The comics are chosen completely at random and apart from a four week lead-in period, even I don't know what I'll be looking at in the weeks to come!
STARMAN #68 - August 2000
One of the series born from the Zero Hour event, Starman bucked the trend of the other titles launched at that time (Primal Force or Fate, anyone?) by not only lasting several years but actually being bloody good as well. By the time we get to #68, things are building up to the last, climactic battle between the bad guy of the series, Culp, and the hero, Jack Knight, draggin in everyone in between.
Culp has been hiding inside anti-hero The Shade for decades, using his body on the few occasions when he sleeps. It's these instances that this issue mostly dwells on as we watch Culp recruit the villains of Opal City, drawing them together for his ultimate vengeance against the Shade.
Not only Grundy, but Dr Phosphorous, the Mist, Rag Doll and others are all co-opted for his plans.
Thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom as we again meet Hamilton Drew, a Sherlock Holmes style detective:
Drew, in turn, is recruited by someone who hasn't been seen for many a year these days:
Ah, Ralph and Sue; you're still sorely missed.
Starman was a big, sprawling epic that sent the main character, Jack Knight, on various missions, not only physically - like the time he headed off to space - but also emotionally, bringing him to terms with his role as Starman and closer to his father Ted, the original Starman.
It was wonderfully written on the whole and a testament to DC at that time where they were willing to allow not only a single author to write the entire series, but allow him to end it at a point that he was happy with.
A damn fine series.
I loved this series. Thought it came to a logical conclusion as well.
ReplyDeleteThat being said though, I always wanted an Opal City book with Ralph and Sue as the leads, and Shade taking over for an arc every now and then.
Robinson is at his best with this city and the characters that called it home during the run. Ah well, just a lost dream now anyway.
I came to it late - missed the launch, bought the first couple of collections, hunted down back issues and started reading regularly from about issue 25 or so. And yeah, like you, I loved it!
DeleteIt had just enough of the DCU to be a part of it, but was original and distinct enough to be apart from it, and I think that's one of the reasons it worked. Similar to what he was doing with Earth-2, I think, but alas that's all gone to pot now.
Have you ever read Firearm? It's his Malibu Ultraverse title. Private Detective that kind of specializes in Ultras (heroes/villains). It's rally a kind of "spiritual" precursor to Starman...including a real loose reference/crossover between the two.
ReplyDeleteNot read it - might see if it's collected and track it down. Cheers.
DeleteThankfully DC allowed Robinson to finish his run and the series as he wanted, taking Jack off the grid so he would't be killed off as was probably bound to happen for pure shock value later down the road.
ReplyDeleteThat's a rare gesture these days, especially in light of the current problems @ DC nowadays.
Ralph and Sue sure would be a welcome sight again, but considering the reboot, I shudder as to what and how they'd be introduced again.
Yeah, it's a shame they couldn't do the same with Earth 2 but at least we've got what he's done so far.
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