Libra tries to convince Leo that Mister Duke is a danger to them, but this does not stop them from tracking down the other Starsigns. Leo says she just wants to talk to them, but is that really the truth? Find out in Starsigns #7 from Image Comics!

STARSIGNS #7

Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Megan Levens
Colorist: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Editor: Heather Antos
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 10, 2024

Previously in Starsigns: Rana, Clarence, Alejandro and Silvia are on the run! They take some time to check in with family and friends before going to Albany where they meet a new Starsign. Dan/Libra was stabbed, but not killed, and Mister Duke quickly has him on the mend. Dan questions Tatiana about Duke, but she will only talk about how he has given her purpose in life. Meanwhile, Duke has captured Cathy. He chains her to an altar and claims he knows about the spell that made the Starsigns and how he hopes to harvest all their powers directly – by sacrificing them!

NEW STARSIGN, NEW STORY

Starsigns #7 opens with Rana’s father reading a letter she wrote to him. She never used to understand why he did not talk about his past in Lebanon, just saying he was protecting her Now she must tell him the same sort of thing. She has a secret, and she cannot tell him about it because she is protecting him.

Tatiana and Dan are driving near Albany. Dan tells her that Duke killed Cathy. Tatiana does not want to listen to him. Dan is afraid that they could be next on the chopping block. Tatiana insists he must have misunderstood Duke. She believes in him as intensely as anyone can believe a charismatic leader, and she has built her own story so that it fits in with these beliefs.

In the park, Sagittarius displays his powers. A raccoon has swiped one of his apples and he asks for it back. The animal complies. Alejandro thinks this is very cool. Sagittarius is actually Russell LaFrance, and he is Native American. He can identify that the others have similar powers. And then he recognizes Clarence as an actor. Not from any of his stage work, but from a supporting role he played on a TV show about cops. Russell insists that he deliver his tagline.

After introductions all around, Russell tells his story about growing up on the rez, joining a gang, joining the Army, and going through lots of jobs that never lasted. When he first got his powers, he imagined forming a burglary ring with little animal helpers. But that didn’t go along with the traditional stories his grandmother told. He feels he must have been given these gifts for a reason, and perhaps it has to do with Rana and her friends.

Dan continues to try to convince Tatiana. She tells him to stay focused and soon they detect the others. They try to sneak up on them just about the time Rana finishes her explanations. The animals can sense Dan and Tatiana even when they are invisible.

Tatiana claims she is here to talk. Duke needs their help to save the world. Then she talks about making sacrifices. Clarence does not think the privileged Derek Duke has made a sacrifice in his life. Russell knows of him too from his days in the Army, when Duke had hired guns involved. Rana instead demands to know where Cathy is.

Tatiana gets frustrated and a fight breaks out. Libra tries to get Alejandro to come with him. Alejandro tries to use his powers against him, but they have no effect. In addition to turning invisible, other powers seem unable to touch him. However, this does not apply to Russell’s animal friends, and a motley crew of park wildlife turns on Dan.

Rana and Tatiana fight. As the others start to run away, Rana runs after them. In frustration, Tatiana grabs a broken piece of metal and flings it at her, striking her down!

LEO IS NEVER FAR BEHIND

The art of Starsigns #7 is great. I enjoy how each character has interesting powers which they may not yet fully understand. Russell’s power is a fun change in pace. Being able to communicate with animals is not the most bombastic, but it provides a means to provide some calm between the fights. It is perhaps because he can communicate with animals that the raccoon is bold enough to try to steal an apple, but I love that this is also something we can imagine a raccoon doing. The park animals may be unusually comfortable around people, but they remain animals without being anthropomorphized. And the concept of a gang of park pigeons helping to chase a bad buy is delightful.

We start to see a shift in Tatiana as well. She still seems to be fully aligned with Mister Duke, but before she only seemed to enjoy being more powerful than others. Now there is a thread of fear or desperation under her pleading, as though she sincerely believes that there is a greater enemy than simply the two groups of Starsigns taking sides against each other. But has Dan’s information broken through her mental walls at all yet?

BOTTOM LINE: EVERYTHING CHANGES

Starsigns #7 is still a fun read. The characters are creative and continue to be wonderfully diverse. While there is some formula to meeting new characters and understanding that they are being brought up to speed behind the scenes, there is steady movement on a more subtle underlying plot which could have some potential.

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Starsigns #7

83%

83%

A Fun Read

Sagittarius is another ally for the Starsigns, but Leo and Libra remain a threat.

• Writing

  8
• Art

  9
• Coloring

  8
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