Starbolts #612: Year-End Retrospectives

 

 Hail! 

    Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to the Starbolts year-end extravaganza! I thought that I would create a jumping on point for new readers of the comic this week instead of just recapping the Starbolts greatest hits in 2022. At over 600 comics it'd be hard to figure out the origin of the Starbolts and their mentor team, the Agents of S.T.A.R. so I thought I'd have Richard "Cobalt" Dastara reflect on his past and the role he played in the formation of the Starbolts.

    The Agents are their world's mightiest heroes and the Starbolts have a lot to live up. However, in the coming year you will see them break out of that mold and carve out their own legacy. Will they be bigger than the Agents? It's possible. New threats are looming in the shadows like our friend Cobra in the last panel.

    New readers can now see just how the team was formed and get a feel of what the Starbolts are all about. They are the next generation of heroes trying to find a place in the world while dealing with alien invaders like the Mosqukatara, extradimensional despots like Demonstorm or beings from beyond time and space like the Professor. If you toss in Terra Nova, the Starbolts have had their hands full and have vanquished most of them. However, more threats are out there and soon we will be dealing with them. Will the Starbolts be ready? You bet they will.

 Eagle-eyed readers may notice some interesting developments in that Starbolts group spread in panels thirty-five and thirty-six. Angela has a new costume reflecting the Centurions and Valentina and Simon are hanging out with them. Interesting developments, indeed. Could they be joining the Starbolts? One never knows. The future is uncertain. But, our heroes will face that uncertainty head-on. Look out for more Starbolts action coming your way in 2023!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #611: Holiday Surprises

 

 Hail!

     Happy holidays from the Starbolts! It looks like this holiday comic reveals that our friend Ellie is in a relationship with one of the techies who run maintenance on the Watchtower and various equipment at the academy. One has to wonder how Ellie and Tricia met. Well, it's an interesting story and Sam and I might reveal it in time. For now, enjoy this little peek into their relationship. I know we've hinted at her possibly having a relationship with Richie. However, that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

    In the new year, Sam and I will be delving more into this relationship and you can bet Ellie's mom, Elisabeth, won't be too thrilled about this. But, wait! Isn't she in jail?! Well, yes. However, a lot can happen off panel. You'll just have to wait and see what's coming in 2023! Stay tuned for our sneak preview!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #610: The Twin Thing

 

 

 Hail!

    How's this for an amazing coincidence? This week's comic comes out on "International Twin's Day"! That's pretty cool, right? I don't know if Sam and I intended it to be like this or not because we were a little late working on the comic. Not sure what I can say to that but it is cool. 

    As you know Shrall and Crystal both have a twin, M'anta and Sara respectively. Both of them are younger than their siblings by a matter of minutes and so they have quite a bit in common. The only difference is M'anta tends to be more by the book than Shrall is. If someone were to ask Crystal and Sara who the "evil twin" was, Sara would shrug and say it was her and there would be no objections.

    The twin thing is a connection that twins have to their siblings. M'anta and Shrall have it along with their telepathic connection. Sara and Crystal do as well despite the fact that they were never in utero together. They still had a strong bond and it only got stronger when the truth about their parentage was revealed.  Crystal is not used to the connection and so it's a good thing Shrall was nearby so he could explain everything to her.

    Shrall and Crystal were friends before she even knew she was a twin so there's that connection. Now they have something to bond over. Their siblings are career driven workaholics who need some fun in their lives from time to time. But, Shrall is a bit more used to "the twin thing" than Crystal is and so she's going to be calling on him for guidance a lot more than she used to. 

    Now as for Cobra. It looks like the ghosts are going to be in deep trouble. How are four ghosts going to be able to contact the Starbolts and warn them? We'll find out in the new year. I promise. We'll have that and more coming your way. Stay tuned for the annual Christmas comic!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #609: Her Shattered Soul

 

 

 Hail!

    This week's comic sees Sara travel twenty thousand light years to a planet at the border of the Beta and Delta Quadrant and what does the first Terran out that far do? Yaks her dinner. That'll leave a lasting impression on the Venatii. Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine. Worse things have probably happened on their world. I will say that it was difficult designing their buildings. Sam suggested something we've never seen before in alien architecture. Round buildings with no straight lines in sight. I think I managed to get the right idea. It is a good one since so many buildings in the galaxy have corners and all that. As you can see, the planet is very flat. It's basically just grasslands and cities as far as the eye can see. It's amazing how the Venatii evolved in this fashion.

    Still, let's hope that the pools offer our heroine a solution to her soul problem. As seen in this week's comic, Stan worked tirelessly to try to help his daughter ever since she returned from Clive's captivity. As Earth's sorcerer supreme, he was able to detect Sara's fractured soul. He didn't want to alarm her and so sought out to fix things himself. Sadly, there were no Terran remedies at hand. Once again a daughter of Stan Whitefox needed to seek help far beyond the confines of Earth. He's okay with it. Trust me!

    Meanwhile, it looks like the Snake has gotten a bit more brazen in his observation of the Whitefoxes. Observing his prey at dinner probably isn't a good idea especially when you've got two super-soldiers, a couple witches, an alien shapeshifter and Earth's sorcerer supreme at the dining room table! On a scale of one to ten for bad ideas, this is probably an eleven and a half. What does he want? And why weren't Anya and Marcus at dinner? Well, I'm sure they had some other stuff going on. This was spur of the moment after all. They'll be filled in in time. However, the Snake is a looming threat. The Starbolts better beware because the Cobra will strike soon!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #608: The Hidden Snake

 

 

Hail!

    Two new story arcs are about to begin this week! One will see the return of Cobra aka Richard Smythe and the other will see Sara on her journey to becoming whole once again. The question is how did she get fragmented to begin with? Why is she unable to summon a shield when her twin sister can? These are all very good questions and they will be answered in time. She's going to have one hell of a journey coming up and I think she'll be better for it. You might even say she'll come out of it a new woman. Shh. Spoilers.

    As for the Snake, I was tempted to have him hang out in the last panel. But, at this time he's a little busy trying to find Stan Whitefox's library. He needs something in there that might help him with his small ghost problem. What could he be planning? He was observing everyone who has a connection to Terra Nova except Sara. So, it's really curious what he's up to. We know he wants to rid himself of the ghosts of Soldier Six. What will he do to achieve those goals? The plot is thickening. More shall be revealed next time.

See ya then!

OH! And I should note. No. Crystal and Marcus did not go off to be intimate. Cobra just assumes the worst of people because he's a jerk.

Starbolts #607: The Children's Legacy

 

 

 Hail!

    Looks like Jack is well on his way to becoming the next Iron Eagle. However, something, or rather, someone is lurking in the shadows. The man in the last panel is Richard Smythe aka Cobra and he was last seen way back in Starbolts #455!  How did he get from Australia to America? Is it really him or is it just a hologram? Could he be using some top secret Terra Nova technology that somehow cloaks him? These are all great questions and I'll definitely be answering them. For now we must wonder what he wants and you know full well that Jack is not going to be happy to see him again.

