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Starman (1994) Omnibus
The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 4
The acclaimed series STARMAN, starring a Gen-X super hero from the 1990s, is re-presented in high quality format, featuring spectacular art by Eisner Award winner Tony Harris.
In this volume, Starman stands shoulder to shoulder with heroes including DC's Captain Marvel, Batman and many others.
First, in a story set in the 1940s, Ted Knight, the original Starman, works with Captain Marvel and Bulletman to clear himself of espionage charges.
Then, back in the 1990s, young Jack Knight, the new Starman, must capture the deadly Doctor Phosphorous before embarking on a mission into space to find lost hero Will Payton. And in a never-before-collected story, Starman teams up with Batman and Hellboy to rescue his father, Ted Knight, from neo-Nazis who have tapped into a mystical power source.
In this volume, Starman stands shoulder to shoulder with heroes including DC's Captain Marvel, Batman and many others.
First, in a story set in the 1940s, Ted Knight, the original Starman, works with Captain Marvel and Bulletman to clear himself of espionage charges.
Then, back in the 1990s, young Jack Knight, the new Starman, must capture the deadly Doctor Phosphorous before embarking on a mission into space to find lost hero Will Payton. And in a never-before-collected story, Starman teams up with Batman and Hellboy to rescue his father, Ted Knight, from neo-Nazis who have tapped into a mystical power source.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2010
6 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
James Robinson
1,269 books236 followersJames Dale Robinson is a British writer of American comic books and screenplays.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 3, 2021
Such a great creative team on this series, and lo and behold it's broken, with Tony Harris leaving in the middle of this collection! A lot of this volume feels like a filler / set-up for the next star bound volume. 
I read the comic books Starman (series 2) #39-46; Starman 80-Page Giant #1; Starman: The Mist #1; The Power of Shazam! #35-36. 6 out of 12.
I read the comic books Starman (series 2) #39-46; Starman 80-Page Giant #1; Starman: The Mist #1; The Power of Shazam! #35-36. 6 out of 12.
September 17, 2024
In this volume, Jack Knight continues struggling to live up to the Starman legacy...
I hate to say it, but this volume felt like all filler and setup. Not only that, the book lost something when Tony Harris in the midst of this volume. Still, Starman filler and setup is still some of the best comics on the racks.
This volume has an interesting mix of stories. There's superhero conflict between Starman and Captain Marvel over Bulletman's fate, lots of Times Past stories, including some that weren't reprinted before, all leading up to Ted Knight unveiling the rocket that will take Jack to the stars to find Will Payton in the next volume. As an added bonus, there is a three way team-up between Starman, Batman, and Hellboy, drawn by Mike Mignola himself! Mignola's art almost makes up for the departure of Tony Harris.
Speaking of the creative team, I think the reason James Robinson's writing is so good in the Starman series is because of the creative freedom he was given. Apart from Ted Knight, the Shade, and Solomon Grundy, most of the characters are James Robinson originals, like the O'Dares, Bobo Bennetti, or are seldom seen, like the Starman of 1970 or Will Payton.
In short, while this isn't my favorite Starman, it's still better than 90% of what's getting published today.
2024 reread Sure, this volume is a junk drawer but it still lives up to the standard of earlier volumes. You get a Phantom Lady story, a two part crossover with Batman and Hellboy, Mikaal Thomas, Bobo and the Starman of 1951, and a lot of other cool things. I'm bumping it up to a five. Fuck off if you don't like it.
I hate to say it, but this volume felt like all filler and setup. Not only that, the book lost something when Tony Harris in the midst of this volume. Still, Starman filler and setup is still some of the best comics on the racks.
This volume has an interesting mix of stories. There's superhero conflict between Starman and Captain Marvel over Bulletman's fate, lots of Times Past stories, including some that weren't reprinted before, all leading up to Ted Knight unveiling the rocket that will take Jack to the stars to find Will Payton in the next volume. As an added bonus, there is a three way team-up between Starman, Batman, and Hellboy, drawn by Mike Mignola himself! Mignola's art almost makes up for the departure of Tony Harris.
Speaking of the creative team, I think the reason James Robinson's writing is so good in the Starman series is because of the creative freedom he was given. Apart from Ted Knight, the Shade, and Solomon Grundy, most of the characters are James Robinson originals, like the O'Dares, Bobo Bennetti, or are seldom seen, like the Starman of 1970 or Will Payton.
