I think about a world to come where the books were found by the golden ones, written in pain, written in awe by a puzzled man who questioned, "What are we here for?" All the strangers came today and it looks as though they're here to stay.

-David Bowie "Oh! You Pretty Things"

Friday, April 1, 2011

Starman: Christmas Knight


"Christmas Knight" was the first Starman storyline to break me down emotionally. It begins with a series of reference to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which, at first, seems clever for the sake of being clever. By the time the story has concluded, however, these references serve as a frame in which "Christmas Knight" can be viewed as another A Christmas Carol. Where Dickens' masterpiece aims to make readers aware of the unjust consequences of the British Poor Law, James Robinson's "Christmas Knight" speaks to the tragedy of poor and homeless veterans littering the streets who are not cared for by the nation they protected in their years of service. "Christmas Knight" helps me understand why Starman is such a beloved comic book. While it is not Christmas time, this story says that justice and mercy belong to all seasons.

1 comment:

  1. Justice and mercy - along with trying to understand things from another's perspective. I loved this issue. Can't tell you how happy it makes me that you dig this book.

    ReplyDelete