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Cosmic Odyssey #1-4
Cosmic Odyssey
Don't miss this new printing of the classic 1988 miniseries from Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola! COSMIC ODYSSEY assembles Superman, Batman, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Starfire, The Demon and others — at the behest of Darkseid!
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1989
About the author
Jim Starlin
1,217 books421 followersJames P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos and Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Death and suicide are recurring themes in Starlin's work: Personifications of Death appeared in his Captain Marvel series and in a fill-in story for Ghost Rider; Warlock commits suicide by killing his future self; and suicide is a theme in a story he plotted and drew for The Rampaging Hulk magazine.
In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).
When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (
In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.
In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).
When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (
In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
May 3, 2017
3.5 Stars
Usually, Marvel is the company which creates epic level cosmic events that blend an extended cast along with sharp storytelling. I'm talking strictly about cosmic events here. (you know, with Galactus, Silver Surfer, Thanos jumping around in space) One of my personal favorites in this category is Infinity gauntlet written by Jim Starlin.
But then I came to know that Jim Starlin had written another cosmic crossover three years before Infinite Gauntlet.... for DC!
And that, my friend, is Cosmic Odyssey.
Cosmic Odyssey follows the journey of universe's superheroes handpicked by the new gods to prevent the Anti-life equation from destroying our reality.
But there is a snag. One of the guys who assembled them is this cutie pie.
Hail Darkseid.
So yes, this is the story where the biggest villain in DC history works together with the very heroes he hates, to save the universe. Why would Darkseid do that?
Oh, not just that. He also has ulterior motives. He always does!
I really liked the idea of the Anti-life equation and the heroes working together against the clock. But it could've been a lot better than this. One of the major shortcomings of the story is its subpar dialogues and its average art.
Having said that, there are some excellent moments in the story. One involving grief of John Stewart and other involving the anger of Superman. Furthermore, Darkseid actually got some dialogues and characterization in this arc too!
Overall, This is a worthy ride, albeit a bumpy one.
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Thanks for reading this review! Here is smiling Manhunter to brighten your day!
Usually, Marvel is the company which creates epic level cosmic events that blend an extended cast along with sharp storytelling. I'm talking strictly about cosmic events here. (you know, with Galactus, Silver Surfer, Thanos jumping around in space) One of my personal favorites in this category is Infinity gauntlet written by Jim Starlin.
But then I came to know that Jim Starlin had written another cosmic crossover three years before Infinite Gauntlet.... for DC!
And that, my friend, is Cosmic Odyssey.
Cosmic Odyssey follows the journey of universe's superheroes handpicked by the new gods to prevent the Anti-life equation from destroying our reality.
But there is a snag. One of the guys who assembled them is this cutie pie.
Hail Darkseid.
So yes, this is the story where the biggest villain in DC history works together with the very heroes he hates, to save the universe. Why would Darkseid do that?
Oh, not just that. He also has ulterior motives. He always does!
I really liked the idea of the Anti-life equation and the heroes working together against the clock. But it could've been a lot better than this. One of the major shortcomings of the story is its subpar dialogues and its average art.
Having said that, there are some excellent moments in the story. One involving grief of John Stewart and other involving the anger of Superman. Furthermore, Darkseid actually got some dialogues and characterization in this arc too!
Overall, This is a worthy ride, albeit a bumpy one.
----------------------------
Thanks for reading this review! Here is smiling Manhunter to brighten your day!
October 30, 2023
One of the greatest battles ever faced by DC superheroes and villains alike, Cosmic Odyssey is an intergalactic rollercoaster of war, tragedy, and triumph. While bombastic like any event, the writing is suspenseful, honest, and sentimental, with unusually great characterization. Ultimately, it’s a fun and exciting read. And Mike Mignola’s artwork is great to incredible. One of my new all time favorite events.
A Short Note on the Deluxe Edition...
Rating: C+
Mixed feelings but overall it works. DC went cheap went this—black paper over board construction, glued binding, matte paper. But the dust jacket is striking, the binding is surprisingly solid and flexible, if creaky, and the paper is thicker than normal. The print quality also is very well done and the illustrations look great. I was hoping for more quality construction though.
A Short Note on the Deluxe Edition...
Rating: C+
Mixed feelings but overall it works. DC went cheap went this—black paper over board construction, glued binding, matte paper. But the dust jacket is striking, the binding is surprisingly solid and flexible, if creaky, and the paper is thicker than normal. The print quality also is very well done and the illustrations look great. I was hoping for more quality construction though.
July 16, 2020
This 4 parts mini-series from Jim Starlin, the guy who later wrote milestone comic-books for Marvel like The Death of Captain Marvel, Infinity Gauntlet and many more, was one of first DC crossovers I've read in my life.
My old copies were sold, I used do that in my life to repent later, so when I've seen this saga sold for cheap at a local comic-con here in Rome last year could not resist and buy it again after something like 30 years later.
Let's say I've always been a Marvel Zombie more than a DC fan, so probably I had to read lots of the Distinguished Competition to fully appreciate this read years ago and its re-read today, but I totally enjoyed the storyline, a classic late 80s one with all the vibes from that age, beautifully illustrated by a young Mike Mignola, and the characters, with a couple of Superman and Batman freshly relaunched from John Byrne and Frank Miller, Jack "King" Kirby's New Gods and much more (I thought the smiling guy painting the doomsbomb yellow being Starlin or Mignola, but surfing on the web I've found out it was DC editor Andy Helfer, no idea why they put him there...).
