Lightrunner: An epic science fiction adventure

by Lamar Waldron

Framed for a crime he did not commit, Burne Garrett must prove his innocence to his famous father as well as to the Star-Stream Assembly.

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction

111 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Maggie Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 1980s swashbuckling space adventure. It's set in an alliance of Corprostates that rely on a means of travel via tunnels through space. The status quo is about to be disrupted by a new technology. Think train travel vs airplanes. Burne Garrett struggles to find himself in the shadow of his famous father, a retired military man. Through misadventure, Burne crosses paths with Tak, a furry sentient being that can mind link with Burnett and who has venomous claws. He also meets Lanie, a woman who knows what she wants, which is usually to just have a good time. Together they try to clear their names and warn the authorities of the pending revolt.

The art is very 80s in a good way. When I first saw it, I was reminded of the art seen in the Doctor Who comics from the same era. Burne's appearance reminds me of Rutger Hauer. Lanie is attractive, but not hugely out of proportion.

The story is definitely a page-turner. And I love how Burne and Lanie evolve. Of course, Lanie is already my kind of character from the start. She can take care of herself and is not a damsel in distress. Highly recommend.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apart from the hubris of calling yourself an “epic science fiction adventure” I found this to be an enjoyable story once I got into the meat of the book. It starts off a little rocky and a little derivative of Star Wars, but eventually comes into its own. As you read this remember that it was an amateur production, put out in a fanzine called Visions in the late 70s. The writer and artist have gone on to be successful in their fields, but this was their labor of love. And while the art and story certainly shows room for improvement, the love and enthusiasm is there.

Lightrunner is a fast-paced action-adventure in a science fiction universe. A young man gets thrown, due to circumstances out of his control, in a world of alien races, space combat, and political intrigue. And I will say this the author is not in love with his characters. Much to his credit, he has no problem killing off a few of them, blowing up a planet, and putting a galaxy at war. As I stated before, the story is somewhat derivative going in, but quickly becomes into itself.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be ***** material if it wasn't pure cheating too soon. A handful of years after Star Wars they used it shamelessly to make a parallel story with the same characters but tweaked to showcase a strong female lead and more interesting politico-economics.

That said- "The Nerd God" could've easily stolen this from THEM when this was just a seed just as he plundered Valerian and other such stories to make his legend. Grab your sabers you tools of The Force!

I'm just angry he didn't let it die after three instead of cashing in on his tenure from them at the expense of others- for his added riches and notoriety.