone excited about the movie. That’s a good thing and if the new trailer which is supposed to debut with Quantum of Solace looks half as good as these stills, then they may really get some serious buzz going for this film. Second… they’ve managed to piss off just about the entire Star Trek fan site community.

Here’s the thing: Paramount has released all of these photos as “exclusives” to specially chosen, high-profile websites, most of them backed by big corporations who really have nothing to do with Star Trek. Mere hours ago they did it again with two more photos, included with this post, and released in high-res exclusively to Yahoo and Omelete. Meanwhile in the background, they’ve launched a “Star Trek Webmaster Program” and invited 600 webmasters from movie sites and Star Trek fan sites around the web to join, with the promise that the group will give them all first crack at material for the film whenever it becomes available. The group has been in existence since January of this year, and it has yet to deliver any content of any kind. Instead, what Paramount’s Star Trek Webmasters have been given, is a series of messages with links to Paramount’s corporate partners and their exclusives, directing the webmasters whom they had courted with promises of content… to send all of their readers to other websites which Paramount likes better.

Doling out content in the form of exclusives in exchange for well, whatever mysterious payola big studios gets out of it, is of course a fairly common practice on any high-profile film. And I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the sites they’ve released these exclusives to. JoBlo.com for instance was one of them, and they’re a site I personally hold in extremely high esteem. They, and most of the others involved aren’t exactly known as hardcore Trekkies though. TrekMovie.com was also in the bunch given exclusives, a very well run Trek site… yet a Trek site which has only existed since the production on this particular film started, not one of the hundreds of Trek sites which have literally been the backbone of the internet since the web’s early 90s inception; sites which back in January Paramount invited to work with them, and have since gone out of their way to ignore.

For those 600 Star Trek fan webmasters involved in Paramount’s Webmaster Program, it was only somewhat disappointing when Paramount released the teaser trailer to everyone before them, and mildly annoying when Paramount leaked all of the movie’s first posters elsewhere. But last night the private forum inside the Webmaster Program erupted with polite yet perturbed anger, as Paramount continued to ignore them by releasing photo after photo exclusively to other sites. When community members politely asked why they were being ignored, Paramount’s representatives responded with the equivalent of “take a hike.”

This morning, when those same fan webmasters didn’t take kindly to being yet again given the brush off, Paramount simply silenced them by completely deleting the private message board which had been part of the Webmaster Program, ending what had been a fairly polite but concerned discussion of the matter. In doing so, the studio has made something loud and clear here, and it’s something which I’ve been saying for nearly a year now. Star Trek fans: Paramount doesn’t care if you’re involved or not. They want new fans. You’re old, you’re used up. This is a new Star Trek for a new group of fans, hopefully pretty ones who don’t live in their parents’ basements. You can buy a ticket to see it if you want, just make sure you bring a teenager with you and wear a bag over your head.

There’s another way to handle this, a way to bring in new fans while holding on to the old ones. It’s simple. Don’t release images exclusively to IGN, AICN, or even Cinema Blend. Paramount, you’ve started a webmaster program. Use it. Release these Star Trek marketing materials simultaneously to everyone from now on. No, handing them out to the fan community three days later doesn’t count. Everyone, all at once. What’s the worst that could happen? Even more exposure for your film by having the images displayed across a broader range of sites? Or do you think UGO and Yahoo will refuse to cover the movie unless you give them special treatment? Unlikely. Don’t worry, the cool kids will never know you’ve let the nerds have them. It’s not like the Fast and the Furious crowd is going to visit TrekWeb and find out. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, unless you’re really and truly out to cut the Trek community off. If so, I’ll be the Trekkie in the back row with pointed ears drawn on the bag over my head.

Add More Star Trek Images To The Pile

Another day, another batch of images from Star Trek. Remember when we were actually wondering what this movie would look like, rather than getting hit with new photos from all sides? Entertainment Weekly, which features Kirk and Spock on its cover this week, has a handful of new images along with the ones we've seen so far, all packaged in a nice gallery. It'll give you a new chance to examine Spock's Vulcan ears and try to find Eric Bana underneath all that Nero makeup.

