Exile on Comics – Read of the Week – 1/20/10 – Starman #81
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Starman #81A Blackest Night tie in |
To be honest, this book was on my shortlist for book of the week, between, Fables 92 (King Flycatcher brings Baseball to the homeworlds!) and Farscape #3 (just because that book keeps getting better, and the characters ring true). In my heart, I was really afraid that it was only my list because of my fondness for the characters and the series. I always find one person on my shopping list to give the first trade, Sins of the Father, to each Christmas. It was the right book at the right time in my life. I was really nervous that this little coda was not going to ring true to me. that it was going to feel forced to fit into Blackest Night.
Fears abated!
I understand I am not the only one who was worried about a return to Opal.
There has to be something daunting for James Robinson about going back and revisiting past triumphs. There is always the fear of going too far. Going to the well one time too many. Which I am sure is part of the reason that he has limited his return trips. Plus, what he has already written stands so strongly on it’s own, adding to it is almost like overgliding the lily.
Of course we knew Jack was not going to be anywhere this story, since he is out in San Fransisco living the artist’s life with Sadie and his two kids. No, this is a story of Opal, and the O’Dares and the Shade, and how Opal has to deal when one of it’s champions return from the dead as a Black Lantern.
Yes, David Knight is the bearer of the black ring. He wasn’t Starman long. Neither in the recent of far past. but he was Starman. He knows Opal, and he knows how to hurt it. There was one thing about it that bothered me. The Black Lanterns only know what the ringbearer knew before death, How did BL David know about his ghost visiting Jack? Did Jack tell him about that in 1951 when Jack told him about all he had done as Starman? I guess so…
Of course, this issue was lacking Tony Harris’ art, but this Fernando Dagnino’s art was gorgeous, and with Bil Sienkiewicz doing the finishing touches this book was something to look at.
The worst thing about this whole book was that it reminded me how much I have missed Jack, and Matt and Ted and everyone in Opal. Since Jack left, Opal has had some hard times, losing Black Condor and Ralph and Susan Dibny. Maybe it’s time for someone new to come to town. (Perhaps the Dugan-Whitmores could move back east? Keep it in the Star family.
Who knows what the Day after the Blackest Night will bring to the DCU…
The one thing this book was missing was art by either Tony or Paul (Tony being my first choice)
- Grade A
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