Cover: Steve Ditko & Dave Cockrum & Dick Giordano

Adventure Comics #467

Jan 1980 · DC · 0.40 USD

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★ 1st appearance — Prince Gavyn

About this Issue

Adventure Comics #467 marks the debut of Prince Gavyn, the third character to carry the Starman mantle in DC's long-running legacy of that name, introducing a space-opera concept rooted in dynastic political intrigue rather than Earth-based superheroics. The issue simultaneously signals a structural turning point for the title itself: after a period as an oversized dollar comic, Adventure Comics returned here to standard newsstand format, with this issue launching a new editorial direction pairing two wildly different features — a cosmic sci-fi serial and a comedic Plastic Man revival — under the same cover. Though Prince Gavyn's original run was brief, the character proved durable enough to be woven into DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity and later became a crucial thread in James Robinson's celebrated 1994–2001 Starman series, which recontextualized Gavyn's death as the energy source that powered the subsequent Starman, Will Payton. The issue is also a notable artifact of Steve Ditko's late Bronze Age work at DC, showcasing his gift for distinctive alien world-building under editorial conditions very different from his celebrated Marvel years.

Contains 3 stories

Carlton Canary

8 pp · Superhero

Plastic Man [Eel O'Brian] (origin)Woozy WinksCarlton Canary [Yellowbelly]

First Encounter

9 pp · Superhero

Starman [Prince Gavyn] (intro)OswinJediah RikaneMerriaMn'Torr

Untitled story

0.2 pp

FlashAdam Strange

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More listings for this title

FN $3.95 VF $6 VG+ $7 F/VF · Newsstand $7.99 VERY FINE $7.99 VERY FINE $8 FINE $9 FN $9.99

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History

Writer Paul Levitz conceived Prince Gavyn after editor Len Wein invited him to develop a new series for a slot in Adventure Comics; Levitz has publicly described drawing on a history of the Ottoman Empire — specifically its practice of eliminating rival throne claimants — as the seed of Gavyn's dynastic premise, then transposing it into a science-fiction setting. Levitz is credited in the issue as the character's 'creator,' while Steve Ditko is credited as 'designer,' with inking by Romeo Tanghal (soon to be a key embellisher on New Teen Titans). The cover itself carries a tangled production history: the original art was prepared for a planned Plastic Man/Adam Strange title that DC shelved when it cancelled the Five-Star Super-Hero Spectacular dollar format; the Dave Cockrum/Dick Giordano Plastic Man side of that cover was repurposed for #467, while the left side was redrawn by Ditko and Giordano to feature the new Starman — and the Adam Strange figure Cockrum had originally drawn for that left side was eventually recycled as part of the cover of Green Lantern #136.

Trivia · 7 facts

First appearance of Starman (Prince Gavyn), the third DC character to bear the Starman name, written by Paul Levitz and designed by Steve Ditko.
The Starman story is titled 'First Encounter'; Ditko penciled and signed it, with inks by Romeo Tanghal (some sources credit Dick Giordano on the cover inks specifically).
Also contains the first new Plastic Man story in the series (titled 'Carlton Canary'), written by Len Wein, penciled by Joe Staton, inked by Bob Smith, and edited by Paul Levitz; that story was later reprinted in Adventure Comics #498 (April 1983).
The cover is a composite work: the Plastic Man half was originally prepared by Dave Cockrum and Dick Giordano for a cancelled Plastic Man/Adam Strange title, while the Starman half was newly drawn by Ditko and Giordano; Cockrum's unused Adam Strange figure was later repurposed for the cover of Green Lantern #136.
The debut issue introduces not just Prince Gavyn but his entire supporting cast: advisor M'ntorr, sister Queen Clryssa, love interest Lady Merria, and aide Jediah Rikane.
Levitz cited the Ottoman imperial practice of eliminating rival heirs as the real-world historical inspiration for Gavyn's origin premise, transposed into a space-opera setting.
Prince Gavyn's story was collected in The Steve Ditko Omnibus Vol. 2 (DC, 2011) and his work was further compiled in The DC Universe by Steve Ditko Omnibus (2025); the character also makes non-speaking cameo appearances in the animated series Justice League Unlimited.