Current mood:	calm
Entry tags:	char: fantomah, char: stardust, creator: mike allred, publisher: image comics, title: fantastic comics

Since the rediscovery of Fletcher Hanks' work, there have been a couple of modern takes on his most famous creation, Stardust the Super-Wizard. Alan Moore didn't hold anything back when Stardust cameo'd in League of Extraordinary Gentleman. A different take on Stardust can be found in Fantastic Comics #24, part of the Next Issue Project put out by Image Comics, with art by Mike Allred. "A Stardust comic illustrated by the guy who did Madman? Awesome!" you may be thinking. Um. Well...




The story is narrated by the homeless girl from Fantastic Comics #12, now an old woman. Stardust has left the earth behind and she prays for the return of her hero.




He punches robots, saves some superheroes (Little Nemo also shows up for no real reason) and he turns the old woman young again.



Normally I'm a big fan of Allred's work but his art here isn't his best. I wish the writing had given him the opportunity to create his own Hanks-style mayhem instead of redrawing Fletcher Hanks' Greatest WTF Hits. And the interpretation of Stardust as a symbol of hope is...strange, considering that in his own comic he was more about punishing the guilty (in colorfully, wonderfully, bizarre and disturbing ways) than protecting or inspiring the innocent. Thoughts?