In short, while this isn't my favorite Starman, it's still better than 90% of what's getting published today.
2024 reread Sure, this volume is a junk drawer but it still lives up to the standard of earlier volumes. You get a Phantom Lady story, a two part crossover with Batman and Hellboy, Mikaal Thomas, Bobo and the Starman of 1951, and a lot of other cool things. I'm bumping it up to a five. Fuck off if you don't like it.
April 24, 2022
The Starman omnibus project continues in this fourth volume, which, although a little scattered in comparison to previous installments of the series, was still an immensely enjoyable read! Here we have the four-part Lightning and Stars story arc, in which Jack and his father team up to help James Barr (once the superhero Bulletman) out, when he is falsely accused of having been a Nazi spy, during WWII. The Shade and Matt O'Dare return for another adventure together, as do the entire O'Dare clan, in the amusing Those L'il O'Dares (and Patrolman Clarence) in The Old Codger, a retro, childlike comic-adventure, in which Opal's most renowned police family are (mostly) still kids. More Tales of Times Past appear - including an entertaining story about Ted Knight's cousin, Sandra, the super-heroine known as the Phantom Lady - and a two-part adventure involving Batman, Hellboy and (the current) Starman.
As another reviewer has noted, this felt a bit like an elaborate set-up, for Jack's big adventure in space (I cannot WAIT for volume 5!), but I enjoyed it, for all that. I particularly liked: the deepening of Jack's relationship with Sadie, to whom he proposes, before heading for the stars; the continuation of Matt O'Dare's redemption, on his journey from crooked cop to genuine good guy (although I could live without the stereotypical "western" elements of his story - Seriously, James Robinson? He's seriously a reincarnation of a lawman from the Old West, a lawman called Brian "Savage?" And don't even get me going on the whole "Scalphunter" thing); and the growth of the father-son bond, between the two Knights. All in all, an engaging entry in a series that has really won me over, in terms of the value of comic books! I will be waiting anxiously for the next installment...
As another reviewer has noted, this felt a bit like an elaborate set-up, for Jack's big adventure in space (I cannot WAIT for volume 5!), but I enjoyed it, for all that. I particularly liked: the deepening of Jack's relationship with Sadie, to whom he proposes, before heading for the stars; the continuation of Matt O'Dare's redemption, on his journey from crooked cop to genuine good guy (although I could live without the stereotypical "western" elements of his story - Seriously, James Robinson? He's seriously a reincarnation of a lawman from the Old West, a lawman called Brian "Savage?" And don't even get me going on the whole "Scalphunter" thing); and the growth of the father-son bond, between the two Knights. All in all, an engaging entry in a series that has really won me over, in terms of the value of comic books! I will be waiting anxiously for the next installment...
December 26, 2024
El final de Tony Harris en la colección, lejos de la continuidad deseada, vino acompañada de unos cuantos fill-ins centrados en seguir construyendo el pasado del personaje, y unos cuantos proyectos paralelos que abundan en ella. Así, los tebeos agrupados en este tomo pueden agradar a quienes gusten de todo el andamiaje construido por Robinson en Opal City y sus diferentes personajes y edades... aunque el peso de las historias se siente menor que en años precedentes. Mientras, quienes queremos saber más de Jack Knight, lo más probable es que nos sintamos un poco defraudados. Algo que se corregiría con la llegada del nuevo dibujante regular, menos necesitado de aire para complementar su trabajo.
August 14, 2010
This collection of the Starman comics contains lot of the one-off projects done during it’s run. It comes across as more scattered and crossover oriented than the other volumes to this point. There is a one major occurrence in the main plotline with Jack Knight rocketing off into space to look for one of the previous incarnations of Starman, but that gets lost amid all the different types of stories told here. This is also the point where Tony Harris stopped doing the artwork for the regular book, and I really missed his realistic style in these stories. Hopefully, volume 5 will get us back on track with the main storyline.
Read
May 9, 2019Well, this was a step down from previous volumes. There’s not a lot going on here, surprisingly. Only eight issues come from the main book, the rest being specials, miniseries, or crossover titles. And of those eight, three are “Times Past” stories. That’s not to say what’s here is bad, just a hodgepodge of varying quality.
I was most disappointed by the opening story. It’s a Power of Shazam crossover about a Nazi conspiracy involving Bulletman. Sounds right up Robinson’s alley, right? Sadly, the execution is very awkward, mostly because Jerry Ordway’s writing is so obviously inferior to Robinson’s. The 80-page Giant also left me unimpressed. The story doesn’t come together all that well, while Robinson employs a gimmicky mcguffin storytelling device. I hate to say this, but the whole thing felt unnecessary.