    Let's recap the Snake's crimes.

1. When he was a member of Soldier Six, he took Sara and Crystal away from the lab before the embryos were to be implanted into Elaine Dastara. They were instead implanted into members of Terra Nova.

2. He went along with Terra Nova's plant to lure Soldier Six to an island in the South Pacific and one by one he killed various members of the team. When faced with Jack, he set off a bomb destroying the island and seemingly killing him in the process. He was brought back to life by Demonstorm and eventually placed in a cloned body.

The list goes on and on. Sufficed it to say Richard is a bad monkey.

You almost have to feel sorry for Richard. He's going to have to deal with three Starbolts very, very soon. Two of them are void witches who rightfully blame him for the trauma they endured and one of them is a fighting mad former friend with an axe to grind. To think the seeds were planted for him taking the mantle exactly one hundred comics ago!

Jack is going to be one hell of an Iron Eagle and Terra Nova's worst nightmare will be realized!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #606: Dude Date

 

 

Hail!

    There's nothing quite like having two guys talk about life, the universe and everything and then proceeding to beat each other up in a Street Fighter-like game, right? The friendship Firaxil and Marcus have go back to when they were teens and they are still best friends to this day. Firaxil wanted to know why Marcus suddenly felt better about everything and he gave him the details. Marcus and Crystal tethered and no it's not just a sex thing. The tethering allowed them to see their love as I've explained in other comics. Here's hoping Firaxil and Sara do it as well. It might alleviate the doubts our Inobe friend might have about his wife.

    As far as Marcus and Crystal goes, the sexy times are usually on her terms given her history. He's also not the type to force himself on her. More on that next time as we move to the ladies talking about everything. Sara and Crystal are long overdue for their own "dude date" don't ya think? 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #605: The Haunted Mansion

 

 

Hail!

    I decided to take a different approach with this year's Halloween comic. Instead of using the usual ghosts from Soldier Six, I thought I would use a different horror in the form of a demon. Sure the lesser demon was dealt with rather quickly. But, if you think about it, the doubts Firaxil and Marcus have could also be their own inner demons. Thankfully, both were dealt with by their mentor/father-in-law, Stan. He's been the Starbolts' mentor since they were teens and it looks like they will always need his guidance. 

    The pictures in the hallway have a bit of an Easter egg in them. I included a picture of Charlotte, the fallen member of the Agents of S.T.A.R.. I originally was going to have her be the ghost in this week's comic and I was going to have her interact with the hologram of Pegasus. The problem was that I didn't know how to best end it. That and I kind of wondered why she'd be at the mansion. There were just too many questions. So, Sam and I did an extensive rewrite of this week's comic and I think it turned out good. 

    I do like how Marcus is well on his way to proposing to Crystal and I liked his banter with Firaxil. Look for more of that soon. I like having the two team up! It's fun! I hope everyone has a great Halloween! 

See ya next time and Happy Halloween....WHATEVER YOU ARE! MWAHAHAHA!

Starbolts #604: Instant Replays

 

 

Hail!

    This week's comic has Valentina reacting to the recently discovered footage of her being intimate with Sara/Sola. Naturally, she was a little freaked out because of the implications involved and now some secrets have been revealed. The first, of course, being that she was initially attracted to Crystal many years ago. Don't bother digging into the archives to find evidence of that because those feelings fell by the wayside over time! Though, you could argue that she was trying to keep her safe from Tornado in Starbolts #308 when Crystal infiltrated the Legion's headquarters and in Starbolts #348 and Starbolts #349 when she finally saw the light.

    Val has a very complicated relationship with the daughters of Stan and Andrea. That's for sure. Crystal is obviously accepting of her, her sister and everyone. Look at who she has has friends! The Starbolts are a very diverse group of people. They learned from the best and I think Stan and Andrea themselves would be accepting of everything.

    We probably won't see Sara talking to her parents about everything as next week we have our annual Halloween comic. Rest assured, they will be talking about the situation! It'd be very awkward indeed! The video will not get leaked and I think several security measures would be put in place.

    At least the worst is over. Now it's time to get ready for our Halloween comic! See ya next time!

    

Starbolts #603: Interview with a Whitefox

 

 

Hail!

    It looks like Holly just discovered something a little uhh....spicy in the files of Terra Nova this week! I get the feeling this newly discovered footage will push Val into talking to Sara sooner rather than later. I don't think they're going to be able to put this off for much longer! I think you might agree! They are going to have to confront their past relationship even if that relationship was technically with Sara's Sola personality. Would that even be a consenting relationship in that case? I think that's up for philosophers to decide. Or at least Angela. She can sort through that mess!

    At any rate, it looks like Valentina got herself a job working as a paralegal for the academy. This will mean big things for her and her life will ultimately turn around. Next, I suppose Simon will have to find some work. He could work as a techie. However, with his ability to duplicate himself he would put all of the techies the Academy has out of a job. He'll find something, I'm sure.

    It does look like three former members of the Legion are doing well for themselves now. We have Simon, Val and Holly in one place. Perhaps they can advocate for Granite's freedom? I'm sure they can. Who knows? Perhaps there's even footage Holly found that could exonerate him and not just footage of Sola and Val. There's probably footage of the other members of the Legion, too! Some footage might help their case. Some might not. We will have to see.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #602: Northern Charms

 Trigger warning: There is a discussion of sexual abuse in this week's comic. If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse, please contact someone for help. Viewer discretion is advised.

 

Hail!

    In a way this week's comic is a sequel to Starbolts #302: Southern Charms.  In that comic, we saw the beginning of Marcus and Crystal's romantic relationship. In this week's comic, we go back in time to when their friendship began. Their friendship ultimately turned into romance once they admitted their feelings toward one another. We've gone full circle and explored how everything started for our heroes. Of course the road to get to this point in the present was treacherous. 

    Crystal had a lot of issues to overcome between now and then and in the ten years she's known Marcus she has gotten therapy for the myriad of issues plaguing her. Her ideals about relationships were forged by a man who took advantage of a thirteen year old and abused her for three years. The type of issues that come from that kind of abuse does not go away overnight. Marcus knew that and that's why he was playing it cool in this week's comic. He knew that if he acted the wrong way, she'd have fallen deeper into her beliefs about men.

    The flashback in this week's comic take place a few hours after Crystal and Firaxil (Then known as Dennis) were rescued by the Starbolts. You can see the incident in Starbolts #304 and in Starbolts #472. For a long time that one moment haunted Crystal and it didn't quite click that she was abused until a few weeks later when she was in therapy. At this point in time, she was still operating under the misguided belief that she and Cody were still together and that he loved her. That was about to change.

