The first host of the Star Brand, Ken Connell, destroyed the city of Pittsburgh, killing a million innocent thanks to one bad decision. While trying to get rid of his powers after a disastrous public debut, Connell destroyed the city. This catastrophic event went down in 1988’s The Star Brand #12, written and illustrated by John Byrne, with inks by Tom Palmer, letters by Joe Rosen and colors by Andy Yanchus.

There have been multiple versions of the Star Brand throughout the years, and the first appeared in 1986’s Star Brand #1. Created by Jim Shooter, it first appeared as part of Marvel’s New Universe imprint. The imprint was originally intended to be separate from regular Marvel continuity, and downplayed many common superhero tropes, such as magic. In this universe, the Star Brand’s first host was mechanic Ken Connell, a Pittsburgh native, who received it from a dying alien in what came to be called the "White Event." This not only gave Connell the Star Brand, but was also responsible for the emergence of superpowered heroes on this world.

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For his first year with the Star Brand, Connell kept it a secret, doing good deeds without taking the credit. However, after nudging from some of his friends, Connell decided to go public. He fashioned a traditional superhero costume for himself and made a public debut. The public was less than adoring however, and after a disastrous appearance at a comic book convention that left several dead, he realized he needed to get rid of the power once and for all. The host prior to Connell had tried to get rid of it by imprinting it on an asteroid - which led to the aforementioned White Event. Reasoning that the asteroid was not strong enough to withstand the Star Brand, Connell attempted to do it on a piece of metal, which caused a feedback loop that destroyed Pittsburgh.

Star Brand Pittsburgh (1)

Connell’s line of reasoning was not sound; if transferring the power destroyed a dense asteroid, then why would it not have the same effect on metal? The Star Brand is one of the most powerful weapons in the multiverse, so why did Connell think Earth-made metals could contain it? As a result, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and Pittsburgh became a barren wasteland renamed "the Pitt."

It was the kind of dark, ambitious event that justified setting Star Brand in an alternate universe, freeing it from the duty of fidelity to the real world. But despite its ambition, the Star Brand’s destruction of Pittsburgh marked the beginning of the end for the New Universe imprint. The line’s remaining books would be gone within a year, and today the Star Brand exists in Marvel's main continuity as a source of incredible destructive power. After several attempted reboots and revamps, the current Star Brand is a baby being raised by the Avengers, raising the terrifying possibility of what a child could do with a power source that its original, adult bearer used so poorly.

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