The rest of the book fares better. I quite enjoyed the “Times Past” stories, starring Etrigan, Phantom Lady, and Bobo Bennetti, respectively. They’re great examples of Robinson’s continuity diving, with strong characterization I’ve come to expect from him. I also dug the team-up between the Shade and Matt O’Dare - interested to see where that goes. As for the main story, it’s basically Jack preparing for his trip to space. We get some nice scenes here and there, but little story progression.
Finally, I have to single out the crossover with Batman and Hellboy. This has no reason existing, but I’m so glad it does because it’s awesome. It’s basically a Hellboy story that happens to feature Batman and Starman: you’ve got Nazis, elder gods, and magic, plus Mignola art. What results is a hidden gem of late 90’s comics.
So, this is definitely a filler volume. Starman is so often about history and storytelling, so I don’t mind the side stories or standalones. It’s just that these ones don’t always reflect the usual high quality of the series.
Oh, and Tony Harris will be missed. He did a fantastic job on art duties and defined the look of Starman.
I was most disappointed by the opening story. It’s a Power of Shazam crossover about a Nazi conspiracy involving Bulletman. Sounds right up Robinson’s alley, right? Sadly, the execution is very awkward, mostly because Jerry Ordway’s writing is so obviously inferior to Robinson’s. The 80-page Giant also left me unimpressed. The story doesn’t come together all that well, while Robinson employs a gimmicky mcguffin storytelling device. I hate to say this, but the whole thing felt unnecessary.
The rest of the book fares better. I quite enjoyed the “Times Past” stories, starring Etrigan, Phantom Lady, and Bobo Bennetti, respectively. They’re great examples of Robinson’s continuity diving, with strong characterization I’ve come to expect from him. I also dug the team-up between the Shade and Matt O’Dare - interested to see where that goes. As for the main story, it’s basically Jack preparing for his trip to space. We get some nice scenes here and there, but little story progression.
Finally, I have to single out the crossover with Batman and Hellboy. This has no reason existing, but I’m so glad it does because it’s awesome. It’s basically a Hellboy story that happens to feature Batman and Starman: you’ve got Nazis, elder gods, and magic, plus Mignola art. What results is a hidden gem of late 90’s comics.
So, this is definitely a filler volume. Starman is so often about history and storytelling, so I don’t mind the side stories or standalones. It’s just that these ones don’t always reflect the usual high quality of the series.
Oh, and Tony Harris will be missed. He did a fantastic job on art duties and defined the look of Starman.
May 30, 2012
It is difficult to fairly review a thing you adore. I've felt for a long time that Starman sags in the middle. Volumes 4 and 5 of the hardcover series 'sag' for different reasons (the latter because it felt like Jack was in space FOREVER). Robinson admits in the afterword that this volume collects much of the miscellany that hadn't previously been collected in the trades (Times Past vignettes, the Hellboy/Batman crossover, and so on). He's fleshing out the world of Jack and Opal but not exactly moving Jack's story forward that much.
But, it's still Starman, and if you'd read the first three volumes you'd have to be some kind of sucker to just stop there. You're not a sucker, are you? There's a lot to love here, after all.
But, it's still Starman, and if you'd read the first three volumes you'd have to be some kind of sucker to just stop there. You're not a sucker, are you? There's a lot to love here, after all.
April 6, 2018
Here's what you get:
Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1-2, by Robinson and Mignola - Ted's kidnapped by Nazis. Mostly Batman/Hellboy in #1 (Jack appears on the last page), and all Jack and Hellboy in #2. Robinson does a terrific job making this feel like a Hellboy tale, gothic, pulpy, Nazis. No Opal City in it. First issue's Gotham, second South American jungles and legendary lost cities. Fun story, great art.
Starman 80-Page Giant #1 - All Robinson writing, different artists drawing. Jack vs. Ragdoll in the opener and closer, with the history of a knife used in the fight unfolding in the other tales. Bobo and Starman '51, Shade and Scalphunter, Ted-in-prime, and Mikaal all get a spotlight. The connected element is a little weak in a few of the tales, and overall, it's pretty forgettable.
