The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1: You Aren’t a Wizard, Harry

The Savage Strength of Starstorm #1 is like a mix of your favorite science fiction epics with all of the charm of a classic superhero tale. This introductory issue introduces Grant Garrison, an amnesiac kid with a “more than meets the eye” history. Grant’s introduction almost feels reminiscent of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man in the first Amazing Spider-Man film. Their histories are very different, yet they compare in several ways regarding their personalities and ambiance. Both characters fit that “cool looking nerd” aesthetic, with Grant coming off as a completely normal guy who is just ripe to be picked on by the school bully. Grant immediately fits that archetypal role, allowing the story to start on familiar ground. 

Drew Craig’s humor comes off in referential ways throughout the issue. The most poignant part is how he names the bully Dumbledore. Clearly a Harry Potter reference, this name comes entirely out of nowhere for the reader and Grant, who immediately quips back once he hears it. Not all the references are for humor, with the school being named after the late Jack Kirby and many plot beats paying homage to the original writers and artists from Image. The letter that Craig includes at the end of the issue helps summarize this, with him saying that this entire series will be a love letter to the creators that inspired him. Since this is only an introductory issue, it will be interesting to see how far these references go.

Craig doubles up on creative duties with the art here. The character designs are reminiscent of Mike Allred, with the eyes’ prominent portrayal. Craigs prominent inks help pull the characters into the forefront of the panels, whereas Jason Finestone’s amazing colors detail the more nuanced pieces. Toward the end of the issue, Grant acquires a power suit and has to fight a monster. This is where the art shines. Craig portrays the power as a white aura around the characters, separating them from everything around them. Finestone’s beautifully textured colors further mystify the basic two-to-three-tone color schemes. As further issues explore this space-faring power, seeing how these two creators can blow us away with their fun art styles will be fun. 

The overall plot is bare bones, with most of the issue acting as setup and introductions for the main characters and supporting cast. The nice thing is that the issue wastes no time in getting the plot moving. By the end of the issue, all of the pieces are in place for a fantastic adventure, with all the plot threads starting concisely. This is to be expected from the first issue of any series.

This story comes from a personal place for Craig, as many of the plot beats and character moments feel like something from a true comic book fan. Some more popular creators’ works often come off as very jaded, with a lot of contempt for the industry they have been in forever. It’s nice to see a creator having so much fun with his world and characters.