Starmaker: Leviathan: 1 - Softcover

Adam Hamdy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0956502016 ISBN 13: 9780956502018

Publisher: Dare Books, 2010

Synopsis

Created by the critically-acclaimed team behind THE HUNTER, STARMAKER: LEVIATHAN is a 425 page sci-fi epic published in four parts. Still in the process of being published, the full plot for STARMAKER: LEVIATHAN is currently locked away in a secret location, which is guarded by lasers. What is known is this: Jacob Carter s parents died when he was a young child. He was kidnapped by their assistant Victor Kord, who was convinced that Jacob s parents were part of a global conspiracy known as the Leviathan. Kord indoctrinated Jacob to smash the conspiracy. He is very close to finding out the truth, but does not realize that his actions put the entire planet in jeopardy.

About this title

Review

Trying to sum up Starmaker: Leviathan, the first of a four book series from Dare Comics which reunites the team of writer Adam Hamdy and artist Dave Golding, is a tough one but I ll give it a try. Starmaker: Leviathan is part espionage thriller, part intriguing sci-fi mystery, part supernatural adventure all tied together with a centuries spanning global conspiracy and I loved every page. One the intriguing concepts the pulled me into the story is that Hamdy does not like to lead his readers through the story by the hand. In fact the main character is not named until over half way into the book. It s a bold move but for my money it s works. The opening scenes really set the tone of an epic tale before plunging me into a great aerial action sequence. It was only when I took a breath did I realise that I didn t know who this character was, let along if he was good or evil and yet I was desperate to find what was driving him and why he was termed as The most wanted man in the world . The story is fast past paced and there is a real sense of scale in terms of making me believe that this is all taking place on global stage, where the stakes are about as high as they can get. There are some times where the story does skate around the edge of the cliche abyss but thankfully Hamdy manages to avoid falling into the trap. Having read and loved Hamdy and Golding s previous collaboration with The Hunter I was already a fan of their work so it was all the more rewarding to see a clear evolution in both the storytelling and art. You can see the passion these guys have for their story in every panel. Golding s art is definitely a step up from Hunter (in which the art was already at a high standard) and he handles the action scenes with confidence and flair. As I ve previously mentioned this is a globe-trotting tale and this point is rammed home by Golding s lush and colourful portrayal of the architectural landmarks, artefacts and landscapes from the countries that are visited in the story. By the end of book one some of the questions raised along the way are answered but many more spring up in their place along with an almighty cliffhanger. One of the criticisms I had about the Hunter series was that given the time between books it would have been a nice addition to have a story so far style intro page for those people who don t want to re-read the previous book. I hope this is something we may see used in Book two of Starmaker, which is due out in December. Every creative talent wants to improve on what they have done before and I think Hamdy and Golding have done that with Starmaker. This is a great opening salvo of what promises to be a thrilling science fiction adventure. --Geek Syndicate

Adam Hamdy offers up international intrigue with a hint of trippy cosmic power in this well crafted thriller. Hamdy s second issue involves an intense jet fighter battle that had me on the edge of my mousepad. Issue 3 deals with the ramifications of that battle and something ominous on the horizon. Hamdy is keeping the power close to his vest and only hints at it from the outside, building tension masterfully. I can t wait to see how this intricately constructed story unfolds. The art by David Golding is about as crisp and clean as you can get. All in all, a fantastic effort from Dare Comics with the trade to be released very soon. --Ain't It Cool News

About the Author

Adam Hamdy is a British screenwriter and publisher of one of the fastest growing comics of recent times. He is rapidly establishing an international reputation as a visionary creator for film, television and print, developing and bringing his own ideas to life through these various mediums.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dare Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0956502016
• ISBN 13: 9780956502018
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 116
• Illustrator: David Golding