Star Trek: Discovery concluded its sophomore season this past April with a climactic space battle and trippy romp through the space-time continuum, leaving viewers with a solid sense of promise that the third season will live up to the program's ambitious hype.

One of the sci-fi show's enduring mysteries has been the questionable identity of the Red Angel, a nebulous being once believed to possibly be Prime Lorca, Future Spock, Captain Picard, Future Pike, Future Burnham, or maybe even Number One. In the episode, The Red Angel, the forces of Section 31 and Discovery unite to capture the Red Angel and discover that she's Michael Burnham's biological mother. Or is she?

Credit: IDW Publishing

In the wake of the controversial finale, a new miniseries from IDW launched last week titled Star Trek: Discovery: Aftermath, which seeks to boldly advance the TV show's narrative while exploring more about the strange identity of the Red Angel — and SYFY WIRE has an exclusive look into the process of crafting the premiere issue, courtesy of its co-writer Mike Johnson.

Written by Johnson (Blade Runner 2019) and Kirsten Beyer (Star Trek: Discovery), with gorgeous galactic art from Tony Shasteen (Star Trek: Boldly Go), the comic series follows the breathtaking conclusion of the second season of CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery.

Credit: IDW Publishing

The intense three-issue storyline finds Spock discovering Michael Burnham’s personal log, in which he starts to dissect the story of Burnham’s journey from orphaned child to Starfleet officer, and the clandestine history of the Red Angel too. However, as he uncovers the shadowy details of Burnham’s troubled past, he’ll also be confronted with his own path.

Johnson is most excited for fans to see what happens to the characters left behind after the Discovery crew departs at the end of Season 2.

"One of the great things about comics is that they can explore corners of the franchise that the show itself doesn't have time to," Johnson tells SYFY WIRE. "So we seized on the opportunity to show how Discovery's departure affects Spock, Pike, and even the relations between the Federation and the Klingons, led by L'Rell."

Credit: IDW Publishing

"I think fans will love seeing more of Pike and Spock together, especially how their relationship develops as Spock deals with Burnham’s departure," he adds. "Spock’s journey back to his (unshaven!) place on the Enterprise bridge is the heart of this story."

What can eager readers expect to see in issue #2? Johnson offers cryptic clues!

"A new planet. Subterfuge. An explosion. Maybe two. Spock & Pike with a Butch & Sundance moment. And we introduce a new sect of Klingon fanatics."

Credit: IDW Publishing

Now beam into our expanded look inside Star Trek: Discovery: Aftermath #1 with an exclusive peek at Shasteen's striking inked pages, alongside covers for the second issue arriving Sept. 25 in our gallery below, then tell us if you're on board IDW's latest Star Trek odyssey.