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Writer's pictureByron O'Neal

KNIGHT: THE WANDERING STARS, ISSUE #0

Updated: Jun 24, 2021


Writer: The Starlight City Project Art: Skill3 Studio Publisher: Starlight City Entertainment


KNIGHT: The Wandering Stars, issue #0, cover, Starlight City Entertainment, The Starlight City Project/Skill3 Studio

This review only covers a single issue, which sets up the story for the rest of the series. Though it has two separate stories, we don't have insight into a full story arc, so this review might look a little different than my other reviews of entire volumes of comics.

WHAT IS IT?

A cyberpunk fantasy story of two space knights employed to protect the peace throughout space and hunt down dangerous rogues.

This first introductory issue reads like the beginning of a JRPG, showing us the cats of characters and the universe in which they live. It reminds me a lot of Rogue Galaxy or Star Ocean.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?

(Minor Spoilers)

Two young women are partners, keeping the peace for The Queen's Knights Corporation. We get the sense they've been working together awhile, and they've known each other even longer.

But, even with their history, we find out that they're hiding things from each other. While we only get a glimpse of these things in this first chapter (or "The Zero Chapter," as this installment is called), it gives us a hint at what drives these characters...and what may drive them apart in the future.

The comic plays out like an anime, and the art style is definitely reminiscent of one, too. Two separate "episodes" play out in this issue, each setting up different aspects of the greater story. That is, the characters' personal motivations, and their greater hunt for someone who harmed them greatly in the past.

WHAT WORKS?

  • The world is immense, built by someone with a grand vision, and it gives plenty of breathing room for epic storytelling in the future

  • Personally, I loved the classification of the types of knights and the skills they use; it makes me want this to be a playable RPG very badly

  • I am blown away by the art and color, especially in an indie comic -- Skill3 Studio is shows off their talent by filling this issue with some really spectacular work

  • The heroes have a depth to them that helps make them three-dimensional and lovable very early on

  • Similarly, we get story teases for what the plot will cover later, showing that there's a greater plan for the title and hooking us from the start

  • There's a good balance between fight scenes and all the exposition that had to be done in this first issue

  • There's kind of a buddy-cop thing between the two main characters, but it's not over-the-top, which I think works for the title

  • The action and language should be fine for most kids 12+

WHAT DOESN'T WORK?

  • The villains feel a little shallow and tropey, but we also haven't met the "Big Bad" yet and it's only the first issue

  • If you're not used to anime/manga, or if you're not a fan of it, this may not be for you, since it has a lot of the trappings of the genre

  • Still early on, so it's tough to see if the creative team will be able to maintain this momentum in future issues


KNIGHT: The Wandering Stars, issue #0, used with permission of the author, Starlight City Entertainment, The Starlight City Project/Skill3 Studio

WHY SHOULD I READ IT?

KNIGHTS: The Wandering Stars bridges sci-fi cyberpunk and fantasy elements naturally and seamlessly, bringing some of your favorite parts of manga, anime and JRPG video games to the comic book medium. It's a lot of fun, and a brilliant world that I can't wait to read more of.

WHAT DO I READ NEXT?

If you like the writing:

If you like the art:

  • R:ILPERSONA by The Starlight City Project & JM Valenzuela

  • East of West, Vol. 1 by Jonathan Hickman & Nick Dragotta

  • Wayward, Vol. 1 by Jim Zub & Steve Cummings

ABOUT THE CREATORS

The Starlight City Project – Writer

  • New Face: He started self-publishing his comics 5 years ago

  • Moniker: His real name is Shaun Barrow

  • Is a huge fan of, and greatly influenced by, manga & anime

Melvin Calingo – Illustrator

  • Moniker: Sometimes goes by "Taga-Ilog"

  • Greatly inspired by Battle Angel Alita, Blade of the Immortal & Mad Max

  • Outlander: Lives in the Philippines

Ludwig Sacramento – Colorist

  • Dream Team: Also works with The Starlight City Project on R:ILPERSONA (which takes place in the same universe as KNIGHTS: The Wandering Stars, but during a different time)

  • Multitalented: Also works in game design

Vocapanda – Letterer

  • Dream Team: Also works with The Starlight City Project on R:ILPERSONA (which takes place in the same universe as KNIGHTS: The Wandering Stars, but during a different time)

  • Is more famous for being an anime YouTube cover singer

HOW DO I BUY IT?

Click one of these:

The image(s) used in this article are from a comic strip, webcomic or the cover or interior of a comic book. The copyright for this image(s) is likely owned by either the publisher of the comic, the writer(s) and/or artist(s) who produced the comic. It is believed that the use of this image(s) qualifies as fair use under the United States copyright law. The image is used in a limited fashion in an educational manner in order to illustrate the points of the author and not for the purpose of entertainment or substituting the original work. It is believed the use of this image has had no impact on the market value of the original work.

All Starlight City Entertainment characters and the distinctive likeness(es) thereof are trademarks of and copyright Starlight City Entertainment or their respective owners. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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