Starman: A Quiet 90’s Epic 

I think Starman is just amazing. This series should get the same hype and fame as Sandman. A true adult superhero comic. Really charming and with great dialogue and characters. The different Starmen mithology through history is very good as well.

Thanks so much... I am a HUGE fan of this series. I think the Starman series is Robinson's best overall work ever.

jack knight is my favorite starman he never wanted to be a hero like his father but he proves himself of carrying the legacy of starman

Starman was one of my favorite comics in the nineties. Opal city reminded me of areas within Atlanta at the time where you could eat at a vegan restaurant and stroll through a used bookstore next door then finding more collectibles from turntables to toys. James Robinson did a great job capturing the essence of the subculture. ( Before all you hipsters ruined it with your PBR and beards...LOL)

I absolutely support creator rights, though despite that it still seems strange to me that a series that so thoroughly incorporated the past versions of the character would be created with the stipulation that no future creators could use his version without permission

It's always great when you talk about a series I've read like Animal Man or Supreme. However, it's equally fascinating learning and growing an interest in series like Gerber's Defenders, Morrison Zenith, and now Starman. It's definitely on my list of things to check out!

Read the saga in 2010. It had such a hold on me then and does now. I still want to live in Opal City more than any other fictional city. I could live there then, today, tomorrow. I wish I had read it during its heyday when I was in my teens.

I remember when "Starman" came out and I really enjoyed the whole series. It's one of my favorites along with "Sandman Mystery Theatre".

Thanks for talking about Starman. This is one of my favorite superhero stories ever. Right up there with Hellboy and Batman The Long Halloween

Well done overview of a rich and complex run! James Robinson's STARMAN was my favorite series of the 1990's.

This was an amazing series, 90s comics done right. I loved how it tied multiple generations of characters together with a solid and well thought out story line. A grounded exploration of the DC universe and I am glad DC never reintroduced Jack Knight to dilute or muddle this great story. Thanks for making this video.

Thanks, this is one of my favorite comics runs. I think this and John Ostander's Spectre were probably DC most underrated titles of the 90's. My only complaint was Courtney (Stargirl) just sort of came out of nowhere unless you were also reading Robinson's JSA. On the other hand, he gave us Bobo Bennetti. As an aside, I had insanely high hopes for the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie: an Alan Moore comic with a screenplay by the writer of Starman??? This will be Awesome!! Yeah, not so much. I don't know if it torpedoed Robinson's Hollywood career or not, but he's never written another produced screenplay.

Remember Wizard Magazine? They ran a poll once asking their readers what comic book city they would like to live in. Marvel's New York won, but for me the clear choice was Opal City (with Astro City a close second).

For a story I initially began reading because there wasn't much else at my local library, this ended up becoming one of my absolute favorites. It took me completely by surprise with its long-burn story arcs that pay off in the most meaningful of ways. I never set out to like Starman but now I fucking love it apparently.

You remain one of my favourite channels, keep up the good work

Over the past 6 months I've been buying every vlume of and reading through this series and It's become one of, if not my favorite DC books ever. It makes me both sad and happy that it has a clear ending that'll tie all the loose ends for the character, but It's a ride I know I'll cherish. I'm still on volume 9 but I know tidbits of what'll happen I'm also happy you're discussing it, you're quickly becoming my favorite comic based channel and I wanna see you grow your audience, you deserve it.

My all time favourite comic. I have all but one issue, an annual. Beautifully drawn and written. Jack is a wonderful character. I cried when I finished the last issue.

I rarely ever comment on RU-vid, but just wanted to show my appreciation for this video you put out. Star Man is one of my all time favorite comics (and pretty much ties with The New Frontier as my personal favorite DC comic) ever since I first read through it a few years ago. I managed to find trades of the first two volumes at a local bookstore and fell so in love with it that I went out of my way to try and find the rest of the series in print. I never could find the third omnibus for a reasonable price so I had to read through most of that digitally, but the point of it all is that I was engrossed enough in the series to try and read through all of it by any means necessary. I love how at the end of the day, while it does have it's connection to the greater DC Universe, it is first and foremost a clear and concise story about the character of Jack Knight and the people and history of Opal City and the Starman Legacy. Robinson does such a fantastic job of not only familiarizing readers with the history of the character (and many other golden age characters on top of it) but also really gets us readers to share in his clear passion for those old characters and stories that you can tell really inspired him. I like how much more optimistic this story feels compared to what lot of mainstream cape comics from the 90's were doing, and that the story has a clear starting and ending point with a fully realized arc for Jack Knight and a full exploration of the themes of history and legacy. Opal City in general had so much personality to it as a location that it felt like it's own character at times. At any rate, I have always been a bit disheartened that this series seems to be largely forgotten by the community as I never really see it get any major discussion, if any, so I was really glad to find this excellent video of yours perfectly summing up why this series is so special to those of us who have experienced it. Great job!

Great work. I haven't thought about Starman in ages.

Possibly the most coming-of-age comic book series I've ever read. Easily James Robinson's greatest work.

