Starslayer
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| Starslayer | |
 Cover to Starslayer #1 (Feb 1982). Art by Mike Grell |
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| Publisher | Pacific Comics First Comics |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Standard |
| Publication date | February 1982 - November 1985 |
| Number of issues | 34 |
| Main character(s) | Torin MacQuillon |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Mike Grell John Ostrander |
| Artist(s) | Mike Grell |
| Penciller(s) | Lenin Delsol |
| Inker(s) | Mike Gustovich |
| Colorist(s) | Steve Oliff Janice Cohen |
| Creator(s) | Mike Grell |
Starslayer was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell.
Contents |
[edit] Publication history
Grell originally created Starslayer for DC Comics, but plans to publish it were halted after the mass cancellation of titles known as the DC Implosion. Instead, he offered it to Pacific Comics, who released it as a six issued limited series in 1982.[1] In August 1983 First Comics continued the series, starting with issue #7. Grell left the series after issue #8,[2] and was replaced by writer John Ostrander and artist Lenin Delsol. Later contributors to the series were Tim Truman, Hilary Barta, and Tom Sutton. The final issue, #34, came out November 1985.
In issue #10, the character GrimJack was introduced as a backup feature; he would later receive his own title. Another character that appeared as backup feature was Groo the Wanderer, who also later received his own title at Pacific.
In 1995 Grell released an expanded version of the original limited series through Acclaim Comics. The expanded version, titled Starslayer: The Director's Cut, ran for eight issues.[3]
[edit] Series overview
The first six issue limited series introduces the main character Torin MacQuillon, a Celtic warrior from the time of the Roman Empire. Just before he is killed while fighting a group of Roman soldiers, he is pulled into the distant future by Tamara, a descendant of his wife after she remarried. Torin is asked to join the crew of the spaceship Jolly Roger in their fight against the oppressive regime that is ruling the Earth. Torin agrees, and he and his his new shipmates successfully liberate the Earth by the end of the limited series.
When First Comics restarted the series, Torin and his crewmates travel throughout the galaxy and end up in Cynosure, the nexus of all realities for First Comics, and gain a crew of pirates. At some point Torin travels back to the solar system with a device that can cause a star to implode into a black hole. He uses this weapon on the sun in the course of battle to destroy his enemies. Just at the point of implosion Torin speaks the name of the Celtic goddess of death, Morrigan, effectively sacrificing the star to her, which brings her back into existence. She proclaims Torin to be her avatar and orders him to go into the galaxy and kill in her name. Torin rebels, which is the basis of the remainder of the title's run.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Cooke, Jon B. (2004). Comic Book Artist Collection, Vol. 3. Two Morrows Publishing, 216. ISBN 189390542X.
- ^ Grabois, Michael. "The Mike Grell Checklist". The Official Mike Grell Website. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ "Starslayer". International Heroes website. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