    Aquita and Harris showed the teenager how he abused her using alien technology. That's when things started to click. However, she still had other issues to overcome and that was going to take a long time to get past. It's only recently that the nightmares she endured have ended. At least our heroine has grown and she's now with a man who treats her right. Like Andrea said. It's about time!

See ya next time! And who knows. Perhaps one day we'll get a comic where we see a continuation of Sara and Firaxil's first meeting.

Starbolts #601: The Newest Starbolt

 

 

  Hail! 

    Congratulations are definitely in order this week as we meet the child who will one day become the pink time ranger, Dendra as seen in Starbolts #462 to  #494. Speaking of #494, we saw little Sirak with his future girlfriend in that comic. So,  this week he's meeting her again for the first time. I think that's how time travel works. Someone might have to help me out because I have a headache. I wonder if I somehow created a temporal paradox. At least it was a cute moment!

    It looks like the scars Sara had are all healing and in future comics we may see her mental scars heal as well. Look out for that because I've been assured by Sam that nothing will ever be the same again! In a good way. In a VERY good way. No further details, yet. Let's just say it's a long time coming for our heroine.

    Crystal and Marcus also want to share what happened to them at the ranch. Look forward to those conversations soon. But, first I think she would want to share her news with her mother! Check out that comic next week and prepare for feels!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #600: Dendra

 

Hails and horns!

    Welcome to the 600th edition of the Starbolts! This week's comic is special on many fronts. Not only does it show the birth of Sara and Firaxil's daughter, Dendra. It's also marking a new beginning for a few characters as well. This milestone comic also shows Crystal extending an olive branch to her old rival, Valentina. Just last comic she and Simon decided to take up residence at the academy. Val probably did not expect to see her so soon! I guess some people really can change. We'll be seeing more of their interactions, soon.

    As far as Sara goes, she's still suffering some anxiety from when Clive cut into her. That's why her heart monitor went crazy. Luckily, she has Firaxil, Aquita and her medical team around to assist when the situation calls for it. Terra Nova left a mark on the poor lady. But, her life is going to change once things settle down. After all she just got a new baby. And that baby eventually grows up to be the pink time ranger who helped the Starbolts a while back. The circle is now complete!

    Now, what do we have in store for the future? Well, we're not stopping any time soon. We have so much more story to tell. I hope you all stick around because this train is not stopping! Starbolts #600 marks a new beginning for our heroes. What more could happen in the comics to come?

Stay tuned! See ya next time!

Starbolts #599: The Ties that Bind

 

 

Hail! 

    Next week is a big week! Sara and Firaxil are finally going to have their baby in the epic 600th comic! While that is exciting news we do have some great news in this week's comic to talk about! After finally tethering Crystal and Marcus are thinking about marriage and taking that next step in their relationship. Given everything they've been through in just this year alone it makes sense to give the two some semblance of a happily ever after! We knew this was eventually going to happen anyway!

     It is funny how Marcus went right into the pond with his clothes on. He was a little ummm....distracted by the gorgeous redhead in front of him. I'm sure Angela and Kevin won't mind. Crystal tends to have that effect on people.

    We've already gone over how much the two love each other. I don't think it needs any further explanation. However, the tethering process made the two actually feel their love. They were able to touch it and understand it. They definitely can't wait to tell Sara and Firaxil what happened. Of course they'd be kind of busy at the moment. There's the whole "bringing their child into the world" thing. It'll be covered for sure. Just have patience!

    It's been a long time coming for the baby to arrive, too. Sara discovered she was pregnant way back in Starbolts #453.  So it's been about eight months since the events of that comic. With that said, I should really get around to updating the old timeline page, huh? Yikes. I can do that some other time!

Time for Starbolts #600! See ya there!

Starbolts #598: Rock and Soul

 

 

 Hail!

    Wow! There are quite a few bombshells in this week's comic aren't there? The first and most obvious one is finding out that Valentina Ferrara aka Valentine once had a very romantic relationship with Sola. As you might recall. Sola was actually Sara's split personality and was dominant up until the day she was rescued. Before that day Sara watched all of Sola's antics and couldn't do anything to stop her. Sola was told not to go after boys after Clive scolded her and caught her with two men. So, she went after girls instead. Yeah, that worked out REAL well. You can't stop teenagers from doing what they want....

    There's definitely more to the story as we head into Starbolts #600. How is Crystal going to handle having her rival around? That and the fact that she was in a relationship with her twin sister? So much drama! 

    We'll have to worry about that later. The baby is coming! YAAAAAAAY!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #597: Rock of Ages

 

 

 Hail! 

    Well, Granite's back and he certainly make an impact on his friends, Valentine and Simon. What could he possibly want with Val? And why can't people just leave those two alone?! Seriously. Those two just want to be left alone and are constantly harassed by fellow former members of the Legion. At this point I think they need a restraining order on any and all metahumans, magic users and anyone else who tries to get in the way of them wanting to live happily ever after!

    Granite seems to want to rebuild the Legion. He also seems to have a fair bit more of his marbles than the last time we saw him back in Starbolts #350. I remember those comics. That was when the Legion took over the Watchtower and Syntax took control of the station's A.I. Good times! 

    Speaking of Syntax, it seems Holly has feelings for her former comrades, Simon and Val. That's interesting considering Syntax used those two when the bot went all "Cybermen" on London in Starbolts #208. Wow. Those comics were so long ago and here we are approaching Starbolts #600 in just a few weeks! This should be wrapped up by then. What could Granite want? Find out next time

See ya then!

Starbolts #596: The Ship of Theseus

 

 

Hail!

    For this week's comic, I decided to focus on the Agents for a change since we don't really see them that often. Usually they're in the mentor/parent roles for the Starbolts. It's good to see them his be the original generation of Earth's mightiest heroes as well. However, this week I wanted to show them reacting to all the recent goings on with the Starbolts AND give them one final victory over Terra Nova. That being the return of Pegasus.

    I originally titled the comic "A Small Victory". It seemed nice and everything. But, the more I thought about it, I was thinking Pegasus's return was like the ship of Theseus. Is a backup of Pegasus still Pegasus? That's an interesting question. The "Ship of Theseus" question was brought up in the last episode of "Wandavision". If you'd like to see that clip, check it out. Or watch the show on Disney+ That reminds me. She-Hulk has been awesome so far! So, is Pegasus really Pegasus? Yes, he is. He'll be getting a new body sooner or later. We seem to be making a lot of android bodies around here, huh?

    Before that scene in the armory, we had Andrea and Elaine talking about everything. Poor Andrea has been through a lot now that two daughters have been revealed to her. Everything worked out for sure. But, it still is a lot to take in. She will adapt to it all in time. Speaking of Crystal and Sara, I think they are definitely going to call Elaine the "cool aunt" and they will definitely want to see the new and improved Pegasus. You can't keep a good android down can you? Richard wanted to save him and well now he's back! What happens next is going to be pretty exciting as we march on toward Starbolts #600!

