In 'Q Conflict #5' David Messina Captures the Borg Queen

The contest for the ages continues as the captains race to capture the one exotic creature that Trelane is missing from his intergalactic menagerie—a Borg Queen! But as the god-like beings revel in the games, the crews are hatching a plan of their own. Don’t miss the penultimate issue of the biggest Star Trek crossover of all time!

Star Trek: The Q Conflict artist David Messina speaks more about the second to last chapter Star Trek: The Q Conflict #5 (of 6), coming June 12th from IDW Publishing.

StarTrek.com: How do you capture the visual elements of each series in such an epic crossover?

David Messina: Mostly I worked looking for a "melting point" between the aesthetic of the classic show from the 60's/90's and the new J.J. Abrams movie and Star Trek: Discovery. In this way I'd try to create something completely new like the old shows were shot today.What have you enjoyed about working on the series so far?

DM: Drawing old aliens' architectures, strange creatures, and the giant planet killer machine from the sixties were really fun to do, especially to show them with a modern vibe!

Who is your favorite Star Trek character to bring to life?

DM: Picard and Spock! They were played by awesome actors with really interesting faces. Both of them are characters with an incredible charisma and such an interesting history!Speaking of characters, how do you capture the iconic aura of Q himself?

DM: I've no idea if I really achieve this result. Q is a character far away from my personal taste: too powerful and unstable but not enough terrifying to me. My first idea was to draw him always in dark shadow, tall and creepy, but in the end I preferred to stick to the way we had seen him played by John de Lancie.

What do you hope that readers will visually take away from this issue?

DM: I'd love if they can feel the complexity and the dark charm of the Borg's hive and Guinan's sweet wisdom, of course (I have a soft spot for that character!).

This interview has been edited and condensed. Q Conflict #5 is available now. For additional details, contact your local comic book retailer or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you. And keep an eye on StarTrek.com for news about the IDW's upcoming Star Trek adventures, as well as exclusive first looks at covers and preview pages.