My favorite 90s series. Thanks for this lovely retrospective. (by the way, the second g in guignol is silent)

Just finished it and had to seen this review again. What a ride

I have the entire series and I adored reading it as it unfolded. It was the best series of its day and I would have happily read another 81 issues.

DAMN - THE SHADE! I HAVE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE THE SHADE IS THE ONE CHARACTER I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE STORIES 4 AND HERE HE IS. I WAS THINKING THE COVER LOOKED LIKE SHADE COVERS. THIS VIDEO BREAKS DOWN ALOT MORE ON HIM - I LEARNED SEVERAL INTERESTING THINGS

Just finished reading the series and it definitely became 1 of my factor comics

Something about the coloring on this series--and Peter David's Matrix Supergirl--is really appealing to me.

Thanks for the video.

Starman was one of my favorite comic series i’ve read

Always an extra pleasure after extended absences

Another awesome episode, have you thought of doing one on Sandman mystery theater?

Starman and sandman mystery theater are both series from the 90s that are way to unknown at least in comic book mainstream culture

Thanks!

Thanks again! I’ll start hunting these in dollar bins. I’ve seen them cheap many times, but never bought/read the series

He didn’t disappear, he’s just retired to San Francisco with his boy Kyle, fiancé Sadie and their daughter. 👍

Damn. I had read some of this masterpiece YEARSSS back, either with one of the omnibuses or a collection of them, I can't quite recall. But I remember loving it. Good to know I was spot on. Have to see if I can find it again, at a reasonable price XD

This was a masterpiece

I just ordered the Compendium I'm so excited

Commenting for the algorithm lol. This was a wonderful series. I think Robinson struck a deal with DC similar to Neil Gaiman's Sandman/Death arrangement. Can't recall the specifics but DC won't use the character unless Robinson writes it or at least approves. DC reprint it as an omnibus or compendium every so often.

I've never read this series but I have been aware of the character! Think I'll pick up a few trade paperbacks because I've been told that the series is highly recommended!

I just bought the Batman, Hellboy and Starman crossover. I never seen Starman before so I’m seeing what he’s about 🤙

James Robinson, yep

If theres a comic that would translate well to a prestige tv series I always thought this would work. It has a definitive end a tight cast of characters so it should work with little change needed

This series RULES!

I was & am subscribed, ran the bell but still didn't get your vid. It was just randomly suggested to me. Glad I didn't miss this one!! Are you going to do the Shade series next? Couldn't help but notice that you didn't cover Blackest night issue of Starman. Is there a reason?

I think one of my favorite things about Starman is how it's an adult superhero comic that doesn't rely on being too edgy or violent.

You should of also mentioned it’s additional issue in the Blackest Night event

I’ve always liked James Robinson, I was so disappointed when he quit Earth 2. I thought it could have turned into something special.

This phase in DC comics should have reflected the general direction moving forward. I like when comics don't feel stuck in time. When characters change, pass over their mantle to the next generation, and even die permanently. One example (at one time) was the Flash passing to Wally West, or Tim Drake taking the Robin reigns after Jason Todd, or Peter Parker dying and the title of Spider-Man passing to Miles Morales. But instead of letting this become the new fixture, the status quo always gets reverted back to basics. I hate that. I hate the constant Crises and reboots. I would rather see the past referenced within the context of the present, rather than "retold for a new generation." For a while in the 80s and 90s, it felt like that was what creators were trying to do (like in this story) and establish a sense of time consistency in the DCU, but that's all been abandoned now.

I'm a make mine Marvel guy, but I bought these books for years on my $7.25 salary back in the 90's. The Ray for the art, and every Tim Robin#2 book...good times..

Hey hey. Hawkworld and its ongoing sequel were good.

They should make a shorter summery version of this space adventure that can be read instead if the whole adventure to get the proper feel - when you want to read the whole thing do so.... But this way it fixes the pacing so it can be better known due to its better pacing.

I LOVED the Jack knight and Will Peyton Starman series :D

This comic feels like it was made for someone like me I kind of consider myself a bit of a historian of pop culture so stuff like this and planetary especially appeal to me

Always wondered why DC never mentioned him or brought him back.

I don’t really know how the regular dc imprint got this underrated 90’s tale, but after reading a few of the issues so far, i’m Really surprise why this series was never published under vertigo, this story wasn’t like the death of Superman or Batman knightfall were some the Dialogue was bit sometimes Over exaggerated, but not to say they were bad you know?

I am so fan of Will Payton Starman that I got a bit angry when this "new Starman" got more stories here in Brazil.

Has there been any new 'Starman' in the new 52 or rebirth? I do know there was a new starman in the final years of Post Crisis.

One of the best very best books of the 90s.

Too bad they won’t keep it in print.

DC, please reprint the goddamn omnibuses.

Where’s Jeff Bridges?

Every time I find copies, even for cheap, I pass on them. Dont know why.

i hope he get his own movie soon 🔥💯

Trade paperbacks: Out of print Hardcover omnis: Out of print Big-ass omnibus: cancelled DC hates this series and everyone who loves it. This is one of those things that should never be unavailable to people. Never.

Far better than Stargirl....