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Dreadstar #1-2
Dreadstar: The Beginning
Jim Starlin's Magnum Opus - Dreadstar - goes back to the beginning as three complete masterpieces are collected here for the very first time! Containing Metamorphosis Odyssey, The Price and Dreadstar: the Graphic Novel - all fully painted by Starlin - are presented here in one definitive collection - fully re-mastered and ready to command a new legion of fans! The Metamorphosis Odyssey was first published in Epic Illustrated #1-9 (initially in black and white, later transitioning into full color) in the late 1970s and told the story of an immortal mystic named Aknaton, whose Osirosian race was the ancestor of all humanoid life in the Milky Way galaxy. The second part of the Metamorphosis Odyssey was originally an Eclipse graphic novel called The Price that told the story of the magician-priest Syzygy Darklock and his rise to power within the Church of the Instrumentality. The third part of the Metamorphosis Odyssey was the Marvel graphic novel Dreadstar originally published in 1982 and featured the return of Vanth Dreadstar! Now, all three parts are combined into one volume.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
13 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Jim Starlin
1,334 books443 followersJames 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 20, 2018
Increíble. Obra maestra de la ciencia ficción y fantasía metafísica, críptica y extraña por donde se la mire, y experimental a niveles muy interesantes, con todo un subtexto y contenido alegórico impresionante. Por fuerza tiene que figurar en la lista de libros que leer antes de morir. Recomendado no, lo siguiente
May 5, 2016
I needed some good comics to keep me reading and thankfully the 80’s were chock full of good comic books. I enjoyed no less than four sci-fi comics from that era, Dreadstar, Nexus, American Flagg and Alien Legion. Jim Starlin was known for telling great epic space stories and for his very detailed art. I do not recall another artist in that era that drew quite like Starlin did. Dreadstar was my favorite non-superhero book from that period. I looked forward to every month reading the continuing adventures of Vanth Dreadstar sole survivor of the Milky Way galaxy.
His introduction began in a Marvel Magazine entitled Epic Illustrated in 1980. Metamorphosis Odyssey, the first part of the Dreadstar saga, was the story. He had recently finished two long stories for Marvel, Captain Marvel vs. Thanos(Thanos introduction) and Warlock vs. Thanos. Both were great superhero stories that lasted around a year each. Dreadstar was a secondary member of the story. It told the story of the end of our galaxy. Starlin was experimenting with painting his stories at this time and much of this story looks a little rough yet uniquely still Starlin’s. Like many of Starlin’s stories he ponders the concepts of religion, politics, death and the excesses of life. Throughout this story he asks you the question what would you do when faced with overwhelming odds of eminent destruction. Would you continue to fight or to destroy this enemy destroying everything to stop it.
After Metamorphosis Odyssey Starlin stepped away from Dreadstar’s story temporarily to introduce the character of Syzsgy Darklock as well as Dreadstar’s soon to be next foe the Lord High Papal and the Instrumentality in a book called The Price. It is an excellent story and beautifully drawn in black and white.
We are then reunited with Dreadstar in the graphic novel of the same name. We catch up with Dreadstar as he discovers a new galaxy and is presented with similar odds to what happened in Metamorphosis Odyssey. This time we find out what Dreadstar might have done had he had the opportunity here. Again this book was hand painted and shows growth from the painted art work in the previous series.
The last story in Dreadstar volume one is from Epic Illustrated #12 and is the lead into the monthly Dreadstar comic as well as the introduction to Willow another member of Dreadstar’s crew.
Dreadstar became the first monthly independently owned comic to be published by Marvel under the Epic comic’s banner. I highly recommend this book and want to read the further exploits of this character.
His introduction began in a Marvel Magazine entitled Epic Illustrated in 1980. Metamorphosis Odyssey, the first part of the Dreadstar saga, was the story. He had recently finished two long stories for Marvel, Captain Marvel vs. Thanos(Thanos introduction) and Warlock vs. Thanos. Both were great superhero stories that lasted around a year each. Dreadstar was a secondary member of the story. It told the story of the end of our galaxy. Starlin was experimenting with painting his stories at this time and much of this story looks a little rough yet uniquely still Starlin’s. Like many of Starlin’s stories he ponders the concepts of religion, politics, death and the excesses of life. Throughout this story he asks you the question what would you do when faced with overwhelming odds of eminent destruction. Would you continue to fight or to destroy this enemy destroying everything to stop it.
