The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 1 (Hardcover)

by James Robinson (Author), Tony Harris (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: Tony Harris Written, Gregory Wright, James Robinson Pencils

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Of the spate of more-realistic, adult-aimed superhero comics that came in the wake of Alan Moore’s genre-defying Watchmen (1987), Starman is arguably the most ambitious and thoughtful. Jack Knight is the son of a 1940s costumed crime fighter powered by an energy-harnessing cosmic rod. Initially rejecting the family legacy, he reluctantly assumed the mantle after older brother David was killed in battle by their father’s archenemy. Jack still rejected the garish costume. Writer Robinson was firmly in command of concept and characterizations from the get-go, but Tony Harris’ art in the early issues gathered here is relatively crude. Harris improved rapidly, though, and by the last stories in this volume, he demonstrates the stylish realism that became integral to Starman’s success. Critically lauded in its day but somewhat overlooked by readers, the comic has been collected before in paperback. Libraries still in possession of those editions may not need to upgrade, but those who missed them or wore them out now have a durable way to amend such situations. --Gordon Flagg

Product 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.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (June 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401216994
• ISBN-13: 978-1401216993
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,797 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but..., June 14, 2008

By	L. E. Miller "Comic Book Zealot" (Lincoln, NE) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars STARMAN OMNIBUS VOL 1 WORTH EVERY PENNY!, June 12, 2008

By	Ken Viola (Andover, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

FINALLY! Starman gets the deluxe treatment it deserves! Planned to be 6 volumes, on great paper, unlike the later trades, in chronological order, and scheduled to collect ALL the extras, minis, annuals, etc. This underated AMAZING comic series NEEDS to be read! Author James Robinson adds in-depth honest behind the scenes notes. HIGHLY RECOMENDED!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Super-Heroes aren't just for Saturday mornings anymore... , July 20, 2008

By	Michael J. Wood ""Professional Comic Book... (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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).