Rising Stars
Image · 2000–2006 · 4 issues
About the series
A 24-issue saga published by Image Comics in the early 2000s, Rising Stars was the creator-owned brainchild of writer J. Michael Straczynski, who chronicled the lives of 113 "Specials"—individuals born with extraordinary abilities after a mysterious cosmic event. With a rotating team of artists including Christian Zanier, Ken Lashley, and Keu Cha, the series explored the societal and personal consequences of superhuman power with a grounded, morally complex lens. It stands as a landmark in the post-superhero deconstruction era, offering a thoughtful, long-form examination of what it truly means to be gifted.