{"id":7072658,"date":"2026-10-02T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T09:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7072658"},"modified":"2026-10-02T09:00:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T09:00:14","slug":"riding-the-solar-winds-in-the-barnum-system-library-of-american-comics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7072658","title":{"rendered":"Riding the Solar Winds in the Barnum System \u2013 Library of American Comics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our 2017-18 three-volume reprinting of STAR HAWKS (by Gil Kane, Ron Goulart, and others) was a treat, especially since during the same period we also did another set of releases collecting the STAR WARS strip. It was fun to contrast the more lighthearted swashbuckling happenings in Goulart\u2019s Barnum System of planets with the more somber, pulp-influenced adventures set in George Lucas\u2019s galaxy far, far away. (And the setting of STAR HAWKS indeed <em>was<\/em> Goulart\u2019s, since he had previously established it in a variety of prose science fiction stories.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6abf05319df03&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6abf05319df03\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1143\" height=\"800\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover-1143x800.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-679\" srcset=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover-1143x800.jpg 1143w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover-247x173.jpg 247w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover-510x357.jpg 510w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover-571x400.jpg 571w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover-768x538.jpg 768w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks1_cover.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1143px) 100vw, 1143px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Click images throughout for an isolated view<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was also a great pleasure to offer readers a terrific sampling of artistic talent in both series: Gil Kane (with Howard Chaykin and Ernie Colon doing pinch-hit duties during a period when Kane was ill) in <em>Star Hawks<\/em>; Russ Manning, Al Williamson, and Alfredo Alcala on <em>Star Wars<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6abf05319e357&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6abf05319e357\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1139\" height=\"800\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover-1139x800.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-680\" srcset=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover-1139x800.jpg 1139w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover-247x174.jpg 247w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover-510x358.jpg 510w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover-569x400.jpg 569w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover-768x540.jpg 768w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks2_cover.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1139px) 100vw, 1139px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Star Wars<\/em>, of course, was a global phenomenon \u2014 the two words in its title served as all the promotion necessary to evoke images in millions of imaginations of lightsabers and dodging, spinning, darting X-Wing fighters roaring through the vacuum of outer space. By contrast, <em>Star Hawks<\/em> was the Little Engine That Could. Only prose SF aficionados had read Goulart\u2019s previous Barnum stories; only comic book lovers were familiar with Kane\u2019s dynamic figurework and dramatic pacing and staging. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet Star Hawks rode high on early success: Gil Kane won the National Cartoonist Society\u2019s 1977 \u201cStory Comic Strip\u201d Award, while Ron Goulart sold two original paperback prose <em>Star Hawks<\/em> novels \u2014 <em>Empire 99<\/em>, followed by <em>The Cyborg King<\/em>. The feature\u2019s original, unique two-tier daily format certainly helped it visually stand out from its competition on newspaper comics pages, and it gave Kane room to vary his panel layouts while keeping the stories progressing at an appreciably quicker pace than the standard three- or four-panel continuity series.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6abf05319e71d&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6abf05319e71d\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1139\" height=\"800\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover-1139x800.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-681\" srcset=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover-1139x800.png 1139w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover-247x174.png 247w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover-510x358.png 510w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover-569x400.png 569w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover-768x540.png 768w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/StarHawks3_cover.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1139px) 100vw, 1139px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certainly several client newspapers gave the strip a ballyhoo as they brought it into their pages, as these examples from 1977 and 1978 make clear. Left-to-right, here are promos from the Philadelphia <em>News<\/em>; Kingston, Ontario\u2019s <em>Whig-Standard<\/em>; and the Mason City (Iowa) <em>Globe Gazette<\/em>:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6abf05319eae7&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6abf05319eae7\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"691\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-1400x691.