“Fall From Grace!” was cover dated April, 1993 and released March 2, 1993 (Mike’s Amazing World of DC Comics).  The issue was written by Michael Jan Friedman.  Travis Charest pencilled pages 1-20 while Jim Balent did breakdowns for pages 21-24, and those pages were finished by Scott Hanna.  The Inkers were Scott Hanna and John Lowe.  The letterer was Bob Pinaha and the colorist was Tom McCraw.  Ruben Diaz was the assistant editor and the editor was Brian Augustyn.

We open on an alien planet.  The ruler and his underling, Skamich are discussing the security systems.  The systems are set up to prevent anyone from entering the palace after all the ruler’s life is at stake.  The ruler laments that he treated Torquin no differently from his other conquered people’s.  Apparently he created resentment by destroying some relics and staged some public executions.  Nothing to get overly excited about.  Skamich believes that the destruction of the procreation facility turned the public opinion in the quadrant against the leader.  An assassin now has been hired to kill the ruler. 

Back over Earth.  The slave ship is making a return landing.  Colos is at the controls with a wounded Douglas, Hawkman and Carla all on the bridge.  The alien pilot is being held captive as he tried to set the self destruct sequence and Colos would rather he a novice pilot bring the ship in instead of a suicidal pilot.  They successfully land after a sizable jolt and Hawkman and Colos shake hands and maybe they may cross paths again.  I personally hope so.

Back in the alien palace, the assassin has gained access by breaching the shields.  The intruder is able to elude the sensors as well as the defensive measures set up and crashes into the throne room.  The guards rush in.

On Earth, Colos and Douglas marvel at Hawkman.  They see him find Hawkgirl and embrace.  It seems that the two are more than partners.  Colos turns his attention to Flint.  Flint disobeyed Colos’s orders twice.  Carla interrupts Colos.  She wants to thank Colos and then offers her help.  Colos starts to decline then asks if she has any space she is not using.  Carla thinks that he is referring to outer space but Douglas clarifies that Colos is looking for office space since their “headquarters” is “out of town”.  She gives the Darkstars a card and asks them to call her later, she may have the space they need.

In Flint’s apartment, Flint is grumbling.  He feels he blew the mission and he does not know that the others are back on the planet.  Unfortunately he has started drinking again.  His self pity party is interrupted by an angry Colos on Flint’s communicator.  Colos tells Flint to stay put and he will find him as they need to talk.  Flint throws the can and we see that it is a soda can not a beer can.

The guards open fire on the assassin.  It appears that he was vaporized but Skamich is not so sure.  It is strange that he escaped all the defense systems but was destroyed by a simple pulse barrage.  The assassin is not dead after all.  He takes out the guards leaving only Skamich and his King.

On Earth, Carla and Douglas are in the new Darkstar planet side office.  The guy who developed the place owes Carla a favor so it is rent free to the Darkstars.  There is not a high demand for office space in Dallas as the supply is too high.  Carla told the developer that the group is a not-for-profit operation that could not afford a place.  Douglas says that the back story is perfect.  The place is large enough for all of their equipment and a couple of cots.  Douglas and Colos, both homeless can sleep there.  Douglas is musing that he is going up in the world. 

The assassin continues his assault.  The only thing standing between him and the despot is Skamich.  Skamich is willing to try but he is killed for his bravery.  The assassin grabs the liege-lord.  The assassin identifies himself as K’lassh.  This is the last time we see this liege.

Colos meets Flint who has changed out of his Darkstar uniform.  He figures that Colos is there to fire him, which he is.  Colos does admit that this is not easy.  Flint does say that he is a maverick like Colos and he thinks that he might have made a better Darkstar than a deputy.  Colos thinks that Flint is right and takes off with the uniform.  While he leaves he thinks that he has not seen the last of John Flint.

Elsewhere the remaining alien drug cartel assemble with their human allies.  They are discussing what to do about Darkstar.  Twice he had interfered with their profitable operations and that has to stop.  How are they going to stand up to a being they believe is as powerful as Superman.  Mister Daniiki, the green alien with stringy black hair speaks up.  He is surprised that the Darkstars are now patrolling Earth But he has an idea.  In the past he has found one counter measure effective.  Daniiki pushes a teleported and we see K’lassh appear.

This issue was basically an epilogue issue.  The heroes all return to earth safely and the Hawks are briefly reunited before they fly off.  Colos fires Flint.  Douglas and Colos with Carla’s help start to set up a planet side base of operations.  The villains lick their wounds and bring in a new weapon, the assassin K’lassh.

The side plot of the liege was effective here as it’s showed the power of K’lassh which is what you want to see in comics, not just telling how good he is in exposition.  As a matter of fact, we do not get any exposition here, we only see how good this assassin is and it makes me want to see him go up against Colos. 

I like that we continue to see Carla White.  I expect that since Flint was fired, she may become the new second deputy.

I give this issue a 4.5 out of 5 power rings.  We do get a brief mention of the Green Lanterns when Hawkman says that Earth is protected by them and they say that they are the only intergalactic police force.  Colos says that they think so and that is all we get about a rivalry of the Darkstars to the Green Lantern Corp in this issue.

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