Starman: Grand Guignol
Starmanis the coming-of-age story of Jack Knight, who reluctantly assumes the mantle of heroism after his older brother David's death in battle. Jack, estranged from his family, agrees to use the energy-harnessing cosmic rod his father invented to be the original Starman in the 1940s to avenge his brother and protect his beloved Opal City (he eschews the garish costume of his predecessors, however, instead favoring a leather jacket and aviator goggles). In the skilled hands of Robinson and several talented artists,Starmanis the rare superhero comic that favors character development and complex, extended story lines over slugfests. In this penultimate volume of a series collectingStarman's 80-issue run, Jack returns from an extended adventure in space to find Opal City menaced by evil forces led by the Shade. Jack prepares for an epic battle for the city that ends in triumph and tragedy. Robinson's ambitious approach can fall victim to overwrought narration and inflated dialogue, yet it is one of the more interesting comic-book renditions of the hero's journey according to Joseph Campbell.Gordon FlaggCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved