MARVEL EPIC COMICS: Dreadstar

Marvel Comics in the Media

COMIC BOOK BIO:
Dreadstar is in a universe far away. Magic is a great power there. Dreadstar came to this universe looking for a place of peace, but a war was in progress and his world's civilation was destroyed plus his wife. With the only other survivor a cat-man he joins up with a magic priest, a telepathic woman, and a gorilla type person who is a smuggler. They fight both sides wanting to put an end to the war.XXXHe was born on the planet Byfrexia located in the Vega system. As a teenager he witnessed the slaying and devour of his parents by snow beasts. Many miles away from any settlements he was going to die of exposure and starvation if he did not find the Sword Of Power. The weapon gave him extraordinary power allowing him not only to survive but to thrive. Vanth's grief over his parents' deaths drives him temporarily mad and he declares a one man war against the snow beasts, hunting and slaughtering each one he can find. Since the beasts are the primary food source of neighboring settlements, these are soon almost decimated due to Vanth's actions. The settlers in their turn hunt the "Cold Man," bent on bringing him to justice before he obliterates their food supply and chances of survival. Vanth promptly hijacks a ship and leaves the planet. Sometime later Byfrexia is invaded by the Zygoteans, an evil alien race in the process of conquering and wiping out the Milky Way. Vanth returns to Byfrexia to defend his people from the invasion. With his unique powers he singlehandedly sets back the Zygoteans' invasion plan, prompting the Byfrexians to name him leader of the rebellion.Aknaton eventually returns to Byfrexia and finds Vanth, recruiting him as a bodyguard for three special beings Aknaton had a part in creating, Za, Juliet & Whis'Par, beings who are part of his plan to stop the Zygotean menace. Vanth leaps at the chance that there might be a plan to destroy the Zygoteans, though he is shaken when Aknaton reveals the exact nature of the plan to him and the others. Aknaton has reasoned that since the Zygoteans are undefeatable, and the death of the galaxy cannot be prevented, the only remaining kindness is to make the end as quick and painless as possible. He therefore long ago created the Infinity Horn, whose purpose is to destroy the entire Milky Way. Appalled, but convinced that Aknaton's plan is the only option, Vanth and the others agree.XXXFighting their way past an army of Zygoteans and their slaves (who have become aware of the plan and fight desperately to stop it), they journey to a cavern on the planet Dreamsend. As Aknaton and Vanth hold off the Zygoteans outside, Za, Juliet, and Whis'Par enter the cavern and together sound the Infinity Horn, destroying the entire Milky Way. Just in time, Aknaton uses his mystic powers to encase himself and Vanth in a bubble of force and throw them into intergalactic space.XXXUnknown eons later the force bubble crashes on a planet named Caldor in another galaxy, where almost immediately Aknaton goads Vanth into shooting him in a fit of rage and guilt over the obliteration of the Milky Way. Mortally wounded, Aknaton confesses that he goaded Vanth into killing him because he cannot live with the guilt over what he has done. As he dies, he tells Vanth that he saved him and brought him here because this galaxy (later identified as the Empirical Galaxy, is at a point where it might or might not go the way of the Milky Way, developing Zygoteans of its own. Aknaton wants Vanth to change the destiny of this new galaxy, or, failing that, find the Infinity Horn and give this galaxy the same mercy killing given the Milky Way.

WHAT WE KNOW:
There's a Dreadstar movie coming our way! Although he may be before many of our CBMers time, the adventures of Vanth Dreadstar and his motley crew made for a cracking sci-fi read. Jim Starlin (co-creator of the likes of Thanos, Drax the Destroyer and Gamora) created the character in the '80s for Marvel's Epic Illustrated, but his popularity soon led to his own series. The stories followed Vanth and his pals Syzygy Darklock, Willow and a cat-man called Oedi as they battled the forces of the Church of The Instrumentality. Says Benderspink's J.C. Spink of the acquisition: "Apart from Star Wars, this was my favorite science fiction story growing up. Dreadstar is one of the most important comics on the 1980s, paving the way for creators to control their own creations. After decades of Jim exercising that control and turning away countless Hollywood suitors, I'm excited he's trusting me to do it right."