Warning: contains spoilers for Avengers #61!The Star Brand, one of the newest Avengers, has powers that are both destructive and tragic. One of the most powerful objects in the Marvel Universe, the Star Brand gives its wielder fantastic powers–but as seen in Avengers #61, they come with a terrible price. Brandy, the latest human to wield the Star Brand, is trying to help her time-lost teammates return to the present–with tragic results. The issue is on sale now in print and digital.
There have been multiple incarnations of the Star Brand since its first appearance in 1986’s Star Brand #1 by Jim Shooter and John Romita Jr. Initially a part of Marvel’s New Universe imprint, the Star Brand was a cosmic weapon, giving its wielder powers such as flight, super-strength and enhanced senses. The Earth-616 version of the Star Brand debuted during Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers run and in that time it has had different hosts; its current wielder, Brandy, inherited the Star Brand from her mother, who died shortly after giving birth. The power of the Star Brand in the hands of an infant was a terrifying prospect, so she was brought to Avengers Mountain for further observation. After being called into service during last year’s Heroes Reborn, Brandy began aging every time she used the Star Brand, taking her from a baby to a teenager in a matter of seconds. Naturally, this alarmed her teammates, who have effectively grounded her until they can learn more.
When the story opens, Brandy is still sidelined, but the Celestial that makes up Avengers Mountain feels otherwise. Brandy travels through time, arriving first in the Viking Age and then the 1920s, ready to take on Mephisto. Arriving in 1868, during America’s Old West period, Brandy takes off after Mephisto, over Captain Marvel’s protests. She confronts the demon lord, who taunts her, goading her into using the full extent of her powers. Brandy unleashed the full force of the Star Brand on Mephisto, saying “I love you momma” shortly before exploding in a flash of light. Realizing what Brandy has done, the Avengers are concerned, but before they can do anything, Brandy finds them–and has been aged and is now an elderly woman. The issue is written by Jason Aaron, illustrated by Ivan Fiorelli, colored by David Curiel and lettered by Cory Petit.
The Star Brand Takes A Toll on the Newest Avenger.
The elderly Star Brand still has fight left in her, as seen in the issue’s final page–but there she may not last much longer. Since acquiring the Star Brand, Brandy has aged significantly every time she unleashes its full potential; she remarks on this in the issue, saying that just a few weeks prior she was still in a crib. Brandy is a tragic hero; she possesses immense power, enough to give Mephisto pause, but it ravages her body every time she uses it. No other wielder of the Star Brand has experienced this before, making this a genuine mystery, one the Avengers must solve if they wish to save their comrade. But what is truly tragic however, is that in this issue, Brandy finally starts to learn what it means to be a hero, but these newfound sensibilities may never get a chance to develop.
The Star Brand, as mentioned earlier, is one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, but it is one that seems to take a toll on its host. Both of Earth-616’s wielders, Kevin Connell and Brandy’s mother, met tragic ends, and it looks like Brandy may be heading in the same direction. The Star Brand is the newest member of the Avengers, and is possessed of powers destructive and tragic.