 Starbolts #541 and Starbolts #542 were referenced this week. Check 'em out!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #595: Angela's Big Move

 

 

Hail! 

    Well, this week's comic got "muy caliente" near the end didn't it? Surprise! There's a pretty good reason for why that happened. Angela wanted to test her confidence out on Kevin since Crystal is very confident with Marcus. You can definitely see that in previous comics and in Starbolts #436 when she asked him to move in with her. Now she's attempting to get back to where she was with Marcus before he had Demonstorm in his head. He's had a lot of therapy. I'll be sure to reference it later! Angela basically wants to experience love and impulse the way her friend does. It seemed like a good idea.

    Right now let's turn our attention to Angela. She's not one to usually be so confident as Crystal. But, she's trying. Some advice from her brother, Mateo, certainly helped. I do like how the conversation came out because I missed having those two have some screen time. Angela is well on her way to taking a cue from her friends. Embrace being with your significant other and take charge when the moment seemed right.

    I do like her advice for Crystal, though. Taking Marcus out on a date with no powers of any kind sounds like a fantastic idea and it's bound to work in her favor. 

    As far as Richie goes, the poor kid was a pair of arms this week. I'll have to make it up to him somehow. At least the Centurion Force gave him a moderate amount of superstrength. Because of that, he's pretty good with the heavy lifting.

     If you'd like, here's the translation for the Spanish bits.

Angela: I will like living here with you.

Kevin: Yes. Me, too.

I think those two are gonna be okay as roommates! 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #594: Spacecops

 

 

Hail!

    This week's comic is dedicated to a family friend who passed away a few days ago. Her name was Marina and she was a friend of the family for many years. When I started working on this story in the mid 1990s, she provided much needed tips and advice for characters I was working on. For example, she thought it was clever that I was thinking of making insect-like aliens called the Mosqukatara and basing them off of mosquitoes that were basically eating us alive at the marina where we talked. She had a boat close to ours and I would visit every time I was down. Marina was a fan of comics, too, and we'd talk comics and movies when they were released.

    When I started turning my story into a webcomic in 2008, she thought that was pretty cool. I showed her the first comic and she was entertained. Over time I showed her more and more comics and she appreciated how the stories evolved over time and how the characters seemed more "human" with each passing strip. She always liked the Stan Lee approach to character and world-building. This meant that there would be a human aspect to the character regardless if they were a human who could shoot fire from her hands or if he was a blue-skinned alien from an aquatic planet. 

    I last sent her a comic over the fourth of July weekend. It was this one, Starbolts #588. I don't know if she ever got the chance to read the strip. But, I like to think that she did. She was always one to offer advice or tips like I said. She never had a harsh word to say about the comic or story. She encouraged me in all the ways that matters and helped me fine tune the story into what we have today. I'd like to think that she would be glad I'm still going strong since I'm almost at my 600th comic. 

    She had some great thoughts on the comic and I really wish I could share some of my recent ideas with her. But, it is what it is. The only thing I can do now is continue and what what I've always done. Produce the comic and hopefully she's up there watching me. It's all I can hope for. Rest in peace, my friend. I'll miss you!

    As far as this week's comic goes, I think Sara just single-handedly altered police procedures for an entire planet. Her parents would be so pleased. Not to mention the Alliance. They probably take a dim view on torture and would be pleased that the practice of torturing prisoners will be abolished in the very near future. Sabina is a hard sell. So, it's definitely going to take some time. Alliance worlds were probably urging them to change their policies and so having Sara act as an ambassador here kind of made their case. Even while pregnant and on another planet, she's still a Starbolt.

    I do appreciate how we have Firaxil watching Sara and his mother Dendra cook dinner. If you think about it, it's an amazing sight to see because two years ago he thought BOTH women were dead. Now here they are alive and well and making.....I honestly have no idea what that is. It looks like lasagna crossed between some kind of pie. I'm not sure where my brain was when I decided to make that panel. I'm just going with it. At least it's edible and enjoyable? Then again Sabina called it adequate....

    It's hard to believe Starbolts #600 is six comics away at this point. Time flies when you're having fun! Tune in next week as we continue down that road! It's sure to be a fun comic! Trust me! But, first we have a few more character driven comics to churn out. Do stay tuned!

See ya next time! 

RIP Marina.

Starbolts #593: Heart of Hearts

 

 

Hail!

    This week's comic has a couple things going on. First up is Angela and her conversation with the Centurion Force. At the end of her talk, she was enveloped in a white light. This means that she once again has superpowers aside from her empathic abilities. Angela is no longer overpowered, though. Instead of forcing the truth out of people and turning into a being of light, she now has the abilities that come from being a regular Centurion. This means that she can:

* Fly

* Shoot energy blasts

* Open a stargate

* Has a moderate degree of superhuman strength

    I think that's more than enough for our angel! She may have been a tad overpowered and this was a good way to scale her powers back some. But, that's not all! She is now an avatar of the Centurion force and is a Centurion who isn't attached to any world. This means that she doesn't need to have the red and blue armor with the bucket. She'll have an uniform of her choosing. I'll have to decide what it looks like and I have some ideas running through my head.

See Starbolts #515 for the promise she made to the heart of Illibrata. You might notice a change in the cave in that comic and in this week's. Well, that's because when the heart was mended and sent to the nanobots, the area in the cave healed and as a result got much brighter than before.

    Next we see how our fastest man alive, Marcus is doing. He's doing pretty well all things considered. Don't get me wrong. There were probably nights where he was very restless. Thankfully, Crystal is on hand to help her boyfriend in any way. She's with him through thick and thin.

    Still, I wonder how Marcus fighting Codystorm managed to get rid of Crystal's many nightmares. Was it a coincidence? It's hard to say. Maybe it's a bit of both. If you remember during the fight in Starbolts #582, he was fighting Crystal's fear of Cody and not so much Cody himself. He did something and he wasn't sure what it was. At least it turned out for the best. She no longer has any hangups and that's a good thing. 

    As far as Crystal goes, here we see her being more confident than she's ever been. She's modeling in a transparent blue gown Yeena gave her. She has found modeling helps her confidence. She needs the confidence if she's to explore her feelings. Don't forget. The spells she used to have kind of blocked some of those feelings.

    I guess in a way the two Starbolts are in the same boat. Both need to relearn a few things. Thankfully, they have each other. That's all anyone can really ask for!

    Man, Danar is gonna flip if he sees those pictures....

See ya next time!

Starbolts #592: Return to Illibrata

 

 

Hail!

    Tenera was pretty much relegated to being a taxi driver this week, huh? To be honest I'd rather ride in a space taxi than take a cab around Boston. It probably smells a fair bit better in the shuttlecraft. Anyway, it looks like Sid is finally going to get a stern talking to about how he treats ladies. The Agents and Starbolts couldn't get through to him. So, perhaps Shrall might. It worked for Tanis! I wonder what Shrall is doing differently than the others are at this point. Either way, he may come back to Earth a changed man! I kind of wonder what Shenra wants him for. We may catch up with him. We may not. It depends.

