Starr the Slayer
| Starr the Slayer | |
|---|---|
 Starr the Slayer, artist Barry Windsor-Smith | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Chamber of Darkness #4 (April, 1970) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) Barry Windsor-Smith (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Starr |
| Abilities | Expert swordsman |
Starr the Slayer is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Chamber of Darkness #4, (April 1970), and was created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. In 2007, writer Warren Ellis introduced a new version of Starr in the Marvel series newuniversal.
STARR THE SLAYER
Real Name: Starr
Identity/Class: Human (Hyborian era)
Occupation: Barbarian king of Zardath
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Morro
Enemies: Len Carson, Man-Dragon, Trull
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: The kingdom of Zardath
First Appearance: Chamber of Darkness#4 (April, 1970)
Powers/Abilities: Starr the Slayer was a powerful warrior, armed with a broadsword. History:
History:
(Chamber of Darkness#4/3) - Starr the Slayer was the barbarian king of Zardath, and fought off invaders such as the wizard Trull and his Man-Dragon. His adventures appeared in the dreams of 20th century writer Len Carson, who wrote stories about Starr for magazines. When Carson developed ulcers, he decided to give up writing, and intended to kill off Starr in his last story, but Starr confronted him on his way to the mailbox. Starr claimed that Carson himself had summoned him there (apparently through his subconscious), and identified Carson as a wizard. To preserve his own life, Starr killed Carson.
Starr then awoke from his dream-like experience to find himself back in Zardath, with his minstrel friend Morro nearby. He told Morro that he had just won a battle to save his very soul, and Morro was interested in turning his adventure into a song. Starr returned to Zardath, "and there did rule wisely and justly till the end of his days...and they were many." -- the Chronicles of Zardath. Created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith.Starr served as a prototype for Conan prior to Marvel's acquiring of the license; Thomas and Smith went on to serve as the creators who brought Conan to Marvel with Conan the Barbarian#1.Now that Marvel doesn't have the Conan license, Starr has some appeal as a stand-in...
Starr the Slayer was revived for the Newuniversal line. He appeared in Newuniversal: Conqueror#1 (October, 2008) and a self-titled mini-series Starr the Slayer#1-4 (November, 2009 - February, 2010). It is unknown if the Starr the Slayer from Newuniversal is the same as the character from Chamber of Darkness#4.
Publication history
Chamber of Darkness
The initial version of Starr was a barbarian king, defending his kingdom. A 20th century writer, Len Carson, dreamed of Starr's adventures. When he was about to turn in a manuscript that would kill off Starr, Starr mysteriously appeared, killing Carson. It is unclear whether or not Starr was intended to be part of the Marvel Universe.[1]
Starr the Slayer is shown defending the city of Zardath, of which he is king, from a fire-breathing Man-Dragon conjured up by Trull the sorcerer. Suddenly, the Man-Dragon vanishes and a gigantic image of Trull’s face appears, telling Starr that he is going to be destroyed. The Man-Dragon suddenly reappears many times larger than it was just moments before. As Starr is held over a raging inferno of fire caused by the Man-Dragon, Trull informs him that the inhabitants of Zardath will become slaves as punishment for Starr usurping the throne from Trull. A fireball suddenly leaps out of the flames towards Starr, but he blocks it with his sword. The Man-Dragon vanishes again, this time forever, in an explosion, and Starr falls to the ground. He credits his Heaven-forged blade for saving his life.
Trull appears behind Starr and begins to cast a spell. Starr immediately throws his sword at Trull in an attempt to interrupt the spell. It is at this point we learn the battle between Starr, Trull, and the Man-Dragon was apparently a dream had by a writer named Len Carson in modern-day America. Len calls up the editor, Whitney, of the magazine he writes for saying he has another Starr the Slayer story. Len Carson tells Whitney that he plans on killing off the character of Starr. Whitney is angry at this and hangs up on Len. A few hours later, as Len exits his apartment to mail his new Starr the Slayer story, he encounters Officer O’Neal who asks Len about the strange dreams he has. Len tells O’Neal that according to his doctor, the dreams are making Len uptight and giving him ulcers and he’ll have to stop writing Starr the Slayer stories.