I'm too much of a Star Trek neophyte to do much parsing of these images, so I'll leave it to you guys to do the analysis from here. Check out a few of the images below, and go to EW's gallery for the full display.

Star Trek Takes Over Empire



Paramount is handing out more exclusive Star Trek images. That usually means the rest of the internet will get them two or three weeks from now when it no longer matters. Well dammit Jim, I think it matters. This is Star Trek after all, and no matter how long the wait Star Trek matters… to nerds like me anyway. But we’re not going to make you wait till Paramount finally lets us run them. While we wait, you can go check out the brand new Trek pics over at Empire.

I’ve posted a couple of smallish, sample versions of the images below but it’s worth clicking over to Empire for the real deal. The images will be in their latest print issue as well, which will bear a Star Trek themed cover in which Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine do their best to recreate a classic Nimoy/Shatner promotional pose.

Trek trailer talk



So word on the cyber street is that the new trailer for the J.J. Abrams directed reboot prequel, STAR TREK, will premiere with the upcoming James Bond adventure QUANTUM OF SOLACE but if you'd like to get a taste of it beforehand, a couple of scoopers over at AICN recently wrote in to describe the trailer. And it sounds like this thing's gonna rock balls, especially since they mention this: "We also see a woman in silhouette (Uhura?) pulling off her top…" Hells yeah. Here's a snippet from the more detailed description:

The trailer starts by showing a mid-60's Corvette convertible tearing across the country side. After a few seconds we see a long shot that shows a policeman in hot pursuit. Another long shot shows the Vette screaming at full speed toward a steep cliff. A slo-mo shot shows the driver leaping from the car at the last second and tumbling ass over teakettle toward the edge of the cliff itself. The driver is a young boy who looks about 13 or 14. He manages to grab a hold at the last second and hang on as a birds eye shot show the antique Vette fall away into an abyss.

We see the boy get up and dust himself off and the camera cuts away to show a troopers boot come down close-up. The black leather boot is obviously the policeman's who was chasing the car but it looks suspiciously "different." Just different enough to let the audience know this isn't a normal policeman. The shot then cuts to where we can see the policeman standing in front of the boy with his "bike" hovering in mid air a few feet beside him. He shouts at the boy, "Who are you?" or "What's your name?" and the boy shouts back defiantly, "James Tiberius Kirk!"

Read the rest of it over HERE. The Enterprise flies again (or is it for the first time?) on May 8th.

Extra Tidbit: If we might get some Uhura boobs, can we also get Rachel Nichols and Diora Baird boobs? (Especially considering Baird is playing a character called "Orion Slave Girl") Please?

Star Trek Gets 2 Theatrical Posters

Paramount has finally delivered, releasing something for their new Star Trek movie which isn’t an exclusive to an indifferent corporate partner. They’ve just sent out the first 2 theatrical teaser posters for the film. Say hello to black and white Kirk and Spock 2.0.

Star Trek's Redesigned Enterprise Revealed!

We’ve seen the crew and now Paramount is showing off the ship. EW has your first ever look at the brand new, redesigned starship Enterprise, NCC-1701, as she’ll appear in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming reboot.

The changes are more drastic than I expected. That said, it’s still instantly recognizable as the Enterprise. They’ve kept everything that has made Star Trek’s flagship the coolest thing floating around in the stars, while at the same time giving her an updated look, one which incorporates some pieces of design features seen in other Trek ships. As many expected she would, this version of the Enterprise actually bears more of a resemblance to the refitted version which appeared in the first three Star Trek movies, than it does in the pre-refit version which appeared in the television show. What matters here though is that it’s still here. It’s the Enterprise. They haven’t painted her pink and given her rollerskates. She’s still the most beautiful thing in space.

Compare the new design to the other two previous variations of the NCC-1701 (no bloody A, B, C, or D) Enterprise below:

Enterprise In The 2009 Movie



Enterprise As Seen In The Original TV Series



Enterprise As Seen In Star Trek I, II, and III

Star Trek Trailer Not In Front Of Quantum



Reports are already coming in from those who attended midnight showings of Quantum of Solace and saw the new Star Trek trailer in front of it… and from those who did not. Word was that the brand new, full length Star Trek trailer would be attached to the latest Bond movie, but it seems that’s not necessarily the case.