    Kevin and Angela are finally on Illibrata and now they can visit the heart and update it on everything. How will it react to the sudden change of events? Angela is no longer a threat to the planet or the heart. Perhaps everything will be fine now. Time will tell!

    It does suck when people have to deal with bureaucratic nonsense, though. At least they corrected their mistake. Check out Starbolts #513 if you want to see what incident Angela was referring to! More action is coming next week! 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #591: One Door Opens, Another Closes

 

 

Hail!

    Looks like people are splitting off again. Kevin and Angela will be going to Illibrata and we will definitely be following their adventures there as we race to Starbolts #600. What awaits them on Illibrata and will the heart be grateful Angela no longer possesses its phenomenal cosmic powers? I hope so! It looks like those two have taken the next step in their relationship. Things are going well for them. It's nice to see our couples move on in their relationships. A couple more milestones for the couples may be on the horizon. Stay tuned!

    Tanis is also set to return to Aquarius. Do you think Angela and Kevin will give him a ride home? It's possible. One never knows. He might just end up taking the bus. At least he's finally made peace with his mother, Medea and that's really all he asked for. Note how he called her "Mom" instead of "Mother"? Baby steps, Tanis. Baby steps. He'll be okay, I am sure.

    Now, I bet you are wondering who that mysterious woman at the end is. She's been popping up a lot in recent comics. She seems to have a connection with our heroes. Is she friend or foe? Or neither? What could Medea want with her and why are they forming a coven? Patience, true believers. All will be revealed in time. Keep the faith and keep reading!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #590: Faith of the Heart

 

 

Hail!

    It's been a long time coming and finally Angela has the heart of Illibrata out of her! For those who don't remember, the heart is the source of all the Centurions' powers. Angela's father is a Centurion and so she inherited some of his abilities. When Demonstorm performed his ritual on her and transferred the power to him, it corrupted the heart. Things seemed okay for a while until it was found that having the heart of Illibrata be corrupted and inside a Terran would eventually cause great disasters. I have many comics covering this. But, you're going to want to check out this comic where Angela confronted an older version of herself from a timeline that has officially ceased to exist. Check out Starbolts #481: Arguing With Myself.  

    Basically what just happened was this. The heart has been transferred from Angela to the nanobots. Since the nanobots are logical beings with no emotions, they cannot be corrupted and thus can handle the heart with no issues whatsoever. As a result, their lifespan has probably increased, too. If you recall, their lifespan was cut short thanks to being part of Norad.

    So, what will become of Angela now? Well, she is still an empath and she's still a Starbolt. Right now all she wants to do is be with Kevin and not have to worry about her phenominal cosmic powers hurting anyone. However, she's still the daughter of a Centurion. That's never going to change. Who knows what will happen in the future?

See ya next time as we march headlong into Starbolts #600!

Starbolts #589: Angelic Return

 

 

Hail!

    Angela is officially back home after training with the Centurions. Now the question on everyone's mind should be whether or not her powers will be sapped by whatever plan Cece and Medea cooked up. What does their plan have to do with the nanobots, too? These are all logical questions and Sam and I will be answering them as we march headlong into the countdown to issue #600! Other characters might be returning by that point. One never knows.  

    Check out Starbolts #523 if you want to see Medea's original explanation about how the heart of Illibrata and everything works. Will she lose her powers as a result of this procedure? That's up in the are. What do you think will happen?

    Either way, Kevin is clearly happy to see Angela again. I'm sure he's wrestling with a few issues. He'll be there for her through everything. Count on it!

See you next time when we fix Angela and save the universe at the same time! See ya then!

Oh and we should probably check in on Marcus and Crystal at some point. Mexican food sounds good right about now!

Starbolts #588: Born on the Fourth of July

 

 

Hail!

    After this week's comic I bet you are wondering if Jack really is on the road to becoming the new Iron Eagle. Time will tell. Right now he's still dealing with everything that's happened in the past year. The entire Whitefox family has to come to grips with the fact that Sara and Crystal were Stan and Andrea's twins all along. In fact, I suspect that while Marcus and Crystal are away at the ranch, she is probably doing some soul-searching while he has therapy sessions with Angela. Sara definitely is doing some self-discovery. I think they might all need a breather in order to take stock in what has actually happened. It's a lot to take in.

    For the most part, Jack seems to be still angry over his old "friend" Snake's betrayal. It was bad enough that he killed Soldier Six on Discord Island. He's also responsible for the abduction of the embryos as seen in Starbolts #455. The soldier is definitely not happy here. Who can blame him?

    We do get a bit of a glimpse into what could have been when Andrea talks about Scarlett and her conversation with Jack in the flashback. Scarlett had no memories of her parents as she was brought into "Project: Liberty's Children" at a young age alongside Jack. They could have been anyone. She latched onto Andrea as a surrogate mother much like Crystal did. If Scarlett had lived and if the embryos were not stolen from Harris Labs, the twins' lives would have turned out very differently. Count on that! 

       The flashback probably takes place just after Mateo and Jenna were born as they are the oldest of the original Starbolt kids. Jack and the rest of Soldier Six were hyper-aged and at this point were probably physically teenagers.

    See Starbolts #458 to see the outcome of the reveal. Between now and when Jack sees Snake again (And you know he will) he has a lot to sort out. How will confront Richard? We shall see. His actions also impacted Andrea who considered him a son. So, it's going to be tough for everyone.

   We'll have time to go into detail soon enough. Tune in next time for a return of an old friend.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #587: The Path to Redemption

 

 

 Hail!

    Wow. This week's comic might have the largest number of references to past comics than any other comic I've done in the fourteen years I've been doing the comic. Let's link them all here!

Starbolts #237: The Amazing Dragonfly: Where Garazo helped Tanis shortly after his transformation.

Starbolts #437: Sinister Temptation:  Where Tanis gets seduced by a mind-controlled Shenra.

Starbolts #440: Bringing the Party to Terra Nova: Where Tanis foolishly chases after Shenra and endangers a very crucial mission. 

Starbolts #500: Home of the Brave: Crystal's first outing as Lady Liberty.

Starbolts #547:Flight of the Eagle: Where Jack kills the monster that killed his grandparents, the World War II era heroes Iron Eagle and Spitfire.

Starbolts #579: Livin' on a Prayer: Where Tanis's face gets fixed.

    I think that's everything and it certainly looks like Medea is on a redemption tour. You have to remember she was a reluctant accomplice to Demonstorm's villainy. She never sought out to harm anyone and simply wanted to be left alone. However, the dark lord had other intentions. He married her for power and to basically keep an eye on the last void witch in his realm. Her son, Tanis, was not born from a loving union. In fact, he was grown in a test tube and artificially aged to young adulthood. So, if you really think about it....Tanis is like two years old.