After Metamorphosis Odyssey Starlin stepped away from Dreadstar’s story temporarily to introduce the character of Syzsgy Darklock as well as Dreadstar’s soon to be next foe the Lord High Papal and the Instrumentality in a book called The Price. It is an excellent story and beautifully drawn in black and white.
We are then reunited with Dreadstar in the graphic novel of the same name. We catch up with Dreadstar as he discovers a new galaxy and is presented with similar odds to what happened in Metamorphosis Odyssey. This time we find out what Dreadstar might have done had he had the opportunity here. Again this book was hand painted and shows growth from the painted art work in the previous series.
The last story in Dreadstar volume one is from Epic Illustrated #12 and is the lead into the monthly Dreadstar comic as well as the introduction to Willow another member of Dreadstar’s crew.
Dreadstar became the first monthly independently owned comic to be published by Marvel under the Epic comic’s banner. I highly recommend this book and want to read the further exploits of this character.
August 22, 2023
The Metamorphosis Odyssey ran through the early issues of Marvel’s answer to Heavy Metal. Epic Illustrated was a wonderful series. Lots of diverse talent, diverse stories, more mature in content than regular Marvel titles were. It was the perfect place to launch the epic of Vanth Dreadstar. The series that saw his birth wasn’t necessarily about him though, The Metamorphosis Odyssey was really about endings. And then about the start of Vanth. But primarily about endings. Here we witness Jim Starlin letting loose on all the cosmic shenanigans that he’d kept bottled up inside while working on characters like Captain Marvel and Warlock. Gorgeous and amazing stuff.
The Price - 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 why 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.
Dreadstar (Marvel Graphic Novel #3) - This story deals with Vanth’s transition from being Aknaton’s muscle to the deadliest man in the galaxy. This is a well developed story that offers the costs that Vanth has had to pay over the years. In a word: Wonderful.
Epic Illustrated #15 - This appeared as a teaser of sorts for the upcoming on-going Dreadstar series. It feels like an issue #0 as it just recaps the events leading up to this point, and sets things up for what is to come, there’s actually a pretty thing story for this particular installment. But it still does a nice job doing what it needs to do.
The Price - 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 why 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.
Dreadstar (Marvel Graphic Novel #3) - This story deals with Vanth’s transition from being Aknaton’s muscle to the deadliest man in the galaxy. This is a well developed story that offers the costs that Vanth has had to pay over the years. In a word: Wonderful.
Epic Illustrated #15 - This appeared as a teaser of sorts for the upcoming on-going Dreadstar series. It feels like an issue #0 as it just recaps the events leading up to this point, and sets things up for what is to come, there’s actually a pretty thing story for this particular installment. But it still does a nice job doing what it needs to do.
May 13, 2022
I have long been a fan of Jim Starlin, and also of his awesome Dreadstar saga, at least much of which I read back in the early to mid-90s, when I purchased a whole lot of Starlin stuff off an acquaintance.
Still, revisiting the early parts of the story reprinted here — the fourteen chapters of The Metamorphosis Odyssey from Epic Illustrated, of which the first three and a half were black and white and the rest painted, the black and white graphic novel(la) The Price, the painted graphic novel(la) Dreadstar and the black and white epilogue, another "Dreadstar" entry (from Epic Illustrated as well, I assume), which heralded the coming of the ongoing comic — is a pure delight.
In The Metamorphosis Odyssey, we are introduced to an end of the world story of high calibre, but perhaps most importantly we are introduced to Vanth Dreadstar, a.k.a. the Cold Man, who with his mighty sword in his hand becomes a tool of the god-like Aknaton of Orsiros in the latter's schemes to end the threat of the Zygoteans, a race that is ravaging the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
In The Price, we are introduced to the character and origins of Syzygy Darklock, a mighty magician and former Bishop of the Instrumentality in the Empirical Galaxy, who will be an important ally to Dreadstar.
In Dreadstar, we reunite with Dreadstar after the events of The Metamorphosis Odyssey and also eventually with Syzygy Darklock from The Price as these two characters cross each other's paths.
The final little epilogue is mostly a summary or repetition of what has gone before in the volume, but also prepares the reader for the ongoing series (of which I have already started on a nice hard cover collection of the first twelve issues).
All in all, this is a highly recommended cosmic fantasy/science fiction epic that should appeal to fans of from ERB's John Carter to Lucas' Star Wars and beyond.
