Starman

Author: James Robinson

The 1990s were an interesting, and often difficult, time for comics. James Robinson's Starman was easily the best-written regular series hitting the shelves back then. The story of a second-generation hero, Jack Knight, who took up the Gravity Wand and became Starman, it was really more a story about a guy with issues, a dealer in pop culture objects, and his relationship with his family: both real and imagined. Robinson's stories were big, sprawling, but there was always an emotional intimacy that he was exploring. The final storyline, which details Jack fighting nearly all his foes in the greatest battle Opal City would ever witness, is an absolute masterpiece of comic writing. The art, though, placed it in rare company. Stylish, unlike anything else on the market. Clean lines, but with a twist that brings to mind 1980s graphic design, 1970s comic art, and mid-century painterly works. The words and the art would continually play with one another in a way that made both better, and one of the truly great comics reading experiences. Why it's on the list: Fully imbued with Pop Culture, fantastic art, and super-smart storylines, Starman is the kind of comic that turns comic book readers into comic book fans.