    Scary, right? At least he now has his mother steering him on the right path. It should be good for both of them. Their relationship is clearly on the mend here. Medea is also looking to fix Jack after fixing his sister, Crystal. It's probably a good thing that Sara isn't on Earth at the moment. She'd probably say she could fix herself. 

    It looks like we might be on our way to fixing Angela now that Cece and Medea have come up with a plan to save her heart and thus save the planet Illibrata from its future fate. That dark future we got a glimpse of back in the late 400s has already been altered for the most part. Fixing Angela now will irrevocably change the future for the better.

    As far as Garazo and Medea go? Yeah. Medea's not REALLY interested in Garazo. She wanted to teach her son a valuable lesson. And I think he learned it quite well. 

    We've got some time before Angela gets her powers in order. Next time we're going to see what's going on with Jack. Is he trying to become the next Iron Eagle? What will his mother have to say about that?

Tune in next time and find out. See ya then!

Starbolts #586: School Days

 

 

 Hail!

    This week we catch up with Cece and Walter and see what's going on with those two. From the looks of things, it seems that Walter is no ordinary butler. You'd be right about that. He once served at the behest of Scotland Yard as one of their agents. There's also a bit more to the story. Do you think he could have worn the Cobalt armor for Richard? Hmmm....It's a possibility. I wouldn't put it past Richard to let him wear the suit if he needed to. Like if there was a meeting he couldn't get away from or anything. But, that wasn't what Cece was going to ask him about. No, this was something else. I'm not entirely sure what it is yet!

    Too bad her questioning was cut off by Crystal's call. As you might have guessed, she still needs some training in the tethering spell. She will master it, I am sure. It just takes time and patience. We'll be catching up with her and Marcus in a few comics!

    In the mean time, it looks like things are progressing well for Ellie and Richie. No, the two aren't dating. They're just really good friends. I do like that tamale in a hat bit. It reminds me of one of Jeff Dunham's puppets, José Jalapeno on a Stick. I'd probably vote for him, too. I mean we could do a lot worse than what we've got.

    Ellie plans on sticking around and I think we've got some great things in store for her and her friends so stay tuned!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #585: The Cold Shoulder

 

 

 Hail!

    This week we get a little sidetracked from what's going on with Ellie to bring a new metahuman the Starbolts need to deal with. Her name is Cynthia and she has ice powers. Apparently, she's also a little off. We'll find out more about her story in the coming weeks. Could she be connected to Ellie in some way? Could she render that dating website plan the Starbolts had for TK moot? It's hard to say.

    Still, it was cool of Garazo to give Takashi a very epic introduction wasn't it? Now everyone is going to want a cool intro by Garazo for their Department of Metahumans profiles. Too bad Crystal and Marcus aren't there. You know they'd be all over that type of introduction. Especially Marcus.  

    It's still good to see the Starbolts on the case when a new metahuman pops up. As you saw last week, the academy was getting a lot more new students. We could see many more in the future. After all, one metahuman/magic user/non powered person they can help means one less villain in the world. I don't think the world would be able to handle Cynthia if her powers went out of whack. The whole world would become a winter wonderland.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #584: Kids in America

 

Hail!

    Looks like we got two storylines going before we head into Starbolts #600. Will we have time to fit them all in? Probably. First we have the final conclusion to the "Heart of Illibrata" arc. This may see Angela finally return home from her time with the Centurions. Will Medea help? Well, she's helped four Starbolts in what I'd like to call her "Redemption Tour". She might as well, right? What does she have to lose?

    The next arc involves Ellie and her mother. As you might recall, Elisabeth was the head of Terra Nova until she was stopped back in Starbolts #441. Incidentally, that raid also brought the Starbolts four more recruits to the New Starbolts team. Behind the scenes more students have been added to the academy as you can tell by the panel showing all of the kids.

    Eagle-eyed readers might notice Syntax is among the students as well as a Setleth, a Dovianni, a couple wizards from the Order of Korun and a couple random teens. More kids are likely hiding behind the speech bubble. So, there's probably thirty kids in that classroom. There may even be more! It is an academy after all. Sam and I felt the need to make it feel more like a school by adding more kids.

Now, with that said....Who could Ellie be talking to? Find out next time!

See ya then!

Starbolts #583: Heaven is a Place on Earth

 

 

 Hail! 

    This week Crystal and Marcus are off on a well deserved vacation. After what he endured at the hands of Demonstorm, can you really blame him? Yeah, he and Crystal are going to need some time away. But, don't worry! They'll both be back for the special 600th comic coming soon. A few other Starbolts will be returning by then as well. It seems like everyone is scattered these days. Angela is in space. Firaxil and Sara are on New Inobus. Now Marcus and Crystal are off to the Arlandero ranch.

     Don't worry. I'm sure there really isn't any disastrous consequences to the bonding ritual. It was a line. And a good one at that. It probably only works for witches or something.

    Meanwhile Medea has fixed not one but TWO Starbolts. This could be her redemption tour through the ranks of the Starbolts. Could she be the one to fix Angela? That remains to be seen. We may be focusing on her as we start on the road to Starbolts #600. We may even check in on our friends here. Yes, I know they said they wanted to be alone. But, hey. Why not, right? 

Stay tuned! More Starbolts goodness is coming your way!

Starbolts #582: Love is a Battlefield

 

 

 Hail!

    This is it! Marcus is finally free of Demonstorm's control and is well on his way to bonding with Crystal.There is going to be some serious celebrations next time for the two of them. So, be on the look out for that. I think it's well deserved and I think everyone reading this week's comic would agree that it was a long time coming. 

    I'm not sure what Marcus is doing with his speed powers. He's not tapping into the speed force as used by The Flash or anything. His powers are from a mutation and not from anything else. So, it remains to be seen if this would be transferred to the real world.

    As far as the scene he experienced, it all occurred in the time it took for him to accept Crystal's bonding gift. I'm reminded of that song by Jim's Big Ego, "The Ballad of Barry Allen". It seems quite appropriate for this week's comic!

    Poor Marcus, though. He was asked about his sex life in front of her father. Talk about awkward. I don't think he was keen on revealing the details in front of ol' Stan. But, between you and me he secretly enjoyed seeing the young man squirm a bit. Of course Stan approves of Marcus. But, it's okay for him to tease his daughter's boyfriend every once in a while. I think he saved face just in time.

    Marcus never met Cody and this week we get to see an inkling of what that confrontation would be like. Our speeding friend is definitely not afraid of that abusive jerk and here he proves it. Cody was just a manifestation of Crystal's fears. Her fears combined with Demonstorm almost did him in. But, he prevailed and now it's time for the two to bond. 

 See ya next time for the romantic payoff!

Starbolts #581: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

 

 

  Hail!

