Overthinking Comics

It has been too long since my last Starman read-through update, so here is a doozy, some stand-out thoughts on the entire first omnibus of Starman.

First of all, a format discussion. I am reading these in hardcover omnibus form. These are the omnibii that were release around 2008 to 2009. There are six volumes total, and they collect the 81 issues of Starmen, plus the annuals and other adjacent works. It is a very nice set of books, and it is a minor thing, but having a nice set of books does make the reading just a little more delectable.

In my discussion of Starman #0, I mentioned Jack’s reluctance to being a hero. This is a theme that continues throughout this book in an interesting way, because it is kept as a theme throughout the book that continuously is brought back and referred to. This is not an easy turn for Jack to make, but he does seem to be inching his way down that path.

On the other hand, Jack is settling in to the hero lifestyle, and this book examines something that I rarely see in other books: It feels good to be a hero. It feels good to do the right thing, and the more Jack does it, the more he is won over to the hero lifestyle. It seems like a lot of comics skip this step, and jump pretty quickly to the point where the hero dedicates themselves to the heroic lifestyle, without this acknowledgement of the personal ethical rewards that come with the lifestyle. Well done, Starman.

Two issues in particular stand out to me from this Omnibus, that is Starman issues 5 and 6.

Issue 5: “Talking With David, ’95”

This issue takes place in a cemetery, with Jack Knight talking to his brother, David Knight. David is his brother that took up the mantle of Starman before Jack, and was promptly shot with a bullet.

That’s it. One brother talking with his dead brother. In the process, they start to clear the air, and resolve the unresolved between them. At the same time, it does not hide the conceit — Jack is as confused about what is going on as we are (as the reader). David explains that it will all make sense eventually, and the title, Talking With David, ’95, suggests that this will be a yearly occurrence in the book.

I was thrilled with this issue, because I appreciate any book that is willing to take time away from the plot and action of the book to just have characters talk in an interesting way. In its own way, this issue reminds me of some of my all time favorite comic book issues, such as Animal Man #26, where Animal Man meets the author, Grant Morrison; or it reminds me of Sandman #48, where Morpheus and Delirium have dinner with Destruction, and talk about themselves and their roles in the world.

Visually, this issue is a stand out. The entire story is in black and white, with the exception of David. He is wearing the bright green red and yellow of Starman, and so he pops on every page, drawing attention to himself, and also attention to the fact that this is clearly, not something that is occurring in reality. Bravo, art!

If this is a yearly occurrence, than I will be looking forward to it immensely.

Issue 6: Back Stage, Back Then

After winding down the side path of issue 5, Issue 6 dives into the past. Jack reads an entry from Shade’s journal, and we see who he was in the past, and a little of what he is. Also, what he is isn’t very nice.

This is another entry that completely sidesteps the main, modern day narrative of the book to fill out this world, and let us know more about a side character, The Shade.

To understand why I really enjoyed this issue, I have to talk about one of my observations about this book. As I was reading, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I was enjoying it. There was no main theme I could hang my hat on and say, :this is why this is good”. Instead, this book seems to be doing many things, and that is why it is good. It is telling a story of a reluctant hero. It is telling a story about legacy, and what that can mean to people, and how it can motivate people. It is telling the story of Opal city. And it is telling the stories of other characters, like The Shade.

This issue opens up the Starman story so that it is about more than just Jack Knight. Both this and the previous issue made me think that Starman is something I am really going to enjoy, because it looks like it will be about so much more than just one hero.

Sins of the Child

Nash is the daughter of the original Mist, and has taken up the mantle of The Mist. Her brother, who seemed like the likely successor, was killed in one of his first mission, in a direct parallel to Jack, and his journey to pick up the Starman mantle.

This arc is about a crime spree that Nash orchestrates, with a very sentimental goal, to reclaim her father’s lost medal from his time in the Great War.

This story is told in a compelling way, each issue recounting the events of the day from a different character’s point of view, both starting with Jack (telling the first half of the day), and finishing up with Jack (recounting the second half of the day). Jack has to “level up” in this arc as a hero, he is put in a position where The Mist clearly has the upper hand, and has to use his resourcefulness, guts, and fists to fight his way to victory.

This arc also highlights how similar Jack and Nash are, and how they are two versions of the same story: living up to the family legacy. This arc leaves things very unresolved between the two of them, and I expect this to matter quite a bit in future issues.

That’s it for this catch up! I will likely have another after I finish the next Omnibus.