At times the universe can feel like a dark and lonely place. A place where one can easily give in to darkness in order to escape the pain and suffering of reality. But luckily, there are stories like Zodiac Starforce to inspire us in our darkest times.
Zodiac Starforce is a comic series starring an elite team of teenage girls with magical powers bestowed upon them by the goddess Astra.
This magical series is written by Kevin Panetta and illustrated by Paulina Ganucheau, whose bright and colorful illustrations are complete eye candy. Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra is volume 1 of the series. It collects issues #1-4 and introduces the Starforce cadets in the midst of a classic struggle between good and evil.
Meet the cadets: Emma, Molly, Savanna, and Kim, otherwise known as Gemini, Aries, Pisces, and Taurus.
The girls attend La Reina Public High School in Alexandria, Virginia. They’re seemingly normal teenage girls by day. Kim and Molly are even on the school’s volleyball team. But, when magical girl duty calls, the girls quickly rise to the occasion.
We meet Starforce team leader Emma studying in the school library as she is suddenly attacked by a monster or “shade” from Nephos, the dark dimension. Surprising, because this is the first monster anyone has seen in years. Emma doesn’t miss a beat and defeats the shade with her cosmic pink sword. But, she somehow becomes infected with its dark energy. This darkness threatens to consume her. The only way for the girls to save Emma is by putting the rest of the world in danger. But by Astra’s order, the girls must not endanger others to serve themselves, even if it results in Emma’s death.
Volume 1 reveals bits and pieces of the history of the Starforce throughout the series arc, raising more and more questions with each issue.
The story begins with the girls at an in-between phase. The team has been on hiatus since defeating baddie Cimmeria and banishing all monsters from the world years ago.
But a new portal to the dark dimension has opened up. The girls must dust off their magical weapons and figure out how to save the world while their team leader is down for the count. And while Emma is near death as the darkness continues to take over, Cimmeria continues to regain power. In typical villainous fashion, Cimmeria seizes the opportunity and attempts to seduce Emma to the dark side with promises of freedom from the pain and suffering, with the promise of a better life with a team that wouldn’t leave her left for dead.
The Zodiac Starforce are sworn protectors of the Earth. But, the line between good and evil becomes blurred when even the almighty Astra’s rule comes into question. The life of a Starforce cadet may appear glamorous. Their day to day outfits are just as fabulous as their Starforce uniforms. Their astral stone necklaces are undoubtedly coveted by anyone who identifies as a magical girl.
When you look past all the sparkles and magic, at its core Zodiac Starforce represents the idea that everyone has the potential to be a hero, despite any differences in color, shape, or size and everything in between.
But it also takes heart, strength, and being willing to put up a fight for what you believe in no matter what. As Starforce cadets they protect the Earth, and as friends they protect each other. There’s good and evil, light and dark. But there are also shades of grey, and pink, and purple. The world can be doom and gloom, but the world can also be full of color if you willing to see it. When you need a glimmer of hope in the darkness, let Zodiac Starforce light the way.
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