Moonstar #1- Walking Side by Side With Death

Dani is back in Moonstar #1. After the fall of Krakoa, Danielle Moonstar was aimless and looking for a place to fit in. She found her purpose in the Society of the Eternal Dawn. The group, founded to ensure humanity’s survival by any means, eventually proves to be more than they claimed. After some help from Magik, Dani is free of the Eternal Dawn and once again listless. She’s at a crossroads, as she returns home to her mother and father, until a couple of unexpected visitors put her on a date with destiny.

This review is brought to you by the dynamic duo of Megan and Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Ashley Allen
Artist: Edoardo Audino
Colorist: Arthur Hesli
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Germán Peralta
Published by Marvel Comics

Writing

Megan: Ashley Allen started Moonstar with a banger of a first issue! Moonstar #1 follows Dani Moonstar, the iconic mutant, after the events of the Magik comic run. After leaving the Society of the Eternal Dawn, Dani returns home to her parents house. She’s already on edge after leaving the Society, but to add even more complications, she has trouble talking to her parents about her past as a Valkyrie since no one remembers Asgard. Trying to voice her frustrations about how she feels, there’s a knock at the door. Surprisingly enough, it’s Yanisa and Kian from the Society of the Eternal Dawn. The last two people Dani wants to see are at her door and they need her help. What follows is a dark and mysterious new tribulation that seems to be a problem only Dani can fix.

Shawn: What a great first issue from Ashley Allen! One of the things I have appreciated about Ashley Allen is that she “knows” her characters. When I read her work, it never feels like she’s meeting a checklist. It feels like she spent time with the characters and got to know them before she put down a script. This is as true in Moonstar, as it is in her other Marvel projects like Magik. I love that she gives us a glimpse of important past stories that have shaped Dani. This is critical because someone who has no idea who Dani Moonstar is, can pick this comic up and within the first few pages understand what they need to know about her.

In the process of properly introducing Dani, Allen never makes it feel like an exposition or tedious. The writing flows, and Allen crafts a very interesting first issue that has me looking forward to more. I love that Allen tied in some current lore as well, such as most folks forgetting Asgard ever existed (you can check out a Nerd Initiative video review of Immortal Thor #25). With the experiences Dani has had in her history, I really loved the choice by Allen to have Dani come back home to Boulder and be with her family at a time when she is trying to figure out what is next.

Art

Megan: The artwork is absolutely spectacular all throughout the comic thanks to Edoardo Audino, Arthur Hesli and Clayton Cowles. Audino ensured that the artwork matches the dark and mysterious tone that comes from the story. The coloring of the panels was handled beautifully by Hesli, who increased the vibrancy as the story went on, which created an incredible build up. Cowles captured the emotions of the comic and portrayed it perfectly through the dialogue. Each of the artists brought something beautiful to the pages of the comic and created something very special.

Shawn: The art for this issue blew me away. Whether it is the small details on armor or the major details like the Demon Bear. Every single line from Audino feels perfect. There’s such a wide variety of art that happens in this issue from flashbacks, to portraits, to scenery and background and Audino nails it all.

Arthur Hesli chooses just the right tones and shades throughout the issue. There’s a particular panel where Dani is recounting a memory, and Hesli seamlessly blends the colors without creating separation. This makes the “memory” feel more like a memory the reader is experiencing rather than a retelling of an old event.

Clayton Cowles does a superb job of lettering on this issue as well. There are a few word-heavy panels that had the potential to create chaos or block the art. Cowles handles this perfectly allowing my eyes to flow along the conversation well and know exactly where to go next.

Final Thoughts

Megan: 10/10. Ashley Allen gave Dani Moonstar an incredibly strong start and the proper introduction into her first and very overdue solo series. With a story as strong as Dani Moonstar herself, this was a slam dunk!

Shawn: 10/10. I love a good, strong first issue. It sets the tone for where a run is headed. This was as good a first step as Allen, Audino, Hesli, and Cowles could have put forward. If this trajectory continues for the rest of the run, Allen could be responsible for both the quintessential run on Magik as well as Dani Moonstar. From the first page, everything about this comic is executed flawlessly. The narrative builds, the art stuns, and the lettering makes it all flow.

Overall Grade: 10/10

Did you enjoy Moonstar #1? Let us know in the comments below!