There’s an aphorism that was popularized by the title of a Thomas Wolfe book that you can’t go home again. One that kind of has an analogue in the philosophical idea that you can never stand in the same river twice. That time is ever moving forward, ever changing, and that you can’t go back to the past to relive the same things, to bask in old memories, and revel in old glories.
No one ever told the comics industry because they keep trying. Most of the time it doesn’t work. It lives up to the truism that you can’t capture the old lightning in a bottle of past successes. And by and large the recreations and returns are never the same, but sometimes they’re still a solid new thing that vibes with what came before.
Jim Starlin has been doing that with his continued Thanos epic and in 2021, decades long after his own direct involvement in the ’80s, he brought back his own cosmic masterpiece, Dreadstar.
“You’ve come up with some really hair-brained schemes in the past, Oedi, but this one beats them all.”
Dreadstar Returns by Starlin, Jaime Jameson, and Dave Lanphear picks up 25 years later as if nothing much has happened in between. It briefly reintroduced the major characters (after a dramatis personae as well) and then dives right in to a mysterious energy bubble threatening to first engulf the planet that serves as Dreadstar’s base of operations, then the universe, that’s oddly calling the name of the woman at the head of the organization that rules the galaxy.
To get the most out of the story, this is one where it really would help to have read everything that came before. At the very least Starlin’s run—though the Peter David, Angel Medina, and Ernie Colon run would help as well. You’ll get more of the character connections, history, and full ramifications of what’s happening because the story is very steeped in the past and the appearance of old characters. Including an interesting conclusion to one character’s arc. Which is not to say that it can’t be enjoyed by people coming in blind, because there’s still a lot of humour and a fun multiversal adventure here. One that wholly sets up the next part in Dreadstar vs. The Inevitable.
What exemplifies the idea of not returning to the past, though, is Starlin’s art. He’s never really replicated the look and feel of the original Dreadstar epic of The Metamorphosis Odyssey ever. It had a highly detailed, originally black and white pen and ink approach that felt like the independent ’70s and ’80s magazines like Metal Hurlant and Heavy Metal. Perfect for inclusion in Marvel’s attempt at similar in Epic Illustrated. Even the regular Dreadstar comic that came out of it didn’t look the same. Yet, that this story happened at all with Starlin’s art is practically a miracle. He had suffered a possibly career-ending injury to his hand and thought he wouldn’t draw again. But he persevered through teaching himself how to draw again and finish this project.
And it’s still gorgeous. It looks like the superhero style that he’s used since at least the Warlock days and it does feel like going back home to the regular Dreadstar series. Wonderful character designs, inventive layouts, and some beautiful double page spreads. With an even greater integration of effects in his colours. Add in a nice thick line from Jameson’s inks and unique word balloons for a variety of characters from Lanphear and this is a sleek looking book, combining Starlin’s old school feel with modern production values.
“Harrowing happenstance followed by even darker events.”
So, maybe you can’t really go home again, but you can make renovations. Dreadstar Returns from Starlin, Jameson, and Lanphear is a welcome next step for the character and world. And a welcome one to reinvigorate the franchise. This is fun space opera in the vein of Star Wars but a bit weirder.
And, if you’re interested in the old work (and you should be), there are new paperback editions of the omnibuses coming out from Dark Horse. Continuing the tradition of the franchise publisher hopping. And the recent hardcovers remain available from Ominous Press. I still don’t know if they’ll ever get to collecting the David run or what’s happening with Dreadstar Returns or …vs. The Inevitable (hopefully maybe also being collected with the Guidebook?), but they’re all worth your time tracking down.
Dreadstar Returns
Writer, Penciller & Colourist: Jim Starlin
Inker: Jaime Jameson
Letterer: Dave Lanphear of A Larger World Studios
Publisher: Ominous Press
Release Date: February 2021
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