Rising Stars : Born In Fire (Vol. 1) [Paperback]

J. Michael Straczynski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

113 people are born with power beyond mortal man. Like unto gods, they wield life, death, terror, beauty, and what happens in the spaces in-between. Babylon Five's award winning creator, J. Michael Straczynski, brings to life the tale of 113 individuals with one thing in common, each was affected by a comet crashing into Pederson, Illinois before they were born. A comet that gave each extraordinary abilities. Raised by a very watchful government, one "Special" as they are called, discovers that the 113 are slowly being murdered, one by one. But who would have the powers or know how to do it, unless the killer comes from within their own group?

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Top Cow Productions/Image Comics (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582401721
• ISBN-13: 978-1582401720
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #617,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J. Michael Staczynski was born in Paterson, NJ in 1954, from a lower-middle-class blue-collar family that moved 21 times in his first 18 years. He began writing in earnest and selling at the age of 17 and hasn't stopped since. He graduated San Diego State University with degrees in Psychology and Sociology.

As a journalist, he has written over 500 published articles for such periodicals as The Los Anglees Times, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Penthouse, Writer's Digest, San Diego Magazine, the San Diego and Los Angeles Reader and TIME, Inc. He has also published numerous short stories in Amazing Science Fiction Magazine, Pulphouse, and various anthologies.

As a television writer and producer, he has written over 200 produced episodes, including workj on The New Twilight Zone, Nightmare Classics and Murder She Wrote. He also wrote, created and produced the series Babylon 5, Crusade and Jeremiah.

Moving from TV to film, he wrote Changeling (directed by Clint Eastwood), Ninja Assassin (produced by the Wachowskis), provided the story for Thor (directed by Kenneth Branagh), wrote Underworld 4 (starring Kate Beckinsale), and has written numerous other films that are currently slated for production.

He has won the Hugo Award (twice), the Saturn Award, the Eisner Award, the Inkpot Lifetime Achievement Award, the E Pluribus Unum Award from the American Cinema Foundation, the Space Frontier Foundation award, the Ray Bradbury Award, the Christopher Award, and over a dozen others.

He was also nominated for a British Academy Award (BAFTA) for his screenplay for Changeling.

He writes ten hours a day, every day, except for his birthday, New Year's Day and Christmas Day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Incredible 1st Half, Weak Payoff in 2nd Half., February 25, 2001

By 

"tomthedog" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rising Stars : Born In Fire (Vol. 1) (Paperback)

J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5 fame turns his epic storytelling to the comics page. In Rising Stars, he's laid the groundwork for an enormous story, one with a definite beginning, middle, and end, that will take years to tell (like Babylon 5). And he gets off to an amazing start.

The first four issues in this 8-issue collection tell the story of a strange force which strikes the town of Pederson, Illinois. The force affects only the 113 in utero babies at the time of impact; all 113 are born with superhuman powers. The story is told by Poet, one of the 113, and he tells it from 60 years or more after the force struck. The story is told in an elaborate and fascinating flashback structure; and through it we meet many members of the enormous cast, and also learn that one of them began murdering the others.

Issues 5-8 are a letdown from this incredible setup. Instead of continuing as an inventive superhero murder mystery, it devolves into a generic superhero punch-'em-up. We learn who the killer is in book 5 (WAY too early to be giving out that information), battle lines are drawn, sides are chosen, and shots start getting fired. Even more cliched are the shadowy government conspiracy figures who keep dropping in and out of the narrative. And, worst of all, the Bible-thumping televangelist is cast as the slimy evil manipulating vermin. I have no love for televangelists, that's for sure, but to make the televangelist the villain? It's SO easy. It's SO obvious. Straczynski can do better.

Now, it's probably too early to be doubting Straczynski's storytelling skills. Babylon 5 only got better year after year, after all. And 8 issues is VERY early into the proposed run of Rising Stars. Which is why I will be sure to pick up Vol. 2, whenever it comes out. If it weren't Straczynski, and if he hadn't created such a fascinating world in the first 4 issues, I wouldn't be saying that. But I trust Straczynski to climb out of the rut he dug himself into in books 5-8.

A note about the artwork: generic Todd MacFarlane/Image comics school of art. Totally lacking in distinction, but it gets the job done.

5 stars for the 1st half. 2 1/2 stars for the second half.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Embodies what comics are all about !, October 14, 2002

By 

Samurai6 (Westchester,New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rising Stars : Born In Fire (Vol. 1) (Paperback)

This is, by far, one of the greatest comics I've ever read. A great story line, well developed characters, fantastic artwork, and JMS's engrossing writing makes Rising Stars a true classic. The story is written with such authenticity and emotional depth you are drawn into the world of "The Specials". It's a real thinking persons comic (but don't think it's all dialogue...there are great battles and superhero action sequences in every issue !).

I think JMS did a great job in portraying what would happen if ordinary people were given great powers. Who would use it for Evil? Who would use it for Good? Would the world embrace these "Specials" or fear them? JMS lays out a world where all these ideas are explored. Rising Stars is a comic that exemplifies all the qualities of great comics.

Highly recommended !

Also recommended: Anything by J. Michael Straczynski,
Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, Star Wars Tales TBP Vols 1 & 2, Sojourn by Crossgen comics

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing ground-breaking, but it's only the beginning..., June 30, 2001

By 

Whoop2Do "Whoop2Do" (Gaithersburg, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rising Stars : Born In Fire (Vol. 1) (Paperback)

Ever since Moore and Gibbon's WATCHMEN - adult writers who grew up in the age when comics were still a form of mass entertainment have been asking, "Well, what if all this were real? What if people with extraordinary abilities really existed right outside my window? How would they act and how would the world react?" jms takes another look at this stituation with another set of eyes... this is the first chapter (or book)in that exploration. And it's good, very good. Some have correctly pointed out that the second half of this book becomes pedestrian. Maybe... but if jms' other works are an indication, he's lulling the reader into a false sense of "been there, seen that" before really turning over the table. And without spoiling anything, readers who follow the newstand releases can readily tell that the story is now in a place far from what one might expect from the latter part of this book... Give it a try - you won't be disappointed. If you stick with the story though to its conclusion, I'm willing to bet you may experience a few surprises...