Being a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek can be a fun, but expensive hobby. Each mega-story has a bevy of cool collectibles, and Star Trek has just dropped a new one that Trekkies will want to get. The Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 steel book will hit store shelves this November.
This release follows suit with last year’s Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 by releasing on the same day, November 12th, and is expected to be an exclusive item available at Best Buy in North America, and at Zavvi in the U.K. about a week later. in fact, Best Buy is already taking pre-orders for the new season now.
Star Trek: Discovery, the series
Discovery takes place about a decade prior to the original 1960’s Star Trek television show in the timeline. It follows the adventures of the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery, dipping into themes brought about in the franchise’s storied history, but never explored. The series stars Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead) as Commander Michael Burnham. CBS describes the second season as this:
After answering a distress signal from the U.S.S. Enterprise, season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery finds the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery joining forces with Captain Christopher Pike on a new mission to investigate seven mysterious red signals and the appearance of an unknown being called the Red Angel. While the crew must work together to unravel their meaning and origin, Michael Burnham is forced to face her past with the return of her estranged brother, Spock.
CBS All-Access
The show has enjoyed success on it’s own with solid writing in a universe that has a deep pool of stories yet to tell. Confirmation has already been announced for Season 3. This also helps build excitement in the fan base when Star Trek brings another beloved cast back in 2020 with Star Trek: Picard. You can probably expect a steel book on that one, too.
So what exactly is a Steel book?
Collectors are already familiar with the sought-after cases, but fans new to collecting might not have seen these. Steel books are limited run Blu-Ray releases or video games, packaged in a specially-made, premium metal case. Adding to their collectibility, the cases usually feature exclusive photos or artwork only available for that edition. The steel case provides both a high-quality canvas for displaying the fantastic art that accompanies the title, as well as being a more durable way of storing the disks.
Many new release titles are issuing steel book cases upon release, and even some classic films, such as The Wizard of Oz and The Shining have them, too. Some of the more sought-after steel books, according to Reddit, are Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and NovaMedia’s Drive, starring Ryan Gosling. Limited quantity releases control how collectible they are, and their value. As of this writing, a 2008 steel book release of Iron Man is currently listed at $4,500, and has several watchers.
Are fans really spending that much on these?
Of course, that’s the asking price. It hasn’t sold yet. You can still find current-release titles at Walmart or on Amazon for the sticker price. The internet listings show that the stock is low, so if you want a steel book edition, get after it. That’s not stopping collectors, however, from paying high dollar amounts for titles they really want.
Some fans are not enthused about ordering these through the mail, however. One collector on Trekcore.com said he avoids steel books online because of how they can be easily damaged in shipping. Especially if they aren’t packaged well. Many steel book collectors like to display these, and dents and damage can be a deal-breaker. In the world of collectibles, condition is everything.
Are you a steel book collector? What are some of your most coveted titles? What did you pay for your favorite one? Will you be picking up Star Trek: Discovery, Season 2? Hit us up at That Hashtag Show and let us know!
Season 2? Hit us up at That Hashtag Show and let us know!