This is particularly important since Paramount has refused to release the trailer online. They’re holding it gripped tight in their fists until Monday, which means plenty of people are out there heading to see the latest Bond movie in part or in full because they can’t wait to see the trailer. But we’ve received multiple reports from various readers which indicate that the trailer may or may not be there. Many theater owners are mixing and matching which trailers they shove in front of Quantum.

You’ve been warned. If you’re headed out in hopes of catching the new Star Trek trailer, call ahead to make sure it’s showing. Or just forget the whole thing and wait till Monday. Is it just me, or has the promotion for this film so far involved an inordinate amount of waiting?

2 New Star Trek Character Posters



They’ve kept us waiting and in the dark for more than a year now, but six months before the movie’s release Paramount Pictures seems intent on making it all up to us. They’re blowing out even more great material from Star Trek, and plastering the world with all the advertisements and trailers they can muster. I’m pretty sure I even saw a banner ad on this site earlier. It’s going to be a Star Trek filled six months.

The latest is a pair of new character posters, which they released to us this afternoon. They’re in the same style of the Kirk and Spock posters from a few days ago (if you haven’t seen those click here), only this time it’s Uhura and Nero getting the one sheet treatment. See them below and click each poster for a larger version:

Shatner Watch: What About The New Enterprise?



Some classic Star Trek fans are taking delight in a little battle that’s been going on between William Shatner and… well, frankly just Shatner and Trekdom. See, Shatner wasn’t asked to be a part of the new movie (or was asked and wasn’t available, or was asked and it didn’t work - frankly, I’ve lost track of what the official story is by now) and so he’s been a bit bitter about there being a new movie.

One can hardly blame Shatner’s frustration. Until now he’s been the sole actor behind James T. Kirk, a character so iconic even non-Trekkies can identify him on sight. Now Shatner is going to have to share the stage that is Kirk with another actor. I’m fairly certain any of us would feel the same in a similar situation.

The latest video diary from Shatner gives his reaction to the first released image of the new Enterprise. Keep in mind, technically, this is the old Enterprise - just a new depiction of it. In fact, J.J. Abrams has remained pretty faithful to the original design, which doesn’t give Shatner much to talk about at all. In fact, he’s pretty subdued here, just talking about the ship-shape and how supportive he is of the new Trek movie, regardless of what you might have heard otherwise.

Take a look at Shatner’s response and wonder how much alcohol he’s imbibing between takes on Boston Legal, which it looks like must be when this was recorded.

Star Trek In IMAX

It’s no longer really news when a big Hollywood blockbuster is converted into the IMAX format. It is quickly becoming the standard for any spendy flick with potentially impressive videos. IMAX is not worth the effort for a bland looking project like Twilight or Beverly Hills Chihuahua, no matter how much money they’ve made, for Star Trek IMAX release should be regarded as an obvious move for Paramount Pictures.

And indeed that’s exactly what Paramount is doing, at least according to First Showing. It’s unclear where exactly FS obtained this information, but since it’s kind of a no brainer there’s no reason to doubt them. This would be bigger news had the movie actually been shot in the IMAX format, as were select scenes in The Dark Knight, but unfortunately we’ll have to settle for an inferior, after the fact conversion.

Yet even for movies which weren’t actually shot in the format, IMAX is still unquestionably the best way to watch any feature film. I imagine that’s going to be doubly true of Star Trek with its hopefully sweeping, breathtaking, wide screen outer space visuals. Perhaps even more important than IMAX’s massive screen is the standard IMAX theater sound which is, far and above, totally superior to anything you’ll get anywhere else. Star Trek’s epic, orchestral scores belong booming around inside an IMAX theater.

To me, it's shocking that there are actually people out there who still haven't been won over by the IMAX format. Presumably these are people who live in an area where there simply isn't a theater, or who have stubbornly refused to visit one. This isn't exactly a new innovation. You and I know better. Be in the IMAX seat next to me for Star Trek on May 8th of next year.