Starman: The Mist #1, part of the Girlfrenzy fifth-week event. An attempt to give Nash more depth, but it's fairly meh. Black Hand kidnaps her kid, and forces her to steal something for him. Mary Marvel gets involved, and well ... nothing very interested happens.
Starman #39-46 and Power of Shazam #35-36. Most of this is pretty good. The worlds of Shazam and Starman fit awkwardly, but the story works anyway. Robinson and Ordway love those old characters too much to give less than 100%, and Harris and Krause are superb artists. Issues 43 and 45 are the only other issues that are relevant to Jack's current adventures - Jack goes to the JLA for a spaceship, and they basically blow him off. They (mostly Superman) come off pretty aloof toward Jack, but fortunately Shade's got a rocket. Then Jack asks Bobo to protect the city and blasts off to space with Mikaal. 43's not so great, but 45's strong - Jack and Sadie's farewell, Mikaal's relationship with Tony, etc.
The other issues: 41 is Shade and Matt O'Dare killing everyone who might reveal Matt's past crimes. Not exactly what a penitent cop trying to go straight should be doing - this issue stretched my suspension of disbelief too far and my moral credulity. 42 was Ted Knight and the Demon in Times Past, focusing on Ted's disbelief of the supernatural. Not a particularly great issue. 44, Shadow Lady and Ted, Times Past, just so-so. 46, Bobo and Shade, Times Past, anonymously foiling a plot to assassinate Starman, so-so.
As you can see, the series is wandering a bit at this point, running off on tangents, spending too much Time Past. Robinson kind of admits it in the afterword, saying that his marriage was crumbling, Archie Goodwin died, Tony Harris left the series, and the commitment to the series with all those people disappearing from it became much harder. It's still solid, but it's not great. Many of these Times Past issues and the ancillary stuff, 80-Pager, Mist one-shot and Batman/Hellboy/Starman, were never collected before, and they're largely for the Starman completist anyway.
Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1-2, by Robinson and Mignola - Ted's kidnapped by Nazis. Mostly Batman/Hellboy in #1 (Jack appears on the last page), and all Jack and Hellboy in #2. Robinson does a terrific job making this feel like a Hellboy tale, gothic, pulpy, Nazis. No Opal City in it. First issue's Gotham, second South American jungles and legendary lost cities. Fun story, great art.
Starman 80-Page Giant #1 - All Robinson writing, different artists drawing. Jack vs. Ragdoll in the opener and closer, with the history of a knife used in the fight unfolding in the other tales. Bobo and Starman '51, Shade and Scalphunter, Ted-in-prime, and Mikaal all get a spotlight. The connected element is a little weak in a few of the tales, and overall, it's pretty forgettable.
Starman: The Mist #1, part of the Girlfrenzy fifth-week event. An attempt to give Nash more depth, but it's fairly meh. Black Hand kidnaps her kid, and forces her to steal something for him. Mary Marvel gets involved, and well ... nothing very interested happens.
Starman #39-46 and Power of Shazam #35-36. Most of this is pretty good. The worlds of Shazam and Starman fit awkwardly, but the story works anyway. Robinson and Ordway love those old characters too much to give less than 100%, and Harris and Krause are superb artists. Issues 43 and 45 are the only other issues that are relevant to Jack's current adventures - Jack goes to the JLA for a spaceship, and they basically blow him off. They (mostly Superman) come off pretty aloof toward Jack, but fortunately Shade's got a rocket. Then Jack asks Bobo to protect the city and blasts off to space with Mikaal. 43's not so great, but 45's strong - Jack and Sadie's farewell, Mikaal's relationship with Tony, etc.
The other issues: 41 is Shade and Matt O'Dare killing everyone who might reveal Matt's past crimes. Not exactly what a penitent cop trying to go straight should be doing - this issue stretched my suspension of disbelief too far and my moral credulity. 42 was Ted Knight and the Demon in Times Past, focusing on Ted's disbelief of the supernatural. Not a particularly great issue. 44, Shadow Lady and Ted, Times Past, just so-so. 46, Bobo and Shade, Times Past, anonymously foiling a plot to assassinate Starman, so-so.
As you can see, the series is wandering a bit at this point, running off on tangents, spending too much Time Past. Robinson kind of admits it in the afterword, saying that his marriage was crumbling, Archie Goodwin died, Tony Harris left the series, and the commitment to the series with all those people disappearing from it became much harder. It's still solid, but it's not great. Many of these Times Past issues and the ancillary stuff, 80-Pager, Mist one-shot and Batman/Hellboy/Starman, were never collected before, and they're largely for the Starman completist anyway.
