Starlight Vol. 1

Written by Mark Millar

Art by Goran Parlov and Ive Svorcina
 

“Starlight” is one of the least complex books I've ever read, and it's one of the best things it has going for it.

Duke McQueen is a legendary hero in another world far away from Earth. Everyone in the galaxy knows about that time Duke saved a planet from one of the worst situations its ever been in. But of course, no one on Earth believes him, except one person; his beloved wife. But now, Duke is lonely. After a depressing opening, a visitor, a child by the name of Krish, lands right on Duke's doorstep asking for his help, but it's been decades since Duke was a hero. As a man with almost nothing to lose though, he decides to take a plunge into heroism once again. And that's as complicated as the plot can get.
 

Millar is commonly associated with stories such as “Old Man Logan”, “Kick Ass” and “Civil War”; stories that are gratuitously shocking, violent and pessimistic. This book is more than that though. It's appropriately violent, the shocks are kept to a minimum it's incredibly optimistic. The feel-good moments are some of the best I've read and is what kept me going with this book. It has a strong feeling of adventure that is absent from so many books these days and I am incredibly thankful I got the chance to read this.
 

Millar's script would not work as well as it did without the art team though. Parlov and Svorcina have delivered a body of work that constantly blew my mind with its simplicity, bright colors and pitch perfect expressions. Whether it's the bright pink hair on Krish's head, or the unsureness on Duke's face, the story-telling is a strong as it could be. It's an art style that feels old school without seeming outdated, with inks that are mostly used for shadows and colors that stray away from brown as much as possible. I also need to point out that the letterer, Marko Sunjic, did a fantastic job of allowing me to read the dialogue in the most appropriate tone possible. Without that, the script would fall flat.
 

While the story can be predictable, it's as if Millar just didn't care, knowing that predictability can sometimes work for you. Midway through the book, I was excited, knowing that the book was going to end in a joyous manner that would put a smile on my face. With some of the best artwork of 2014, “Starlight” is the complete package, and one of Millar's best work.