Still, revisiting the early parts of the story reprinted here — the fourteen chapters of The Metamorphosis Odyssey from Epic Illustrated, of which the first three and a half were black and white and the rest painted, the black and white graphic novel(la) The Price, the painted graphic novel(la) Dreadstar and the black and white epilogue, another "Dreadstar" entry (from Epic Illustrated as well, I assume), which heralded the coming of the ongoing comic — is a pure delight.
In The Metamorphosis Odyssey, we are introduced to an end of the world story of high calibre, but perhaps most importantly we are introduced to Vanth Dreadstar, a.k.a. the Cold Man, who with his mighty sword in his hand becomes a tool of the god-like Aknaton of Orsiros in the latter's schemes to end the threat of the Zygoteans, a race that is ravaging the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
In The Price, we are introduced to the character and origins of Syzygy Darklock, a mighty magician and former Bishop of the Instrumentality in the Empirical Galaxy, who will be an important ally to Dreadstar.
In Dreadstar, we reunite with Dreadstar after the events of The Metamorphosis Odyssey and also eventually with Syzygy Darklock from The Price as these two characters cross each other's paths.
The final little epilogue is mostly a summary or repetition of what has gone before in the volume, but also prepares the reader for the ongoing series (of which I have already started on a nice hard cover collection of the first twelve issues).
All in all, this is a highly recommended cosmic fantasy/science fiction epic that should appeal to fans of from ERB's John Carter to Lucas' Star Wars and beyond.
January 22, 2013
A very beautiful copllection of the very early Dreadstar material by Starlin. If you're going to have an epic of galactic proportion, Starlin is the go-to guy. I had read these stories many years ago under their original publication manner. Metamorphhosis Odyssey had come out as a serialized series within the pages of EPIC Magazine, by Marvel; M. O.: The Price had followed, published by Eclipse; then back to Marvel for M. O. 3 as a Marvel Graphic Novel, aptly numbered #3; then back to EPIC Mag for a short recap.
The series would later continue as its own comic book series, aptly named Dreadstar.
When reading this book it became pretty clear that I already owned all the various incarnations of the stories contained within. But, it was very nice being able to read them all without having to fish out all the individual magazines and comics and what-not.
A great book to add to the shelves.
The series would later continue as its own comic book series, aptly named Dreadstar.
When reading this book it became pretty clear that I already owned all the various incarnations of the stories contained within. But, it was very nice being able to read them all without having to fish out all the individual magazines and comics and what-not.
A great book to add to the shelves.
August 14, 2012
I loved this book. It collects all of Starlin's Dreadstar material that came before the ongoing comic book series. I read all of this stuff years ago but this was the first time I read it in the proper order. It holds up amazingly well. I'm excited to read the next volume and I hope more are published.
September 3, 2013
Awesome. I've come to the conclusion that Starlin must have done a lot of drugs while writing this ... I would consider it's even more out there, at times, than Adam Warlock. Whatever the case, it's awesome space opera, and a really great set up for the series. I think my favorite of this omnibus was actually the Price, Syzygy Darklock's origin.
August 6, 2019
Space opera em comics e Jim Starlin são essencialmente sinónimos. E é Dreadstar a sua criação em que assume de forma mais pura o seu gosto pelas aventuras em vastidões cósmicas. Starlin não faz por menos, na origem do seu personagem. Coloca-nos perante uma guerra intergalática total, lançada por uma civilização predadora que se compraz em escravizar populações e esgotar recursos planetários. Uma força imparável, que só será travada pelo impensável. O único sobrevivente de uma das civilizações que enfrentou os predadores coloca em marcha um plano inexorável de genocídio à escala galáctica. Para salvar a galáxia dos invasores, será preciso destruí-la. Mas, combinando magia com tecnologia, leva consigo alguns sobreviventes escolhidos nalguns planetas. No cataclisma final, eles irão semear a semente da humanidade nas novas galáxias. Vanth, um guerreiro pacifista detentor de uma espada mística, é um desses sobreviventes, e, milénios no futuro, terá novamente de pegar em armas para se tornar uma força pacificadora das guerras galácticas.
Space Opera cósmica infundida com fortes doses de pscadelismo, numa mistura entre mística e tecnologia. Dreadstar intriga por ser produto de uma mente muito focalizada, e suspeito que se l-ºe melhor ao som das grandes bandas de rock sinfónico ou progressivo dos anos 70. O estilo gráfico sublinha este caráter com um surrealismo cósmico. Do que conheço de Starlin, esta é talvez a sua obra mais assumida, embora este argumentista se tenha distinguido por ter levado as suas influências aos comics mais mainstream. Pode-se recordar o clássico Warlock, perfeito exemplo do psicadelismo cósmico em plena Marvel, e da saga das Jóias do Infinito, que se tornou uma das pedras angulares do universo cinematográfico da house of ideas.