November 8, 2018
This book collects Issues 39-46 of Starman, The Power of Shazam #35 and #36, Starman 80 Page Giant #1, Starman-The Mist #1 and Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1 and #2
The Book starts off with #39 and #40 and the crossover with the Power of Shazam. It's probably one of the oddest given that Starman was a pretty edgy title and Power of Shazam was as close to a "kids" book as DC had. Jack tries to protect a Golden Age superhero and give his dad cover to get the superhero to safety which includes a battle with the Big Red Cheese. There are some inconsistencies (and not just in writing style) between the two books. Not bad, but not a great fit either.
Issue #41 has Shade and Matt O'Dare killing a bunch of people who know he's a crooked cop so he can be a good one. This one does develop the Shade's relationship with O'Dare.
Issue #42 is a tale of Times Past when the original Starman's naturalism is challenged by the demon Etrican.
The 80-page Giant starts with Jack coming after the Ragdoll but the reader discovers the plot centers around an object that's tied into the history of many characters in the Starman universe going back to the Old West. Very fun with a variety of different styles and stories.
Issue #43: We see Jack's new shop in great detail and he goes to see the Justice League about getting a spaceship. It's a nice story and sees Jack interacting with DCU characters.
Starman-The Mist #1: A story on the mother of Jack's son getting involved in a job for the Black Hand and meeting Mary Marvel. It's part of a series on "Girlfriends" of Superheroes that was done back in the 1990s. Okay, but not particularly remarkable.
Issue #44: Things that go Bump in the Night-Introduces Sandra Knight (aka Phantom Lady.) Kind of shallow characterization. Okay, but not all that interesting.
Issue #45: Jack leaving Earth on a spaceship to find his current girlfriend's brother and making sure city stays in safehands. Jack started the leaving Earth thing back in the previous Omnibus and it says something about the series that it can work with this much digression.
Issue #46: Another tale of Times Past from the 1950s involving the Supervillain Bobo coming to the Shade because someone's going to kill Starman. A pretty good story.
Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1 and #2: Jack's dad is kidnapped by a group of Nazis and Batman and Hellboy investigate in Issue 1 and then Hellboy and Starman go and fight them in Issue 2. This story is right up Starman's alley. I felt like this could have just been Hellboy and Starman, but that someone at one of the companies concluded that Starman wasn't popular enough to carry the crossover on his own. Batman didn't need to be in this book. Still doesn't hurt the story.
Overall, this volume still good, but not as much as previous installments. There's still that golden age nostalgia, but not quite as much foreward momentum. Still, even at less than it's best, this is still really good and I'll be checking out the next volume for sure.
The Book starts off with #39 and #40 and the crossover with the Power of Shazam. It's probably one of the oddest given that Starman was a pretty edgy title and Power of Shazam was as close to a "kids" book as DC had. Jack tries to protect a Golden Age superhero and give his dad cover to get the superhero to safety which includes a battle with the Big Red Cheese. There are some inconsistencies (and not just in writing style) between the two books. Not bad, but not a great fit either.
Issue #41 has Shade and Matt O'Dare killing a bunch of people who know he's a crooked cop so he can be a good one. This one does develop the Shade's relationship with O'Dare.
Issue #42 is a tale of Times Past when the original Starman's naturalism is challenged by the demon Etrican.
The 80-page Giant starts with Jack coming after the Ragdoll but the reader discovers the plot centers around an object that's tied into the history of many characters in the Starman universe going back to the Old West. Very fun with a variety of different styles and stories.
Issue #43: We see Jack's new shop in great detail and he goes to see the Justice League about getting a spaceship. It's a nice story and sees Jack interacting with DCU characters.
Starman-The Mist #1: A story on the mother of Jack's son getting involved in a job for the Black Hand and meeting Mary Marvel. It's part of a series on "Girlfriends" of Superheroes that was done back in the 1990s. Okay, but not particularly remarkable.
Issue #44: Things that go Bump in the Night-Introduces Sandra Knight (aka Phantom Lady.) Kind of shallow characterization. Okay, but not all that interesting.
Issue #45: Jack leaving Earth on a spaceship to find his current girlfriend's brother and making sure city stays in safehands. Jack started the leaving Earth thing back in the previous Omnibus and it says something about the series that it can work with this much digression.
