Morningstar Special (1990) by Bill Willingham
This is an Elementals spin-off, and is not about Morningstar’s marriage to Merlin, but is just an adventure she’s having in Magic Land.
Which is an odd choice for the subject of a special. I mean… aren’t specials supposed to be more special?
This really reads more like a random issue of Elementals, but I guess the draw here is that it’s drawn by Willingham itself? Was this originally just a normal Elementals issue, and then Comico decided it would make commercial sense to draw more attention to it (because of the artwork)?
If so, then this happened again a year later, after Comico had been reborn: Willingham was going to draw yet another issue, but then that turned into the very first Elementals Sex Special instead (and sold a ton of copies, so it makes sense).
Anyway, this is a solid Elementals issue — there’s some jokes, we learn a bit more about the world they inhabit, and then there’s a fight scene.
And an amusing ending. (That’s a shape-shifting dragon spying on them having sex.)
So… pretty good?
Not very special, though.
Amazing Heroes #181, page #79:
Morningstar Special is a one-issue
spinoff from Bill Willingam’s gritty
super-hero team book, The Elemen-
tals. In Elementals #7 (volume two)
Morningstar (Jeanette Crane) married
the wizard Ambrose, and left the team
for a two-month honeymoon in Am-
brose’s fairyland dimension, Avalon.
In Elementals #10, she returned just
in time to get caught up in the Ob-
livion War. Elementals is up to #14
now, and the War has been growing
increasingly bleak and depressing
(although well-written). So this Morn-
ingstar Special is a welcome relief
from the gloom.
This story is a flashback to a “post-
honeymoon adventure” that Morning-
star has on Avalon before returning to
Earth. After doing what newlyweds
do on honeymoons for a couple of
weeks, Morningstar and her golem
friend, Fantasia Faust, set out for a
flying tour of Avalon on winged horses
while Ambrose catches up on wizard’s
work back at the castle. Morningstar
and Fantasia are waylaid by Dragavon,
the son of Argaud, the dragon that
Morningstar killed when she first met
Ambrose (back in Elementals #20,
vol. one). Dragavon feels that honor
requires him to kill her to avenge his
father. The two women convince him
that this is a bad idea in a comedic
fight scene that makes up most of the
issue.
“Comedic” is in relation to the
usual Elementals mayem, since there’s
still enough graphic violence (starting)
with the gory slaughter of the flying
horses) that a “don’t-try-this-at-home-
kids” label might have been a good
idea. But it all ends with everyone
becoming friends.
Bill Willingham, the creator of the
Elementals, both wrote and drew this
Special. That’s good news for the fans
who have been complaining that he
has turned Elementals over to other
artists.
GRADE: !!! 1/2
— Fred Patten
(This is the kind of review my eyes glaze over when reading — it’s a recap of the entire plot, and then not much more.)
Amazing Heroes Preview Special #10, page #82:
Good heavens to Betsy! It’s a Bill Willingham
event! He writes! He pencils! He inks! What’s
the occasion? Why, the Morningstar Spe-
cial, of course!
Featuring the other fabulous babe from the
pages of The Elementals, this 32-page
special takes a closer look at Morningstar’s
life with her husband Ambrose in his Faerie
realm.
Dragons, flying horses, powerful wizards,
dangerous women, and still more dragons
abound! Who is Dave Dragavon? Why does
Morningstar team-up with the nigh-inde-
structible Fantasia? How will all of this affect
upcoming issues of Elementals? And what
is Ambrose’s connnection to… King Arthur?
But first, let’s recap a bit: After her affair
with Eric Chessman ended rather badly
(what with him turning out to be that icy vil-
lainess Shape-Shifter in disguise), Morning-
star very nearly commited suicide. Luckily,
Ambrose came to her rescue, and soon after
they were married by a talking walrus. Throw
in all the strife and stress associated with
everyday life as an Elemental, and heck, it’s
time for a vacation!
Fans have long been clamoring for the re-
turn of Bill Willingham to full interior art on
Elementals. Well, now, in this special, Bill’s
back, bringing his distinctive style to char-
acters he created.
Due April 17, the Morningstar Special also
features wraparound cover art by Willing-
ham.
The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide #2, page #450:
Bill Willingham combines his love of superheroes and
fantasy for a whimsical tale of revenge and ineptitude.
Morningstar, the fire portion of The Elementals, is
adjusting to life with her new husband who is the Merlin
of legend, inhabiting a magical kingdom. Accompanied by
the assassin Fantasia, Morningstar takes a tour of her
husband’s world in a slapstick adventure eschewing
the predictable superhero trappings. Willingham’s
decorative art compensates for frequently defective
figurework, but fans of his work in general will probably
enjoy this.~FP
This is the only review I could find on the interwebses:
Willingham went too wacky with Ambrose’s clothing choices. Some panels seem to be drawn too much on the side of gratuitious cheesecake, but all nudity is covered, both male and female, but I would definitely consider this a mature readers title. The colors are a little too flat, but work well with Willingham’s style, although I would love to see it with one of the top colorists of today adding their touch to it.