Jim Starlin is best known for his cosmic epics, and the creation of characters like Thanos, Drax, Gamora, and many more, who have become recognized worldwide thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starlin’s most personal, and beloved character Dreadstar returns in an all-new story. Jim was nice enough to stop by First Comics News to let our readers know all about Dreadstar’s Return.
First Comics News: For anyone who doesn’t know, who is Vanth Dreadstar?
Jim Starlin: The possessor of the Sword of Power and an anarchist without a second act. He’s very good at overthrowing evil empires but not so good at living in just societies.
1st: What is the Willow Consortium?
Jim: It’s what became of the Instrumentality Empire after Dreadstar and company overthrew it. It has over a hundred planets as members.
1st: How do you describe Altarix?
Jim: Altarix is a futuristic planet that is the capital of the Willow Consortium.
1st: Who is Oedi?
Jim: Oedi is a half-man/half-cat warrior who is Dreadstar’s most trusted ally.
1st: Who is Willow?
Jim: Willow was once a human telekinetic cyber-telepath (able to read the minds of sentiments and artificial intelligence) who gave up her humanity to become the central command computer system that runs the Willow Consortium.
1st: Who is Tueton?
Jim: Tueton is a lumbering brute who works with Dreadstar and Company and has the disturbing habit of regularly falling from great heights.
1st: Why do Oedi, Willow, and Tueton follow Dreadstar?
Jim: History and the fact that Vanth is a master tactician and usually on the right side of a fight.
1st: What is The Monarchy?
Jim: The Monarchy was the government that once ruled half the Empirical Galaxy and was destroyed by the Instrumentality.
1st: What is Instrumentality?
Jim: The Instrumentality was a theocracy that ruled all of the Empirical Galaxy until Dreadstar and Company overthrew and replaced it with the Willow Consortium.
1st: Who is Syzygy Darklock?
Jim: Syzygy was an Instrumentality sorcerer who joined Dreadstar in opposing the Church. He passed away shortly after the fall of the Instrumentality.
1st: Who is Skeevo?
Jim: Skeevo Phlatus is a smuggler who became Dreadstar and Company’s chief procurer.
1st: Why is now the right time for Vanth Dreadstar to return?
Jim: Because Dreadstar is an opposer of unjust rule and a questioner of authority. In the turbulent time we’ve just gone through and the uncertain future which awaits us, such a character is easily identified with and worth contemplating.
1st: Why a 100-page hardcover instead of a mini-series?
Jim: I’d been doing these 100-page Thanos graphic novels with Alan Davis at Marvel and the format just seemed a natural fit. Jaime Jameson and I are already deep into the next book: Dreadstar vs the Inevitable.
1st: Why was Jaime Jameson the right partner for Dreadstar Returns?
Jim: Aside from being a terrific inker, Jaime is also greatly responsible for me drawing again by not accepting a “no” when she requested a Doctor Doom sketch from me.
1st: You had a serious hand injury, what was it like getting back to the drawing table for this project?
Jim: Hard and scary at first but now feels like exactly where I should be.
1st: It has been 30 years since the last adventure, what do fans need to know about Dreadstar to follow the story?
Jim: I tried to structure the tale so that both long-term readers and folks who had no idea who Dreadstar is could understand and enjoy the story. From what I have been told, I apparently succeeded in this effort.
1st: What is in the Dreadstar Guidebook?
Jim: It’s a Who’s Who of all the Dreadstar characters that have been created over the past forty years or so.
1st: What made Robert Greenberg the right partner for the Guidebook?
Jim: Bob’s the ultimate comic book historian. Who else would I get to script such a work?
1st: Where can fans get a copy of these books?
Jim: They can be obtained online at Ominouspress.com. Like ordering something from Amazon, sort of. GET IT NOW!
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