Rising Stars Preview

In 1999, J. Michael Straczynski and artist Keu Cha launched Rising Stars at Image Comics, a superhero saga that began with this single preview issue. The series explores the lives of 113 "Specials"—children born with extraordinary abilities after a mysterious cosmic event—and the societal, political, and personal consequences of their emergence. Straczynski's ambitious, character-driven narrative and Cha's expressive art established a grounded, morally complex take on superhumanity that would define the entire Rising Stars run. This preview sets the stage for a landmark series that examines power, responsibility, and the cost of being different.