Image Comics new series, The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1, looks to take readers back a few decades with a sci-fi superhero series that looks and feels like something straight out of the ’90s. The book comes from new up-and-coming writer/artist Drew Craig with cool color designs by colorist/letterer Jason Finestone. The first issue introduces us to Grant Garrison, a new Kirby High School student with amnesia whose first day is abruptly interrupted when he finds an alien artifact called the Starstorm. But what Grant needs to know is that an evil extraterrestrial empire is headed to Earth looking for the same device. But is The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1 worth checking out?
The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1 definitely makes me want to read another issue to see what happens next. I love that the book reminded me of awesome comics I read growing up because of the cool, old-school costume designs and battleships that made me think of Star Wars and another series called The Alien Legion. Besides that, the book got off to a strong start, with the first few pages introducing an antagonist that looks like a cross between Thanos and Galactus, a badass menacing princess and a bigger big bad we don’t get to see this issue. It’s an intriguing series of events because we have yet to learn what these bad guys want with the Starstorm device. My main problem with the first issue falls entirely on the side of the protagonist Grant Garrison.
Once we get the intro of Grant Garrison, we get nothing more about the Starstorm artifact, which is a missed opportunity. Instead, we get the typical cliche of Grant in a new school, a nerdy friend who befriends Grant, a bully who wants to pound on Grant for no apparent reason, and a typical love interest. The story’s villains seemed far more interesting than the hero because they’ve been searching for the Starstorm for a long time, so we don’t know what they’re capable of to get it back. But this is only the first issue, so I could be jumping the gun entirely, so I’ll give the series time to pick up steam as Grant Garrison’s journey has just begun.
Overall, the illustrations align with the story’s tone, and Drew Craig does a superb job of managing both writing and artwork. The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1 has great potential, and I can’t wait to read the next installment of what I think will be a sleeper hit series.
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