Issue #46: Another tale of Times Past from the 1950s involving the Supervillain Bobo coming to the Shade because someone's going to kill Starman. A pretty good story.
Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1 and #2: Jack's dad is kidnapped by a group of Nazis and Batman and Hellboy investigate in Issue 1 and then Hellboy and Starman go and fight them in Issue 2. This story is right up Starman's alley. I felt like this could have just been Hellboy and Starman, but that someone at one of the companies concluded that Starman wasn't popular enough to carry the crossover on his own. Batman didn't need to be in this book. Still doesn't hurt the story.
Overall, this volume still good, but not as much as previous installments. There's still that golden age nostalgia, but not quite as much foreward momentum. Still, even at less than it's best, this is still really good and I'll be checking out the next volume for sure.
April 8, 2023
Very much an installment where we take stock of all the Starman characters, but nothing momentous happens. There are quite a few "Times Past" stories and two crossovers (one with Batman and Hellboy, where the latter character is just part of the action with no dimension crossing, and one with Captain Marvel, where I don't own the Power of Shazam issues). It's all - as usual - quite atmospheric, but nothing felt essential.
October 13, 2021
obviously Mikaal and Tony were like groundbreaking in the 90's but wow. they have one kiss and it's silhouetted. meanwhile Jack and Sadie are show full-on in bed together multiple times.
Hellboy <3 <3 <3
Hellboy <3 <3 <3
July 16, 2017
The Hellboy crossover gets a five, but the rest just wasn't quite there. Still a really good read.
August 7, 2022
More than halfway through this run and I don't feel like I know anything more about the characters than I did when I started.
January 27, 2019
The penciler is not Tony Harris...
April 7, 2013
Lightning & Stars (39-40, Shazam 35-36). This is a nice crossover, featuring two comics with heavy Golden Age influence. It’s also just an OK superhero crossover, other than the high point of Starman #40 where Robinson does an awesome job of characterizing Captain Marvel [7+/10].
Villian’s Redemption (41). This is more what I love about the series: a deeply personal story that’s simultaneously active, retrospective, and an interesting change [8/10].
Times Past: 1944 (42). An OK story that gives some insight into Ted’s character, but doesn’t have a lot of depth beyond that [6.5/10].
80-Page Special. Some of the past stories are nice for their attention to characters now gone and past. I suspect this first real apperance of the Starman of 1951 was a particular revelation. Some of the stories are good too, but if anything the macguffin African knife that connects everything together is a detriment to the stories, especially when its appearance is more obviously forced [6.5/10].
Knight’s Past (43). This issue is solely a bit of continuity, to push along plot. But it’s got some nice bits about Jack & Ted’s relationship and a cool interaction with the JLA [7.5/10].
The Mist. A fair caper for The Mist [6.5/10].
Times Past: 1943 (44). A fun story mainly for its insight into the character of Phantom Lady [7/10].
Destiny (45). Like #43, this is primarily a bridge story meant to (at last!) move Jack on to his time in space. It’s good given its purpose [7/10]
Times Past: 1952 (46). The beautiful Gene Ha art is what really makes this story, along with the interactions between Bobo and the Shade. The inclusion of the Jester is nice too [8/10].
Batman/Hellboy/Starman. This last story is unfortunately a pretty dull team-up that just doesn’t feel important. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to see some of Robinson’s themes & ideas from the main series come through. [5/10].
Overall, Volume 4 of Starman is still good superheroes, but it’s also the weakest Starman volume to date - I think in part due to Robinson’s problems pushing forward on the series, in part due to Harris slowly fading away (resulting in way too many Times Past in a short sequence), and in part due to this being a middle volume between Jack’s decision to go to space (in Volume 3) and getting there (in Volume 5).
Villian’s Redemption (41). This is more what I love about the series: a deeply personal story that’s simultaneously active, retrospective, and an interesting change [8/10].
Times Past: 1944 (42). An OK story that gives some insight into Ted’s character, but doesn’t have a lot of depth beyond that [6.5/10].
80-Page Special. Some of the past stories are nice for their attention to characters now gone and past. I suspect this first real apperance of the Starman of 1951 was a particular revelation. Some of the stories are good too, but if anything the macguffin African knife that connects everything together is a detriment to the stories, especially when its appearance is more obviously forced [6.5/10].
Knight’s Past (43). This issue is solely a bit of continuity, to push along plot. But it’s got some nice bits about Jack & Ted’s relationship and a cool interaction with the JLA [7.5/10].
