With no Friday Night Fight scheduled for tonight and having reviewed the last of the comics I picked up, We will instead focus on a comic I picked up at ConnectiCon, a printing of a comic that’s also available online.
In the past I’ve lamented the recent lack of fun in superhero stories. Everybody wants to deconstruct tropes that nobody uses anymore so what’s the point? Everything’s all serious and gritty and “realistic” (a term too often used by people who don’t know how to use it) and it’s just depressing. Exceptions like New Crusaders, Super Dinosaur, and It Girl & The Atomics exist but they’ve become the minority as everyone wants to play to a very tight demographic and mindset, as if nobody else has money or would enjoy a comic catered to, or at least accepting of, their tastes.
However, there are a growing number of such superhero comics to be found on the internet, comics like Lightbringer, Fusion, and tonight’s Spotlight: Star Power!
Created by Michael “Mookie” Terracciano (formerly of Dominic Deegan, Oracle For Hire) and Garth Graham, both of whom you will see in both Press Junket and convention floor interviews coming up, Star Power is the story of Danica Marris, a lab assistant to an astronomer aboard deep space station Sanctuary Six. (Danica. There’s a name you seldom see in fiction.) While helping search for a mysterious star, Danica is infused with power from that star (which she named “Mitch”) and finds herself the sole wielder of the Star Power. As the last of the Star Power Sentinels she has no training, no idea what’s going on, and no time to learn as an enemy of the Sentinels wants her dead and has already taken down her would-be comrades. Plus she must keep her powers a secret from the scientists and military while still trying to make peace between her scientist boss and the station’s security chief.
So far one issue is complete and I picked up the print version at ConnectiCon. I like how it’s not taking itself seriously. Danica is a fun character, full of life. That makes her interesting to watch as she is suddenly thrust into this new world just because she was drawn to a minor star nobody else gave a second glance to. Some program or something popped up, gave her a very brief history of the Star Power Sentinels and their war with the Wormhole denizens It will also be interesting to see how she deals with keeping her powers a secret from most of the rest of the station while her scientist boss and station security chief argue about how best to utilize her powers. And with a threat from the ninth wormhole coming she needs to be ready.
The villains are also not superserious bloodthirsty psychos. They’re trying to kill the last Star Power Sentinel, sure, but while competent Terracciano is giving them a lighter tone, making them fun to watch fail. (Somebody tell Geoff Johns and . I don’t think he gets how villains are supposed to work.) What threat will the rule of the ninth wormhole and her hired mercenaries have in store for Danica and Sanctuary Six.
Star Power looks to be a fun story, with great art and character designs for both humans and aliens. Issue #1 is online and #2 is in the works. I don’t know when the comics will be available for sale in print unless you find their booth at a convention but it’s worth your money. The webcomic updated three times a week and it’s worth your time. And keep your eye out for strange stars.
BW Media Spotlight 