Star Trek’scrossover withDoctor Whoranks as one of its best–and I stand by this assertion.Star Trekhas, from time to time, crossed over with other pop culture IPs, ranging from Green Lantern toPlanet of the Apes. Yet 2012’sStar Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilationstands head and shoulders above the rest, serving as a masterclass in how to handle an inter-franchise crossover.
Scott Tipton and David Tipton penned many of IDW’sStar Trekcomics.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 was written by Scott Tipton, David Tipton and Tony Lee and drawn by JK Woodward. The Borg have joined forces with the Cybermen, launching an assault on the Federation. Shortly after, the 11th Doctor arrives on theEnterprise, with memories of a universe and life he should not have.As the Doctor and Captain Picard race to stop the unholy alliance now threatening the galaxy, secrets come to light, including a previously-unrevealed meeting between the Fourth Doctor and Kirk and Spock.
Star Trek’sFirst Crossover Was With the X-Men–But It Did Not Go Over Well
Fans Hated theStar Trek/X-MenCrossover For Many Reasons
In the 1990s, comics crossing over entertainment IPs began to gain traction, thanks to thesuccess of titles such asAlien vs. Predator,butStar Trekresisted this trend. Then, in 1996, on the occasion of the franchise’s 30th anniversary, Marvel Comics released aStar Trek/X-Mencrossover. Marvel had just acquired the rights to produceStar Trekcomics, and the meeting of the X-Men and the crew of theEnterprisewas its opening shot. The book was controversial, but did well enough to justify a sequel, which saw the X-Men meet Captain Picard.
Star Trek/X-Menwas written by Scott Lobdell and featured art by Marc Silvestri and other Top Cow artists.
Star Trek’scrossover with the X-Men would be the last time the franchise would cross over with another IP for many years. Some of this may have been rooted in the outcry surroundingStar Trek/X-Men’spublication. Some fans voiced concerns over the incompatibility of the two franchises, while others felt it was a mere cash grab that would have angered series creator Gene Roddenberry.Star Trek’scomic book rights, which have bounced around among many publishers since 1967, may have also impeded Kirk and Spock from meeting other pop culture icons.
IDW’sStar Trek/Doctor WhoCrossover Was a Love Letter to Both Franchises
Finally, the Doctor was heading to theEnterprise.
Then, in 2006, IDW acquired the rights to produce newStar Trekcomics. Around the same time, they obtained theDoctor Wholicense–yet it would be another six years before the two met. IDW announced the series with JK Woodward’s cover depicting the Eleventh Doctor in Captain Picard’s chair on theEnterprise’sbridge, with his two companions, Rory and Amy, behind him.The image whipped both fandoms into an uproar, but the response was much different this time: instead of crying bloody murder, fans were excited.Finally, the Doctor was heading to theEnterprise.
10 Best Doctor Who Companions (Who Were Too Ambitious for TV)
Not every one of Doctor Who’s Companions appeared on the television shows, with some of the very best restricted to the comic books alone.
Star TrekandDoctor Who’scrossover was worth the wait, and it appealed to fans of both properties. The book was full of Easter eggs: for instance, the first target of the Cybermen/Borg alliance was Delta, a planet mentioned inStar Trek: The Motion Picture, but never before seen on screen. During the recounting of the Fourth Doctor’s escapade with Spock and Kirk, he offers the two officers his trademark Jelly Bellys. When theTARDISmaterialized on the Holodeck, the Doctor was able to instantly discern he was in a hologram. Little quirks like this sold the book.
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilationwas a massive hit with fans and critics, and begged for a sequel. Indeed, IDW planned one that would have sentthe Doctor toDeep Space Nine, but the publisher lost theDoctor Wholicense before the project could materialize. Details surrounding the book are vague, and it is not known which Doctor would have made the trip to the station. Fans were deprived of what could have been an epic crossover, one that could have set a precedent for such events in theStar Trekfranchise.
TheEnterpriseHas Met the Green Lantern Corps and the Transformers
WhatStar Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Whodid, however, was kick the door open forTrekmeeting other entertainment IPs. Within three years ofAssimilation’spublication, the KelvinEnterprisehad met the Green Lantern Corps, while their Prime counterparts would travel to the Planet of the Apes as well as meet the Legion of Super-Heroes. Finally, Kirk and company would meet the Transformers–and yes, it did feature a transformingEnterprise. Each of these crossovers was praised by fans, and they would not have been possible withoutStar Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who.
Star TrekandGreen Lanterncrossed over twice, and the second meeting ended with the Federation sending a first contact party to Krypton.
Star TrekandDoctor Whoare two of science fiction’s oldest franchises, premiering within three years of each other in the 1960s. Both took a wide-eyed and adventurous approach to their respective universes. The worlds theTARDISand theEnterprisetraveled in were full of wonder and danger, and fans had the best possible guides to these universes in the form of Captain Kirk and the Doctor. Given the longevity of the two properties, fans of both floated ideas for a crossover, but given the various legal issues that would surround such an event, it did not seem feasible.
This underscores just how monumentalStar Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Whowas to both properties, butStar Trekin particular. At the timeAssimilationwas published,Star Trekwas in an odd position: the Kelvin movies, which began with JJ Abrams’ 2009 reboot, were box office hits, even if they were controversial.Star Trekwas not producing any new television series, and it would indeed be five years before it would return to television. In essence,Star Trekwas in a “wilderness” era when it crossed over withDoctor Who.
WillStar TrekandDoctor WhoEver Cross Paths Again?
The Odds Of The Two Meeting Again Are Slim, But Not Out of the Question
Now, bothDoctor WhoandStar Trekare in the midst of rebirths on television, and the idea of crossing them over will not go away. At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the two franchises clashed again: this time on theStar Trek: Lower Decksmobile game, which, for a limited time, featured David Tennant’s Doctor meeting the crew of theCerritos. This limited engagement showed there is still potential left in a meeting of theStar TrekandDoctor Whofranchises, and IDW’s series pointed the way.
And it is for this reason that I feelStar Trek’scrossover withDoctor Whowas its best. At their core, the two franchises share a spirit of adventure and optimism, making a crossover between them feel more organic than the X-Men. The writers and artists behind the crossover understood these similarities, and mined pure gold from it. It was a treat seeing both Captains Kirk and Picard meet the Doctor, and giving life to decades worth of fan dreams and speculation. We can only hope that moreStar Trekcrossovers are coming in the future.
