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JMS AT RASTB5M SAID:
OCT.26.1998
[Rising Stars] follows the events
after the small town of Pederson, Illinois, is struck by a mass of energy from an unknown, but
non-terrestrial source. Everyone who was in utero at the time of the flash is affected,
resulting in 113 individuals who develop abilities of a most unusual and highly individual
form. (The power is to some degree shaped by who they are, just as they are shaped to some
degree by the power.)
To read more about why this comic series remains unfinished, please visit our
JMS Comics forum or read
JMS' comments on our Rising Stars Act
3 page.
There were some bonus Rising Stars issues that don't quite fit in with the traditional
issues that are included in the series. Issues that have a different cover but have the same
content as the original issue are included in the "Other Editions" section for each issue.
NOTE: Comics are listed by issue number from oldest to
newest.
Prelude: Visitations & Midnight Thoughts
Author: J. Michael Straczynski --
Published: Oct 2000 --
Format: Single Comic
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DESCRIPTION:
Pyre (Jerry Montrose) visits Doc Wells and they talk about some of the other Specials.
Pyre has heard the another Special has had a baby and wonders if it means this child will
also be Special. They talk about the history between Pyre and Flagg and how things are not
always as they seem.
MONICA'S REVIEW:
Once upon a time, Top Cow released an issue called "Preview"
which became so hard to find, they re-issued it under the title "Prelude". This gave Top
Cow even more opportunities to exploit more covers and thoroughly confuse the average reader.
Even though the content of the Preview and Prelude issues are the same, the Preview interior
art was all done in black and white. The difference is subtle but it is an interesting
contrast and if you can get a hold of the Preview issue ... do. It is still available at
Comic
Central last I checked.
OTHER EDITIONS:
I have collected a few other versions of this issue ...
Preview (signed by
JMS on 5.27.2001
and has a color cover and black and white interior),
Preview Dynamic Forces MegaCon Gold Foil
(same content but another cover) and
Prelude Dynamic Forces Gold Foil
(full color version with another cover). This last version may still be available from
Comic
Central.
JMS AT B5 SAID:
12.26.1998
The preview is 70% story, 30% art samples and other supporting stuff
for the book; the issue 0 is a full story.
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#0: Initiations (Reprint)
Author: J. Michael Straczynski --
Published: Jun 1999 --
Format: Single Comic
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DESCRIPTION:
Find out how it all began! What if a world without heroes
suddenly had 113 of them? How would the rest of humanity react? More importantly, how
would those 113 souls now fit in to normal life? This special issue establishes the
compelling world of Rising Stars! There is a brief introduction to the series by Poet
and an excerpt from Dr. Wells diary.
MONICA'S REVIEW:
This issue has a bonus six page story called
"Initiations: A lost tale of the Specials" which introduces Slappy the Clown. If you can
get a hold of the original, it had a sketchbook of Keu Cha's first draft of the characters
and an interview with JMS that is not included in the reprint. Personally, I liked the
original better, but that may just be me ...
OTHER EDITIONS:
I have collected a few other versions of this issue ...
Wizard Exclusive (this is the
original version) and Dynamic Forces
Chrome (same as the original with a new cover).
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#1/2: Rising Stars (Wizard Edition)
Author: J. Michael Straczynski --
Published: 2000 --
Format: Single Comic
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DESCRIPTION:
Edward Clairborne wants to be a Special so bad that he would
do anything to be one. He convinced them and himself that he was a Special without
realizing what it would cost.
MONICA'S REVIEW:
This was an issue that was only available through a
special offer from Wizard Magazine and it came in a special protective holder
(sealed) with a certificate. It also has an interview with JMS and character sketches by
Christian Zanier. If you can still find this issue, get it while you can since it is an
important story that explains the affect the Specials had.
OTHER EDITIONS:
I have collected a few other versions of this issue ...
Wizard World Gold Holofoil (I am
actually working on aquiring this edition),
Wizard World Blue Foil and
School Book. All of these editions
may still be available from
Comic
Central.
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#1: Nova Placenta (B/W Edition)
Author: J. Michael Straczynski --
Published: July 2000 --
Format: Single Comic
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DESCRIPTION:
After a strange, explosive flash, 113 children were
born in Pederson, Illinois. These children later developed special abilities
that would make them heroes or villians, outstanding or forgetable. In this
first issue, we meet our narrator Poet as he begins to record for posterity the
story of what happened to the Pederson Specials.
MONICA'S REVIEW:
It is wonderful to read this issue ... not only is
there an introduction by Neil Gaiman but it is a great introduction to the Specials
like only JMS can give. Leave it to him to give a new perspective about what it is
like to live as a superhero. This black and white edition is the same as the
reprinted #1 but it is only penciled and there are no
colors at all. It is very elegant and definitely brings another level of appriciation
to all the work that goes into making a comic. Also, as a bonus, they included all
versions of this issue in black and white at the end ... a nice touch.
OTHER EDITIONS:
I have collected a few other versions of this issue ...
Reprint #1, 4
Cover Set (put them next to each other and they form a complete picture),
B/W Sketch Cover (the same content as the B/W except for the
cover which was the orignal conceptual drawing of RavenShadow) and
Wizard World '99 (identical content
as the reprint but it has an alternative cover).
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#1: Nova Placenta (B/W Sketch Cover Edition)
Author: J. Michael Straczynski --
Published: July 2000 --
Format: Single Comic
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DESCRIPTION:
After a strange, explosive flash, 113 children were
born in Pederson, Illinois. These children later developed special abilities
that would make them heroes or villians, outstanding or forgetable. In this
first issue, we meet our narrator Poet as he begins to record for posterity the
story of what happened to the Pederson Specials.
MONICA'S REVIEW:
This issue is identical to the
B/W Edition but it has a different cover which has the orignal
conceptual drawing of RavenShadow.
OTHER EDITIONS:
I have collected a few other versions of this issue ...
Reprint #1, 4
Cover Set (put them next to each other and they form a complete picture),
B/W Edition and Wizard
World Exclusive (identical content as the reprint but it has an alternative cover).
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