| Dreadstar | |
|---|---|
 Marvel Comics Graphic Novel Dreadstar cover. | |
| Date | 1982 |
| Main characters | Vanth Dreadstar Syzygy Darklock Oedi |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics group |
| Creative team | |
| Writers | Jim Starlin |
| Artists | Jim Starlin |
Dreadstar, published in 1982, was the third in a series of Marvel Graphic Novels. This graphic novel is also the third part of the Metamorphosis Odyssey , and was printed in color from paintings by Jim Starlin. [1] [2] [3]
Following the events told in the Eclipse Comics portion of the Metamorphosis Odyssey , the Dreadstar graphic novel opens with Vanth Dreadstar leading the life of a peaceful farmer. The planet on which he lives was the site of an Instrumentality experiment to create a race of cat-human hybrid warriors. The experiment was a failure, the hybrids are mild-natured and generally only suited to farming. Dreadstar marries a human scientist and lived quietly for some decades. [4]
As the story continues, it becomes apparent that the power of the sword has granted Dreadstar immortality, so he does not age along with his wife. He spends his time farming and studying magic and politics with sorcerer Syzygy Darklock. From Darklock he learns about the history of two equally-matched enemies, the Instrumentality and the Monarchy. These two galactic empires have fought a stalemated war for generations, finally turning into a conflict that neither side wants to win since their war-based economies would collapse.
At first Dreadstar is unwilling to resume his role as a warrior. But after a fleet of Monarchy ships destroys his home, killing his wife and all his friends, he joins the military forces of the Monarchy and sets into motion a plan to force an end to the war.
Dreadstar quickly rises to a military command rank, which enables him to ensure that all members of the attack force that killed his wife and home are sent on suicide missions. He then assassinates the King of the Monarchy and intimidates the new monarch, the weak-willed Gregzor, into following his plan. When Gregzor protests that the great nobles and captains of industry will resist following along, Dreadstar answers that he would deal with any resistance the way he dealt with the former king.
The story continues in the fourth part of the Metamorphosis Odyssey, contained in the pages of the Marvel comic Dreadstar .
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Benderspink, Universal Cable Productions and Illuminati Entertainment were to develop a Dreadstar TV series. [5] [6]
Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.
James P. Starlin is an American comics artist and writer. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, he is best known for space opera stories, for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, and Shang-Chi. Later, for DC Comics, he drew many of their iconic characters, including Darkseid and other characters from Jack Kirby's Fourth World, and scripted the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin, during his run on Batman. For Epic Illustrated, he created his own character, Dreadstar.
The Infinity Gauntlet is an American comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. In addition to an eponymous, six-issue limited series written by Jim Starlin and pencilled by George Pérez and Ron Lim, crossover chapters appeared in related comic books. Since its initial serialization from July to December 1991, the series has been reprinted in various formats and editions.
First Comics was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1983 to 1991, known for titles like American Flagg!, Grimjack, Nexus, Badger, Dreadstar, and Jon Sable. Along with competitors like Pacific Comics and Eclipse Comics, First took early advantage of the growing direct market, attracting a number of writers and artists from DC and Marvel to produce creator-owned titles, which, as they were not subject to the Comics Code, were free to feature more mature content.
Gamora is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jim Starlin, the character first appeared in Strange Tales #180. Gamora is the adopted daughter of Thanos, and the last of her species. Her powers include superhuman strength and agility and an accelerated healing factor. She also is an elite combatant, being able to beat most of the opponents in the galaxy. She is a member of the superhero group known as the Infinity Watch. The character played a role in the 2007 crossover comic book event "Annihilation: Conquest", becoming a member of the titular team in its spin-off comic, Guardians of the Galaxy, before becoming the supervillain Requiem in the 2018 crossover comic book events "Infinity Countdown" and "Wars".
Drax the Destroyer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jim Starlin, the character first appeared in The Invincible Iron Man #55.
Alan Davis is an English artist and writer of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Detective Comics, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.
Epic Illustrated was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. Similar to the US-licensed comic book magazine Heavy Metal, it allowed explicit content to be featured, unlike the traditional American comic books of that time bound by the restrictive Comics Code Authority, as well as offering its writers and artists ownership rights and royalties in place of the industry-standard work for hire contracts. The series lasted 34 issues from Spring 1980–February 1986.
John Bolton is a British comic book artist and illustrator most known for his dense, painted style, which often verges on photorealism. He was one of the first British artists to come to work in the American comics industry, a phenomenon which took root in the late 1980s and has since become standard practice.
Steve Parkhouse is a writer, artist and letterer who has worked for many British comics, especially 2000 AD and Doctor Who Magazine.
Punisher P.O.V. is a four-issue comic book limited series featuring Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher. The series was published in 1991 and written by Jim Starlin with art by Bernie Wrightson.
Captain Marvel is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and designed by artist Gene Colan and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12. He is the original bearer of the name "Captain Marvel" within the Marvel brand.
Breed is the title of three limited series of comic books published in the US, written and drawn by Jim Starlin. The first two were published by Malibu Comics under its Bravura imprint; the third limited series was published by Image Comics.
The "Metamorphosis Odyssey" is a lengthy allegorical story told in several distinct parts in several formats, from illustrated magazines to graphic novels to comic books. The work of American writer/artist Jim Starlin, the story introduces Vanth Dreadstar, who first appears in Epic Illustrated #3.
Marvel Graphic Novel (MGN) is a line of graphic novel trade paperbacks published from 1982 to 1993 by Marvel Comics. The books were published in an oversized format, 8.5" x 11", similar to French albums. In response, DC Comics established a competitor line known as DC Graphic Novel.
The Price, published by Eclipse Comics, is a Dreadstar graphic novel by Jim Starlin featuring Syzygy Darklock. It is the second part of the Metamorphosis Odyssey story arc begun in Epic Illustrated magazine and tells the story of the magician-priest Darklock and his rise to power within the Church of the Instrumentality.
Dreadstar was the first comic-book series published by American publisher Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics, in 1982. It was centered on Vanth Dreadstar, sole survivor of the entire Milky Way galaxy, and an ensemble cast of crewmates, including cyborg sorcerer Syzygy Darklock, and their struggle to end an ancient war between two powerful, evil empires: The Church of The Instrumentality, run by the Lord Papal; and the Monarchy, administered by a puppet king.
Shane Davis is an American comic book artist best known for his work on Superman and Batman for DC Comics.
Soul World is a fictional place appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, and created by writer/illustrator, Jim Starlin. Soul World was first alluded to in-story in Strange Tales #179 (1975), and first depicted on-the-page in Warlock Vol 2 #6 (1983). Soul World is described as a “pocket dimension” contained within the plot-motivating Soul Gem, and is depicted as an idyllic alien landscape inhabited by the souls of characters most commonly associated with Starlin's recurrent fictional protagonist, Adam Warlock. Soul World serves the narrative as a place of purgatory for souls "captured" by Warlock.
Stephen Christy is an American film and television producer, entertainment executive, and former graphic novel editor. He is the President of Development at graphic novel publisher Boom! Studios, where he oversees Boom!'s first look deals with Disney/20th Century Fox and Netflix. He was formerly editor-in-chief at Archaia Entertainment, where he won two Eisner Awards, as the editor of Jim Henson's Tale of Sand and Return of the Dapper Men.
