Customer Reviews

The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The James Robinson/Tony Harris run on Starman is one of my favorites in 45 years of comic book reading and is certainly the best extension of a Golden Age character ever rendered. Through this second Omnibus collection, Robinson builds Jack Knight's reluctant acceptance of the hero's role, transforms Solomon Grundy, revitalizes the Sandman and passes the mantle of The Mist from a one dimensional Golden Age villian to a fascinating and menacing modern counterpart. Through all of this, artist Tony Harris produces in his characters a range of facial expressions rarely seen in comics. Finally, Robinson and Harris team to make Opal City one of the most fully realized locales in the genre. This Art Deco beauty actually becomes as important as any character in the series. By using people and stories from the city's past (Jon Valor, the Scalphunter, Jake Benetti),the author creates additional texture and continuity for the setting in which Starman and friends cavort.

This Omnibus seems to improve with each individual entry. There is a retelling of a Golden Age story in which the original Starman first faces the Mist. It is followed by the annual episode in which Jack Knight meets with his brother, a former Starman, who died in battle. The book takes off in a 4 issue arc called Stars and Sand in which Jack Knight teams with the aging Sandman, Wesley Dodds. This series explores themes including changing perceptions of the role of the hero, the effect of aging on the physical hero, and the way generations view each other. The marriage between Dodds and Dian Belmont is probably the most mature and complex to be treated in comics. This arc draws upon stories and artwork from the sadly neglected Sandman Mystery Theater series which ran concurrently with Starman.

The volume peaks in Demon Quest. Starman journeys to hell to rescue the Shade and Jack O'Dare. Embodying the normalcy of daily life in Opal City, Knight's meeting with demons seems both extraordinary and oddly normal.

This is followed by a one shot Christmas story which somehow manages to sidestep sentimentality to end up achieving genuine emotion.

I gave my son the entire Starman run beginning with issue zero to read. He liked them as much as I did. The series succeeds for generations of readers in the immodest goal of blending a half century legacy of comic book writing into one memorable and satisfying narrative.

First volume consisted of two great arcs. This one has two arcs too, but they are shorter and not so great as for me. Also to me it has too many filler issue coming from Showcase and other such publications.

This is my favorite comic book of all time. These omnibus editions are superb. The design, the quality of paper, and the content make it worth the price. Especially when you buy it from Amazon and it knocks off about twenty bucks from the retailer's price.

You get several awesome stories and beautiful art on high-quality glossy paper. I usually like the odd, cheap newsprint paper but with a comic like this it is better served by the glossy paper. The artwork really shines with the higher quality paper.

Starman was the greatest comic to come out of the nineties. This is volume 2 of the complete series and had James Robinson as writer a Tony Harris was the primary artist . The whole series was stunning and I can't recomend it highly enough to anyone. Buy This Series!! You won't be sorry!!

A little of Starman Omnibus Vol 2 is connected to larger DC happenings, like the Neron cameo, but most of it is pure old-school comics fun.

The art is only getting better from the last volume, and Robinson obviously loves the characters a great deal. I found it intelligent, beautiful, and a fast exciting read.

Length:: 0:59 Mins

Just a quick review.