1998 was a year that transformed James Robinson’s Starman saga. In his introduction to the fourth omnibus of the Starman saga, movie producer Don Murphy (who collaborated with Robinson on the panned League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film) writes that ‘though episodic, the stories all build toward James’s masterwork, “Stars My Destination.”’ This is the tale of Jack Knight travelling through space, on a mission culminating into an explosive revelation surrounding the lore of Starman’s many faces. But before that saga commences, we get what I regard as the ‘end of the beginning’. Up until Jack leaps into the mystery of space, Robinson pens the final stories of Opal City for some time to come. These issues act as the final building blocks of the saga’s lore and history, but it also provides another chance for Starman to meet another titan of the DC Universe. Whereas Jack once teamed-up with Sandman, this time Jack Knight meets a more child-like hero fuelled by adventure – the Big Red Cheese.
Starman (vol 2) 39-45 was published from February to August 1998, But alongside these mainstream issues, we are looking at the Power of Shazam 35-36, two issues of Captain Marvel’s title that crosses over with Starman (vol 2). With Jerry Ordway as the main writer of the Power of Shazam series, the other issues are written by James Robinson and David S. Goyer, with art by Tony Harris, Wade Von Grawbadger, Peter Krause, Dick Giordano, Ray Synder, Gary Erskine, Matthew Smith, Mike Mayhew, and Gene Ha. These stories make up much of the fourth hardcover Starman omnibus.
Lightning and Stars --- Written by James Robinson and Jerry Ordway, and with art by Tony Harris, Wade Von Grawbadger, Ray Synder, Peter Krause, and Dick Giordano
A team-up with Captain Marvel is perhaps one of the least expected tales of the Starman saga. Although their roots are solidly golden age, their tales during the 1990s were very different. While Robinson’s Starman contained a usual but successfully mixture of modernity and history, The Power of Shazam appeared to be (and look like) a comic book of the mid-1980s. Robinson – and the DC editors – wanted to integrate Jack Knight further into the DC Universe. Pairing these two together may seem odd, but will it work?
Lightning and Stars may take place in the present, but its roots lie in the past. Starman (vol 2) 39 begins during the Second World War, with Ted Knight fighting the Nazis alongside Bulletman. Few may have heard of Bulletman; he is another of the Fawcett Comics heroes like the Shazam family. Jerry Ordway returned Bulletman to the pages of mainstream comics, with his flying abilities and bullet-shaped helmet back on show. These early pages of flashbacks returning to the woes of war perfectly set up the plot of the present – it is revealed that Bulletman was an enemy spy, with footage to back it up from the 1940s. Ted Knight, convinced of Bulletman’s innocence, manages to sneak the former hero – his real name being Jim Barr – into his house with surprising ease. The story here is that Bulletman obviously isn’t a spy, but the only person who can confirm that is Ted. However, Ted is bounded by secrecy as he was employed by the US government during World War Two. Ted’s alibi is impotent as Jim doesn’t want to betray the secrecy from fifty years ago. Bulletman is a real patriot and a citizen of Fawcett City, thereby explaining how the Marvel family are woven into the writing. Starman (vol 2) 39 is a good introduction to a good plot which is made complex by morals and patriotism, but at times Robinson perhaps doesn’t give the story as much time in the spotlight as preferred. For instance, Robinson writes a scene where Jack receives another tattoo, and we learn a bit more about the O’Dare police family. This is great stuff, but it probably should be the focus of a one-off rather than a scene slap-bang in the middle of a crossover. Nevertheless, the story really kicks off when Starman comes face-to-face with Captain Marvel at the end…
For the second part, we quickly shift over to the Power of Shazam 35. The transition is very abrupt. With a completely different style of writing and radically different art, the characters of Fawcett are very different too. Captain Marvel is a child in a god’s body, and we witness some of the family drama common in households with young children. Some of that drama has its moments, but when it comes to the Bulletman story, nothing much new emerges here. The same details – and a bit more – are covered here as in Starman (vol 2) 39. This is to be expected, but it is a common problem with these crossover events. It feels like writers are required to double-up on their writing and assume that readers will not read every part of the crossover. It means that readers are at risk of being inundated by familiar events. That said, writer Jerry Ordway unearths more about the true villains, such as a Nazi shapeshifter just recently released from prison. He is one of a large group of neo-Nazis whose self-appointed role is to avenge the fall of the Third Reich and incriminate Bulletman. But much of this is still a mystery to Captain Marvel who, aware that Bulletman is in Opal City, flies over there. The issue concludes just how Starman (vol 2) 39 does – a heroic confrontation. The story may double-up on information often, but also, the structure does get confused at times. For instance, it’s in this issue where we witness Bulletman’s arrest and jailbreak from Fawcett before heading to Opal City, even thought that surely should have been in the first issue.
