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* WarIsHell: Amidst the broad ruminations of morality and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo working for the greater good]] is a pretty definite thesis that war is a terrible, tragic, ugly thing that brings out the most monstrous acts an invader will enact in the name of conquest, as well as [[HeWhoFightsMonsters the barbarism their victims will resort to out of a desperate need to survive]]. [[spoiler:Even with [[GrayingMorality all of the murky decisions that Adam is revealed to have made]], it's clear that he's just as much a victim of the uncaring armageddon as everyone else slaughtered before him, and [[UnscrupulousHero he acted on what he genuinely believed was necessary to save his planet]].]]
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* RecursiveCanon: Adam Strange's memoir that kickstarts much public discourse on his life is... ''Strange Adventures''. We can even see its front cover, and it's the same Doc Shaner cover art used for this series' first issue.
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* AsTheGoodBookSays: Adam's memoir contains a dedication to his late daughter, including a line which Michael traces back to [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalm 31]]. [[spoiler:This ends up shockingly important, as the passage is not about grief, loss, or even death, but [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone shame and guilt]]. Combined with all the other factors in Michael's investigation, he realizes it was Adam confessing that his daughter was alive after all, [[DarkSecret and he arranged the deal to fake her death]].]]
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* FailureGambit: [[spoiler:Michael eventually deduces that the reasons the Pykkts lost on Rann, even after destroying ''thousands'' of planets in the past, was that they ''wanted'' to "lose". The Pykkt leaders left Adam [[ColdBloodedTorture badly broken]], but alive in order to strike a deal where he'd leave Earth open to their invasion, secretly permitting him to commit atrocity after atrocity on their soldiers to make their alliance appear less likely. Ironically, Adam's sudden death means that they no longer have their trump card, and while Alanna deduces that [[HereWeGoAgain they'll likely just attack Rann again]], Earth is no longer vulnerable and on their hitlist... for now.]]
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* AGlassInTheHand: In issue #9, Michael does this upon hearing Alanna's interview where [[spoiler:she concedes to her husband's war crimes, but implores the audience to accept them [[IDidWhatIHadToDo as necessary evils they had to commit in the name of survival]], especially in the light of the Pykkts murdering her daughter]]. This ends up being the RageBreakingPoint where Michael decides to write a letter to her [[spoiler:informing her that Aleea is almost assuredly still alive]].
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* AGlassInTheHand: In issue #9, Michael does this shatters a beer bottle in his hand upon hearing Alanna's interview where [[spoiler:she concedes to her husband's war crimes, but implores the audience to accept them [[IDidWhatIHadToDo as necessary evils they had to commit in the name of survival]], especially in the light of the Pykkts murdering her daughter]]. This ends up being the RageBreakingPoint where Michael decides to write a letter to her [[spoiler:informing her that Aleea is almost assuredly still alive]].
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* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Alanna and the rest of Rann at large frame the Pykkts as these, being a warmongering horde of alien invaders seeking to either conquer or leave "holocaust conditions" in their wake. [[UnreliableExpositor Just how reliable a claim that is]] is part of why Mister Terrific investigates Adam's history with them so thoroughly. [[spoiler:Turns out that even though he unearths Adam doing ''terrible'' things to them, the Pykkts ''really are'' as bad as they're made out to be. The sole bits of pathos they get are a Pykkt captive ranting about Adam massacring Pykkt women and children, with later scenes verifying him doing things like [[LeaveNoSurvivors gassing unarmed Pykkts and executing surrendered soldiers]], yet there's nothing to directly dispel the atrocities the Pykkts themselves have committed (including their own world-spanning genocides to [[ColdBloodedTorture torturing Adam for months]]), and it's left open to suggest that maybe Adam's crimes ''really were'' [[IDidWhatIHadToDo justified retribution]].]]
