Writer: Jim Starlin
Artists: Shane Davis, Ron Lim & Jim Starlin
Publisher: DC Comics
It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised and this series is a case in point. About a year back when this miniseries was first announced, I had no interest in it – nor did the idea of a back-up story about some character called The Weird intrigue me. Then I got around to reading The Infinity Gauntlet, it’s a tale of high action, cosmic characters on a grand stage, told with verve and style. I noticed the same writer was on board for this project. Then I remembered I’d liked the Adam Strange and the Rann-Thanagar series and concluded I should give it a try. I wasn’t disappointed.
What was most surprising was that far from being a back-up tale, the story of The Weird is every bit as important as that of the primary character Captain Comet. It has about the same amount of pages, is on an equal footing but, even more impressive, is that these two stories subtlety inter-connect, on an issue-by-issue basis.
Take the first issue for instance. Here we have a fast-paced introduction that summarises Comet’s past and present situation, while setting up a mystery that subsequent issues will solve. In it we see Comet die yet somehow he resurrects himself by connecting to a passing energy source which allows him to be reborn. He then literally crashes into his apartment to be met by a talking bulldog! In the The Weird we are introduced to a strange, sentient energy that has, on occasion, been corporeal and engaged with Superman and others. It is Comet’s connecting to The Weird that triggers this latest corporeal life form for it. Comet didn’t know what he was connecting with, nor is The Weird sure of what to do, especially when he finds he is not on Earth!
The second and third issues see us introduced to the supporting cast in Comet’s story; from the Chief of Police, to a fellow named Hawkins that aids Comet, to a bunch of decidedly sinister monks. The Weird meanwhile is exploring Hardcore Station and falling afoul of many social rules and conventions. It turns out the situation we saw Comet in at the start of the first issue is the result of him investigating Hawkins’ murder, a telepathic one too. He ends up being attacked by 3 mysterious figures, and only escapes them by using a teleportation ability that is newly acquired. Over in The Weird we find out just what these beings are and what they are about – a sinister church run by a couple of dubious characters by the name of Deacon Dark and Prime-7. This church melds religion and corporate finance perfectly, they are a very successful company and they intend to convert The Weird!
The next issue sees The Weird untangle the Church’s manipulations of him, whilst Comet uncovers the fact that they were behind the assault on him. Comet’s story also covers an attack upon the station by beings called Darkstars, who do the bidding of a villain named Lady Styx; it was she who killed Comet initially. This is pretty much the one time a link to another story, namely the 52 series comes into this series, and it can be treated as just another sub-plot quite easily. Comet then infiltrates the church and finds the monks are clones of himself! How? The church holds his former body as a template for the cloning. Comet blows the lab and manages to escape, as does The Weird.
In response to Comet’s assault the church answers with a 2-step counter-strike: They sic a swarm of assassin bugs on him and takeover Hardcore Station, holding its populace hostage with mass executions at regular intervals until he surrenders! Comet has been injured by the bug’s assault and only recovers just in time to hear about the first executions. He plots an apparent escape course and has the church follow him to a deserted asteroid he found on a previous teleportation jump – which he’s mined with a fusion bomb! Unfortunately as Comet takes out the church’s monks, Deacon Dark has mentally convinced The Weird that Comet is his adversary! Despite taking a battering from The Weird Comet finds a way to win him over, by unravelling Dark’s manipulations. Comet then takes care of Prime-7 and The Weird sees to Dark. The church’s takeover fails and Comet and The Weird go their separate ways.
What I haven’t mentioned in attempting to summarise eight 48-page issues is Starlin’s wry style, which throws in humour and satire unexpectedly. The Church of Eternal Light Corporation for example, the name alone suggests trouble but when you read their prime belief: Praise the Profit! There’s clearly a satirical edge to this, as Starlin uses the church to hit religion’s tendency to involve itself in politics. Starlin develops all his characters well, both major and minor, even if they are in for only an issue. My two favourite supporting characters are probably Max, who has to put up with all with all kinds of stuff as the police chief and Tyrone, Comet’s sarcastic talking bulldog.
The story Starlin tells across 2 separate tales until the final issue is dense and complex, it takes time to lay its foundations and build momentum to a very satisfying conclusion. The clever referencing of each story by the other on an issue-by-issue basis is an inspired device. I hope when DC collect this series they replicate Starlin’s structure and resist the temptation to simply group both together in two blocks – although the overall structure, with the way the final issue works would make that difficult.
The art is of a high standard throughout. Shane Davis on the Comet story for the first seven issues delivers some very appealing visuals – from dynamic fights to impressive locations, he manages to portray all of it well. On The Weird, Starlin proves to be a skilful penciler who, due to him also writing the story, obviously knows exactly what he wants to achieve. His colour effects in the first issue are especially good.
What I like best about this series is that it is startlingly unconventional. It assumes the reader can, if sufficiently hooked at the start, put the pieces of a mystery together and want to know the answer. That this reader will read a second story with curiosity, notice the allusions and continue reading. That they will not be put off by knowing nothing of the characters or the location – that’s the writer’s job - to give them the information in the story without it feeling like the details are simply being dropped on them. It also reckons it can get away with an ending! Yes, an ending, you read correctly. The story concludes very well, but in the present time, where there are many crossovers and linkages and continuations going on, the fact it does so at all is impressive.
In short, if you like the notion of superheroes crossed with space opera and detective work, give this a whirl. You’ll find a great story of surprising ambition, scope and depth that never forgets to be entertaining, whether that be by amusement, fear or action. Its characters are vibrant, the setting is exotic yet grounded and the twin stories concept is a wonderful innovation. Let’s hope DC collect it properly though
Ben Crofts is resident in Essex, works in London and has found comics and philosophy mix surprisingly well.