So, with two heroes facing one another, comic book stereotyping would say that the two heroes have to fight one another. That is pretty much what happens in Starman (vol 2) 40. The long-drawn-out duel ends with a Shazam victory; Starman is no match for a god. But this dry fight does lead to a highlight of the run. Witnessing the defeat of their hero, the O’Dares unite and threaten Captain Marvel. As ever the child adoring love and loathing rejection, Captain Marvel flies away in search of Bulletman. Alongside this fantastic moment whereby Captain Marvel is put back in his box, there are some great scenes featuring Ted and Bulletman reminiscing about the past, with a few mentions of Minuteman, another Fawcett legend whose role in the story is yet to be revealed. But sadly, with that fight scene dragging out for so long (an insult in itself, made worse by how predictable a fight between the heroes was), it leaves most of the plotting for the final part. Get ready to be overwhelmed by plot!
The Power of Shazam 36 begins with another fight between the heroes. This is a surprise, but it’s concluded quickly by Mary Marvel, the more adult and sensible one in the family. Captain Marvel realises that he has been acting like a child the whole time, and now he finally accepts that he was wrong.
With the petty squabbling out of the way, back to the plot! Ted and Bulletman meet Jack and Captain Marvel in Fawcett City and they learn that Bulletman’s last hope – Jack Weston, known as Minuteman – has been shot by the neo-Nazis. Without an alibi, Bulletman makes a public announcement about his secrecy and how he was away on missions with Starman during the war, meaning that he is no spy. Bulletman doesn’t reveal the details of the missions, one of which features Abin Sur and an alien – an event covered up by the US government. Only readers get to enjoy the delicious truth about that enigmatic mission. This public announcement doesn’t clear the air however, and it looks as if Bulletman is doomed. But it is at this moment that the Nazi shapeshifter comes forward and admits Bulletman’s innocence, betraying his Nazi brethren. Why he didn’t do this earlier in the story is a mystery, but the shapeshifter’s sacrifice (he is killed shortly after his betrayal) redeems Bulletman and his past. Bulletman and his adventures with Starman really should have been the feature of this story – the expansion of the Starman lore and the past has always been one of the highlights of the run. Sadly, Robinson spends too much time on the façade drama between Jack and Captain Marvel, a drama that only exists to force a fight scene into the tale. The plot isn’t given enough time to expand or breathe. Looking back at this story with the hindsight of a decade, Robinson writes that this team-up was ‘an odd marriage’ and the characters were ‘too unique to themselves.’ Despite all the grand qualities of this tale, it’s difficult to disagree. It may be a fun tale, but it is a fairly typical story and not one of the most memorable.
Tony Harris and Wade Von Grawbadger (assisted by Ray Synder) deliver their best artwork as ever, with all of its drama and brilliant lighting. But there is a huge contrast between the artwork of Starman (vol 2) and The Power of Shazam. Peter Krause and Dick Giordano (who I was amazed to find was still working in 1998) draw a more conventional comic book with bright colours and traditional inking. The contrast couldn’t be sharper. They both look good, but I’d say that the visuals of Starman are far more unique and memorable.
