THE CONTINUATION OF A CULT CHARACTER FROM GALAXIA MAGAZINE IN THE 80s
HELLO-MY NAME IS TOM SCIACCA….WELCOME TO THE ASTRON STAR SOLDIER UNIVERSE!
I have been a professional in the comic book business since 1974. I started out with my best friend, George Perez, when we were in High School at Cardinal Hayes Memorial High School in the Bronx, New York.
Those were in the dangerous days of New York, the fires in the ghetto, Son Of Sam, muggings,crime, the Mets winning the World Series, and..reading comic books.
George and I drew our own comics, with flair pen, crayons, and paper from Woolworths(the Dollar Tree of the day}
We did a book called THE BATTALION, a TEEN TITANS type book.It was one copy on paper-the original–there were no Staples or Kwik Copy stores then,,We passed the book around the student body, till it was torn up by the Dean of Discipline. To read the entire story, read my article in the upcoming issue of BACK ISSUE MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2023, a special GEORGE PEREZ issue.
Previously, George and I had worked togther on a story, pencils and dialog by yours truly, inks by George, THE COMING OF ASTROMAN. This was about 1970, we were about 14.
It tells the story of an Earth Astronaut, James Hunt, on a Deep Space mission. While on his journey, his ship is on a collision course with an alien bionaut, Astron, who is on a similar mission. The two ships collide in space in a devastating fusion explosion.
The Earth Ship is vaporised, but the life force of both beings are joined together in one being..ASTRON STAR SOLDIER.
Astron appeared in our BATTALION STORY. Later, George and I broke into the Big Time at Marvel Comics in 1974. I helped run the MARVEL COMIC CONVENTION in NEW YORK CITY in 1976, shortly afterward being hired at DC COMICS as assistant to Art Director Vince Colletta.
It was there that I reconnected with Rich Buckler, and while at DC he helped me with an outside project. My own “PROZINE” ASTRAL COMICS starring ASTRON STAR SOLDIER.
I got some help from my DC COMICS associates..I penciled and wrote the story, and the inking was an early “JAM” issue,, I passed pages to various pals to ink..Rich Buckler, Tex Blaisdell,Vince Colletta, Terry Austin, Joe Rubinstein, John Workman, Jack Able amomg others. Cover was by Mike Grell, back Cover was by Walt Simonson, pin upsby Jose Garcia Lopez and Dave Gibbons, his first US publication.
Sold 10,000 copies in 1977 in the then new Direct Market, due to Phil Sueling and Bud Plant.
Some have said Astron influenced FIRESTORM at DC the next year in 1978. Judge for yourself.
I continued the ASTRON saga with Rich Buckler when we published the magazine GALAXIA in 1981. We sold 20,000 copies. There was supposed to be a second issue in 1984 at Archie Comics. There were ads in the books. For some unknown reason, it never happened.
ASTRON went dormant.
I moved on the other books..STARBLAZER MAGAZINE, HEROIC FANTASY, HEAVY METAL,VARIETY..working on some films..James Bond Films OCTOPUSSY, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, SPOOKIES, KILLER DEAD, MURDERED INNOCENCE, getting married..you get the idea.
In 2014, I met BRONX HEROES publisher and creator RAY FELIX at WINTERCON in NYC. We hit it off immediately. The next year he helped me put out a reprint edition of ASTRAL COMICS with new material.
In 2020 we jointly wrote and illustrated the Graphic Novel political Parody, BRONX HEROES IN TRUMPLAND, where ASTRON and Ray’s character BLACK POWER tesm up to take on various evil political types, like Trump, Hilary, Bernie and AOC among others.
Then COVID hit.
Sequestered at home, with lots of time on my hands, I decided the time was right to finish the ASTRON SAGA.
My friend Rich Buckler had passed away in 2017. We had talked about reviving Galaxia and finishing the Astron saga, Old [pal George Perez and I had talked about him participating. Unfortunately both had passed on.
During Covid I managed to complete a 250 page opus, with help from Ray Felix and inker Tom Ahearn.
The book is complete. It will be in 3 volumes. Old school Warren style–color covers–interior in classic graphic black and white….This Kickstarter campaign is for VOLUME ONE.
CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE WALT SIMONSON,MIKE GRELL,RICH BUCKLER, RUDY NEBRES,TOM AHEARN,RAY FELIX, VANCE CAPLEY,SAM DELAROSA,JOHN WORKMAN, JOE STATON MARK TEXIERA,GEORGE PEREZ INCLUDING THE ONLY SURVIVING PAGE OF THE ORIGINAL STORY BY GERGE AND MYSELF–AND MANY OTHERS..
Volume one will contain the first three Astron stories, originally published in Astral Comics in 1977, Galaxia in 1981, and chapter 4, REBIRTH which was originally supposed to be published in GALAXIA #2 in 1985 by ARCHIE COMICS, and chapter 5, WHERE NO ZENNAN HAS GONE BEFORE.
There also will be pinups, text stories, and preview of VOLUME 2.
Vol.2 Will continue the story of Astron VS the SHADAR and CENTARIANS and efforts to free his homeworld ZENNA.
Future VOLUMES will contain the battle to free Zenna.
THE EPIC CONTINUES.
Keep checking my FACEBOOK PAGES
Thomas Sciacca/facebook, ASTRAL COMICS/FACEBOOK, ASTRON STAR SOLDIER FAN ART PAGE/FACEBOOK, BRONXHEROES IN TRUMPLAND PAGE/FACEBOOK.
PERSEVERE!!!!
Thank You for helping to bring this 50 year dream to fruition.
Best,
TOM SCIACCA
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