Starblazer Revived?

Rumours have reached downthetubes that some form of Starblazer collection is in the works at DC Thomson, along with other graphic collections based on some of the company's most popular characters from a range of comics.

Although Carlton Books have published several Commando collections, we're told DC Thomson has been considering and 'mocking up' different graphic collection projects for some time: among them, Starblazer, the 1980s SF digest title whose creators included a young Grant Morrison, Mike McMahon, Steve Holland, Ray Aspden, Ian Kennedy and many others.

What's proposed is a push by DC Thomson into the "retro market", already exploited by the likes of Rebellion, Titan Books and other publishers. On the table, we're told, are reproductions of Starblazer - possibly in colour - in a bigger size, and perhaps with a new narrative... edgier and more like a graphic novel than what it was.

In discussion for some time at DC Thomson, the proposal would also showcase the work of artists and authors such as Mike Chinn, John Smith, Grant Morrison, Alan Hemus and others and artists, particularly Enrique Alcatena and Ricardo Garijo, who sadly died recently, plus the other artists.

As well as the republication or updating of older material DC Thomson would also seek to publish the four, as yet, unpublished 'Legends' stories planned for Starblazer before it was cancelled after over it 281 issue run.

But this is merely the tip of the iceberg, because we're also told DC Thomson want to give the same treatment to other 'superheroes'...The Black Sapper, Jack Flash and numerous others.

Will this exciting project ever get the go ahead? Only if DC Thomson's research into graphic novel publishing indicates demand for such a project, and that has only begun in earnest, we gather, in the past few months, although the Starblazer revamp project has been in development for much longer.

• A Starblazer History on downthetubes