Fans are excited abouttwo fan-favoriteStar Trekuniverse series crossing overwith each other. In fact, even artists from across theStar Trekfranchise are so excited that they can’t contain their creative energy and are already producing mock-ups of what the live-action Captain Christopher Pike, played by the chiseled-jawed Anson Mount, fromStar Trek: Strange New Worldscast would look like in theStar Trek: Lower Decksanimation style.On Tuesday, November 1,Trek Centraltweeted a variant cover for the upcoming IDW-published comicStar Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Illyrian Enigma#1, foreshadowing the highly anticipated crossover between theStrange New WorldsandLower Deckstelevision shows. The cover features art by the officialStar Trek: Lower Deckscomic artist Chris Fenoglio and depicts the much-discussed hair peak sported byStrange New WorldsCowboy Captain Pike.Check it out for yourself below:
Could this be one of our first glimpses of Pike as he will appear in an episode of the upcoming Season 2 of Paramount+‘sStrange New Worlds? As announced during theStar TrekUniverse panel at San Diego Comic-Con International 2022, the sophomore season of the live-action series set on Pike’sEnterprisewill feature a story that crosses over with the ongoing animated seriesLower Decks.
So far, the details about the crossover episode are sparse, but it has been confirmed that it will feature both animated and live-action segments. However, while we know that two of theLower Deckscharacters will be appearing in live-action – Tawny Newsome’s Ensign Beckett Mariner and Jack Quaid’s Ensign Bradward Boimler – it has yet to be revealed which (if any)Strange New Worldscast members might appear in their animated form. But should Pike’s peak boldly go where no 1701 coiffeur has gone before, this Fenoglio cover is the first glimpse of what an animated Cowboy Captain Pike might look like.
In a series of tweets, Fenoglio revealed that he only decided to execute the cover based on an idea he had “floating around his head” and submitted the variant to his editor uncommissioned. On June 25, 2025, the day he submitted it, he tweeted a cryptic tweet along with a GIF of “Bold Boimler” fromLower DecksSeason 3, Episode 2, “The Least Dangerous Game.”
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Strange New Worlds: The Illyrian Enigma #1Arrives December 21
If you’re interested in seeing more of Fenoglio’s work in theStar Trekuniverse, two of the three issues in the currently ongoingLower DecksIDW comic have been released, with the third arriving on November 9. In an interview withStarTrek.com, writer Ryan North praised Fenoglio for the “incredible” art he is delivering on the series. “It looks so sweet, and he’s going the extra mile on basically every panel.” And on every variant cover, as well!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Illyrian Enigma#1 will arrive in stores on August 07, 2025. In addition to the variant cover by Fenoglio, there will also be covers by Megan Levens (Star Trek: The Mirror War: Troi#1), Jake Bartok, Liana Kangas, and Malachi Ward. The series will be written by Kristen Beyer and Mike Johnson, with interior art by Levens.