The Mist. A fair caper for The Mist [6.5/10].
Times Past: 1943 (44). A fun story mainly for its insight into the character of Phantom Lady [7/10].
Destiny (45). Like #43, this is primarily a bridge story meant to (at last!) move Jack on to his time in space. It’s good given its purpose [7/10]
Times Past: 1952 (46). The beautiful Gene Ha art is what really makes this story, along with the interactions between Bobo and the Shade. The inclusion of the Jester is nice too [8/10].
Batman/Hellboy/Starman. This last story is unfortunately a pretty dull team-up that just doesn’t feel important. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to see some of Robinson’s themes & ideas from the main series come through. [5/10].
Overall, Volume 4 of Starman is still good superheroes, but it’s also the weakest Starman volume to date - I think in part due to Robinson’s problems pushing forward on the series, in part due to Harris slowly fading away (resulting in way too many Times Past in a short sequence), and in part due to this being a middle volume between Jack’s decision to go to space (in Volume 3) and getting there (in Volume 5).
December 29, 2012
Big as it is, this volume actually doesn't have much going on. It's mostly one shot stories and foreshadowing for the Starman in space storyline, which doesn't actually begin until the next volume. No, it doesn't sound promising, but the individual issues are, mostly, very nicely scripted, and serve to fill in the sense of real history that Robinson seemed to be making a priority when writing Starman. So yes, it is all basically filler issues, but they're good filler issues. Especially fun is the crossover with Batman and Hellboy at the end, which is way more entertaining than something like that probably should be. It's drawn by Mignola, and Robinson wrote it with the intention of making it seem like a Hellboy adventure, so it very much feels like one. The one flaw that I noticed was that it features possibly the lowest impact Joker appearance of all time. He shows up in only a few panels, and is then forgotten for much of the story.
November 5, 2014
This series has been enjoyable enough to get me this far, but this volume (despite some very sweet moments) felt at times tedious and I found myself longing for a little more substance. The early arcs in the series appeared to be hinting at a larger narrative thread, but this volume felt much more episodic and meandering.
While Robinson's snarky-pop writing and the reliably good art from Harris are decent entertainment, it's not charming enough to keep me on board for the long haul. Still and all, it's very nice to see superheroes punching both old school and neo-nazis, and thus I managed to trudge my way through the more bogged down chunks of this rather thick volume and retain hopes that there will be a bit more protein in the next.
Of course I should mention that the too short Hellboy crossover courtesy of the mighty Mike Mignola was totally sweet and definitely the high point of this collection for me.
While Robinson's snarky-pop writing and the reliably good art from Harris are decent entertainment, it's not charming enough to keep me on board for the long haul. Still and all, it's very nice to see superheroes punching both old school and neo-nazis, and thus I managed to trudge my way through the more bogged down chunks of this rather thick volume and retain hopes that there will be a bit more protein in the next.
Of course I should mention that the too short Hellboy crossover courtesy of the mighty Mike Mignola was totally sweet and definitely the high point of this collection for me.
August 25, 2010
Reprints Starman #39-46, The Power of Shazam #35-36, Starman Giant #1, Starman: The Mist #1, and Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1-2. Starman faces off against Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel and prepares for a trip to space to help Will Payton. The Starman mythology continues with trips to the past and the return of characters important in the Starman history. The sense of history of the character that is incorporated into the comic is one of the reasons to read. It brings the old DC Universe in context with the new and Robinson does a good job. This collection also contains the Batman/Hellboy/Starman series that doesn't really add to major story but is fun to read (and has great Mignola art).
April 26, 2015
Even more than a decade later, this series still retains its power to thrill and excite, not to mention tug at the heartstrings. I'm just glad I finally got to read the second half of the Batman/Hellboy/Starman miniseries, and that it did not disappoint. Unfortunately, this is the last collection featuring Tony Harris as regular penciller, and Vol. 5 will feature the less than stellar art of Peter Snejbjerg. Still, I know the story is consistently good up until the end, and it manages to transcend the art even when it is pretty terrible. This is still my all time favorite comic book series, and these Omnibus editions are a fantastic format for it.
November 26, 2010
Not as bold as the previous three volumes, volume four of the Starman Omnibus series contains more self-contained, episodic stories as opposed to the huge stories told in volumes one through three. Although the stories contained aren't as grand in score as I'd prefer, it's still Robinson, so the stories are still poignant and extremely well written. At times, however, it seems that he spends too much time digging around in the past as opposed to developing the characters for the future. Thankfully, he leaves this volume off with the promise of great saga to come in the next book as Jack saddles up and heads to the stars.