Space Opera cósmica infundida com fortes doses de pscadelismo, numa mistura entre mística e tecnologia. Dreadstar intriga por ser produto de uma mente muito focalizada, e suspeito que se l-ºe melhor ao som das grandes bandas de rock sinfónico ou progressivo dos anos 70. O estilo gráfico sublinha este caráter com um surrealismo cósmico. Do que conheço de Starlin, esta é talvez a sua obra mais assumida, embora este argumentista se tenha distinguido por ter levado as suas influências aos comics mais mainstream. Pode-se recordar o clássico Warlock, perfeito exemplo do psicadelismo cósmico em plena Marvel, e da saga das Jóias do Infinito, que se tornou uma das pedras angulares do universo cinematográfico da house of ideas.
March 28, 2019
I first read installments of Dreadstar, or the opening chapters of it, as the Metamorphosis Odyssey, in the pages of Epic Illustrated back in the 80s. Like another classic of 80s comics, Moonshadow, I never had the chance to read the whole thing from start to finish.
Digital comics have now finally made it possible for me to go back and read this, and I'm surprised by how well it holds up. When you think about what most comics in the late 70s and early 80s were doing, the fact that Jim Starlin was painting his panels, and tackling heavy themes like suicide, nihilism, religious fanaticism rather than rationality, and corporate entities controlling the government so that economic greed trampled human rights and prosperity all seem unbelievably prescient when reading these stories in 2019.
Of course, Starlin always tackled some pretty big ideas, he did, after all, give us Adam Warlock, Thanos, and the Infinity saga in the Marvel Universe, but seeing what he did here, in his own playground with his own characters, the luxury to give the images more time and attention is quite a revelation. There's a lot to process in the story of Vanth Dreadstar, but there's also a lot of imagination and fearlessness about tackling some big ideas that are relevant even today.
Digital comics have now finally made it possible for me to go back and read this, and I'm surprised by how well it holds up. When you think about what most comics in the late 70s and early 80s were doing, the fact that Jim Starlin was painting his panels, and tackling heavy themes like suicide, nihilism, religious fanaticism rather than rationality, and corporate entities controlling the government so that economic greed trampled human rights and prosperity all seem unbelievably prescient when reading these stories in 2019.
Of course, Starlin always tackled some pretty big ideas, he did, after all, give us Adam Warlock, Thanos, and the Infinity saga in the Marvel Universe, but seeing what he did here, in his own playground with his own characters, the luxury to give the images more time and attention is quite a revelation. There's a lot to process in the story of Vanth Dreadstar, but there's also a lot of imagination and fearlessness about tackling some big ideas that are relevant even today.
July 12, 2017
. Habiendo disfrutado lo editado en español por planeta y viendo como se hacia referencia esta novela grafica como el origen, no podia evitar tener recelos a la hora de leerlo sobre como sería y si me seguiría gustando o no este especia de Star Wars más sucia, más trágica.... pero a pesar del tiempo que tiene y el estilo de dibujo, la saga de Dreadstar me parece que ha envejecido bien.
Viene Netflix o HBO y te hace una serie de tv y es que sería genial :)
Viene Netflix o HBO y te hace una serie de tv y es que sería genial :)
November 3, 2021
This tale never grows old
Jim Starlin is one of the true greats. This and Warlock are the two to start with. I'm rereading it for the first time in forty years. It's still incredible.
Jim Starlin is one of the true greats. This and Warlock are the two to start with. I'm rereading it for the first time in forty years. It's still incredible.
January 1, 2019
Dark, gritty, dystopian/space opera with a bleak and somber mood, and psychedelic art.
May 5, 2019
Contains the first part of the Dreadstar story, as published first in Marvels adult Epic series. It is Starlin at his best without restrictions and features cosmic action on unprecedented levels.
June 10, 2013
A lot of fond memories are contained in this volume. I'm sure I'll be back to read this book again and again. A little repetitive towards the end, but that's to be expected. The material contained in this volume was published over a period of many years and in various formats.
Now...on to the regular series to see how THAT stands up all these many years later!
Now...on to the regular series to see how THAT stands up all these many years later!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews