It was a day like any other, myself rummaging about the shelves of Half Price Books for something that caught my attention for me to read. Scanning through the titles I pushed a few Spider-man’s to the side and an odd cover caught my eye, “Starman, Night and Day” I thought “Isn’t Starman the guy in that queer suit with that questionably shaped power rod”. To me the cover left something to be desired but I picked up the title anyways. You know, I thought what the hell maybe it’ll be good for a laugh. I got home and of course read the Batman’s and Superman’s first, I actually shelved the book for a long while, I want to say a few months. Finally I picked it up I thought what the hell, I paid for it I mine as well read it.
Firstly, I’m not saying he’s as good as Moore or Gaiman, but damn he comes so close. He took that old school character and reformed him, like I said not like Moore’s “Swamp thing” or Gaiman’s “Sandman”, but damn close. Making him to a regular guy was genius, the guys a collector kinda like myself. It was getting somewhat redundant, you know the careers of the superhero, they for some reason have to do something incredible. It was good to see a hero with a normal job instead of the millionaire or scientist or detective.
Ok, ok, ok, Mr. Harris I’m sorry about the cover bashing earlier, because the entire book was a masterpiece.I want to take you to an example of the mastery of the art in this book, just if you have the book its on pages 131-144. If you don’t have a copy of the book it’s the old Starman Ted Knight going head to head with Dr. Phosphorus, I directed to those pages because they were my favorite.
I know your probably saying that “Night and Day” isn’t even the first book, well I know now let me get to my story. I consumed the “N&D” in a few hours, so the same day I set out to retrieve the first. No matter the cost. I searched what seemed like 10 shops finally finding it at a comic shop at the mall. Again I was blown away. The story in “Starman Sins of the Father” was greater than that of “N&D”. The origin was great the old suit had to die for the new better version to be introduced. What I didn’t pay attention to in the second was The Shade, they turned him good. Tony Harris did him some justice, I always viewed him as a second rate baddie, but Tony did him some serious justice and made him look like a total baddass
Another thing I really gotta do is give some major props to Wade Von Grawbadger for his killer inking, Starman just wouldn’t (in my opinion) have been the same. Every picture has great balance. Every panel just looks so clean it’s that cleanness that comes from a true master of the pen.
I had to track down “Times Past” and “A Wicked Inclination”, and let me tell you something it wasn’t easy. But I finally found a shop that was willing to special order them for me (thanks bedrock city comics). It took 2 weeks for them to come in, very restless I might add. First I took on “Times Past”, the writing was exceptional. The Shades diary excerpts were great, kinda telling the story behind the story. I really enjoyed all the animation teams, really made the book a delight. The entire catalog of “Starmen’, this has my favorite Starman story “Legends of the Dead Earth”.
Next I took “A Wicked Inclination” – ok my favorite JSA member is the Sandman. All the other guys are in their costumes and the Sandman is in his three piece suit, mask, and gas gun. This book has an old Wesley Dodds, mixing it up, helping Jack Knight. The story “Sand and Stars” actually won an Eisner Award. I just gotta add Jack Knight in the Sandman’s gas mask was very fun to see. This was my favorite book I just enjoyed everything, all the stories were great. Theres a small story they let Guy Davis draw (Sandman Mystery Theater) which was masterful.
Thats as far as I’ve gotten. I looking forward to the next book, I just hope its just as good the rest. Since I’ve started reading James Robinson’s Starman I’ve started to read more JSA and Sandman Mystery Theater. I implore you if you haven’t read it just try it, it’s really good. I might not be Alan Moore or Neil Gaiman, but it’s damn close.
Merin on 
