Clarence’s call to a friend gets the team a safe place to rest and start making plans. But it is not long before Leo and Ares arrive with a new ally of their own! Who is he and what can he do? Find out in Starsigns #5 from Image Comics!
STARSIGNS #5
Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Megan Levens
Colorist: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Editor: Heather Antos
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 11, 2023
Previously in Starsigns: Rana (Taurus) and Clarence (Gemini) track down another person with Zodiac superpowers, Alejandro (Cancer). As they try to get him and his mother to safety, they are attacked by Tatiana (Leo) and Mr. Duke (Ares) who sets the forest on fire. They meet Cathy (Virgo), another person with powers, who helps them to escape. She was a firefighter from Canada, and Mister Duke had captured her for a week. She tells them he is trying to find as many people like them as possible. As they flee, Alejandro senses angry police in the area. It takes all of them working together and using their powers to slip through the checkpoint. Meanwhile, Mister Duke introduces Tatiana to another recruit he has found, one who is willing to work with them, for the right price!
A BREATH OF CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Starsigns #5 opens as Clarence directs Cathy to where a friend of is his going to meet them. Rana is apprehensive, but Binh is someone Clarence has known for a long time. He was a troublemaker back in the day, but he is true to his friends. He invites them all in, just as a huge storm blows up. He also invites them to partake of some weed, but only Clarence and Rana accept.
As if on cue, Rana’s father calls her right then. He is still in Germany and tells her things are going well with his music. Then he asks how she is doing. While she says everything is fine, he knows her well and can immediately tell she is lying. She promises to tell him later, which he accepts. But he also reminds her that she is stronger than she thinks.
Rana steps out onto the porch and watches the rain coming down. Cathy joins her. Rana wonders why she could not bring herself to tell her father anything about what is going on. Cathy understands. She also feels as though they have been sworn to secrecy, even though they haven’t. They go back inside to talk. Rana has figured out that there are probably twelve people with powers. Between them, Ares, and Leo, they know of six. There must be six more. Perhaps if they can find the others before Mister Duke, they can work together.
They suddenly all sense the presence of a nearby Starsign. Leo crashes through the door. Virgo sets up a force bubble and urges Silvia to get Alejandro to safety. Duke’s new recruit hits Gemini on the head, revealing himself. Ares arrives. While Taurus can slow him down, her powers do not affect the new recruit, who knocks her down too. He makes it clear he is in this for the money. Ares congratulates him on a job well done – and stabs him. It was Gemini, disguised as Ares.
The real Ares does come on the scene along with a group of armed men. Alejandro attempts to use his powers on them, and they turn their weapons on Ares. He is not overly concerned. The boy is young and does not have good control over his powers. In fact, he tries to taunt the boy into making them shoot him. Silvia understands what he is trying to do, and she grabs her little boy and they flee.
When they get to the van, Cathy hands her keys to Rana. The armed men won’t be confused for much longer. She intends to buy as much time as she can so the rest of them can get away.
DETERMINED OPPONENTS
Binh is an artist, and as Starsigns #5 opens, we get a glimpse of the sculpture garden he has on his property – enormous, abstract designs in an open, grassy area. The storm is about to blow in, and we see the edge of the front with towering dark clouds starting to form. Binh’s house is a comfortable farmhouse. We can tell that this is a place where everyone should be able to find some respite.
And this sets up the fight scene well. Things change instantly when Leo gets close. We can see by the glowing masks that appear before their faces that everyone is sensing the same thing. They may not have had their powers long, but they now all know they must be ready for anything. As usual, Leo is the first through the door, as confident as ever, and bringing chaos on her heels. The art changes from natural poses to the dynamic poses that emphasize the strength of the characters and how hard they must work to hold off their opponents. Facial expressions go from relaxed to fierce. It is a terrific change in dynamics and tempo.
BOTTOM LINE: IS A TEAM COALESCING?
Starsigns #5 keeps the action moving quickly enough that the main characters barely have time to think or plan as their normal lives slip inexorably into a running battle with a foe they do not entirely understand.
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Starsigns #5
The hastily formed team barely has time to start forming a plan before Tatiana and Mister Duke arrive!
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Art8
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By day, she’s a mild-mannered bureaucrat and Ms. Know-It-All. By night, she’s a dance teacher and RPG player (although admittedly not on the same nights). On the weekends, she may be found judging Magic, playing Guild Wars 2 (badly), or following other creative pursuits. Holy Lack of Copious Free Time, Batman! While she’s always wished she had teleportation as her superpower, she suspects that super-speed would be much more practical because then she’d have time to finish up those steampunk costumes she’s also working on.