As Len continues on his way, Starr the Slayer appears in an alley, and accuses Len of being a murderer and assassin. Len is shocked and confused, telling Starr that he is not real and only a creation of his. Starr does not believe him, calling him a wizard and swinging at him with his sword. Len continues to protest, saying he’s not a wizard and only a writer that dreamed up Starr the Slayer. Starr says he must kill Len to save his own life, and he does so. On the plains outside of Zardath, Starr awakens to his minstrel, Morro, who tells Starr that Trull is dead. Starr tells Morro that he had been in a strange land, but Morro says Starr has been laying on the ground unconscious for many minutes. Starr says he will one day tell Morro of his strange dream, but in the meantime they head back into the city where Starr is the rightful king.
Starr the Slayer was a trial run for Conan by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith, the original creative team of the Marvel Conan comics. Starr looks and acts like Conan but was created before Marvel Comics got the rights to do Conan.Starr the Slayer was very loosely based upon both Conan and Kull.Len Carson is a vaguely loose verson of Robert E. Howard and Lin Carter[1]
newuniversal
Warren Ellis's newuniversal series includes another version of Starr. In the universe of newuniversal, some areas of space are part of an artificial construct, the 'newuniversal structure', and do not entirely obey the standard laws of physics. Earth has drifted into this structure on several occasions, and was within it for at least part of Starr's lifetime.[volume & issue needed]
When a world first moves into the newuniversal structure, a small number of inhabitants are modified in predetermined ways, endowed with abilities that will help their people to cope with these changes. The newuniversal version of Starr was one such superhuman, gifted with the Starbrand, which has been described as a planetary defense system embodied in human form.[volume & issue needed]
An archaeological discovery on the new universal Earth reveals that Starr the Slayer, and the "prehistoric" city of Zardath actually existed in Northern Europe centuries before Uruk, the oldest known human city. Starr, accompanied by three other superhumans, had greatly accelerated the technological development of his people; excavation of Zardath's ruins revealed arc lights and possible traces of nuclear power.[volume & issue needed]
However, Starr was betrayed by the Nightmask Trull, one of the other superhumans. Trull plotted against Starr's rule, destroyed the mind of his old friend Ukru and preyed on other superhumans before they could reveal themselves to Starr and join Zardath.[volume & issue needed]
Stripped of their minds, Trull's victims were hideously mutated by their own uncontrolled powers, becoming monstrous beasts - which Starr regularly fought and killed, without understanding their origin. Trull was eventually exposed when one of his victims, the mute girl Gila, managed to warn Starr before her death.[2] Starr's subsequent actions are unknown.
Zardath was eventually buried beneath a rock shelf and undiscovered for approximately four and a half thousand years, uncovered only when earth drifted back into the newuniversal structure and the White Event created a new batch of superhumans. Starr himself had evidently died some time before Zardath was buried, as his body was entombed deep beneath the city; the tomb survived intact until Zardath was uncovered.[volume & issue needed]
When the tomb was excavated the Starbrand, the mark associated with a Starbrand's powers, was still visible etched into the forehead of Starr's skull.[3]
MAX Comics
In September 2009, A new version of “Starr the Slayer” by Daniel Way and Richard Corben is published by Marvel Comic's MAX Comics imprint.[4][5]
Notes
- ^ http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/starrslayer.htm marvunapp.com
- ^ Simon Spurrier (w), Eric Nguyen (a). newuniversal: conqueror, no. 1 (October 2008). Marvel Comics.
- ^ CCI, Day 4: Ellis talks "newuniversal", Comic Book Resources
- ^ Heroes Con '09: Marvel's Starr the Slayer Returns, Newsarama, June 19, 2009
- ^ HeroesCon: Way & Corben Talk “Starr the Slayer", Comic Book Resources, June 20, 2009