It aged much well, a good entertaining cosmic saga far better than many more recent events/crossovers from the two big houses of superheroistic comicdom.
Such a shame an unexpected printing mishap ruined my 4th issue copy shifting last 9 pages in front of previous ones messing it together with my re-read experience...
Oh, Good Grief.
March 12, 2018
The best part of the book is Mike Mignola's artwork. This is early on in his career and you can actually see it develop over the course of this book. It's pretty great.
Jim Starlin's story is pretty basic. It's like one of those 5 day G.I. Joe episodes from the 80's. The anti-life equation is actually an entity trapped in another dimension and he sends 4 aspects of himself to destroy specific planets. Our heroes have to split up and stop each aspect before coming together to defeat the anti-life equation. Starlin's characterization is hamfisted, especially the New Gods. They're almost caricatures.
Jim Starlin's story is pretty basic. It's like one of those 5 day G.I. Joe episodes from the 80's. The anti-life equation is actually an entity trapped in another dimension and he sends 4 aspects of himself to destroy specific planets. Our heroes have to split up and stop each aspect before coming together to defeat the anti-life equation. Starlin's characterization is hamfisted, especially the New Gods. They're almost caricatures.
November 27, 2018
Metron discovers the truth behind the Anti-Life Equation and it isn't good. In order to save the universe, Darkseid must team with his greatest enemies. Will the combined might of Darkseid, Superman, Orion, Batman, Forager, Starfire, Lightray, John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, The Demon, and others be enough?
Since I loved what I read of the Allred Brothers on Bug! The Adventures of Forager, decided to backtrack to Forager's biggest role prior. I read in an interview that Jim Starlin was supposed to write a story mapping out the science fiction portion of the DC Universe. Instead, he wrote Cosmic Odyssey. It was released with little promotion, which is a damn shame. With art by Mike Mignola, it's a pretty awesome book.
Created in the days when an epic could be told in a four issue standalone miniseries, Cosmic Odyssey is a crossover that mattered. It's a love letter to Jack Kirby's 1970s stint at DC comics, namely the New Gods and The Demon. Through most of Darkseid's first couple decades, his motivation was to find the Anti-Life equation. Cosmic Odyssey is what happens when the Anti-Life Equation is revealed.
After Metron is found, Darkseid goes to New Genesis of all places for help. That conveys the seriousness of the threat. The pairing of the heroes was done very well, most of the pairings done to contrast the heroes involved.. It made a lot of sense to send Batman back to earth to find that aspect of the Anti-Life Entity since he would be out of his element anywhere else. It also gave Forager a chance to shine. Orion and Superman on Thanagar did a great job showing the differences between the characters. Starfire and Lightray meeting Adam Strange and saving Rann reminded me of 52. I can't remember if Starfire and Adam Strange referenced Cosmic Odyssey there, though. The character moments between John Stewart and Martian Manhunter were also very well done, particularly at the end. Darkseid being Darkseid, things eventually go south but the ending is pretty satisfying.
Mike Mignola's art isn't quite where it was when he created Hellboy but is still great. I wouldn't think his moody artwork would set the tone but I was wrong. I'd love to see Mignola doing a New Gods series after this. Starlin's writing conveys an epic scope in just four issues and hearkens back to his earlier work.
I don't really have any gripes with this. I wouldn't have minded it being another couple issues, though. It felt a little rushed at times. Also, it could have used an appearance by Mister Miracle. Other than that, no regrets.
In my mind, Cosmic Odyssey is an overlooked gem of the last 1980s. Four out of five stars.
Since I loved what I read of the Allred Brothers on Bug! The Adventures of Forager, decided to backtrack to Forager's biggest role prior. I read in an interview that Jim Starlin was supposed to write a story mapping out the science fiction portion of the DC Universe. Instead, he wrote Cosmic Odyssey. It was released with little promotion, which is a damn shame. With art by Mike Mignola, it's a pretty awesome book.
Created in the days when an epic could be told in a four issue standalone miniseries, Cosmic Odyssey is a crossover that mattered. It's a love letter to Jack Kirby's 1970s stint at DC comics, namely the New Gods and The Demon. Through most of Darkseid's first couple decades, his motivation was to find the Anti-Life equation. Cosmic Odyssey is what happens when the Anti-Life Equation is revealed.
After Metron is found, Darkseid goes to New Genesis of all places for help. That conveys the seriousness of the threat. The pairing of the heroes was done very well, most of the pairings done to contrast the heroes involved.. It made a lot of sense to send Batman back to earth to find that aspect of the Anti-Life Entity since he would be out of his element anywhere else. It also gave Forager a chance to shine. Orion and Superman on Thanagar did a great job showing the differences between the characters. Starfire and Lightray meeting Adam Strange and saving Rann reminded me of 52. I can't remember if Starfire and Adam Strange referenced Cosmic Odyssey there, though. The character moments between John Stewart and Martian Manhunter were also very well done, particularly at the end. Darkseid being Darkseid, things eventually go south but the ending is pretty satisfying.