    There is a lot going on this week! First we learn that it'll take more than just sexy times to cure Marcus of his Demonstorm infestation. Marcus and Crystal will have to partake in a mystical bonding ritual which should solve his problems. It'll also bring the two closer together in terms of their relationship. It'll be well worth it. Crystal just needs some training and she'll be back in two shakes to help Marcus with his problem.

    Marcus should be well taken care of with Mateo, Aquita and Sirak helping him out. He just got another boost of oxytocin. I think he should be okay for now. But, he can't keep this up forever. Crystal will have to act fast if she is to save Marcus. And you know that woman is driven to save her boyfriend. Whatever it takes. 

    Now we come to Tanis shaking the box Demonstorm's stored in. I have to say it is cathartic. The whole scene is also a way for Medea to bond with her son. I feel like Medea was never really given a chance to bond with Tanis because of how his father treated him. Technically speaking he's only a few years old even though he has the appearance of a young adult. Demonstorm and Braun artificially aged him after all. Tanis finally has the chance to vent out his frustration. I think there's a chance for both victims of Demonstorm to bond now that the tyrant is out of their lives. We'll see on that front.

    It is nice to see Medea and Cece being catty with one another. They are two sides of the same coin and I think Cece might be taken aback by Medea's strategies. Medea wants to atone for all of Demonstorm's misdeeds and I think Cece will understand that in time.

So much stuff happened this week and we got more in store for next week!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #580: The Danger Zone

 

 

 Hail!

    This is the week we learn more about Medea and I think it makes the Starbolts' old villain a great deal more sympathetic. Think about it. She was forced into a loveless marriage by a man who probably killed her sisters, her fellow void witches. She half-hardheartedly took part in various conquests. She never set out to be evil. So, she was forced into all those things by a man who would rather conquer a planet than be focused on other pursuits. It's really no wonder she acts the way she does. I get the feeling she'll stay in that gray area. We shall see.

    So far she's opened up her backstory to Crystal and I think that might score points with her. In fact, now that she knows that she also talked to her spells, she might feel a bit differently. 

    Time is really of the essence now that Demonstorm's voice is getting a wee bit louder in Marcus's head. Will sex really be the cure-all here? I'm thinking "No." There's going to be something more to it than that. Just sit tight. Medea has a plan!

    I hope everyone's been liking the '80s song titles. It's building up to something. I mean Marcus and Crystal's song IS an '80s song, soo....I think you can guess where I'm going with this.

 

Starbolts #579: Livin' on a Prayer

 

 

 Hail! 

    If you're wondering if Medea is always on, the answer is clearly, unquestionably, undoubtedly, definitely yes. Medea is always "on". The woman clearly has issues and we'll be exploring why in the next comic. The Starbolts often referred to her as their "Rita Repulsa" from Power Rangers. However, there's more to her than meets the eye. Is she more than just a very sultry void witch? Yes. Of course she is. I wouldn't write a character like this unless there was a valid reason for her behavior. You might want to get tissues, though. You aren't prepared for the feels that are coming soon.

    At least she seems to be making amends for her past misdeeds. She offered to help Marcus with no strings attached. She changed Tanis back to normal after being transformed into a humanoid bug-man in Starbolts #195.  The witch has been performing some extraordinary acts of kindness as of late. Trust me when I say that the Starbolts are a bit cautious and probably will keep her at arm's length.

    Still, how awkward was it to have a former villain embrace Crystal RIGHT after commenting on her appearance. She sensed she was a void witch. But, that doesn't make her comments or actions okay. I foresee her butting heads with Cece when she comes to Earth. Cece is a more reserved void witch. Medea is not. There's gonna be some drama coming with those two. At least she's willing to help Marcus. However, there may be a method to her madness.

Stay tuned!

Starbolts #578: The Power of Love

 

 

Hail!

    Crystal is clearly a woman on a mission and throughout the writing process and creation of this comic, I had Huey Lewis's "The Power of Love" in my head. The lyrics that pop out the most definitely relate to this week's comic are:

"It's strong and it's sudden and it can be cruel sometimes. But, it might just save your life!" 

     I think that aptly describes what's going in this week's comic. Marcus is in trouble and the only way to keep Demonstorm at bay is the power of love. I know it's corny as hell. But, work with me here. Demonstorm is a being who is incapable of love, right? He doesn't understand it and has never felt it. He sees it as a weakness. So, the love Marcus has for his friends and his girlfriend, Crystal, keep him going. It's the only thing keeping him from having Demonstorm take over his mind and body.

    Demonstorm is still trying to play on Marcus's fears and the team is doing their best to keep the speedster's hope's up. Here's hoping it works! Without the kissing!

    Next comic will see the return of Medea. What has she been up to since the last time Tanis visited? We shall see! See ya next time!

 

Starbolts #577: Take on Me

 

 

Hail!

    Crystal seems to be very confident this week. Her plan is not without merit of course. It remains to be seen if Medea will indeed help the Starbolts. Stan seems to think she will. He's been doing everything in his power to help his student free himself from Demonstorm's control. Stan even enlisted the aid of Cece and unfortunately that doesn't seem to be enough at the moment. Hopefully, she can save the day. We shall find out soon enough.

    Marcus's love for Crystal seems to be the only thing keeping Demonstorm at bay. Crystal's gonna have to ensure his defenses are up by any means necessary. She's been pretty darn confident lately. Hopefully, she doesn't come across as overconfident. There's something to be said for her willingness to do whatever it takes for her love. She knows he would do the same for her. 

    Firaxil and Sara are taking a quick vacation away from the drama on Earth. Think of it as a well deserved mini vacation. They'll be back sooner than you might think. Keep an eye out!

    For now it's back to Demonsk for Tanis and Crystal. What will they find? Will Medea be willing to help? They last saw her back in Starbolts #523. That was very...interesting comic. Here's hoping she doesn't have a "grown-up headache" this time.

See ya next week!

Starbolts #576: Shadows of the Night

 

 

Hail! 

    There's a lot to unpack this week so let's get started. I'm trying something new with this body possession thing. There's a cliche where someone is possessed and he or she doesn't tell anyone right away. Marcus isn't that person. Marcus WANTS Demonstorm out of his body as soon as possible. He isn't too keen on having him around and you can bet that he will make his stay in Marcus's brain as unpleasant as possible. How? By doing the exact opposite of what Demonstorm tells him to do. Thankfully, the lord of Demonsk doesn't have access to Marcus's higher brain functions, yet. All he can do is watch and whisper lies in his ear. It would take time for the possession to fully take hold. So, the Starbolts are on a race to stop him from completely taking over their friends' body. 

    Crystal is prepared to do whatever it takes to get her boyfriend back. What this means is up in the air. What will she intend to do? Well, the answer will come in the next few comics. I won't spoil anything. But, now Crystal is confident and Marcus wants Demonstorm gone.Crystal is right. She's been through hell to get to this point and you know she's going to fight like hell to get him back. He called her unpredictable. He hasn't seen anything, yet!