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* AGlassInTheHand: In issue #9, Michael does this upon hearing Alanna's interview where [[spoiler:she concedes to her husband's war crimes, but implores the audience to accept them [[IDidWhatIHadToDo as necessary evils they had to commit in the name of survival]], especially in the light of the Pykkts murdering her daughter]]. This ends up being the RageBreakingPoint where Michael decides to write a letter to her [[spoiler:informing her that Aleea is almost assuredly still alive]].
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* PersonaNonGrata: [[spoiler:By issue #9, with Adam's war crimes revealed to the public, he ends up expelled from the Justice League. He's ''really'' not happy that his longtime comrades hung him out to dry at his lowest point, even calling out ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' [[WhatTheHellHero for rejecting him during his time of need before the war escalated, even after he begged him to help save one of his home planets]].]]
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* StealthHiBye: ComicBook/{{Batman}} ([[RunningGag who else?]]) does this to Alanna in issue #3, appearing at her pool to inform her of the Justice League's investigation of her husband.
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* PreciousPhoto: Adam has one of him with Alanna and their daughter, Aleea. It's splattered with blood...
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* PreciousPhoto: Adam has one of him with Alanna and their late daughter, Aleea. It's The same photo is shown in bigger resolutions in later issues, with the high fidelity showing them showered among red flower petals, but when shrunken down, [[RuleOfSymbolism it looks like it's splattered with blood...]]
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* InconvenientSummons: Adam's struggles with Zeta Beam teleportation strikes yet again, finding himself occasionally beamed away from Rann back to Earth mid-sentence. This ends up resulting in grave consequences in issue #4 as the Zeta Beam fails right as he and the Hellotaats charge into battle with the Pykkts -- unable to make the 25-trillion-mile return trip to Rann on his own ([[CavalryRefusal and other superheroes unable to help him for one reason or another]]), he's forced to wait out for the next beam. Sure enough, by the time it's back online, [[EverybodysDeadDave the entire squadron has been massacred without him]]. [[ItsAllMyFault Adam doesn't take it well]].
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* InconvenientSummons: Adam's struggles with Zeta Beam teleportation strikes yet again, finding and he finds himself occasionally beamed away from Rann back to Earth mid-sentence. This ends up resulting in grave consequences in issue #4 as the Zeta Beam fails right as he and the Hellotaats charge into battle with the Pykkts -- unable to make the 25-trillion-mile return trip to Rann on his own ([[CavalryRefusal and other superheroes unable to help him for one reason or another]]), he's forced to wait out for the next beam. Sure enough, by the time it's back online, [[EverybodysDeadDave the entire squadron has been massacred without him]]. [[ItsAllMyFault Adam doesn't take it well]].
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* StandardTimeUnits: {{Subverted|Trope}} in issue #5, where the rock people force Adam and Alanna into a cave for "a day" as they consider their request to unite against the Pykkt. No big deal, especially since their queen describes it as a "very quick" decision, right? Except Alanna points out that since the rock people live underground, they don't determine days by the sun, but rather the movement of underground rocks driven by tidal changes. In reality, they're being kept there for ''a month''.
* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: The rock people of Rann's underground speak in coherent sentences, but they tend to be broken up. In beats. Of two. Or so. Words at. A time.
* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: The rock people of Rann's underground speak in coherent sentences, but they tend to be broken up. In beats. Of two. Or so. Words at. A time.
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* InconvenientSummons: Adam's struggles with Zeta Beam teleportation strikes yet again, finding himself occasionally beamed away from Rann back to Earth mid-sentence. This ends up resulting in grave consequences in issue #4 as the Zeta Beam fails right as he and the Hellotaats charge into battle with the Pykkts -- unable to make the 25-trillion-mile return trip to Rann on his own ([[CavalryRefusal and other superheroes unable to help him for one reason or another]]), he's forced to wait out for the next beam. Sure enough, by the time it's back online, [[EverybodysDeadDave the entire squadron has been massacred without him]]. [[ItsAllMyFault Adam doesn't take it well]].
