Mystery in Space # 1 (of 8)
By Koppy McFad
September 13, 2006 - 06:24
DC Comics
Writer(s): Jim Starlin
Penciller(s): Shane Davis, Matt Banning, Jim Starlin, Al Milgrom
Cover Artist(s): Shane Davis, Neal Adams
ISBN: 978-1401215583
208 pages
Jim Starlin gets to re-visit some of the concepts he toyed with during his brief forays into the DC universe. He specifically brings back his oddball hero, the Weird and the giant space city called Hardcore Station. In the first issue of this new miniseries, DC's 1950s-vintage mutant, space-faring hero, Captain Comet is murdered in Hardcore Station but in some cosmic fluke, he comes back to life, bringing the Weird with him. Comet stars in the main story with the Weird appearing as a back-up feature but it is clear that both their adventures are inter-related. Too much of this first issue is devoted to exposition. Of course, that may be necessary as both the main characters are pretty obscure. Surprisingly, Starlin keeps most of the old continuities of both characters and actually keeps them fairly likeable, rather than playing the revisionist card and revealing that they mind-wiped their old buddies or murdered their wives. Some portions of the story are obviously cribbed from other sci-fi sagas. The eye-patched girl in Cap's apartment looks like a cross between "Farscape" and DC's old "Atari Force." The talking dog is too much like a similar character from "Men in Black." Even Captain Comet's new look more closely resembles something a kid would come up with to make an old hero look "kewl"-- shiny metal and flames. As for the wider plotline, it is still largely a mystery-- why Comet was murdered, how he was brought back and what new abilities he and the Weird will have-- all this will be revealed only later. Hopefully, future issues will make us care more for the personal changes of the characters rather than focusing on their cosmic powers.