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10324\" srcset=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-1400x691.png 1400w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-800x395.png 800w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-768x379.png 768w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-1536x758.png 1536w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-2048x1011.png 2048w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-247x122.png 247w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Debut-Montage_1977_1978-510x252.png 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It often seems inevitable: the fresh comic strip of the moment becomes yesterday\u2019s Old News, and in this case the ever-growing popularity of gag-a-day features became only more pronounced as the 1970s drew to a close. Here are two separate newspapers \u2014 Windsor, Ontario\u2019s <em>Star <\/em>and the venerable Fresno <em>Bee <\/em>\u2014 doing feature articles on their readers polls, ranking the popularity of the entries on their comics pages. <em>Star Hawks<\/em> (together with <em>Star Wars<\/em>, in the <em>Bee<\/em>) was prominent in its place at or near the bottom of both polls. (By the way, the <em>Bee<\/em>\u2018s graphs and demographic information is one of the most comprehensive reports on poll findings we\u2019ve ever seen, in any newspaper \u2026)<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6abf05319ee9b&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6abf05319ee9b\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1070\" height=\"800\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-1070x800.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10325\" srcset=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-1070x800.png 1070w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-535x400.png 535w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-768x574.png 768w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-1536x1148.png 1536w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-247x185.png 247w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979-510x381.png 510w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Readers-Poll-Results-Montage_1979.png 1605w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1070px) 100vw, 1070px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This last brace of newspaper coverage shows both <em>Star Hawks<\/em>\u2018s heights (a full-page coloring contest from 1977 that ran in the Wilmington, Delaware <em>News Journal<\/em>) and depths: during 1980 and 1981 client newspapers such as the Houston <em>Post <\/em>and Santa Maria (California) <em>Times <\/em>were informing readers that the syndicate was not delivering new strips in time to appear as scheduled in their pages; the problem was frequent enough at the <em>Times <\/em>for them to drop the strip in favor of a humorous comic. Also from the <em>Post <\/em>in January of 1981, a letter from a disgruntled reader, complete with an editorial response that hardly expressed enthusiasm for <em>Star Hawks<\/em> (by now reverted to a standard single-tier daily, with Archie Goodwin and eventually Roger McKenzie supplying the stories and scripts).  <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6abf05319f21b&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6abf05319f21b\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1229\" height=\"800\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-1229x800.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10326\" srcset=\"http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-1229x800.png 1229w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-615x400.png 615w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-768x500.png 768w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-1536x1000.png 1536w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-247x161.png 247w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981-510x332.png 510w, http:\/\/libraryofamericancomics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STAR-HAWKS-Ups-and-Downs-Montage_1977_1980_1981.png 1844w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1229px) 100vw, 1229px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" data-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That letter was a harbinger of the doom that was on the horizon: <em>Star Hawks<\/em> ceased publication, with its last installment appearing on May 2, 1981, less than five months after Mr. Liljestrand\u2019s critique was published.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some comic strips endure through the decades, while others launch like fireworks, have their brief explosion of enjoyment, then burn out and disappear. <em>Star Hawks<\/em> was a sparkler that burned brightly in its time, and we\u2019re proud to have preserved the entire series as part of The Library of American Comics.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our 2017-18 three-volume reprinting of STAR HAWKS (by Gil Kane, Ron Goulart, and others) was a treat, especially since during the same period we also did another set of releases collecting the STAR WARS strip. It was fun to contrast the more lighthearted swashbuckling happenings in Goulart\u2019s Barnum System of planets with the more somber, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7072659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[105259,233491,12458],"tags":[204,22606,9458,5129,4656,3152,2345,15337],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7072658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-news","category-star-hawks","category-star-wars","tag-american","tag-barnum","tag-comics","tag-library","tag-riding","tag-solar","tag-system","tag-winds"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Riding the Solar Winds in the Barnum System \u2013 Library of American Comics - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7072658\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Riding the Solar Winds in the Barnum System \u2013 Library of American Comics - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Our 2017-18 three-volume reprinting of STAR HAWKS (by Gil Kane, Ron Goulart, and others) was a treat, especially since during the same period we also did another set of releases collecting the STAR WARS strip. 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