Jim Starlin loves himself some cosmic epics...and it shows.
We get the origin of Willow in this issue.
Dreadstar (that's Vanth Dreadstar, maybe the awesomest name ever) and his band are in the middle of a galactic war between Papal Instrumentality and the Galactic Monarchy. I know, sounds kinda cliche and lame, but, trust me, it isn't.
Anyway, Dreadstar and company is comprised of six members, well...five...if you don't count Willow's seeing eye monkey.
Willow is the young, telepathic member of the crew.
The opening scene is of dreadstar's band purloining certain supplies right in the middle of a battle between the Monarchy and the Instrumentality. Wlllow is the lookout. In her role as lookout we get a look at just how powerful she can be when she is forced to dispatch a whole troop singlehandedly.
The rest of the issue deals with her origin: Mother arrested by instrumentality police never to be seen again. Father, a sexually abusive soldier who dies when she's young. willow becomes a woman living on the bottom of society doing whatever it takes to survive until she encounters dreadstar and company. She stows away, displays here heretofore unknown mental powers. Syzygy (another member of Dreadstar's crew) helps her develop those powers to the fullest which causes her to go blind.
And, here is the most coolest part (that's right. I said most coolest). She uses her telepathis powers to "see" through the eyes of others and dreadstar gives her a monkey to sit on her shoulder to act as her eyes.
The art is perfect. While there are, indeed, a couple panels where the anatomical rendering is a little off (particularly in the chest and hip areas for some reason). But, in general the art is gorgeous. The facial features, backgrounds and soldier uniforms are areas of real strength for Starlin here, especially the features of Oedi, the cat man, and Syzygy, the half face magic user.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars. really good comic. any cosmic, space comic fan should get it. Also any fan of Starlin or more adult themed stories.