Back Issue # 164 February 2026 (m,agazine review)
‘Back Issue’ has been invaded by aliens. As you can see from the cover, even the Justice League Of America have been enriched by being joined to Starro The Conqueror and was his first appearance in their first appearance in The Brave And The Bold # 28.
First, though, writer James Heath Lantz has a look at the ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’ franchises as they were turned into on-going comicbook series in the 1980s under publisher Dark Horse. Without these, it would have been unlikely that there would have been cross-over films of the two alien species. I have some of the early issues of these series in the attic. It did make me wary of adaptations because they aren’t really treated as canon by the film studios but it is useful to recognise that these did have a little influence.
Writer Alissa Marmol-Cernat has a look at the ‘DC Super-Stars’ 17 issue run under various editors, turning from being reprint title to doing new stories of Adam Strange, Tommy Twomorrow and Space Ranger. It was also the springboards original of the much missed Helena Wayne aka the Huntress and for David Michelinie’s ‘Star Hunter’.
Writer Stephen Friedt looks at the Carl Potts owned ‘Alien Legion’ that first appeared in Marvel’s Epic line before moving publishers later on. I still have its poster on a wall upstairs. Then again, who couldn’t be taken by Major Sarigar and his serpentine tail. His checklist of Legion members does miss out Corporal Tamara, the only female member. Then again, when Friedt looks at Roman Legion films, he includes the two later ‘Gladiator’ films which no one could have known about back then. Thing is, ‘Alien Legion’ isn’t the only super-hero team with ‘Legion’ in its name. Apart from that, he does note the Alien Legion’s run if you want to track issues down.
Writer Matt Merante look at the cover feature creature, Starro the Conqueror. For the DC Universe, it’s probably the most dangerous entity as no organic being is safe if fragments of it lands on your face. It predates ‘Alien’ by quite a few years, first attacking the Justice League more than a couple times back in the 1960s. I agree with Merante’s comment that considering it can survive in space, being attacked on Earth by freezing shouldn’t have stopped it. The fact that Starro keeps coming back does suggest that that it fights in waves knowing it can’t be beaten. The ultimate attrition villain. Starro is all-wise and I am not being coerced in saying that. Oh, that thing on my face? You would think someone would have merchandised it by now.
Writer Ian Millsted looks at Alan Moore and Alan Davis ‘D.R. And Quinch’ that grew out of a single story in ‘2000A.D.’ magazine. Moore says he regrets creating the alien duo because it had a limited choice of destructive stories. Thing is, British comics has a history of destructive characters. Our ‘Dennis The Menace’ is mentioned but there is also Minnie The Minx, Beryl The Peril and so on. No one has ever use them as examples for kids to imitate but they do learn that it’s not wise to behave like them and vent any feelings through them. If D.R. And Quinch’ hadn’t been created then someone else would have eventually done so later.
One thing writer Joe Norton doesn’t observe about DC Comics ‘Invasion’, as created by Keith Giffin and Bill Mantlo is it gave the opportunity to show a lot of alien species that was only shown in the Legion Of Super-Heroes era, they’re equivalent in current time. Of course, the Khunds were a conquering nation here, eager to take over the Earth as they sought the meta-gene that powered so many super-humans. An all-out war spread across DC’s 38 comicbooks showing how big an event it was. In many respects, it’s a shame more of the alien species haven’t popped up more often since then.
Writer Ed Lute looks at Aircel Comics’ ‘Men In Black’, which lasted 6 issues and later became a film franchise. Although not said, I suspect the title came up as a studio film idea, realised there was two mini-series and merged the two together rather than having a copyright argument. Interestingly, the original creators, Lowell Cunningham and certainly artist Sandy Carruthers didn’t benefit from this because of the contracts back then.
There’s a pretty fair bet that this topic could be returned to again but in the meantime, this ‘Back Issue’ is a reminder that some alien species are dangerous out there and Starro is creepy…I mean a nice being.
GF Willmetts
March 2026
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $10.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6904. Direct from them, you can get it for $10.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_54&products_id=1837&zenid=mp70h4a8pe8j6pj8vch5pjjaf2
