By: James Robinson Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 448 Publication Date: June 10, 2008 Release Date: June 10, 2008
Book Description: The classic super-hero series STARMAN, starring a Gen-X super-hero, is re-presented in high quality format.
The super-heroic legacy of Starman is renewed in these stories, in which Jack Knight -- antiques collector and dealer -- inherits the name and powers of his father's old Starman identity from his older brother, who has been assassinated. Reluctantly adjusting to his role, Jack reinvents the look of Starman, ditching the traditional red and green in favor of black leather and aviator goggles. But Jack has inherited more than a heroic identity from his brother . . . he's also gained a foe: the beautiful but mentally unbalanced Nash, daughter of the villain known as the Mist. Jack also must come to grips with The Shade, the morally ambiguous former villain who decides to become Jack's mentor.
Super-Heroes aren't just for Saturday mornings anymore... STARMAN, the incredible comic book series by writer James Robinson (who also penned the equally incredible "JSA: The Golden Age") and artist Tony Harris ("Ex Machina", "Spider-Man: With Great Power") ran for 81 issues starting with issue #0 (although the character's 1st appearance is in ZERO HOUR #1 in 1994)and was continuously acclaimed both critically and by fans. It was as much a super-hero book as it was an exercise in family dynamics and the concepts of legacies, history, and courage.
It's a comic that this reviewer completely ignored when it was being released as a monthly.
Don't know why, exactly. Maybe it was because my wallet was already being emptied by a dozen or so (in retrospect, far inferior) titles at the time. Who knows. Either way, by the time I had gotten a hold of a few issues and discovered what a great series it was, it had already come and gone and were being released in trade paperback form (there are ten of them and a few of them are, to my knowledge, out of print).
I was just about to start purchasing the trades when I got wind of this omnibus (which collects issues 0-16). It is the first of six hardcover books collecting every issue, special, and annual of the series (and, yes, even the Batman,/Starman,/Hellboy miniseries). It is a BIT pricey, but the paper and printing quality is excellent and the story itsself is well worth it.
STARMAN is the story of Jack Knight, youngest son of Ted Knight, the original Starman. On the night of his brother's murder, Jack reluctantly takes up the mantle of Opal City's protector. During the course of the issues contained within the Omnibus, Jack meets up with the mysterious villain known as The Shade (who may not be as villainous as he seems) and does battle with his father's arch nemesis The Mist. He finds himself held captive by a bizarre circus sideshow and begins to learn more about the various men who have operated under the name of Starman.
It's a fantastic series and I, for one, am glad it is available in this manner. I'm forced, however, to take one star away simply because I think the book is a bit overpriced at $49.99 (but well worth the lower price Amazon is offering).
Starman Omnibus #1 Rocks! The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 1
The first of six collected volumes of the critically acclaimed comic book series of the late 90's and early 00's. It's a pleasure to revisit this masterfully crafted comic book series again, which mixes modern storytelling sensibilities with a sincere love for nostalgia. Fans of both Golden Age and Modern Age comic books will love it!
Awesome series, overpriced format This is essentially the first two Starman tpb's in hardcover format. While it does include a couple of stand alone issues that the softcover tpb's left out, there's nothing really special about this collection and at $50 retail it should at least be oversized. The James Robinson essay and sketches are nice, but the original softcovers had nice essays too. (The paper quality is the same) That said, Starman is an absolutely fantastic series and a must-read for any comics fan. One of the best on par with Sandman, Swampthing, Preacher, etc. Would love to have seen this as an Absolute!
A fantastic read... I'd heard so much about this series and I'm glad I waited and didn't pick up the trades because sitting down and reading all 16 issues was a great experience. It's such a great series written by James Robinson. It's an incredibly modern super hero series but also includes the DC tradition of legacy and passing on a super hero name. I adore Tony Harris' art on Ex Machina and it's so great to see his earlier work. If you love comics and are looking for something unique and fantastic than pick this up.
Good, but... I was expecting more, for as much as this series was talked up at the local comic shop and on the internet. Not that it's not good. It's a good superhero story, one of the better ones that I've read. However, I was expecting some "blow my mind awesomeness" along the lines of Sandman or Watchmen. It's not quite that good, but it's definitely worth checking out. Robinson draws on a lot of obscure DC/Starman history, which is both really interesting and makes for good characterizations. (And I knew nothing about Starman prior to this and I still followed along easily enough.) He writes complex, fully fleshed out, three dimensional characters, heroes and villains alike, which is rare in superhero comics. My only complaint is his writing/inner monologues can be very... stilted. Fragments of sentences. Thoughts. Ideas. All popping up, randomly, haphazardly sometimes. Very 'stream of consciousness.' It takes some... adjusting to. Anyway, other than that, the writing is great. I've never been a huge fan of Tony Harris's art, though. His characters always seem to be in some weird, awkward, unnatural mid-pose. (Check out Ted Knight in the lower right corner of the cover for a case in point.) Reading his work feels like I'm watching an episode of "Tom Goes to the Mayor." That trait isn't as pronounced here as it is in, say, "Ex Machina," but it's enough to bug me from time to time. But, those were my only complaints. It's still a very well done book. To me the price was fine for the package, $50 for 17 issues on fairly nice paper, plus some really cool/insightful extras, and in hardcover sounds about right to me. Overall, I'd say it's a 4 out of 5 stars.
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