Shatterstar #5 Shows How To Make A B-Lister Feel Like A Star

If you had told me a year ago that not only would I go from apathetic to a fan of Shatterstar, I might have laughed at you. Add the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed the character’s first ever solo series, and I’m willing to call myself a changed man.

The conclusion to this story comes to us from Tim Seeley, Carlos Villa, Juan Vlasco, Gerardo Sandoval, Carlos Lopez, & Cory Petit. They wrap up the epic story, as well as give us hints that there’s much more to come.

Shatterstar confronts the Grandmaster directly, and the Elder of the Universe throws every weapon in his arsenal at him. ‘Star is finally able to gain the upper hand in transporting him to our Earth, a mundane world where the fantastic is greatly muted. In the final moments, Rictor is able to rescue his longtime boyfriend, and the duo reunite with the rescued tenants.

I have to say I really enjoyed this mini. It wasn’t groundbreaking comics by any stretch, but it was a highly enjoyable self-contained story. I’d definitely pick up a follow-up story, and that’s a testament to the tale that Seeley, Villa and team told.

Seeley takes the emotional beats that he set up throughout the series for the pay off. The story is entirely Shatterstar’s, but Rictor’s importance to the character is reestablished, and forms the core of the denouement. ‘Star’s tenants also take a more active role in the story here, which I hope leads to a follow-up in which they’re more than just window dressing.

Villa and Vlasco really show off their action chops there. Their lead is up against an opponent in which a conventional superhero beat-’em-up won’t work, and they translate that extremely well. They’re also able to convey the emotion of Seeley’s script, putting the bond between Rictor and Shatterstar extremely well.

I was already on my way to becoming a fan of the character before this series happened, but now that it’s concluded, Shatterstar is a new favorite.

Shatterstar #5 is available now from Marvel Comics.