- Starchild (comics)
Starchild was a densely illustrated fantasy
comic book self-published in the 1990s byJames A. Owen . It grew out of a comic idea entitled "Pryderi Terra", aSuperman Elseworlds story forDC Comics (also titled "Starchild"), and aClassics Illustrated adaptation of "Silas Marner " that never saw print. There were 24 issues total, and the series has been collected in a boxed set of reprints titled "The Essential Starchild" from Owen's Coppervale Press.The story was influenced by
fairy tale s and old Englishlegend s, and involved an old family secret linked to a dark and mysterious forest. The art was influenced byDave Sim and Gerhard's "Cerebus the Aardvark ", a link from which Owen made no attempt to distance himself. Several issues even mimic "Cerebus"’ comics-industry satire, with cartoon versions ofNeil Gaiman and even Cerebus himself ("Serbius") appearing in minor roles. The latter spoof went some way toward defusing criticisms Owen was merely a Sim/Gerhard copycat.Owen initially associated with Sim as well as self-publishers Jeff Smith, and
Colleen Doran when he first entered the comics field. Yet his personality quickly gained more attention than his book, and he developed a reputation for aggressive self-promotion."Starchild"’s sales never matched those of "Cerebus" or "Bone", and Sim eventually dissolved ties with Owen — but not before responding to Owen's "Serbius" spoof by giving Starchild’s boggle-eyed barkeeper character Martin Humble a surprisingly substantial role in the graphic novel "Guys".
Five issues of "Starchild" were published by
Image Comics , and Owen continued to appear at the San Diego Comic Con with a massive "Starchild" display featuring life-sizedanimatronic characters. In recent years Owen has reinvented himself as anovelist , with a fantasy trilogy titled "Mythworld" meeting with success inGermany .The material has been kept in print in the six-volume Essential Starchild trade paperbacks through Owen's Coppervale Press Imprint, and a one-volume edition is currently planned for late 2006.
A trade paperback French translation of "Starchild: Awakenings" was released by Kymera Comics in the Fall of 2005, and additional volumes are forthcoming.
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