Star Brand By Shooter!
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
Star Brand By Shooter!
The early Star Brand issues are some of my favorite comics of all-time. This review of issue 1 was posted on my message board and subsequently to my New U site.
IMO this is Shooter magic at its' best.
Review: Star Brand #1
Reviewed by Michael Dean
Writer - Jim Shooter
Penciller - John Romita Jr.
Inker - Al Williamson
Colorist - Max Scheele
In this issue we meet Ken Connell, a somewhat less-than-responsible young man, as was probably typical in 1986. He is out in the Laurel Mountains on his dirt bike when he meets a strange old man who offers him a gift. That gift turns out to be the Star Brand, the most powerful weapon in the universe. Does he throw on some spandex and thwart evil-doers? No, he has a mechanic job he's about to lose and a date with a girl who is waiting for him to propose - not that he's ready for that. He has enough problems without being the target of an attack by an alien looking for the Brand.
Writer Jim Shooter does a great job here of setting up Connell and his already complicated life. The characters of his slightly off-balance therapist friend Myron, his girlfriend Barbara, and his ever-loyal friend "Duck" are also introduced well enough that you can really get a feel for them. In just 24 pages you already feel like you have invested in these characters. That's not easy to do when you're starting a new series from scratch.
Overall, I find this to be an outstanding issue. One of the best single issues I think I've ever read. As good as any origin story, and better than many. I like to review issues with letter grades as opposed to stars, and this one definitely gets an A. I hope the rest of the run can live up to the promise of this issue.
IMO this is Shooter magic at its' best.
Review: Star Brand #1
Reviewed by Michael Dean
Writer - Jim Shooter
Penciller - John Romita Jr.
Inker - Al Williamson
Colorist - Max Scheele
In this issue we meet Ken Connell, a somewhat less-than-responsible young man, as was probably typical in 1986. He is out in the Laurel Mountains on his dirt bike when he meets a strange old man who offers him a gift. That gift turns out to be the Star Brand, the most powerful weapon in the universe. Does he throw on some spandex and thwart evil-doers? No, he has a mechanic job he's about to lose and a date with a girl who is waiting for him to propose - not that he's ready for that. He has enough problems without being the target of an attack by an alien looking for the Brand.
Writer Jim Shooter does a great job here of setting up Connell and his already complicated life. The characters of his slightly off-balance therapist friend Myron, his girlfriend Barbara, and his ever-loyal friend "Duck" are also introduced well enough that you can really get a feel for them. In just 24 pages you already feel like you have invested in these characters. That's not easy to do when you're starting a new series from scratch.
Overall, I find this to be an outstanding issue. One of the best single issues I think I've ever read. As good as any origin story, and better than many. I like to review issues with letter grades as opposed to stars, and this one definitely gets an A. I hope the rest of the run can live up to the promise of this issue.
Valiant is the son of the New Universe.