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* BrokenBird: Alanna has become one of these in the present day. In contrast with the chipper, loving, and adventurous self that we see in flashbacks, the retired Alanna is more distant and confrontational, [[CigaretteOfAnxiety lighting up a cigarette]] in almost every other appearance, and it's all but directly stated to have been tied to [[OutlivingOnesOffspring Aleea's death back at Rann]]. [[spoiler:Even when she eventually learns that her daughter is alive and rescues her, Alanna still ends with plenty of other problems to angst over]].
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* BeardOfSorrow: Throughout the timespan of the series, Adam has managed to grown a couple of beards of hardship. He first grew one during his solo trek across the deserts of Rann in search of the Hellotaats, with the "sorrow" subtext kicking in following [[InconvenientSummons Adam getting ported back to Earth mid-battle]], spending an extended leave struggling to find help in returning to Rann ASAP. He doesn't end up shaving until at least a month later once he unites with the rock people. He proceeds to develop a second one as the war kicks into full gear, [[spoiler:getting especially shaggy as he's imprisoned for months and regularly subjected to ColdBloodedTorture]], and it's not shaven until the war on Rann finally wanes.
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* PlanetaryRomance: While the story [[{{Deconstruction}} is way more gritty and mundane]] the closer you get to the present, the flashback segments start off as this, with Adam and Alanna roaming Rann in search of tribes to unite against the Pykkts. From there, the two encounter various tribes of zany alien races, enduring trial after trial as they rally the planet together in preparation for war. Even the dialogue present for the scenes [[GenreThrowback is much more dramatic and Silver Age-y than what we see in the present day]].
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* DarkerAndEdgier: It's a much darker story not just for ComicBook/AdamStrange in general, but even in the sense that ''Strange Adventures'' is the SpiritualSuccessor to ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017'' (which given how dark ''that'' series is relative to [[ComicBook/NewGods its source material]], says quite a bit). Adam is played as dealing with [[{{Deconstruction}} the fallout of his spacefaring adventures and the narratives he's leaving behind]], and half of the story is played more like a war drama or political thriller than a zany [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] SpaceOpera. King's ''Mister Miracle'' series had an ultimately idealistic slant and a pronounced sense of quirky humor, but ''Strange Adventures'' is much lighter on comic relief, and is more critical with its deconstructive drama. [[https://ew.com/books/best-of-2020-behind-the-scenes-strange-adventures/ King himself describes]] ''Strange Adventures'' as a much "angrier", "more caustic" book about not merely ''surviving'' mundane evils, but ''fighting'' it.
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* BlackAndGreyMorality: Being [[DarkerAndEdgier a darkening of Adam Strange's mythos]], this is the dynamic between the Pykkts and Adam himself. The Pykkts are played pretty unambiguously as [[AliensAreBastards a cruel, warmongering empire of alien invaders]], but Adam is much more ruthless than usual in defending Rann and Earth, [[spoiler:committing war crimes in a mixture of broken desperation and personal catharsis after suffering months of ColdBloodedTorture by the Pykkts' hand]].
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** The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to a reader]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once again introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful art style]].
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** The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to a reader]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once again introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' Shaner's clean, colorful art style]].
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* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: The series goes all over the place with this, but generally leans towards cynical, described by King as ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017'''s "angrier" SpiritualSuccessor. Strange's adventures on Rann and his conflicts on Earth initially begin as separate stories, but the zany Silver Age romanticism [[{{Deconstruction}} gets repeatedly challenged by harsh reality]], with only the hope that [[IDidWhatIHadToDo Strange does what he needs to do to save the world]] being the sole glimmer of idealism. [[spoiler:Despite unveiling just how far Adam had really fallen, the series does still end on [[BittersweetEnding a bittersweet note]] -- characters have lost much from [[WarIsHell circumstance]] as much as lies pushed onto them, but while they're undoubtedly wounded, there's just enough victory and solace in the tank [[AndTheAdventureContinues to keep moving forward]].]]
