The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 1 Hardcover – June 10, 2008

For a cape armed with the power of the suns, Starman had always been relegated to second banana status. And yet, for a time, James Robinson altered that perception. Jack Knight, in his heyday, may have been the most reluctant legacy hero in the DC universe. It took the murder of his older brother David - who had taken on their dad's mantle of Starman.- and a concerted, orchestrated crime spree in Opal City to galvanize the disdainful Jack Knight. In the mid-1990s, to the tune of 80 issues and sundry Annuals and Specials, writer James Robinson and artist Tony Harris treated us - and I do mean "treated us" - to a hell of an ambitious and sprawling superhero saga, to the evolution of a maverick superhero, to perverse and unexpected sub-plots and sidebars. It's not quite as surreal and weirded out as Grant Morrison's DOOM PATROL or ANIMAL MAN. Except that I liked Jack Knight more. Guy was more down to earth, and reluctant heroes tend to be more relatable, anyway.

It's interesting to me that Jack's passion lies in collectibles and collecting collectibles. The superhero thing was more a side gig for him, or a chore, although he would eventually come to accept it. One of the neat hooks to Jack was that he had absolutely no use for the original Starman's gaudy red and green costume and, oh, that lame fin on the noggin... Jack settles for what's practical: tank driver goggles to protect his eyes from the dazzling light his staff emits and a leather jacket (with a sheriff's star pinned on it) to protect him from the cold when he's flying. Dressed up in that and wielding a cosmic staff created for him by his dad, Jack Knight was a relevant character in his time. In this series James Robinson was able to construct an engrossing Starman mythology, dependent on the past, enlivened by the writer's crazy imagination, and linking all the various Starman incarnations.

STARMAN OMNIBUS Vol. 1 collects issues #0, 1-16. It's a lavish and dense volume, rendered more dense by Robinson's rambling fore- and afterwords. It's a worth it get, though. Robinson's storytelling is compelling. And you can track Tony Harris's development in these pages, initially kinda raw but quickly coming into his own. You had a sense - in issue #5, illustrated with an innovative shtick - that Harris was gonna be something really good. Robinson surrounds Jack with really interesting characters, so interesting, in fact, that issues would come out in which Jack Knight isn't even in the picture.

In this volume, Robinson imagines Opal City and the skeevy Turk County outskirts as distinctive, visually arresting locales and almost as secondary characters. Harris really helps here with his memorable architectural designs. Robinson also establishes the presence of the O'Dares (a family of red-headed cops and Jack's future allies), the blue-skinned alien Mikaal Tomas (and a former Starman), the clairvoyant Charity, and Solomon Grundy in his gentler aspect. Jack's dad, Ted Knight, the Golden Age Starman, was a constant and much of the narrative relied on the father & son dynamics between him and Jack. The dead brother David would return to spend scheduled quality time with Jack (starting with issue #5). But hands down the most intriguing supporting character is the immortal and enigmatic Shade. Shade is an amoral cuss, now and then a super-villain, except that he calls Opal City his home. Accordingly, he'd more often than not assist Jack whenever something sinister threatens the city.

From jump this series interweaves plot elements which spiral into far-reaching consequences. The first arc features the original Mist, and Jack's actions would motivate the Mist's daughter to become a super-villain dedicated to wiping out Starman. She'll have a major impact in Jack's life, beginning in the five-part "Sins of the Child." This arc would be a turning point for Jack. I think this is when he decides to really commit to the Starman gig. By this point, of course, I'd already been long committed.

This is a comic that can sometimes be detective like, sometimes action packed and it is always well written and is not typical superhero vs supervillain stuff. People say Tony Harris did a great job. I disliked way he draws , but James Robinson did great all the way and I got it for story.

THE GREAT: Thank you DC for publishing omnibus of best written comic of it's time (if we don't count real heavy hitters like Sandman, Swamp Thing and Maxx).

THE FLAW:
Hardcover omnibus edition is okay, but I guess DC could have been more careful about paper and binding. I mean, having hardcover is GREAT but pages can be wrinkled if you look at them under artificial light, I mean in the evening.

GET IT, esp. if you didn't buy softcovers. Trades that were published before lack few Times Past issues AND colors look better on cheap TPB paper, believe it or not.

Yeah, I'd put Starman up there above Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. It's smart and layered and every little plot point ultimately has a pay-off (although it sometimes takes a while). By far, the best comic to come out of DC. I wish they were still putting out quality titles like this one.

If you are a big fan of Tony Harris's artwork and james robinson's artwork , then you will love this series. I love the character of Starman anyway cause he is such a cool hero. He has an antique store and a really cool costume. Give it a good read.

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).