    I picked Pat Benatar's "Shadows of the Night" as a title because it seemed appropriate to what's happening with Speedy. Take her hand, Marcus. You'll be alright! Demonstorm is clearly the shadow of the night here. He has no concept of "love" in his heart. He's going to learn that he definitely picked the wrong Starbolt to possess!!

See you next time!

Starbolts #575: Need for Speed

 

 

Hail!

    There's a lot of stuff to unpack in this week's comic isn't there? Let's go into details, shall we? Yes! Let's!

    First up we have Takashi and Kaori. Takashi seems to be okay after his ordeal. He's at peace with his relationship with his adoptive sister and she is, too. It's going to take time to shake off what he went through. I have no idea what he was tinkering with. I just figured I'd put a giant robot head on the table. It's just a very random thing. =D

    Next we have Firaxil and Sara talking about her clones; Sola, Velocity and Psyche. I think Firaxil wants closure in regards to Velocity and Psyche since they died in his arms. Sola might be another story. I suppose they'll be picking up the conversation when they get to New Inobus. They'll be going there for a quick vacation in order to take in everything that's happened to them so far. From learning she was a Whitefox to becoming a void witch, Sara has gone through so much in a short time. She needs to breathe!

    Poor Marcus has a lot to deal with with Demonstorm running through his head. Here's hoping that is resolved soon. I'm gonna have to do a huge romantic payoff for him and Crystal once this is over. It'll be a long road. But, I am sure they'll be fine!

    For an unexpected twist, we have Cece and the Dastara's butler, Walter. That's a bit of a surprise coupling coming out of left field. The way I see it Walter met Cece and she appeared to be a very pretty young woman. He had a crush and Walter being the gentleman he is felt it was improper to proceed since he was a bit older than she appeared. Well, now the tables have turned a bit as SHE is considerably older than him. It's definitely a strange tale.  We may see more of that relationship down the road.

    For now, though, the Starbolts have a friend to fix. Four people went into that room and only one got messed up in the head. Here's hoping they can fix the team's heart!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #574: Night Terrors

 

 

 Hail!

    The Starbolts may have defeated Demonstorm but it looks like this latest adventure left an impact on the team's heart, Marcus. What are they going to do about Demonstorm influencing their friends' thoughts? How will they find out. It looks like he wasn't as defeated as they thought he was. They're going to have to do something. What are his plans for Marcus? Has Takashi also been affected? These are all great questions and the answers will all be revealed in time. Stay tuned! This Demonstorm arc isn't quite finished, yet!

    Crystal did her best to be the supporting girlfriend she always is. Marcus always helped her and she likes to pay it forward. Chances are she will do whatever it takes to get her boyfriend back to normal. But, what will she do to get it done? How is Demonstorm playing with Marcus's fears?  

    At least M'anta seems to be on the mend. He's in good hands with his doting wife, Jenna. The tank he's in has more stuff on the site that I didn't get a chance to show. There's a bed and a monitor for his vitals. Why wasn't he sleeping in it? Not sure. Maybe it wasn't comfortable?  And like the floor is? I dunno if it's as solid as you might think. I'll have to iron out the details of this "healing tank" M'anta is in. I don't know why but I really like how the stairs came out. I also imagine a little platform and that's how she slid in. I probably should have included a ladder or something.  Not only is Jenna wearing a special breathing apparatus designed by her father, Richard. She is also wearing special contact lenses which allow her to see underwater quite comfortably. Pretty cool, right?

      Demonstorm's influence is still being felt despite his defeat. Let's hope the team can help Marcus!

 See ya next time!

Starbolts #573: The Final Fate of Demonstorm

 

 

  Hail!

   Ding dong Demonstorm is gone! FINALLY after all this time and all these adventures Demonstorm has finally been vanquished! Or has he? He's trapped inside of a box which is a doorway to a pocket universe. In that pocket universe, Centurion powers do not work. Is there a way out? That remains to be seen. This may or may not be the end of Demonstorm. After all he did come back after being stabbed by M'anta way back in Starbolts #200. Wow. That really was a long, long time ago! Time flies when you're having fun!

    This final  confrontation  with Demonstorm also sees Tanis redeeming himself in the wake of his actions since his return. Will he be reinstated as a Starbolt? Possibly. Right now he's still got his own issues to work out.

    Speaking of issues, there will be a few comics focusing on the fallout of the adventure the Starbolts had in the impossible palace. Are they okay after their ordeal? Some may be in worse shape than others. We'll see. Right now the Starbolts should revel in their amazing victory. However, there is always a chance he might return. You can't keep a good villain down!

See ya next time! 

Starbolts #572: The Coming of Centurion Omega

 

 

 Hail!

    What can I say about this week's comic? How about "Yikes!" Or "Oh, no. What are they going to do now?!" Well, fear not my friends because Tanis is on the way to save the day! The next comic looks like it's going to be his chance to shine and redeem himself in the eyes of the Starbolts and perhaps even himself. Will he step up and confront his father?

    Speaking of Demonstorm, I think it can be safe to assume he may have reached the second form in this boss battle. Let's hope the Starbolts can defeat him! 

    Meanwhile, what is up with Marcus? He's been kind of cold toward his girlfriend ever since he snapped out of Demonstorm's vision. Did something happen to him? Time will tell because we are definitely going to tackle that issue in the the next few comics. Stay tuned for that. I won't spoil anything. But, we shall see what's going on in the speedster's brain very soon.

    As for M'anta, I think he'll be fine once he has a dip in a pool or something. He was already dehydrated from flying over the lava pit. Fighting Demonstorm just worsened his condition. We shall see if he'll be fighting fit in no time. 

    See ya next week and we'll see if Tanis can finally stop his father before anyone else falls!

Stay tuned!

Starbolts #571: The Secret of Demonstorm

 

 

Hail!

    Wow! It looks like the boss battle is about to heat up! We've got a crazy reveal for Demonstorm. It appears that he definitely has the Centurion force at his command. The question is what is he going to do with it? Well, he's going to have a fighting mad Inobe to deal with before he can do anything. His Centurion abilities combined with his primal magic make him more dangerous than ever. What if he were to access the third magic form known as void magic? Yikes. he'd be unstoppable!

    At least he had access to void magic for a time. If you recall, Ethan Knight said that Medea's books were based on void magic. This meant that Medea herself was a void witch. I doubt she was going to say that out loud. One of her books is now in Cece's possession. Perhaps she can find a way to undo all of these problems with the heart of Illibrata and everything. We can only hope because I don't think Demonstorm's former wife is in any position to be helping ANYONE right now!!

    Firaxil is temporarily in his "Hulk" form. This is going to be an amazing battle! He promised himself that he'd never let Sara see this form. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. Tune in next time to see how the fight goes and trust me it is going to be AMAZING!

See ya next time!