Villain's Redemption --- Written by James Robinson with art by Gary Erskine
One of the ongoing features during the run has been the O’Dare family; especially Matt O’Dare and his past life as Scalphunter. Starman (vol 2) 41 doesn’t feature much of the Knights, but instead the two protagonists are Matt and the Shade. Together, they go across Opal City, killing off criminals and gangsters. Why? Matt O’Dare has gone straight and pledges never to degrade himself into corruption again. While the Shade feels little remorse upon killing criminals, Matt sometimes finds it a challenge. The main focus is a scene Robinson pens where Matt meets a former mobster now enjoying a life of innocence. Matt was responsible for putting him in prison, and now he has to make sure he is silent about Matt’s corrupt past. Matt notices how this man’s life has been turned around; what makes it an enjoyable scene is how awkward the encounter is, but also how Matt can be both threatening and considerate in the same scene. He puts his dark past behind him, but those nightmares remain. The last pages of this fantastic issue feature Hope O’Dare, who questions whether her brother and the Shade have been right to kill off those criminals who fail to accept that Matt has gone straight. Hope hesitantly accepts her brother’s new anti-corruption attitude, but will it last? Starman (vol 2) 41 feels like a nice prelude for a future story featuring Matt O’Dare; he is the only character of the police family who we really know (or care) about at this stage, and with the power of Robinson’s writing, this is a fantastic one-off. It’s made even better by the first few opening pages, whereby Jack and Ted learn of Doctor Phosphorus’s escape from prison. A foreshadowing of what’s to come.
Gary Erskine’s style is very similar to Harris’s, but it is probably a bit scratchier. Opal’s mood is captured, and the story is told with drama and tension, even if it does lack the same effectiveness as the usual artistic team.
1944: Science and Sorcery --- Written by James Robinson with art by Matthew Smith and Wade Von Grawbadger
Time for another tale of Times Past. Starman (vol 2) 42 is one of the more unusual stories of the past. Set in 1944, it is a tale of two heroes. With Ted Knight defending Opal City as Starman, in Gotham there is a mystery man – a demon. After the Icicle delivered an enigmatic book to Opal City, Jason Blood is on the move as his inner-demon desires only this book. Jason Blood believes this book is a kind of gateway to another realm. A studier of the occult, Jason is on the hunt, but throughout he battles with his other half – Etrigan the Demon. Featuring that 1970s Kirby creation is a creative and unexpected choice, especially because of how different this supernatural creature is when compared to the scientific mind of Ted Knight. Robinson makes many comparisons throughout between science and supernatural affairs, and although the two characters begin as villains, they end up working together to locate the book. With the book in the Demon’s hands, Etrigan – and Jason’s – knowledge of the occult deepens. Structurally, it is a very typical story with little surprises, but featuring a bronze age character in what is effectively a golden age tale is nicely unique. But as ever with Robinson, you want to know more. Very slowly, we have been learning about a breakdown Ted endured during this era. Only snippets of its details are discussed here; the teasing cannot go on forever.
Matthew Smith’s sharp artwork, with its use of harsh lighting and deep blacks, works wonderfully for a tale with these characters. It has the appearance of both a fantasy and horror story, accompanied by a simple style with charm. As ever, Von Grawbadger’s inks are great.
Knight’s Past --- Written by James Robinson with art by Tony Harris and Wade Von Grawbadger
Starman (vol 2) 43 is when the construction of a bridge between Opal and the stars begins. It’s an issue which takes a breather, looking at the normal life of Jack Knight, but also hinting at his next adventure. After a fantastic first few opening pages whereby Jack’s refurbished antique shop reopens (a scene which Robinson clearly loved to write), Ted is looking to the future. He wants to head to the stars to locate Will Payton, the missing brother of his girlfriend Sadie. Jack seeks help from the JLA – finally, Jack is in the big league! Unfortunately, the JLA cannot help him with a ship as they need more evidence that Jack’s mission into space will be worthwhile (after all, Sadie is only guessing that her brother is out in space). The JLA are only present basically to tell Jack ‘no’, beginning the question about whether or not the team only feature to get fans to buy the comic. Nevertheless, real help comes from the Shade, who presents him with something quite impressive.
Overall, Starman (vol 2) 43 darts around in terms of focus, but it establishes the beginning of the Stars My Destination plotline which comes to define the later half of Robinson’s saga.
It’s strange witnessing Harris and Von Grawbadger draw the Justice League, especially because their focus isn’t usually on such mainstream heroes. No pun intended, they do those heroes justice, and deliver their best as ever.
