Unsurprisingly, it does not lead to the prosperous and peaceful Federation that we got when the Vulcans first introduced themselves to humanity in the original timeline. Who could’ve possibly expected that with those sneaky Romulans?




Earlier this year, IDW did a wave of alternate story one-shots called Deviations, which imagined several of their series in alternate realities. What if Fox Mulder never returned from alien abduction in The X-Files? What if Optimus Prime never died in Transformers? What if Cobra won in G.I. Joe? Well, now we have the answer to “What if IDW did Deviations again, but now there’s a Star Trek story, too?” Because io9 is proud to reveal Star Trek: Deviations, coming to a comic book shelf near you in March.

Cover art by Josh Hood.


Written by Donny Cates with art from Josh Hood, Star Trek: Deviations imagines an alternate timeline where it’s the Romulans that make first contact with Earth rather than the Vulcans. Instead of a prosperous alliance and the birth of the Federation, Earth becomes a brutal penal colony—and only resistance fighter William Riker can help turn the tide and send humanity into the stars. Here’s the full synopsis:



Star Trek: Deviations—SPOTLIGHT Donny Cates (w) • Josh Hood (a & c) In a world where the Romulans discovered Earth before the Vulcans, Earth is now a brutal penal colony. Resistance fighter William Riker has uncovered a vast conspiracy, and together with his band of prisoner outlaws (you just might recognize a few!), must fight to rescue a mysterious prisoner in the darkest level of the Romulan dungeons. The only man on Earth that still holds the key to humanity’s return to the stars! FC • 40 pages • $4.99

Star Trek: Deviations, along with other new one-shots under the Deviations banner, will start hitting stores in March 2017, as part of a five-week event.