One brief note. Unless the schedule changes, Night at the Museum 2 opens two weeks after Star Trek and will also be in IMAX. Most, if not all IMAX theaters have only a single screen which means that theater owners will have to choose one or the other. Odds are they’ll all go with the newer film, or perhaps split time between the two movies once Night at the Museum opens, relegating the out longer Trek to those odd, off-time showings no one wants to go to. It can't be easy to swap out different films onto an IMAX projector. That means that if you’re hot to see Star Trek in IMAX, don’t wait around. Get it done on week one.

First Look At Old Spock In New Star Trek



If you’re a Trekkie, then after watching the new Star Trek trailer there was only one question on your mind: Where’s Leonard Nimoy? JJ Abrams’ has long touted Trek’s original Vulcan as a central part of his Trek re-envisioning, yet he was left out of the trailers, perhaps as a way of courting those new fans Paramount seems to so desperately crave.

You won’t see Leonard in the theatrical trailer, but Paramount has solved the case of the missing Spock with a new, internet only version of the Star Trek trailer. It’s the same trailer you’ve seen already, with one slight addition at the end. Watch the alternate version of the trailer in high-def over at AICN or watch it below, and wait till the end for Nimoy’s return to wearing pointed ears:

See Star Trek's New Starship Up Close



Maybe it’s a way of keeping the new Enterprise partially under wraps, or maybe the Enterprise doesn’t show up until the end of the movie. Whatever the reason, Star Trek’s iconic starship has taken a back seat while a new spacefaring vessel, the USS Kelvin is taking front and center in Star Trek’s current marketing materials. Luckily, it’s a pretty sharp looking little ship.

There’s been no shortage of wallpapers, pictures, and video showing off the Kelvin but now for the first time you can walk right up on the internet and give a closer examination to Starfleet’s newest ship. Intel’s Star Trek promo site here is dedicated almost entirely to the USS Kelvin. They’ve just added a new feature which lets you take a sort of virtual tour around the outside of the ship. Spin it, rotate it, flip it, zoom in on certain areas for a closer look.

Below I’ve dropped a couple of their close-up photos from various parts of the ship. Click over to Intel’s Boldly Go site and select “USS Kelvin” from the nav menu for more.

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry



Majel Barrett-Roddenberry will reprise her role as the voice of the starship Enterprise computer in J.J. Abrams' upcoming "Star Trek" feature. She's voiced the role in four "Star Trek" TV series and three films.

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Coming to IMAX

Paramount Pictures and IMAX Corporation today announced that Star Trek, directed by J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III, "Lost" and "Alias"), will be simultaneously released to both IMAX® and conventional theatres worldwide on May 8, 2009. http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=15645
, which chronicles the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members, will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Paramount Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to IMAX theatres worldwide.

"We're excited to share the enhanced IMAX version of this film with the millions of dedicated fans who have been anticipating this release since production began," said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures. "The IMAX Experience adds that extra level of excitement to an already action-packed film, giving moviegoers a premium 'event' at the multiplex."

Added J.J. Abrams, "I'm thrilled that audiences will be able to experience this new, epic world of 'Star Trek' - with an incredible cast and mind-blowing visual effects - on what is, obviously, the most remarkable film format in the world."

"'Star Trek' combines top Hollywood story-telling talent with space exploration, and each is very conducive to The IMAX Experience," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "Expanding our relationship with Paramount Pictures to include this film strengthens our 2009 slate, and with the continuing rollout of digital IMAX theatre systems, we will be able to offer the fan-base more locations to experience the epic first journey of the USS Enterprise in the most immersive way."

"Both 'Star Trek' and IMAX have taken audiences to far away places they would normally not be able to go, and in this case, it's space - the final frontier," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "J.J. Abrams has created a powerful movie that has fans worldwide feverishly anticipating its release. We are thrilled to partner with Paramount Pictures to bring J.J.'s exciting vision of this incredible space adventure to IMAX screens."

EXCLUSIVE: We Interview J.J. Abrams And Unveil A New ‘Star Trek’ Banner!

We’ve been all over J.J. Abrams’ upcoming “Star Trek,” including an exclusive photo of Kirk and the first look at the Enterprise bridge, and now we’ve got something else special…the premiere of the film’s banner.