1943: Things That Go Bump in the Night --- Written by James Robinson with art by Mike Mayhew and Wade Von Grawbadger
I’m not quite sure why Robinson penned so many issues of Times Past all around the same time, but we shouldn’t complain. Starman (vol 2) 44 is one of the most unusual and playful, with its star not being Starman, but the Phantom Lady. A golden age heroine icon, her name is Sandra Knight, a cousin of Ted Knight. Set in 1943, we witness one of her adventures battling against the Prairie Witch as she balances two lives – one as a superhero, and the other as a rich socialite. Robinson adds much glamour to the world of Sandra Knight, while making the Prairie Witch both a hideously dressed foe, but a cunning and violent one too. Ted Knight’s Starman makes a brief appearance, but really, it isn’t his story. This is Sandra Knight’s world, and it’s great to see that Robinson is still full of ideas about how to expand the world of Starman. Written with modernity in the setting of a golden age comic book, it is a fun addition to the Times Past series.
Mike Mayhew provides some wonderfully retro artwork here, adding flair to the heroism, but glamour and charming simplicity to ordinary life, inked by the brilliant Von Grawbadger.
Destiny --- Written by James Robinson and David S. Goyer, with art by Tony Harris and Wade Von Grawbadger
Starman (vol 2) 45 really is the end of the beginning. It is time for Jack Knight to head for the stars, on his quest to find Will Payton. Leaving Bobo in charge of Opal, an intriguing but entertaining choice, Jack prepares the ship from two issues prior, getting it ready for space exploration. It is a ship powered by cosmic energy like Starman’s rod, but happily, Robinson doesn’t bore us too much with the dry details. But the ship is also powered by a Mother Box, leading the heroes in the right direction to Will Payton. The big question is about who should accompany Jack into space. Although Sadie and Ted stay behind, Jack is accompanied by Mikaal. This is a wonderful choice, especially because he is a character who hasn’t received as much time in the spotlight as desired. Robinson has made him into an icon of the run, especially as he made the then-bold move to place Mikaal into a gay relationship (a huge rarity back then in comics), but there is still something very enigmatic about him. The farewell from Opal City is a tearful one, told nicely with wonderful art and a double-page spread featuring a cluster of goodbyes.
As Jack blasts into space, he is finally one with the stars. Where will his adventures go? We cannot know yet, but Starman (vol 2) 45 isn’t just a simple prequel to a larger story. It is the end of an era; The stories and characters of Opal City have been established; this is Jack Knight’s penultimate adventure as Starman…
Harris and Von Grawbadger give Jack a wonderful farewell from Opal City with some amazing storytelling and art. But sadly, this too is where their adventure ends. Starman (vol 2) 45 is the last issue pencilled by Tony Harris. This title really has been a collaborative work between Harris and Robinson, with the artist designing Jack Knight and the stunning visuals of Opal City. His sense of drama and atmosphere is flawless, and Starman (vol 2) is his masterpiece as much as it is Robinson’s. With Harris gone, and with editor Archie Goodwin gone, it is no surprise that Robinson was thinking maybe time was up on the title.
VERDICT
Overall, these issues of Starman (vol 2) spell the end of an era, and the start of something new. Lightning and Stars is a decent crossover story with Captain Marvel, but perhaps not one of the more memorable tales of the run. The story of Matt O’Dare is a powerful one, and the beginning of Jack’s adventures in space show much promise of what is to come. All of this, combined with some excellent Times Past tales, show that Robinson is not out of ideas just yet. Throughout the collected editions, Robinson makes much about Archie Goodwin and his invaluable guidance during the saga. A fantastic editor will be missed. But for now, before we follow Jack into space, there are some other stories to look at first…
Next Week: Starman: The Oddities (Starman 80 Page Giant, The Mist 1, Batman/Hellboy/Starman 1-2, Starman (vol 2) 1000000). Written by James Robinson with art by John Lucas, Mike Mayhew, Stephen Sadowski, Tom Nguyen, Wade Von Grawbadger, Dusty Abell, Drew Geraci, Tim Burgard, Richard Case, Mike Mignola, and Peter Snejbjerg.
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