Published Oct 23, 2026, 5:28 PM EDT
Mark has been a comic book journalist for over 15 years and has interviewed comic book creators like Gail Simone and Caspar Wijngaard. And when he's not writing, he's working on beating his record of 1,200 comics read in a year.
Star Trek is widely regarded as one of the most positive franchises in history. No matter what era the show is in, the creators understand that the thing that made the shows and movies popular is how they portray the universe in a progressive light. That doesn’t mean everything is always sunshine, rainbows, and phasers on stun. Sometimes there are Borgs attempting to assimilate the universe or misunderstandings that lead to war. Other times it’s an enemy from within Starfleet.
No matter what era is an individual Trek fan's favorite, IDW has published comic books they’ll enjoy. Of course, Voyager and The Next Generation are on the list, but the popular animated series Lower Decks is also available and a great read. While all of them highlight the good in the universe, Star Trek: Red Shirts shows the dark side of things, where villainy, betrayal, and gore lurk where they shouldn’t.
Red Shirts' Chip Miller Shows A Different Side Of Starfleet
Viewers see characters like Jean-Luc Picard, William Riker, and Nyota Uhura and know that they embody everything that the universe can be. Sadly, their voyages are the ones that make people feel good. Star Trek: Red Shirts and Star Trek: Red Shirts – Ghost of the 21st Century show that mistakes are often made and can turn people into monsters and betrayers who are only out for money. As disgusting as that is, it makes for amazing reading thanks to writers Christopher Cantwell and Gerry Duggan.
The two miniseries follow Chip Miller, who was the only survivor of an away mission to Planet Neural. The rest of the nine-person crew were killed in horrific and calamitous ways. However, Chip didn’t leave unscathed. He lost an eye thanks to an attack from a Mugato and was left on a planet for days. That’s when he realized that being a Red Shirt security officer means being marked for death.
The idea of being cannon fodder became clearer for Chip during his next mission. He learned that Starfleet was using him and his team as bait without their knowledge. This time, Miller was ready because he was actually a mole for the Vulcans who saved him on Neural before Starfleet did. This kept him alive (again), and later helps turn him into a sort of intergalactic kingpin.
Chip is rich and powerful, but not happy. At the end of the first story arc, he mentions it, saying that even though he survived his first mission, some of him died. So, it looks like the Red Shirt curse is real in the metaphorical sense, too.
Chip Miller Is Star Trek's Perfect Evil Character
Characters like Scarface, Vic Mackey, and Walter White are deplorable people. Despite that, it’s tough not to love them. They represent everything that’s wrong with the world, yet something about them makes a person hope they survive. For reasons like this, it was smart that Star Trek gave comic book readers and fans of the franchise a different story other than the positive universe of Spock and James T. Kirk.
While it’s good that Chip Miller is a different kind of lead character in Star Trek: Red Shirts, he doesn’t have any of the likable qualities of someone like Walter White. Miller is just an evil, bitter man. Nevertheless, his ruthlessness, thanks to abandonment and mistreatment, makes his actions somewhat understandable. He’s still vile, but readers will be able to relate to why he turned into a monster.
A Star Trek fan may look at this series as blasphemous, but change is something that's always happened in this franchise. It was only a matter of time before someone like Chip Miller came around and led a story. He shows that no matter how far people come, their base instincts kick in.
Lastly, some readers will relate to what Chip is doing. While it doesn't make it right, it does make for an entertaining story with a ton of potential. It's so good that it wouldn't be surprising if Star Trek: Red Shirts becomes a miniseries someday. It's that good.
Release Date May 7, 2009
Runtime 127 minutes
English (US) ·