A STAR CALLED THE SUN: A COLLECTION OF SHORT SCIENCE FICITON STORIES, VOl. 1 / Script, Art & Letters by SIMON ROY / Colors by SERGEI NAZAROV & DREW SHIELDS / Published by IMAGE COMICS

I find myself struggling for a way to start off describing A Star Called the Sun. Saying it is a science fiction anthology seems too simple. True, it evoked memories of childhood readers filled with assorted tales from Asmiov and Bradbury. Simple stories with complex ideas. I can’t think of a word to sum it up beyond enjoyable. This in itself is odd given the dark nature of some of the tales within.

Consider the opening story, “Halle-Bop,” which presents a battle between two species on what remains of the giant tree that spouted out of the Halle-Bop comet. Consider the “The Oxpecker and the Elephant,” which details the downfall of a group of refugee humans from the perspective of the long-lived aliens they come to form a symbiosis with. Consider “A Portrait of the Artist as a Hive Parasite,” in which an artist turned astronaut making first contact with a species abandons his post to become a performance artist after his translator breaks.

The closest thing to an ongoing story in A Star Called the Sun involves a young scribe. He appears in both “Pride of the Central Republic” and “The Anchoress.” In the former story, he seeks out an old soldier for their aid in finding old technology. In the latter, he seeks information in the library of a convent, which holds a secret far greater than the one he sought.

Describing more of the stories would give away the game. Suffice it to say, there’s sufficient variety and subject matter to keep things interesting. Simon Roy is a great storyteller, both as a visual artist and wordsmith. The color art is also interesting, with subtle hue shifts to denote flashbacks.

Bottom line: If you’re a fan of Métal Hurlant or Heavy Metal, A Star Called the Sun will be right up your alley. I’m not sure it will hold much appeal to those who don’t enjoy quirky science fiction. I’ll avoid saying that I thought it was out of this world, because I’m not that big a hack. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to any comics reader looking for something unique.

A Star Called the Sun arrives in comic shops on February 11, 2026.