Created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966, the classic and revolutionary series Star Trek has remained a staple of American pop culture. It remains one of the most well-known works of fiction in the genre to this day. The series has changed a lot over the years, but many people still recognize elements like the iconic U.S.S. Enterprise and the pointed ears of Commander Spock as classic elements of 20th century Americana.

RELATED: Star Trek: 6 Things That Still Hold Up Today

Such a long-running franchise is bound to have some oddities in its back catalog. And between video games, movies, and comics, the intrepid explorers of Starfleet are certainly no stranger to the bizarre. What follows is the wonderfully weird tale of the series' momentary publication by Marvel Comics.

10 They Had Been Previously Made By Gold Key Comics

Gold Key Comics Star Trek Collage

Before the rights were purchased by Marvel in 1979, Gold Key Comics had been printing the series since its height in 1967. These 61 issues told original tales that took extreme liberty with the designs and iconography of Star Trek: The Original Series. Most crewmen wore lime green shirts – not too dissimilar to Kirk's famous dress shirt – and many of the stories were original to the comic with a few scant sequels to classic TOS episodes. Unfortunately for interested readers, this original run has yet to be collected in a modern pristine format. The recent IDW series only got to issue #31 before it was canceled.

9 It Was VERY Short-Lived

Star Trek Marvel Comics

The initial run of comics from Marvel only lasted 18 issues before being discontinued. After reevaluating the financial side of the deal with Paramount, Marvel bosses realized there was no profit to be made due to the expense of renting the property from its parent company. The series would end in 1981, moving to longtime competitor DC in 1984 with a series that took place immediately after the critically acclaimed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The run has been collected in volumes 13, 19, and 39 of the Star Trek Graphic Novel Collection.

8 They Were Written By PowerHouse Talent

Crisis Marv Wolfman Marvel Comics

Among the many writers and artists who worked on the short run is Crisis on Infinite Earths and New Teen Titans creator, Marv WolfmanDaredevil and The Dark Knight Returns inker, Kalus Jansen, and eventually Tom DeFalco, Gil Kane, and J.M. Dematteis filled out the All-Star roster. Gil Kane is well known for his art on The Amazing Spider-Man, which Tom DeFalco is also known for. His run introduced classic elements like the black symbiote costume. J.M. Dematteis would write the critically acclaimed Kraven's Last Hunt as well as Justice League International creating the "Bwahaha" era of the super team.

7 They Were All Non-Canon

Different eras of the Star Trek movie franchise

Unlike Sci-Fi competitor Star Wars, the Trek series of books and extended lore has always been treated as non-canon. While elements from the games, comics, and other spin-off material have been canonized in recent media, for the most part, these stories are created with the knowledge they probably won't be treated as part of the greater franchise story. However, that shouldn't dissuade readers from checking out the Star Trek Expanded Universe. Several novels and games are lovingly remembered by the fandom as some of the series' peak storytelling.

6 The First Issues Adapted The Motion Picture

Spock, Ilia and Kirk in a rainbow over the Enterprise in the Star Trek: The Motion Picture poster.

Jokingly referred to as "The Slowmotion Picture," Star Trek's 1979 silver screen debut was given a mixed reception – mostly due to its attempt to ape off the psychedelic and cosmic style of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

RELATED: Star Trek: All Movies, Ranked According To IMDb

However, with franchise synergy being what it is, the film was the basis for the Marvel Comics run. The first few issues adapt the film and then continue forward with its own sequel stories. This was in large part due to the deal with Paramount that only allowed the company access to elements from the movie but not the original '60s television series.

5 Many Elements Were Pulled From Phase II

Star Trek Phase II

Due to the deal that disallowed Marvel to use classic elements from the franchise's past, the writers had to pull from their imagination and also cancel plans for a Star Trek sequel series titled Star Trek: Phase II. Planned for release in 1978, Phase II was a possible continuation of The Original Series. It would see the crew on a new Five Year Mission with a redesigned Enterprise and new crewmembers such as David Gautreaux's Vulcan office "Xon." This was done, in part, on the assumption that Spock actor Leonard Nimoy wouldn't want to return to the role he'd spent years distancing himself from. After recent Sci-Fi successes like Star Wars proving the viability of a film, the project was quickly shelved and The Motion Picture was born.

4 They Returned To Marvel

Marvel Star Trek Comics '90s Collage

After bouncing between DC and the lesser-known Malibu Comics, the Star Trek rights were eventually regained by Marvel in 1996. The multiple new series would feature returning writer Tom DeFalco and newcomer Dan Abnett. While these new series didn't last long, they proved to be much more popular – thanks in no small part to Star Trek's resurgence in popularity during the 1990s. Series like Deep Space Nine and films like First Contact made the new cast of characters household names, which Marvel was obviously keen to profit from.

3 They Produced Several One-Shots

Marvel Star Trek '90s Comics One-Shots

Marvel, along with the new series, would also create several one-shot comics. These ranged from an adaption of Star Trek: First Contact to a story involving the fan-favorite Mirror Universe, which first appeared in the TOS episode "Mirror, Mirror". These one-shots were made between 1996 and 1998 when the series had, arguably, never been more popular. Now with the freedom to use elements from the entire franchise, these comics could tell stories about both The Original Series and Next Generation characters with no pushback from Paramount about what they were allowed to do.

2 They Crossed Over With X-Men

Star Trek X-Men Star TreX

Easily the most infamous moment from Marvel's history with the franchise, one of the several one-shots they produced would be the bizarre crossover Star TreX, which pitted the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise against the Uncanny X-Men. Written by Scott Lobdell with art by Marc Silvestri, Billy Tan, Anthony Winn, David Finch, and Brian Ching, this story had the two teams clash with the resurrected Gary Mitchell and the X-Villain, Proteus.

RELATED: 10 Epic Movie Crossovers That Only Happened In Comics

Images like Spock performing the Vulcan nerve pinch on Wolverine and doctors Hank and Leonard McCoy having a bit of name confusion have been making the rounds on the internet for years as one of the comic's most unexpected team-ups.

1 They Crossed Over With X-Men AGAIN

Star Trek X-Men Second Contact

Despite the odd premise, or perhaps because of it, the crossover did solid work for the company in terms of financial returns. Consequently, a sequel featuring the cast of The Next Generation was quickly put into work. Starting first as a novel, it was later adapted into the comic Second Contact by Dan Abnett, Ian Edgington, and Cary Nord. While not as meme-worthy as its predecessor, the book still features some jarring artwork as the human and realistic crew of the Enterprise is pared with the extreme and overdesigned superhumans of the '90s mutants.

NEXT: 10 Best X-Men Crossovers In Marvel Comics, Ranked