November 13, 2013
The further I progress in the world that Robinson wrote and various artists drew, the more I love it. This is definitely one of my all time favorite books, and mythologies within the DC Universe.
I am a big DC guy, just always have been, so it isn't any wonder that I love this book. I guess there could be an argument against that as Starman was kind of outside the core of the universe, but he has that DC feel to him, and brings in the past and present in such a way that is truly a joy to behold.
His tales are taking on a larger scale, and I look forward to going into space with him in the next volume.
I am a big DC guy, just always have been, so it isn't any wonder that I love this book. I guess there could be an argument against that as Starman was kind of outside the core of the universe, but he has that DC feel to him, and brings in the past and present in such a way that is truly a joy to behold.
His tales are taking on a larger scale, and I look forward to going into space with him in the next volume.
October 28, 2012
There are a couple of things the whole story leads up to, and this volume kinda leads up to one, without much touching the other. Regardless of how many side plots this one decided to explore (something starman's notorious for) I still love the volume because this is the one where starman manages to get into a tussle with captain marvel (that's no spoiler, the kid's right on the cover).
In this way, you see how the writers famously give their own perspective not only on jack, but on all other superheroes as well, you're seeing through their lenses into the dc universe, and a fine lens it is!
In this way, you see how the writers famously give their own perspective not only on jack, but on all other superheroes as well, you're seeing through their lenses into the dc universe, and a fine lens it is!
April 16, 2014
A lot of fun due to the nice variety of stories included in this volume. While it hardly moved the main plot forward, I think it was a nice way to build up the rest of the "world" that Starman inhabits. High points for me were the Captain Marvel cross-over (although clearly the Starman issues were much better written than the Captain Marvel issues), the Phantom Lady one-shot, the Annual and Secret Origin issues and the Mist in Europe issue. Low points for me were the Demon issue and the much-heralded Batman/Hellboy/Starman cross-over (not really bad; just boring issues).
March 5, 2010
This book is mostly lead up to "Stars My Destination," the major story in this whole run, which colors it in a random, tying-loose-ends incohesive light. But it's still fantastic with two excellent "Times Past" stories, a fun retro jaunt with Power of Shazam, and a breezy, masterful crossover with Batman and Hellboy drawn by Mignola. Very much looking forward to the next volume's forward motion, but this was great to tide me til then.
April 9, 2011
Jack starts getting ready to head to space around this volume & runs into the Marvel Family, the JLA & has an excellent meeting with Batman & Hellboy. Not my favorite arc of the series, but the buildup to the end is already being set here with his relationship with Sadie, his desire to impress his father and build upon the legacy.
The saddest part of volume 4 is that there are only 2 volumes left.
The saddest part of volume 4 is that there are only 2 volumes left.
August 11, 2016
And this one ALMOST got three stars--really light on the actual Starman plotline (you know, the one I care about...) and lots of not so good crossovers. Sure, those are entertaining in moderation, but this was just too heavy on that end. Thankfully, though, the collection was redeemed by the Batman/Hellboy/Starman crossover at the end, illustrated by Mignola. Hilarious, entertaining, awesome art.
May 13, 2010
It bothers me to see how many people have never read Starman. When everyone is all up and about praising Alan Moore and Grant Morrison, James Robinson's tale of fathers always leaves me with a catch in my throat. And I refuse to believe Morrison's turn to Silver Age revivalism wasn't, to a certain extent, inspired by these books.
July 4, 2010
man, I'd been waiting to read the Batman/Hellboy/Starman story for years, & shityeah am I glad I didn't pay money for it. The writing is terrible. Hellboy's voice in particular is just atrocious. To be fair, maybe Mignola refined the character in the intervening decade since this was wrought. But man, not even his art saved this from being a stinker.
February 13, 2011
Probably my least favorite of the Starman volumes, mostly due to how scattershot the various stories are, with Times Past issues interrupting the story of Jack getting to space. Don't get me wrong, though, it's still good stuff, and still worth reading.
May 2, 2011
Overall, this was a slight dip in quality from the previous Starman volumes. It wasn't quite as coherent and the art in particular was EXTREMELY uneven. The highlight was the Starman/Batman/Hellboy crossover.
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