Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Starlight #1
Image Comics
Millar & Parlov
An old man returns to space for one last adventure is the concept here but the opening issue presents something that is much more heartfelt. The comic takes a character not unlike Flash Gordon, but shows his life forty years after returning to Earth. He's not looking for an adventure but depression and other circumstances make him ripe when the opportunity comes to his doorstep. This is a good opening issue and looks to be a promising execution to an old concept.
The book uses small snippets of flashbacks to show how the hero acted all those years ago and the kinds of acts he was able to achieve. The bulk of the story is the old man dealing with the death of his wife and the year that follows. He's got two adult children with careers and families of their own but the prospect of living without his wife seems to be weighing on him more at each turn.
The book drifts into some stereotypes but the execution dusts them off and makes them feel somewhat fresh. Some of these scenes are things like little kids heckling him, his kids being too busy to make time for him and the general boredom of daily life. All of this frames up the character's mindset very well.
The pacing is good as Millar mixes some heavy dialogue, such as the funeral aftermath, with silent scenes of the lead character plodding through his daily life. The character is very sympathetic but has a visual look of a man that isn't nearly done living just yet.
The artwork is fantastic. This helps push the book to a different level. Parlov brings the flashback scenes to life in a Kirby-esque way that makes the book feel like an updated Golden Age book on a very epic scale. The visuals are extremely detailed, especially with giving the characters unique looks with very emotional faces. The scenes where he remembers his wife discovering the lump on her breast are detailed so well that reaction and shock is very visual. The book's artwork tells a wonderful story.
Starlight is an old concept. An old hero, with or without superpowers, has one last hurrah. This book tries to make this variation a little different by providing a very sad setup for the main character. The book is a good first step. I recommend checking this out. This isn't your typical Millar book (if one exists).
4 out of 5 Geek Goggles
