Dreadstar

[Todd Luck]

I'm working my way through a mess of these that I fished out of a discount bin. Dreadstar is pretty cool stuff. I'm intrigued by it. Not Starlin's best (that would be his 70's Warlock stuff) but it's a very nice series. Its kind of his version of Star Wars with some elements of his Warlock run thrown in for good measure.

Are their any fan sites for Dreadstar? Does anyone have a checklist of Dreadstar stories?

And on a related note what happened to Epic comics? They had a really impressive line of creator owned comics in the 80's, but by the time I started collecting comics in the 89-90 I never heard anything about the line. I know Dreadstar ended up at First and migrated to other companies after that. What happened?

[The Spider]

I'm working my way through a mess of these that I fished out of a discount bin. Dreadstar is pretty cool stuff. I'm intrigued by it. Not Starlin's best (that would be his 70's Warlock stuff) but it's a very nice series. Its kind of his version of Star Wars with some elements of his Warlock run thrown in for good measure.

Are their any fan sites for Dreadstar? Does anyone have a checklist of Dreadstar stories?

And on a related note what happened to Epic comics? They had a really impressive line of creator owned comics in the 80's, but by the time I started collecting comics in the 89-90 I never heard anything about the line. I know Dreadstar ended up at First and migrated to other companies after that. What happened?

Epic Comics folded sometime in the early 90's (I'd say it might've been after 1993). I think it was brought back temporarily in late 1995 so Marvel could finish reprinting the AKIRA series in color.

In recent years, they tried to bring back the Epic line but it didn't work out. They've replaced it with the Icon line instead.

As for a checklist of Dreadstar stories, the only ones I can remember are...

EPIC ILLUSTRATED #1-10 (features the first Dreadstar storyline, Metamorphisis Odyssey)
DREADSTAR #1-64 (I think the last Epic issue was #26, afterwards it was published by First), Annual #1
DREADSTAR mini #1-6 (published by Malibu)

Also, Epic published a graphic novel, and First Comics had a series called CROSSROADS, where various First Comics characters like Jon Sable, Badger, Luther Ironheart (from AMERICAN FLAGG), and others met. I think one issue had Dreadstar meeting Nexus, which plays an important part in the series.

[mattboh]

Big Dreadstar fan here and a big Starlin fan in general. Not sure I'd be able to make a judgement call on what his best work was, but the original Epic run of Dreadstar was amazing. It's definitely my favorite run from the 80s. After the climax of the original storyline (issue 31 or so), the series seemed to lose it's way. Peter David took over with issue 41 and continued writing until First quit publishing the book with issue 64 (mid-story dammit, though it got really bad toward the end so this may have been a blessing).

If you want the highlights, read the Epic Illustrated installments, Dreadstar Annual 1 (a reprint of "The Price", originally published by Eclipse), the Marvel graphic novel and the first 30 or so issues of the series, in that order. Everything up to the mid-teens of the ongoing was reprinted by Slave Labor Graphics as b&w TPBs, but I've heard that the quality on these is pretty poor. I'd imagine you could find the originals for a fraction of cover price on ebay.

[mrwoogieman]

If anyone is looking for these, feel free to PM me. I probably have 90% of the Epic/First run available.

[cornflakeboy]

The first Angel Medina/Peter David issues seemed pretty good to me....

[Todd Luck]

As for a checklist of Dreadstar stories, the only ones I can remember are...

EPIC ILLUSTRATED #1-10 (features the first Dreadstar storyline, Metamorphisis Odyssey)
DREADSTAR #1-64 (I think the last Epic issue was #26, afterwards it was published by First), Annual #1
DREADSTAR mini #1-6 (published by Malibu)

Also, Epic published a graphic novel, and First Comics had a series called CROSSROADS, where various First Comics characters like Jon Sable, Badger, Luther Ironheart (from AMERICAN FLAGG), and others met. I think one issue had Dreadstar meeting Nexus, which plays an important part in the series.

Thanks, that sounds right from what I've gotten so far. One thing to add is Dreadstar and Company 1-6 by Epic. It reprints Dreadstar 1-6. Just a warning for those who are picking these things up from back issue bin so you don't end up buying the same story twice (which happened to me, glad I only paid 20 cent a pop ).

Oh and a fun fact: one of the First issues featured a letter from a certain David Lapham of New Jersey... That's technically his first published writing in a comic, everyone run out and get it!

[Todd Luck]

And on a related note what happened to Epic comics? They had a really impressive line of creator owned comics in the 80's, but by the time I started collecting comics in the 89-90 I never heard anything about the line. I know Dreadstar ended up at First and migrated to other companies after that. What happened?

Epic Comics folded sometime in the early 90's (I'd say it might've been after 1993). I think it was brought back temporarily in late 1995 so Marvel could finish reprinting the AKIRA series in color.

What caused the decline? It seems insane for Marvel to loose all that talent to other companies creator-owned lines (including all their big talent in the early 90's) when they had one of their own.

[Ryan]

isn't there some nice Hardcover editions of Dreadstar coming out soon? (or already out)?

[mattboh]

isn't there some nice Hardcover editions of Dreadstar coming out soon? (or already out)?

Dynamic Forces released a hardcover collecting the first 12 issues of the ongoing series. I hope they release another hardcover presenting the earlier material (Epic Illustrated serial, The Gift and Marvel Graphic Novel).