Mike Mignola's art isn't quite where it was when he created Hellboy but is still great. I wouldn't think his moody artwork would set the tone but I was wrong. I'd love to see Mignola doing a New Gods series after this. Starlin's writing conveys an epic scope in just four issues and hearkens back to his earlier work.
I don't really have any gripes with this. I wouldn't have minded it being another couple issues, though. It felt a little rushed at times. Also, it could have used an appearance by Mister Miracle. Other than that, no regrets.
In my mind, Cosmic Odyssey is an overlooked gem of the last 1980s. Four out of five stars.
March 17, 2022
I didn't like the final quarter of the story, but still, it's Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola, 'nuff said.
November 2, 2023
1988 with art by Mike Mignola and written by Jim Starlin. I haven't read much Starlin before.
Actually really fantastic for an event comic.
Early Mike Mignola artwork, but it looks fantastic. His Darkseid is wonderful to look at.
This is basically an end-of-world apocalyptic story-arc that gathers a bunch of random DC heroes together to fight off the Anti-Life Entity that is threatening to destroy the Milky Way galaxy. But... it actually feels like it has some weight to it. Throughout the journey there are many deaths and traumas that felt weighty and real. Usually these comic stories just feel like two characters punching each other until the hero wins.
Superman and co go to New Genesis where shockingly the Highfather is working with Darkseid. The threat is so big, that they need to teamup. Darkseid is however only in it for himself - he wants to defeat the Anti-Life Entity in order to steal some of its power for himself.
The characters involved seem a tad random, but it's a good group. The heroes end up going to 4 different planets in pairs. Superman and Orion, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, Batman and Forager, Lightray and Starfire. The characters are a bit one-dimensional, but there's so many here I think Starling did a good job showing aspects of each character.
Actually really fantastic for an event comic.
Early Mike Mignola artwork, but it looks fantastic. His Darkseid is wonderful to look at.
This is basically an end-of-world apocalyptic story-arc that gathers a bunch of random DC heroes together to fight off the Anti-Life Entity that is threatening to destroy the Milky Way galaxy. But... it actually feels like it has some weight to it. Throughout the journey there are many deaths and traumas that felt weighty and real. Usually these comic stories just feel like two characters punching each other until the hero wins.
Superman and co go to New Genesis where shockingly the Highfather is working with Darkseid. The threat is so big, that they need to teamup. Darkseid is however only in it for himself - he wants to defeat the Anti-Life Entity in order to steal some of its power for himself.
The characters involved seem a tad random, but it's a good group. The heroes end up going to 4 different planets in pairs. Superman and Orion, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, Batman and Forager, Lightray and Starfire. The characters are a bit one-dimensional, but there's so many here I think Starling did a good job showing aspects of each character.
August 13, 2019
Cosmic Odyssey was originally written in the late 1980's as a 4 part mini-series. While most '80s comics do not stand the test of time, this deluxe edition which collects all 4 issues into one, I really enjoyed this cosmic blast from the past. Written by Jim Starlin and illustrated by Mike Mignola, I was surprised as to how well Mignola's signature art style melded with this comic story. Starlin's story is also impressive in its scope and the consequences of the heroes actions.
Metron has found the Anti-Life Equation. But the equation is an entity whose mere knowledge turns Metron comatose. Now the entity is loose and Darkseid wants its power. But, the entity is so powerful that help will be needed. Darkseid approaches Highfather of New Genesis for an alliance. Highfather reaches out to the Justice League and an epic partnership is formed.
It appears the Anti-Life Equation has split into 4 parts and a team-up of heroes is sent to reign in the aspects of the Anti-Life. Orion and Superman team up to go to Thanagaria; Batman and Forager go to Earth; Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern to Xanshi; and Lightray and Starfire to Xanshi. The teams have an interesting balance in their makeup.
Without spoiling anything there are some rather interesting conflicts within the team dynamic. I particularly liked the Green Lantern-Manhunter conflict, as well as the philosophical differences between Superman and Orion. I also think the moral dimensions of the differences are quite vast and the consequences severe. Whether it is Orion's sheer bloodthirstiness or GL Stewart's sheer hubris I was impressed with the actions and their consequences.
Starlin's story is well done and seems superior to a lot of the crap in the current comic market. Mignola's art seems out of place for this setting. But, it just seems to work for this story. The bright colors of this story, mated with Mignola's art style, make for a visual treat. I was impressed by how much I liked this style.
In short- this classic tale still has an impact. The story is epic in scope and Mignola's art style all work together to make a truly cosmic odyssey. From the usual characters like Superman and Batman to the New Gods and finally with the more magical characters like the Demon Etrigan-this has a large cast of characters. The team-ups of the various characters also worked well to illustrate the differences in their personalities. The GL/Manhunter, Batman/Forager and Superman/Orion match ups were the most interesting.
A truly wonderful effort, especially considering the time. Starlin's script still has emotional resonance today, his points about hubris and differing viewpoints between the characters also work very well and have a rather important role in the story. Finally, Mignola's art style does a great job with this story and the bright colors also complement his style.
I am glad I added this deluxe edition to my library. A great cosmic story.
Metron has found the Anti-Life Equation. But the equation is an entity whose mere knowledge turns Metron comatose. Now the entity is loose and Darkseid wants its power. But, the entity is so powerful that help will be needed. Darkseid approaches Highfather of New Genesis for an alliance. Highfather reaches out to the Justice League and an epic partnership is formed.
It appears the Anti-Life Equation has split into 4 parts and a team-up of heroes is sent to reign in the aspects of the Anti-Life. Orion and Superman team up to go to Thanagaria; Batman and Forager go to Earth; Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern to Xanshi; and Lightray and Starfire to Xanshi. The teams have an interesting balance in their makeup.
Without spoiling anything there are some rather interesting conflicts within the team dynamic. I particularly liked the Green Lantern-Manhunter conflict, as well as the philosophical differences between Superman and Orion. I also think the moral dimensions of the differences are quite vast and the consequences severe. Whether it is Orion's sheer bloodthirstiness or GL Stewart's sheer hubris I was impressed with the actions and their consequences.
Starlin's story is well done and seems superior to a lot of the crap in the current comic market. Mignola's art seems out of place for this setting. But, it just seems to work for this story. The bright colors of this story, mated with Mignola's art style, make for a visual treat. I was impressed by how much I liked this style.
In short- this classic tale still has an impact. The story is epic in scope and Mignola's art style all work together to make a truly cosmic odyssey. From the usual characters like Superman and Batman to the New Gods and finally with the more magical characters like the Demon Etrigan-this has a large cast of characters. The team-ups of the various characters also worked well to illustrate the differences in their personalities. The GL/Manhunter, Batman/Forager and Superman/Orion match ups were the most interesting.
A truly wonderful effort, especially considering the time. Starlin's script still has emotional resonance today, his points about hubris and differing viewpoints between the characters also work very well and have a rather important role in the story. Finally, Mignola's art style does a great job with this story and the bright colors also complement his style.
I am glad I added this deluxe edition to my library. A great cosmic story.
August 14, 2018
This had pretty much everything I enjoyed about comics in it. I love the New Gods/Fourth World, Dr. Fate, and Etrigan. Martian Manhunter and John Stewart GL are also some of my favorite characters. Starfire was also really cool, but I haven’t had as much exposure with her outside of the TT cartoon and that’s not a super faithful adaptation from the comics. And of course Batman and Superman were present.
The story was really good and entertaining. Mignola’s art was superb as always. And I liked the way Orion’s bigotry was handled. It was good timing to read about John’s actions on Xanshi given how they’ve been talking about a lot recently in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps (which I’ve been reading as single issues). I never even knew that about him before it being mentioned in HJ&GLC, and I had no clue it was in this title that it happened. I like how it was resolved a lot.
Overall this was a really great trade! Would highly recommend.
The story was really good and entertaining. Mignola’s art was superb as always. And I liked the way Orion’s bigotry was handled. It was good timing to read about John’s actions on Xanshi given how they’ve been talking about a lot recently in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps (which I’ve been reading as single issues). I never even knew that about him before it being mentioned in HJ&GLC, and I had no clue it was in this title that it happened. I like how it was resolved a lot.
Overall this was a really great trade! Would highly recommend.
December 26, 2012
Stalin's take on a cosmic epic in the DCU ended up feeling, to me, like a pale imitation of his Marvel U cosmic epics. Sure, he was brought in to essentially do what he'd done for Marvel with his various Thanos minis for DC, but I did expect more out of it. Maybe it's because the anti-life threat felt forced, even more so than the threat that Thanos usually poses. The dialogue seemed a little under par to me, too.
There are two noteworthy things here, and Mike Mignola's art is one of them. This is pre-Hellboy, and you can see the Kirby influences plainly. It suits the story and writing style Starlin had here. Also, there's a big piece of Green Lantern history here: John Stewart's big failure. Parts of that storyline are indeed forced, but since I've read so much of him dealing with the aftermath of that event, it was nice to finally see where and how it happened.
There are two noteworthy things here, and Mike Mignola's art is one of them. This is pre-Hellboy, and you can see the Kirby influences plainly. It suits the story and writing style Starlin had here. Also, there's a big piece of Green Lantern history here: John Stewart's big failure. Parts of that storyline are indeed forced, but since I've read so much of him dealing with the aftermath of that event, it was nice to finally see where and how it happened.
December 1, 2022
Mike Mignola carried this 4 star rating on his back all the way.
March 6, 2024
Jim Starlin es uno de mis guionistas favoritos de la Marvel. Me gana siempre la enormidad de su rollete cósmico, el trasfondo existencial y las dudas metafísicas de sus personajes. En esta historia para DC poca filosofía hay, es una historia sin complejidades ni grandes discursos, pero precisamente por eso la lectura no es densa, es amena y rápida.
El dibujo de Mignola se ajusta a esa sencillez que pide el guión y todo transcurre como un tebeo clásico de pijameo. Aventuras en cuatro planetas distintos, escenarios espaciales, una amenaza al tejido mismo del cosmos y Darkseid aliándose con los buenos. Ah, y a Orión le cascan dos bofetones Batman y el Supes. Nada de profundidad, pero un buen rato.
El dibujo de Mignola se ajusta a esa sencillez que pide el guión y todo transcurre como un tebeo clásico de pijameo. Aventuras en cuatro planetas distintos, escenarios espaciales, una amenaza al tejido mismo del cosmos y Darkseid aliándose con los buenos. Ah, y a Orión le cascan dos bofetones Batman y el Supes. Nada de profundidad, pero un buen rato.
Read
September 28, 2021At glance, this story, features many big-name superheroes in the DC universe, as well as two all-star creators Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola; and—AND—Jack Kirby’s creations The New Gods, and THE quintessential villain Darkseid, it has everything you need to tell a story of proper Cosmic proportions. Starlin sticks to the fundamentals, nothing too fancy: an immeasurable seemingly unstoppable power threatens universes (!) Uber Villain Darkseid must turn to his lifelong enemies for help (!) Super star heroes Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and others of lesser renown; they must break up into teams of two--so desperate is the hour of discontent and of so little time left for heroics--so these titans can cover more Cosmic ground, as it were—the only way they can save absolutely all of everything.
I would totally be into this.
I have a great amount of affection for The New Gods; I truly appreciate and fearfully respect the evil machinations of Darkseid. He (he?) who once had his prey tied up seconds from decapitation if, and only if, one of their fellow team members (also fully restrained) too exhausted to press a single button every minute of the day in order to save them; the horror visible on a TV screen, trap resets every minute ad infinitum. Pretty mean.
I enjoy a solid Batman story; I can appreciate the necessity of Superman when there are entire solar systems in jeopardy of being destroyed. I’m willing to get to know other characters which I’m less familiar with like John Stewart of the Green Lantern Corps, who apparently was born in Detroit, Michigan. Martian Manhunter is there, so is Starfire and a guy called Bug a.k.a Forager. I don’t know almost anything about those last four. However, if the story is of a high quality escapism then we will get to know them in some capacity--that’s part of the fun. Learn about their power, their weakness and perhaps be party to an event that results in a long term metamorphosis. Yes, year long reverberations echoing throughout other comics in the DC universe. The bread and butter of infinitely serialized stories.
JIm Starlin, best known to fans for his work on Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, misfires with his characterizations of Batman, The New Gods, and Darksied. He may have flopped on some of the other characters, but I’d never know due to my passive knowledge. Either way, none of the others were compelling in any way at all.
The most egregious error was his misunderstanding of Jack Kirby’s “Anti-life equation”. It can be many things: a theme park that traps humanity infinitely, TV broadcasts that bring viewers under complete control, or a mathematical equation that induces those who recognize it to the futility of life, enslaving them ultimately.
In Cosmic Odyssey, Starlin equates anti-life as a liquid-like alien being/substance that detonates bombs that destroy entire solar systems. It’s as uninteresting as it sounds
A minor player sacrifices his life to save the day. A last minute surprise shows up, also to save the day. Darkseid was using everyone all along for nefarious ends (!). The last chapter is a cliche riddled disaster.
The art is pretty awesome. Mike Mignola does great work, but he cannot bail this story out. No one can.
I would totally be into this.
I have a great amount of affection for The New Gods; I truly appreciate and fearfully respect the evil machinations of Darkseid. He (he?) who once had his prey tied up seconds from decapitation if, and only if, one of their fellow team members (also fully restrained) too exhausted to press a single button every minute of the day in order to save them; the horror visible on a TV screen, trap resets every minute ad infinitum. Pretty mean.
I enjoy a solid Batman story; I can appreciate the necessity of Superman when there are entire solar systems in jeopardy of being destroyed. I’m willing to get to know other characters which I’m less familiar with like John Stewart of the Green Lantern Corps, who apparently was born in Detroit, Michigan. Martian Manhunter is there, so is Starfire and a guy called Bug a.k.a Forager. I don’t know almost anything about those last four. However, if the story is of a high quality escapism then we will get to know them in some capacity--that’s part of the fun. Learn about their power, their weakness and perhaps be party to an event that results in a long term metamorphosis. Yes, year long reverberations echoing throughout other comics in the DC universe. The bread and butter of infinitely serialized stories.
JIm Starlin, best known to fans for his work on Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, misfires with his characterizations of Batman, The New Gods, and Darksied. He may have flopped on some of the other characters, but I’d never know due to my passive knowledge. Either way, none of the others were compelling in any way at all.
The most egregious error was his misunderstanding of Jack Kirby’s “Anti-life equation”. It can be many things: a theme park that traps humanity infinitely, TV broadcasts that bring viewers under complete control, or a mathematical equation that induces those who recognize it to the futility of life, enslaving them ultimately.
In Cosmic Odyssey, Starlin equates anti-life as a liquid-like alien being/substance that detonates bombs that destroy entire solar systems. It’s as uninteresting as it sounds
A minor player sacrifices his life to save the day. A last minute surprise shows up, also to save the day. Darkseid was using everyone all along for nefarious ends (!). The last chapter is a cliche riddled disaster.
The art is pretty awesome. Mike Mignola does great work, but he cannot bail this story out. No one can.
July 11, 2023
The history of DC Comics is strewn with attempts to use Darkseid and the New Gods well: most fail. Jim Starlin must have seemed a solid pick to have a go in this 1989 Prestige Format series, teamed with a still raw Mike Mignola. Starlin’s 70s Marvel work had expanded that company’s sense of the cosmic in more mystical and psychological directions - space-bound fantasy epics were the guy’s stock in trade.
But Cosmic Odyssey is tedious stuff, a four-way Macguffin chase in which every character feels somehow off - Darkseid talks like an off-model Doom; Orion and Lightray are caricatures of violence and vanity respectively. The DC heroes don’t fare much better (at least one character was ruined for years by his handling here). Starlin tries what most creators do when tasked with a Darkseid story - invent a bigger bad for him to be scared of - and it’s just a big black shape. None of it feels as weighty or epic as Starlin seems to want.
Fortunately Mignola can help with that, at least. He’s not yet the masterful gothic stylist he’d become but he’s good enough to draw a properly solid, granite-chopped Darkseid and to give the grand architecture of New Genesis some Olympian scale. He improves as the series goes on, too - by the fourth part, the closing battle between Batman and a hulking zombie parademon feels grippingly brutal and physical. This is the kind of dark solidity you want from Mignola, and it’s exciting to see him get more confident with it across these 200 ish pages. Just a shame the story is so flaccid.
But Cosmic Odyssey is tedious stuff, a four-way Macguffin chase in which every character feels somehow off - Darkseid talks like an off-model Doom; Orion and Lightray are caricatures of violence and vanity respectively. The DC heroes don’t fare much better (at least one character was ruined for years by his handling here). Starlin tries what most creators do when tasked with a Darkseid story - invent a bigger bad for him to be scared of - and it’s just a big black shape. None of it feels as weighty or epic as Starlin seems to want.
Fortunately Mignola can help with that, at least. He’s not yet the masterful gothic stylist he’d become but he’s good enough to draw a properly solid, granite-chopped Darkseid and to give the grand architecture of New Genesis some Olympian scale. He improves as the series goes on, too - by the fourth part, the closing battle between Batman and a hulking zombie parademon feels grippingly brutal and physical. This is the kind of dark solidity you want from Mignola, and it’s exciting to see him get more confident with it across these 200 ish pages. Just a shame the story is so flaccid.
October 31, 2017
the Mignola art is great and all but the story is so medicore... It's such a chore to read, i couldn't finish the book actually... I was eyeing my mangas on the shelf like what have i got myself in to when there is to read those babies while i was reading it. :/
The villain is nothing new if you know Galactus, Anti-Monitor or Dormammu... The Anti Life aquation is acutally an alive cosmic being like them who wants to consume the galaxy if he can get out of his dimension and heroes try to stop him. If the desing of Anti life was cooler, i would be like at least he looks cool but no, it's just somekind of goo or something... so boring...
The villain is nothing new if you know Galactus, Anti-Monitor or Dormammu... The Anti Life aquation is acutally an alive cosmic being like them who wants to consume the galaxy if he can get out of his dimension and heroes try to stop him. If the desing of Anti life was cooler, i would be like at least he looks cool but no, it's just somekind of goo or something... so boring...
February 4, 2016
Not a bad series. I am not a fan of the art style used by Mike Mignola and to me this detracted from the story. Good plot and a nice read. Recommended
December 15, 2023
An interesting tale of Cosmic cataclysm, with themes of hope, friendship and guilt, but fails to execute them all to perfection.
January 11, 2010
Jim Starlin's tenuous grasp on astronomy irked me at times. I could easily have overlooked the inaccuracies but the inconsistencies within those inaccuracies were particularly bothersome. Regardless, this involved a group of characters I find extremely compelling and the mediocre plot was saved by some interesting and engaging character interaction.
Mike Mignola's art was great even in it's relative infancy. I've heard comparisons to Jack Kirby but didn't see that as clearly in his Hellboy work as I do here, wherein he is actually illustrating Kirby's characters.
Good character moments, some fun art and important continuity for the DCU,included events influencing the current Blackest Night crossover event.
Mike Mignola's art was great even in it's relative infancy. I've heard comparisons to Jack Kirby but didn't see that as clearly in his Hellboy work as I do here, wherein he is actually illustrating Kirby's characters.
Good character moments, some fun art and important continuity for the DCU,included events influencing the current Blackest Night crossover event.
April 20, 2017
I picked this one up for reasons that are probably obvious. This is still pretty early Mignola, but there's some great stuff, and it's fun to see him drawing Kirby characters like Darkseid and Orion. Several panels or scenes are just jaw-dropping, even if it's never as amazing as his more recent stuff.
The story itself is also pretty fun, and fairly self-contained as big cosmic event comics go.
[EDIT: A new hardcover of this came out, so of course I got it, and read it again what turns out to be six years almost to the day since the last time. Everything I said there still mostly applies.]
The story itself is also pretty fun, and fairly self-contained as big cosmic event comics go.
[EDIT: A new hardcover of this came out, so of course I got it, and read it again what turns out to be six years almost to the day since the last time. Everything I said there still mostly applies.]
March 5, 2017
This book is gorgeous. The story isn't overly original and sometimes the characters deduce things out of the blue. But it's worth it for the artwork alone. Mike Mignola's pages are flawless, effortless, and breathtaking.
Fun fact: Originally the creators wanted Wonder Woman in this story. But the character wasn't available so they replaced her with Starfire.
Fun fact: Originally the creators wanted Wonder Woman in this story. But the character wasn't available so they replaced her with Starfire.
September 29, 2020
I love reading the old 80s comics. Especially jim starlins cosmic shit. Though normally it's a marvel comic of his I am reading. Anyway, it's was very basic and straight forward. It would be a kids book if it wasn't for the violence and genocide. 4 stars I guess. I don't know.
April 25, 2019
I was copying some mp3s to my new pendrive and as it was a cheap pendrive you can bet the transfer rate wouldn't be... Well fast. I picked up my recently acquired omnibus of Cosmic Odyssey just to see if it was as good as I remembered ( I had sold my original 4 issues back a few years ago when we needed money but I bought this amazing hardcover a few days ago enjoying a 50% discount) and I think I have not seen when the transference came to an end ( I am lying I actually saw it but I like to look cool ) but I read this from cover to cover. This is the epitome of great super heroes story with a cosmic background written by a master of this, Starlin and drawn by nothing less than the amazing Mike Mignola. Five stars definitely.
September 2, 2018
This is Jim Starlin's standard fare: A big entity from another place could destroy our reality; heroes join forces with a mad villain; said bad guy controls them as puppets and in the end all they get is tears and pain, in good 'ol poetic fashion from the Grim Reaper of comics (now a meaningless name, sadly). In a way it feels like he was on autopilot, as characters seem taken the place role that characters like Thanos, Adam Warlock or Dr Strange would have played if he told this story in Marvel (which he did a few years later). Mignola's art is okayish but it certainly does not really suit an Space Opera epic, but at least there is not the overuse of shadows that he likes to use to avoid drawing characters.
Overall, a pretty fun story.
Overall, a pretty fun story.
November 15, 2023
I had never read Cosmic Odyssey before, as it originally came out right when I got out of buying comics for a few years. Cosmic is definitely the keyword here, as were are dealing with Darksied, New Genesis, and Anti-Life. Superman and Batman are here, as well as various members of Kirby's Fourth World. Also on hand are Starfire, Martian Manhunter, and John Stewart (a Green Lantern), who does something that was followed his character ever since. The story was strong, but the Mike Mignola art is even better. Wow wow wow. Glad I finally got around to this book.
May 10, 2022
When I originally read this back in the late Eighties when this first came out, I don't believe I appreciated this story, not being that familiar with Kirby's Fourth World subjects. I know i did not like Mignola's artwork but now I can see the power in his drawings and his nod towards King Kirby. A worthy entry in DC's New Gods canon. The story was epic in scale. The choice of cosmic DC characters was on point.
October 6, 2014
It's a threat so big that the New Gods have allied with Darkseid and come to enlist the Justice League's help! The anti-life equation has gained sentience, and is aiming to end all of existence. All it needs to do it is to destroy two of four planets, and the universe will fall apart. (They're load-bearing planets, I guess?) A series of team-ups sees different pairings going to each planet to stop the aspect of the anti-life that's trying to put its world-smashing powers in motion. Orion and Superman go to Thanagar; Starfire and Lightray go to Rann; Green Lantern (John Stewart version) and Martian Manhunter go to Xanshi; and Batman and the Forager settle things on Earth, while Jason Blood, the Highfather, and Darkseid prepare a last-ditch plan B. There's betrayals and setbacks aplenty, and, as is traditional, someone pays a devastating cost. It's not a wildly original story--the team-ups and splitting up into groups feel very "this is how crossover stories work," and the plot is a little odd when you think of it--really, the universe hangs together so loosely? And you're going with a team of ten or so when all of existence is at stake? And the Anti-Life itself is a rather abstract enemy. Luckily, Darkseid more than fills that role. But the fun of the story is in Starlin's use of the characters to create some epic moments, and it certainly works in that end. He's great with Superman and Batman, and even Starfire gets a great shining moment. Most of team New Genesis comes off as jerks, but, well, most of New Genesis is jerks. The worst off, however, may be John, who acts a lot different from the current model--although to be fair, I don't really know his 1988 status. Mignola is on art duty, and it's a lot of fun to see him tackle the iconic DC space characters. This story ranks somewhere in the middle of Starlin's overall cosmic stories, but if you're in the right mindset, it's a lot of fun.
March 30, 2014
1988's Cosmic Odyssey was an interesting read. Writer Jim Starlin took Jack Kirby's ambiguous idea of the Anti-Life Equation and turned it into to an actual being, the Anti-Life Entity, resulting in a threat to the galaxy that even Darkseid feared. A team of superheroes was assembled (including the likes of Superman, Batman, Orion, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern John Stewart just to name a few) by Highfather and Darkseid to battle the impending doom. The part of the story that has had the longest lasting affect on the DC Universe (both pre and post-New 52) was John Stewart's inability to stop the destruction of the planet Xanshi due to his arrogance. This event haunts Stewart to this day in current continuity.
What makes Cosmic Odyssey interesting is seeing Jim Starlin's take on these characters. Starlin, who is probably best known for his work with the characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock and for creating the very Darkseid and New God influenced Thanos (all three from/for Marvel), is steeped in the creation of grand cosmic adventures (see 1991's brilliant Infinity Gauntlet). And while this was an entertaining read, it felt like a story better suited for the Marvel Universe than that of DC. This isn't to say it was bad, just kind of odd.
For more info --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_O...
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Odyssey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Lif...
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Anti-Life_En...
What makes Cosmic Odyssey interesting is seeing Jim Starlin's take on these characters. Starlin, who is probably best known for his work with the characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock and for creating the very Darkseid and New God influenced Thanos (all three from/for Marvel), is steeped in the creation of grand cosmic adventures (see 1991's brilliant Infinity Gauntlet). And while this was an entertaining read, it felt like a story better suited for the Marvel Universe than that of DC. This isn't to say it was bad, just kind of odd.
For more info --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_O...
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Cosmic_Odyssey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Lif...
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Anti-Life_En...
December 28, 2014
This late-80's cosmic Event is important for a few reasons 1) it brought back Jack Kirby's New Gods 2) it features some pretty dope artwork by a pre-"Hellboy" Mike Mignola and 3) it's partly about that time Green Lantern . If any of those things interest you, "Cosmic Odyssey" is worth a read. Honestly, it was worth it to me just to see Mignola draw Batman fighting space monsters.
Beyond these reasons, "Cosmic Odyssey" doesn't have too much to offer. The New Gods and the Justice League team up to save the galaxy from an evil Macguffin, and the reader spends three-fourths of the running time waiting for Darkseid's inevitable Heel Turn. Along the way, there are some fun moments. I'm partial to Superman backhanding Orion in the face and Martian Manhunter negging Green Lantern out of committing suicide. But the whole endeavor is pretty pompous and shallow, in the way that most Event comics are.
Beyond these reasons, "Cosmic Odyssey" doesn't have too much to offer. The New Gods and the Justice League team up to save the galaxy from an evil Macguffin, and the reader spends three-fourths of the running time waiting for Darkseid's inevitable Heel Turn. Along the way, there are some fun moments. I'm partial to Superman backhanding Orion in the face and Martian Manhunter negging Green Lantern out of committing suicide. But the whole endeavor is pretty pompous and shallow, in the way that most Event comics are.
Read
April 9, 2019Before his 90s cosmic epics at Marvel, Jim Starlin teamed with Mike Mignola for this Fourth World-centric miniseries at DC. And it’s pretty good. I love books like this that serve as tours of the DC Universe; here, we get characters as diverse as Batman, Starfire, Etrigan, Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange, and the New Gods. Plus a look at ancient DC history and lore.
The story centers around Darkseid recruiting various heroes to halt the anti-life equation (manifested as a sentient being) from overtaking the galaxy. The group splits into four teams to ward off the threat. It’s a familiar plot structure that we’ve seen in JLA stories and the like, and it’s handled as well as it could be here. My biggest complaint is that the characterization and dialogue feels stilted more often than not. Some scenes took me out of the story and fell totally flat.
Mike Mignola’s art is fantastic. He can draw colorful, psychedelic outer space as well as the dark supernatural stuff he’s most known for. All in all, a good book, just not a great one.
The story centers around Darkseid recruiting various heroes to halt the anti-life equation (manifested as a sentient being) from overtaking the galaxy. The group splits into four teams to ward off the threat. It’s a familiar plot structure that we’ve seen in JLA stories and the like, and it’s handled as well as it could be here. My biggest complaint is that the characterization and dialogue feels stilted more often than not. Some scenes took me out of the story and fell totally flat.
Mike Mignola’s art is fantastic. He can draw colorful, psychedelic outer space as well as the dark supernatural stuff he’s most known for. All in all, a good book, just not a great one.
August 21, 2021
A few years after the Crisis, this was a worthwhile attempt to return the New Gods to the DC Universe, and Jim Starlin seemed like he should be a good author to do so.
As for the result? The story itself is weird, with the Anti-Life Equation becoming a creature in an anti-matter dimension who wants to destroy everything; and it uses an already old trope, of a small team of characters splitting up to each go to a different locale. Then we get a Fate Ex Machina at the end.
But the characters, they're what make the story. The depiction of Orion, Lightray, Forager, Darkseid, and the other Fourth World entities is excellent, really examining the characters. And we also get a great John Stewart story, one that would haunt his character for decades.
The other star of the story is Mike Mignola's early artwork, which is unique and attractive.
Without Kirby, the New Gods were always going to be a tricky proposition, but this was a worthwhile attempt (and would lead to a long-running series).
As for the result? The story itself is weird, with the Anti-Life Equation becoming a creature in an anti-matter dimension who wants to destroy everything; and it uses an already old trope, of a small team of characters splitting up to each go to a different locale. Then we get a Fate Ex Machina at the end.
But the characters, they're what make the story. The depiction of Orion, Lightray, Forager, Darkseid, and the other Fourth World entities is excellent, really examining the characters. And we also get a great John Stewart story, one that would haunt his character for decades.
The other star of the story is Mike Mignola's early artwork, which is unique and attractive.
Without Kirby, the New Gods were always going to be a tricky proposition, but this was a worthwhile attempt (and would lead to a long-running series).
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