Infinity Gauntlet

Saw a used copy of Jim Starlin's "Inifinity Gauntlet"  and decided to check it out. Was surprised to find that this was the FOURTH in a SERIES of books, Infinity War, etc. Just as well I didn't know because I don't know if I could have sat through FOUR of these.
 I grew up with the original "Power Of Warlock" series and REALLY loved the original Jim Starlin run from STRANGE TALES to its killer conclusion in Avengers Annual 7, but somehow, this new series just didn't grab me...

More Comic Deja Vu!

More Comic Double Takes: The dramatic openings to Jim Starlin’s Warlock story in Strange Tales #178 and Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo #9 bear striking similarities!

STRANGE TALES #178:

USAGI YOJIMBO #9:

Dreadstar #1-38

I first discovered Vanth Dreadstar in the pages of EPIC Magazine, as my friend was a big fan of the serial, but it wasn't until a regular comic came out (under EPIC Magazine's new line Epic Comics) that I really became a huge fan myself! Ifollowed the comic for its whole initial run, including its' jump to First Comics, until writer/creator Jim Starlin kind of moved away from illustrating it and finally giving up writing it as well.

I never got into the later Peter David written stuff (though I'm a big fan of his), but the Starlin stories are a joy to return to and re-read every so often, and I felt it was the time to re-life the exploits of Vanth Dreadstar and his Galactic Crew!

Dreadstar Revisited

Back in Intermediate School, I had a friend who was a BIG fan of the Jim Starlin strip "Metamorphosis Odyssey" in EPIC Magazine, and through him I learned the basics of the anti-hero Vanth Dreadstar and his mystical sword of power. When Epic decided to branch off into a comics line and one of the flagship titles was going to be new adventures starrring Dreadstar, I jumped at the opportunity to get in at a "jumping off point"!

 Well, I LOVED that comic throughout all my years in High School, (being a bi-monthly book, it had only reached 26 issues by the time I graduated) but by the time Dreadstar moved onto FIRST comics (after Epic Comics shuttered its doors)  with its first issue numbered at "27" to continue the Epic Comics storyline, I had largely moved onto other things. New writers and strips filled my time, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Los Bros Hernandez were all things I was more into, so my Dreadstar collection got put away, only to be visited from time to time when I felt nostalgic.

 Well, one of those nostalgic times came this past month, I took out all 27 of my beloved Dreadstar  issues and re-read them again from start to finish. Man, they still hold up after all this time, and in fact, looking at it as an adult I can see how much the storylines and artwork have influenced MY storytelling style and art!  Amazing, they're still as good as I remember them!
In fact, I made me curious as to how the FIRST Comic line did. Like I said, I only bought issue #27 (since it was the conclusion to a story started in the Epic Line) but didn't venture further.  I remember reading that Jim Starlin passed off his writing and art duties to others anyway, so there wasn't much reason to check it out.. but how many fo those issues DID he do before handing ove rthe reins?
Going online and doing a bit of research, i was stunned to find dthat Starlin had done a  good 11+ more issues- these were issues I NOW wanted to read very badly!
 I made a quick trip to online comic store sellers Lone Star Comics, and was happy to see they had ALL the Starlin penned issues I was missing, issues 28 all the way to 38 (though not the final issues of the last story, issues 39 and 40, which Starlin wrote, but didn't illustrate) so I didn't waste time sending in that order!
  Just today, my shipment arrived, and I have to tell you, it's pretty freaking exciting seeing all these "new" Jim Starlin illustrated Dreadstar covers! Can't wait to read them and catch up on the years I'd been away! along with my order, i'd also picked up a new collection  of Dreadstar collection ALL of his old  Metamorphosis Odyssey stories form Epic Magazine so I'm Totally gonna be in Dreadstar Heaven this weekend!
  After reading al of these, who knows? I may even be excited enough to check out the issues that came AFTER Jim Starlin's departure- Peter David scribed those issues, and I DO love his work on X-Factor and that classic run on the HULK- so best to never say never!!

Super-Vixens: Willow

Me and my friends were regular readers of EPIC Magazine as well as its awesome storyline METAMORPHOSIS ODYSSEY, written and painted by Jim Starlin, (who we’d already loved for his work on WARLOCK), and so I was justifiably excited when  a classmate pulled out a new comic he’d picked up just the other day- a comic by Jim Starlin called DREADSTAR!

 There was Oedi, the cat/man friend of Vanth’s who was the lone survivor of his race, the wild and woolly (and not just a little bit Hank McCoy-ish) Skeevo, and last but not least, the pretty telepath, Willow.

 Willow actually had appeared in the Metamorphosis Odyssey strip, although she looked quite a bit different then- She wasn’t a redhead, and her brown hair looked styled more like Bonnie Franklin in One Day at a Time! But she changed, as many people do (or, rather, was re-vamped for the series), and I for one, was all for it!

 Willow seemed to be the character that was the most “human” of the bunch- unlike the warrior-type mentality of the other members, she had a lot of emotional issues to deal with, and this made her the most accesible person the reader could relate to.

 Willow was put through so many overwhelming trials, from dealing with blindness to the loss of her mother, and though it is quite commonplace now, I believe Dreadstar was one of the first comics to deal with the pain of sexual abuse, bothy physically and mentally.

Every time she overcame an obstacle, she grew stronger, and we actually see her getting wiser as the series progresses!

 PS: I’ve always been a fan of Jim Starlin’s art, and always loved his depictions of the female of the species, (see entry for Heater Delight for more on THAT) But it wa in a issue with guest penciller Jim Sherman in issue #24 that I found myself really liking how Willow looked- a lot less stern and a bit more girly, if that’s a good thing…some may disagree!  Ahahahaha!

Willow

Dreadstar

by Jim Starlin

Super-Vixens: Heater Delight

YOWSERS! What can I say about gorgeous intergalactic alien prostitute Heater Delight that you can't discern just by glancing at the illustrations? She's an effin' BABE!

I had a friend who was a major Warlock fan, collecting the series from its inception in Marvel Premeire, through POWER OF WARLOCK 1-8, Warlock's STRANGE TALES continuation, the incredible WARLOCK 9-15, the Marvel Two In One Annual and the epic conclusion in AVENGERS ANNUAL #7.

Now, I had the opportunity to read all of my friend's Warlock comics, and there were a lot of important issues I noted to pick up, however, the first issue I bought on my own was WARLOCK #12, the side- story featuring Warlock's sidekick friend Pip The Troll, and introducing sultry Heater as the "Damsel In Distress"! Yes, I just NEEDED this issue! I mean, even besides gorgeous Heater, the story was damn funny to boot!

Poor Heater is slave girl who promises Pip the Troll "Unbelievable Pleasure" if he frees her. After much abuse and lumps, Pip manages to get the girl free just in time for said girl's boyfriend to show up and claim her! He could have freed her himself, but Heater didn't want him to get hurt! And what about the reward? Why, Heater was talking about giving him her pleasure cruiser, or course!

I love Pip's line: "Soon as I figure the most painful way to do it, I'm gonna locate and kill them two!"

A Masterpiece by Jim Starlin and Steve Leialoha!