A nice revisit to Opal...with some reservations.

When I opened Starman 81,

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I didn't expect to see Shade discussing the state of his relationship with Hope O'Dare, sans a shirt. In honesty, that part of the story was slightly out of character - both are relatively strong-willed characters and if their relationship as we had seen what it is in #80 had progressed so such heights by now, would we have been witnessing such a pointless argument? If anything, the scene reminded me of something reminiscent from TRUE BLOOD, sub in Shade for Bill and Hope for Sookie. I thought the two were going to be on a date - meaning dinner - but I guess I was wrong.

Once the action starts happening, it's a bloodbath in Opal. I understand this is a single comic and Robinson has to tell a story in such a little page count, but it was choppy.

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Clarence O'Dare is killed with little note, a sad loss from Opal.

David is back as the undead, and the actual conflict with him is quite psychological if anything. Shade doesn't do too much shadowy fighting, and Hope's gunshots are basically all for naught.

I think Jack's lucky that he didn't have to appear in this issue.

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Poor Shade and Hope too...I hope Robinson doesn't get any ideas to have Miss O'Dare carrying Shade's child in the future. Witnessing the tension between Mason and Hope over him learning of Hope's relationship with Shade was bad enough, almost stepping into Jerry Springer territory.

This comic had heart, but it lacked the special touch and zeal that we enjoyed in the first 80 issues of Starman. The art was decent, but nowhere near as good as most of the art we were spoiled with in the original series. I thought Shade looked far too prettyboy throughout, and when you compare most of the art of him within with the art on the cover, you certainly will wish that the cover artist had done the interior art.

Edit: JAMES ROBINSON: Please do not write another Starman comic EVER AGAIN! This comic is progressively worse after a re-read.

Name

Blackest Night Starman

Volume

Starman

Issue Number

Cover Date

March 2010

In Store Date

January 20, 2010

3 Comments

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deactivated-579fe0ae58107

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Edited By deactivated-579fe0ae58107

Haven't picked up my copy yet. Still, gotta add it to my collection. My favorite issues have been the Talking With David issues.

I'll set my expectations low, so I won't be too disappointed.

Great review!

14 years ago

DickieSwift

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Edited By DickieSwift

Yeah, I don't know why hope was so weak willed! I guess it could be the deaths in her family, but if it took some years for her to get into the relationship with Shade, I'd think she'd have been able to put her defences up again in that time. She's no weakling...ah well. Haha, same here about Shade having sex...I think if he hadn't been half-dressed during that part, I wouldn't have been as freaked out. He's the guy who walks in on sex scenes talking about saucy French postcards! Thanks for the feedback, I think I'm going to steer clear of the Power of Shazam - had been considering reading it

Emperor Gonzo Noir

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Edited By Emperor Gonzo Noir

I never would've thought of it until you said it, but know I can't look at the comic without thinking True Blood,as for Hope I must say she seemed um ..a little more weak willed in this issue than past stories but that may just be the effect of having a large portion of her family dying has had on her, agree with you on the art as well but I think we all wish Tony Harris would do a Starman story again though I must say I wasn't as disappointed with this as much as I was with the Power of Shazam story, at least this (mostly) did what it said on the tin. Although I wish I could get the thought of the Shade having sex out of my head (out damn it!) good review

Starman #81

dickieswift's Starman #81 - Blackest Night Starman review