“Yesterday’s” Comic> Star Power #5

In this issue: Star Power battles gender-swapped alien Gene Simmons! That could actually be a comic name.

Star Power #5

(May, 2014)

WRITER: Michael Terracino

ARTIST: Garth Graham

[READ ALONG HERE]

Star Power has been captured by the Countess’ forces, and Danica’s constant pleas to a better nature fall on crazy ears. Sanctuary Six, having successfully deactivated the bombs, is forced to expose Danica’s secret in order to give the greater defense forces a better chance of finding her. Their ability to attack the Countess’ forces is still not enough to convince her. However, we do get a reason for her hatred of the Star Power Sentinels. The power was originally created by the First Wormhole to act as their enforcers but it was stolen and given to people on the conquered worlds to fight back. Well, that and she still sees mercy as an insulting weakness. Mitch manages to “awaken” her trophy heads of the other Sentinels, but Danica won’t back down and wants to avenge pretty much everyone. She wins but doesn’t kill the Countess so of course when she wakes up her first thought is back to killing, taking out one of the soldiers who come to Danica’s aid after she exhausts the Star Power to shut down the bad robots. They shooter up good and put her in a stasis tube. Danica is informed that the station is fine, but now she is without the Star Power.

What they got right: Danica isn’t a warrior; she follows the ideals of a superhero. She keeps trying to reach the Countess, doesn’t kill her, seems disappointed when the soldiers are forced to shoot her (even though she appears to live), and doesn’t give up even if success ends in her death. It just ends up costing her Mitch and the powers (for now since there’s still more comics to come). Even the the worldbuilding bios on how the Millenium Federation eventually brought peace to Earth and the war-torn solar system has a ray of hope, as it ends with a united Earth being a better people.

What they got wrong: Kind of sorry to see the secret identity thing go this early. Now everyone knows about Danica and the Star Power, and I rather like the secret identity aspect to superheroes.

What I think overall: This is a fantastic series and a good standard for superheroes, as even at this point the bigger comics were forgetting what being a superhero means and it’s worse now.