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Marvel Graphic Novel #3
Dreadstar
Pub in 1982
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
1 person is currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Jim Starlin
967 books444 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 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 5, 2012
Jim Starlin's huge space epic ended with a whimper, rather than a bang, but it started with the kind of huge, beautiful cosmic stories that would make George Lucas weep with envy.
Vanth Dreadstar grew up on a remote, icy world, when he became the wielder of a sword with strange cosmic powers and found himself pushed onto a path of destiny.
After the big, cosmic and bittersweet ending of the 'Metamorphous Odyssey', Vanth finds himself flung across the universe and living on a quiet, farming world, run by cat people.
Unfortunately, destiny, an alien wizard and a galactic war have different plans for him.
Beautiful art, great ideas and characters all come together in an amazing bit of space opera.
The only thing that hurt this great saga was the way it bounced around. It started being serialized in Epic magazine, was then continued in two stand alone graphic novels and then became an ongoing comic series, published first by marvel, than by First comics.. At which point Starlin grew burnt out and another writer took over the series, which ended after a decent year or two of stories, leaving numerous dangling plot threads.
Sad the way it ended, but despite that, this a series well worth tracking down.
Vanth Dreadstar grew up on a remote, icy world, when he became the wielder of a sword with strange cosmic powers and found himself pushed onto a path of destiny.
After the big, cosmic and bittersweet ending of the 'Metamorphous Odyssey', Vanth finds himself flung across the universe and living on a quiet, farming world, run by cat people.
Unfortunately, destiny, an alien wizard and a galactic war have different plans for him.
Beautiful art, great ideas and characters all come together in an amazing bit of space opera.
The only thing that hurt this great saga was the way it bounced around. It started being serialized in Epic magazine, was then continued in two stand alone graphic novels and then became an ongoing comic series, published first by marvel, than by First comics.. At which point Starlin grew burnt out and another writer took over the series, which ended after a decent year or two of stories, leaving numerous dangling plot threads.
Sad the way it ended, but despite that, this a series well worth tracking down.
January 21, 2013
This would actually be the 3rd chapter in the Metamorphosis Odyssey by Jim Starlin.
It was published as Marvel Graphic Novel #3.
The first chapter had been serialized in Marvel' EPIC Magazine and the second was published by Eclipse... wait it gets even more complicated as after this chapter, the series would then continue as a bi-monthly comic-book published by Marvel'S Epic line, be canceled, then picked up by First Comics only ti fizzle out completely.
You don't really need to have read chapters 1 & 2 to appreciate chapter 3, but it wouldn't hurt if you had.
This is also the first instance of it beign a story with color art.
The story serves more as a prequel to the upcoming series and serves as a re-introduction of Vanth Dreadstar and his sorcerer friend Syzygy Darklock, I guess they wanted to make a fresh-start as the previous 2 stories might not have been known to all.
I re-read this as a ways to re-acclimate myself with the story as I have recently ordered the hardcover re-printing of Dreadstar: The Beginning.
It was published as Marvel Graphic Novel #3.
The first chapter had been serialized in Marvel' EPIC Magazine and the second was published by Eclipse... wait it gets even more complicated as after this chapter, the series would then continue as a bi-monthly comic-book published by Marvel'S Epic line, be canceled, then picked up by First Comics only ti fizzle out completely.
You don't really need to have read chapters 1 & 2 to appreciate chapter 3, but it wouldn't hurt if you had.
This is also the first instance of it beign a story with color art.
The story serves more as a prequel to the upcoming series and serves as a re-introduction of Vanth Dreadstar and his sorcerer friend Syzygy Darklock, I guess they wanted to make a fresh-start as the previous 2 stories might not have been known to all.
I re-read this as a ways to re-acclimate myself with the story as I have recently ordered the hardcover re-printing of Dreadstar: The Beginning.
February 6, 2016
The Dreadstar saga is one of my all time favorite comic SiFi stories. Fantastic plot, incredible characters and awesome art. Starlin is the master of comic space opera stories. Highly recommended
March 7, 2014
The art and story are just plainly amazing. I'm surprised this still isn't a movie...
July 1, 2017
one of the best star wars bastards !!!!!
April 23, 2018
Ok, I recommend this, as a stand-alone or the LAST chapter in the Metamorphosis Odyssey series. The series doesn’t get better, and this is good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2019
Excelente cómic del espacio ochentero. Lo leí cuando era pequeño y ahora que lo he retomado puedo decir que ha envejecido admirablemente.
March 19, 2021
Another one of those great artwork (though heavy on the people in shadows, eyes can't be seen style) weird story Marvel Graphic Novels.
August 14, 2021
This reminded me of Metabarons, but not as good. Ultimate warrior goes on a spiritual quest before the inevitable return to killing machine. The art is too murky as well.
June 12, 2023
Seems a little cliché-ridden by modern standards, but this was probably pretty groundbreaking when it came out in 1982. Starlin's fully painted artwork looks great.
October 18, 2016
I haven't read any of the Dreadstar stories that lead up to this one, but this still works as a standalone story. It's totally bonkers and wonderful space opera with cat people and silly hats, so it immediately won me over. I'm a bigger fan of Starlin's traditional comic art than his painted art, but this was still nice to look at. It's not quite as good as Death of Captain America (which slightly preceded this), but it's still very good.
August 22, 2023
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.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews