THE STAR BRAND #16

“Death, Where is Thy Sting?”

November 1988

—LISTINGS

1EDITIONS

—SOLD

Roger dreams of being the world's greatest hero, but even in his dreams he may fall short. Meanwhile, the Star Brand Child, now significantly grown, bestows his great power to Jacob Burnley, a middle aged average Joe. Includes the 6-page back-up tale "Madman!" starring Nightmask. Roger has dreams about being a superhero, but his dream ends with the destruction of the planet. The scientists who are testing him continue to wonder how he came back to life. Then they discover that one of the monkeys they dissected is still alive, even in its dissected state. People in the Pitt area that are trying to cull the mutated monsters are also unable to kill them. Ken, looking diseased and wearing a cloak, preaches a gospel of himself to the people in the area. Billy, the grandson of Jacob Burnley, is also not dying, even though his sickness indicated that he should have. Burnley is visited by the Starchild, now a teen. He takes him to space, and says he wants to him the power of the Brand. Burnley says it would be better for a younger person to have the power, but the Starchild chose Burnley because of the wisdom of his age. The Starchild wants to roam the universe and learn of the power. He points out, in a meta-comment on the comic, that it has never been explain how the Old Man got the power, or why he gave it to Ken. But he says he has already disarmed the militaries of the world, and gotten rid of the concept of death. The Starchild then visits Roger and Jane. They explain that he has been screwing things up: with no death, people will live in pain, and the basic interactions of life, as with bacteria, will be disrupted. The Starchild changes Roger back to his normal body, and sends them home. Then he brings death back. Ken, still preaching, collapses in the ruins, but there is at least one person who sees him as "master." Burnley has saved his grandson, and creates a wonderful natural space so the two of them can hang out--on the moon. He wonders if he can fix all the problems Ken created. In the back-up story, Nightmask has nightmares seen through another's eyes, and eventually sees the Justice killer may be the key. — Description from Comic Vine community (comicvine.gamespot.com).