THE LAST STARFIGHTER: BETA #1 (Mad Cave Studios)

Beta is a being that has been sent to Earth by Alex to look after and protect his family. Unfortunately for him things seem to not always go his way, forcing him to adjust on the fly. Agent Steven Wynbrandt is on to this weird alien conspiracy that seems to be playing out. However, there is also an alien assassin who wants to end the Last Starfighter once and for all. Can Beta do his job and protect Alex’s family? Or will the federal government or an alien assassin force Beta to fail his objective?

The Last Starfighter: Beta #1 - Written By Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes – Art By David Cutler - Colors By Francesco Segala – Flats By Agnese Pozza – Letters By Rob Jones - Edited By Sarah Brunstad - Published By Mad Cave Studios

Credit: Mad Cave Studios

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

WRITING:

This one-shot delivers a fun and good tie-in to The Last Starfighter series. Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes bring us a fun and thrilling side quest that answers some questions from the main series, well also building on the lore and world of said series. The book never feels like it is too much or that it is making things complicated. As a matter of fact, it accomplishes the opposite. It gives us a backstory to the Agent we’ve seen in the main series, well also giving us an entertaining self-contained story. The way Beta interacts with the family and agents’ makes you feel for him, well his bad luck and getting stuck in situations is both humorful and makes you feel sorry for him. The side mission that Raab & Hughes tell here helps not waste any time in the main series by getting it all out here. This is a great use of this one-shot and I hope we get more of these from this world.

ARTWORK:

The artwork matches the art from the main series and makes this truly feel like an extension of that world. David Cutler taps into what’s been done on the main series and seamlessly shows it here as well. The locales and settings are familiar to the fans of the series; well the character designs are what stand out. Beta’s look and changing appearance gives a fun feel to the story. Every time he gets damaged, he ends up looking completely different. The alien assassin’s look is also super cool and makes that character feel like the threat he is meant to be.

The colors selections by Francesco Segala keep the artwork grounded and add to the detail of the linework. The use of more natural colors makes the art look real and of our world. Rob Jones’ letters really stand out and give the story a boost. The energy and tone they convey help the reader feel what is going on. Add to that all the action words and how they match the artwork perfectly, and you have a winning combination.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF THE LAST STARFIGHTER #3

Final Thoughts:

The Last Starfighter: Beta #1 is a fun, worthwhile companion to the main series that gives Beta room to shine. Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes balance humor, heart, and action while expanding the story without weighing it down, and David Cutler’s artwork, enhanced by Francesco Segala’s colors and Rob Jones’ lettering, keeps the issue energetic and visually connected to the larger world. Fans of The Last Starfighter should enjoy this entertaining side mission, and it makes a strong case for more one-shots exploring the characters and corners of this universe.

FINAL GRADE: 8.5/10

Let me know your thoughts on The Last Starfighter: Beta #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!