Starman Omnibus Volume 1

In 1994 a once great, albeit obscure super hero from World War II passed along his legacy to his son David, much to the delight of his other son Jack who wanted nothing to do with “that ridiculous costume”. Before David or Jack knew what was happening, David had been murdered by the son of his father’s arch enemy The Mist, and Jack was fighting for his life. When The Mist threatened his father Jack stood his ground and the light of Starman lit the skies over Opal City once more.

Starman is a tale of nostalgia and family that broke fresh ground for DC Comics, turning stories in a new direction that would change the literary fate of Superman, Batman, and the entire stable of capes and costumes. Jack Knight is a poster child for Generation X sporting tattoos, a rebellious streak, and wearing a black leather jacket instead of a costume.

Writer James Robinson and artist Tony Harris created a character and a city who are one in the same. Opal City is a city of art deco rooftops, hidden treasures in back alleys, and dark secrets hidden for decades. Jack Knight is a mixture of antique dealing curiosities, and hidden depths of maturity buried under snide comments.

Robinson always wondered what Super Heroes talked about when they were working together. Did they talk about music, or movies, or maybe even a recent purchase of carpeting for their secret lair? Robinson set out to write a super hero story that made sense to him. He wanted to create a hero that you could run into in a coffee shop and talk about the weather with. To Robinson, it did not make sense for someone like Jack to run around in spandex like his father did. Jack admires the work his father did and when the family business is thrust upon him, he follows in the steps of Sinatra. He did it, his way.

Starman was a turning point for DC comics, Jack debuted in the 90’s during an era of comics when foil covers and alternative printings saturated the shelves. While one universe was facing a plague to end all mutant life, another was having time rewritten by a hero gone mad. Comic fans barely noticed a young man in a bowling shirt and leather jacket quietly sneak onto the stands. Jack brought with him a great weapon, nostalgia. Jacks’ pithy quips and commentary on Cole Porter, Woody Allen films and James Cagney surprised many readers. In an age of large caliber firearms and the strength to move planets Jack reminded readers that heroes worry about being on time to dinner with their father, or if he would survive this battle with Shakedown so that he could put a final bid in on a collection of Fenton glassware. Jack brought an edge of reluctant maturity to comic books, reminding the adults who grew up reading Spiderman that they could still find a hero to relate to.

Starman Omnibus Volume 1 presents the series in the order that it was released in, unlike DC comics’ previous collection of the series. Robinson wrote the entire run on Starman, and occasionally included issues set in different eras. Stand alone stories of other heroes who bore the name Starman. DC Comics collected all of these “Times Past” stories in a single volume, removing them from the order Robinson had originally intended them to be released in, obscuring the relevancy of their stories to the overall story arc. Also, much like a DVD directors commentary track Robinson has included his notes to the series, including his thoughts and influences on writing the series.

In this modern era of obscure plotlines from the 1970’s returning to threaten the heroes of today, it seems fitting that Jack Knight and his obscure commentary return. Once again the skies of Opal City are lit by Starman.