Starblazer Collection trailed by DC Thomson

By John Freeman on October 3, 2019 • ( 1 )

Cover by Neil Roberts

DC Thomson Media are trailing a collection of two stories from their much-loved pocket digest title Starblazer on their web shop – but there’s no official details, as yet, of which stories it will include from the comics’ near 300-issue run… although artist Lee Grice has some ideas…

Starblazer was as close as DC Thomson got to taking on the challenge of IPC’s 2000AD. Between Issue 1 in April 1979 and the final issue, 281 in January 1991, a single black and white 64 page story would hide behind a painted colour cover. What started as a fairly straightforward science-fiction version of Thomson’s digest-size Commando comic would mutate over the course of its history.

Its initial tag line of “Space Fiction Adventure In Pictures” would conclude its run with “Fantasy Fiction In Pictures”, with the inclusion of more sword and sorcery elements in the later issues.

Starblazer ceased publication three decades ago, but now returns in Heritage Comics’ latest graphic novel.

Collecting two classic issues from DC Thomson’s archives and blowing them up to full graphic novel size with a brand new wraparound cover, clearly by Neil Roberts, this is surely a must for many a British comic collector.

Starblazer 45 - Operation Overkill

Starblazer 127

Based on the cover, artist and Starblazer fan Lee Grice has suggested the collation may feature it includes the first Mikal R Kayn story #45 “Operation Overkill” written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Enrique Alcatena. The second story may therefore be Kayn’s second appearance in #127 “The Death Reaper” also by Morrison and Alcatena – but there is no official confirmation of this.

A release date has yet to be announced, but check out the collection details here on the DC Thomson web shop.

web links

• Jeremy Briggs has compiled a large number of articles and features on Starblazer for downthetubes. Check out his “Blazing through the Secrecy” feature, which started off the section, and have a look at our issue by issue guide and more

• Click Here for From the Command Deck: Starblazer editor Bill McLoughlin’s history of the title

• Click Here for Starblazer Ray Aspden’s feature on writing for the title

• Click Here for Starblazer Recalled: Forgotten Fantasy Fiction – With Pictures by series writer Mike Chinn

• Click Here for a complete Starblazer Cover Gallery (off site)

Cover scans for these Starblazer articles with thanks to ‘Gary’

Starblazer Checklist

EXTERNAL LINKS

• Fish 1000 Comics: Grant Morrison’s Starblazer work

• Vic Whittle’s Starblazer Page

• Starblazer Memories

Steve Holland is amazed at how many people remember Starblazer, noting the pocket books appeared as “regular as clockwork throughout the 1980s at the rate of two new titles a month so I guess over the nearly twelve years it appeared a vast army of young science fiction fans, high on Star Wars or Battlestar Galactica, sought them out.”

• Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3

• Buy Commando Comics on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

Thanks to Lee Grice for his suggestion on the reprints this collection may include

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.