Dreadstar, Vol. 2: Price

Dreadstar #2

by Jim Starlin

The second in our series reprinting the classic Dreadstar tales includes the Eclipse Comics’ graphic novel The Price, Marvel/Epic’s Dreadstar graphic novel, and the solo Dreadstar story that appeared in Epic Illustrated #18. These chapters introduce the new cast of characters who accompany Vanth Dreadstar on his mission to end the devastating war between the Instrumentality and the Monarchy. Once again, Fate beckons Vanth - this time in the form of a wizard named Syzygy Darklock. Both are forced to relinquish what is closest to them in the name of a higher calling - their price for saving humanity. As they do battle with demon mystics, evil priests, bloodthirsty kings, and robot armies, they face their own inner demons and haunted memories, and overcome galactic obstacles to implement the mysterious Plan M. This epic starts as a mystical detective novel and slowly grows into an adventure tale of intergalactic proportions with a tortured hero at its center.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Space Opera, Comic Book, Science Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos and Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Death and suicide are recurring themes in Starlin's work: Personifications of Death appeared in his Captain Marvel series and in a fill-in story for Ghost Rider; Warlock commits suicide by killing his future self; and suicide is a theme in a story he plotted and drew for The Rampaging Hulk magazine.

In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).

When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (

In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Price, published by Eclipse Comics, is a Dreadstar graphic novel featuring Syzygy Darklock. It is the second part of the Metamorphosis Odyssey story arc begun in Epic Illustrated magazine and tells the story of the magician-priest Darklock and his rise to power within the Church of the Instrumentality.



The story was originally published in black and white in Eclipse Graphic Album Series #5 (1981). It was reprinted, with colorized artwork, in Dreadstar Annual #1 (Marvel Comics, 1983). The graphic novel was repackaged one more time, with the addition of a Vanth Dreadstar story from Epic Illustrated #18, by Slave Labor Graphics.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was originally published as a graphic novel by Eclipse, and later reprint by Marvel’s Epic Comics as Dreadstar Annual #1, and while it does continue the story begun in The Metamorphosis Odyssey, it doesn’t appear that way until the very end. This story puts a new character in the spotlight and Syzygy is a unique character indeed. And this narrative provides his backstory, his origin if you like, and his first meeting with Vanth Dreadstar. There may be touches of Doctor Strange in these pages, but this tale goes into far darker corners of the human soul than Doctor Strange could even imagine.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this volume of Jim Starlin's sci-fi epic we learn the origin of dark warlock Syzgy Darklock and how he went from alien priest to man with a destiny and how he sacrificed his old life, several limbs and the woman he loves in order gain the knowledge and power he needs to hopefully save the universe.

dark and serious with a strong emotional core.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the greatest story and character from this awesome comic writer and artist. Incredible story and characters. Exceptional plot. Highly recommended