'Star Trek' Director J.J. Abrams Says Film Has Plenty For Fans And Newcomers To EnjoyFilmmaker insists that Leonard Nimoy's role in the reboot is more than just a cameo.

Tasked to breathe new life into the waning "Star Trek" mega-franchise, J.J. Abrams is a man on a mission. And unlike Captain Kirk, Abrams doesn't have five years to do it ... his film opens in less than five months.

So how does the "Lost" creator assemble a sprawling sci-fi epic that's accessible to mainstream audiences, while also navigating the dangerous waters of a rabid existing fanbase? According to him, you do it by looking to the past, namely the academy days of a younger and equally rebellious James Tiberius Kirk (played by relative newcomer Chris Pine) and his pre-Enterprise crew.

With editing on the film now complete, Abrams chatted with MTV News to dish out the latest on his budding blockbuster, where it's boldly going and how a onetime outsider like him wound up falling in love with seven strangers from outer space.

MTV: Where do you currently stand in the process?

Abrams: We're all done with the [final] cut. We're finishing the mix next week.

MTV: Have scenes been left on the cutting-room floor?

Abrams: Oh, sure. You make a movie, and I think you always find yourself losing things here and there, embellishing things. It's sort of par for the course. They'll probably end up as deleted scenes on the DVD.

MTV: Having been fortunate enough to view a few scenes recently, do you think fans will be surprised by the amount of humor in the film? [Editor's note: In one sequence, an allergic reaction to medication results in massive swelling of Kirk's hands and face ... think "Nutty Professor."]

Abrams: It's funny, because when you see a quarter of something or less, it's easy to draw conclusions about what the whole thing is. The thing with the hands is probably the most extreme sort of borderline-silly thing that happens in the movie. But the humor in the movie is constant within the wit of the characters. And I think when you look at the original "Star Trek" show, there was actually a great deal of humor.

MTV: I couldn't help but notice the Slusho! reference from "Cloverfield" in the bar scene where Kirk first meets Uhura. Will we see other J.J.-isms peppered throughout the film?

Abrams: No. That was sort of the only one, and it was just sort of a goof.

MTV: Having Leonard Nimoy back as Spock and Majel-Barrett Roddenberry return as the ship's computer are both major bridges between the "old" universe and your new one. Are there others we should look for?

Abrams: I think what you'll see is there are — both story-wise and performance-wise, visually and aurally — many connections to what is familiar and what has come before. Which for the new fans of "Star Trek," the newcomers to the world, will be irrelevant. But for those people who are fans and who hope for or expect certain familiar nods, they will undoubtedly get those.

MTV: We've seen Nimoy delivering his classic "Live long and prosper" line in the trailer. Is he fundamental to the story line, or is it more or less a glorified cameo?

Abrams: No, it's no cameo. He's in the movie, and his role is critical. I always think "cameo" feels like a role that the movie could exist without. This is critical, emotional and also a story element.

MTV: When you look at the other "Star Trek" films, what are they missing that you wanted to bring to yours?

Abrams: There are a number of things that I think are unique to this movie. There's a level of relevance that I think is really because of the actors playing the part. I didn't want to just re-create or reset everything, I thought going back to those characters was important. [In previous films] when we met those characters, we met them pre-established. They'd already been working together, they already knew each other. They had this history. And for some reason, the origin of those relationships of those characters was something that probably would have helped me, at least, connect to them and understand why I should care about them and who they were.

So on those fundamental levels, none of the movies have had that before. But on a much more practical level, "Star Trek" has never had the opportunity, nor the resources, to be realized in this way. Things like the ships and the battles and the planets and the chases and the action sequences ... and do them in a way that felt thrilling and terrifying and entertaining in a way that the show and the prior movies simply couldn't afford to do. I feel we were able to bring to life, in a way we've never seen before, what it is to be a member of Starfleet. And that's kind of cool.

Star Trek Will Be Finished Next Week



Star Trek director JJ Abrams has posted a production update on the film’s official Facebook page:

“We’re just making final tweaks to the movie — we should be totally locked next week. Then we’re going to flash-freeze it so it’s totally fresh for you in May. I can’t wait for you to see the movie. The cast is awesome. The action and effects pushed the stunt team and ILM beyond their limits. I’m so grateful to this cast and crew — and to all of you for your interest and patience. We’ll continue to update this page with new info and exclusives, so check back when you think of it. In the meantime, have a happy, healthy, fun holiday! From the last days of the sound mix,  JJ”

It’s kinda crazy that the film will be completely locked next week, considering the film isn’t set to hit theaters for another four and a half months. Most big Summer blockbusters are racing to the finish line as the release date is only days away.

Fascinating!!!! Official Prequel STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN Offers Giant Clues Regarding Spock, Nero and J.J. Abrams’ New Movie!!



I am – Hercules!!

Major new clues regarding J.J. Abrams’s new “Star Trek” movie emerged Wednesday with the publication of Star Trek: Countdown's first issue, an IDW funnybook (billed as an official prequel to the Abrams movie) which swells my withered Trekkie heart.

Spoilers ahead

Highly nuanced, fast-moving and continuity-embracing, the first issue of “Countdown” is a fabulous read scripted by two guys named Mike Johnson & Tim Jones from a story by “Trek” screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. (Italian David Messina is the artist, and proves adept at capturing a very old Leonard Nimoy and very hot young Romulan women; I encourage Trekkies and Trekkers of all stripes to seek this publication out.)

Bullet-points:

* The tale is set decades after the events of “Star Trek: Nemesis.”

* A white-haired Spock is still living on Romulus, his home for the last four decades.

* Thanks in part to Spock’s efforts, there is now a far kinder, gentler Romulus than we remember. “Curiosity, tolerance and diplomacy ceased to be forbidden words in the empire,” notes Spock.

* Spock is no longer a covert operative. For five years he has served openly as the Federation’s ambassador to the empire. We learn that Vulcan, too, has established an embassy on Romulus, headed by an unseen fellow named Sular.

* In the comic Spock is something of a Jor-El figure, trying to avert a unprecedented natural disaster that threatens to obliterate Romulus and its entire star empire. Spock implores the Romulan senate to seek out the more technically advanced Vulcans; combining Romulan and Vulcan resources, Spock believes, can prevent horrifying cataclysm if they act quickly. But the old-guard Romulan leaders remain suspicious of Spock and the Vulcans, and stall a remedy.

* Having had a first-hand encounter with the deadly galaxy-gobbling anomaly, the Romulan Nero (long presumed to be the movie’s villain) is depicted in the comic as Spock’s staunchest ally. He is not a soldier but a selfless and heroic spacefaring miner and guild leader, a caring family man who finds himself risking everything to save his home, wife and unborn son. He is not a Nero content to fiddle as Romulus burns, and his face does not yet bear frightening tattoos.

Remans, first introduced in the terrible “Nemesis” six years ago, appear late in the first issue, and I am encouraged by Kurtzman & Orci’s willingness to embrace elements from even the most disreputable corners of the sprawling Trek franchise. The final page of the first issue should also bolster overall expectations. (More in invisotext.) The U.S.S. Enterprise, commanded by Captain Data, comes to Spock and Nero’s rescue!

It's not much of a leap to speculate that things go very badly with the galaxy-eater. Nero’s family and world, one imagines, will be wiped from existance and Nero will be compelled to travel back in time, to an era just before Jim Kirk’s birth, to set things right.

And, of course, Nero's attack on a ship carrying Jim Kirk's pop sets off a mammoth butterfly effect. Which is why, in the trailers, Chris Pike’s Earth-built Enterprise looks like the Enterprise-F and Chekhov now outranks Kirk.

Odd that this promotional tie-in funnybook fills me so with so much confidence for the movie, but dang me if it doesn't. J.J. Abrams says he was not a “Trek” fan before coming aboard the project, and I was frankly concerned that his overaching desire to bring “Trek” to a wider audience might supercede any reverence his Trekkier collaborators might have brought to the table. Subsequent to reading this first issue of “Countdown,” I find myself far less troubled. Say what you will about the failings of the studio-hammered “Transformers” script; I feel now that the Kurtzman-Orci team supplies geekitude sufficient enough to keep the new movie honest.

Look for me in line the night of May 7.