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->''"Our lives are our stories. Little fictions we tell our friends and our lovers and ourselves. And we spend every moment we have praying to God we can find... that no one ever discovers we made all that #$#@ up."''
-->--'''Alanna'''
-->--'''Alanna'''
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* GilliganCut: Issue #12 presents a flashback to when Adam first suggested to Alanna they retire to Earth. She agrees, but then snarks about the quality of Earth's air and how she can't even breathe there. Cut to the present day as [[CigaretteOfAnxiety she's smoking one of her many cigarettes throughout the series]].
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* ContinuityNod: Tom King has went on the record saying the African-American woman who gets her copy of Adam's book signed is the same one who [[ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017 asked Mister Miracle and Big Barda for a selfie]].
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* ContinuityNod: ContinuityNod:
** Tom King has went on the record saying the African-American woman who gets her copy of Adam's book signed is the same one who [[ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017 asked Mister Miracle and Big Barda for aselfie]].selfie]].
** Issue #6 features a [[TheCameo cameo]] of ''Series/LateNight with Creator/SethMeyers'', who has Scott Free's [[ComicalCoffeeCup "I am God" mug]] on his desk.
** Tom King has went on the record saying the African-American woman who gets her copy of Adam's book signed is the same one who [[ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017 asked Mister Miracle and Big Barda for a
** Issue #6 features a [[TheCameo cameo]] of ''Series/LateNight with Creator/SethMeyers'', who has Scott Free's [[ComicalCoffeeCup "I am God" mug]] on his desk.
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* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: [[DiscussedTrope In-universe, the big source of conflict is Adam seemingly applying this to himself]], retroactively questioning whether his feats of heroism on Rann really were as pure as he desired it to be. [[spoiler:Even when the comic officially answers [[ObligatoryWarCrimeScene with a resounding "no"]], there's still plenty of rumination on the need to revise history for the greater good -- after [[TheHeroDies Adam's accidental death]], Alanna and Michael agree to cover up his moral failings and claim [[DrivenToSuicide he died in a tragic suicide]], hoping to preserve what's left of the hero that history will remember him to be as they approach a greatly uncertain future without him]].
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* ShipTease: Issue #6 focuses on Alanna and Michael's rapport as they get to know each other, and while part of this appears to be Alanna's FemmeFatale act as she's annoyed by the extent he's prodding into her and Adam's past in Rann, they end up developing a stronger relationship as the series goes on and he discovers things that ''she'' didn't know. [[spoiler:They remain as close friends by the series end, with Alanna [[ParentalSubstitute entrusting Michael to be Aleea's guardian on Earth]] as she returns to Rann for the Pykkts' revenge.]]
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* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:As if accidentally killing her husband in a GunStruggle wasn't bad enough, Alanna ends the series distraught that everything she had fought for alongside him in the name of Rann -- including committing several heinous war crimes -- [[EtTuBrute was all based on a great big lie that took advantage of her love and trust in him]]. The series also ends revealing that she was responsible for writing Adam's memoir, romanticizing it into the glorious SpaceOpera about a pure hero that saved the world, because to her, that's who Adam ''really'' was -- the obvious implication that [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore this is something they can never go back to thinking]].]]
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* SpiritualSuccessor: To Tom King and Mitch Gerads' earlier series, ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017''. Both stories are extended re-evaluations of daring DC heroes, juxtaposed with [[MunDanger the conflicts of mundanity]] and the need to reconcile with [[{{Deconstruction}} the inherent darkness of their past and present]], but while ''Mister Miracle'' is ultimately a story about [[MentalHealthRecoveryArc healing]] and [[{{Determinator}} surviving adversity]], ''Strange Adventures'' is a much more critical tale about how one reacts to evil and confronting it head-on. Even the signature 9-panel grid format of ''Mister Miracle'' is evolved with ''Strange Adventures'', which generally features 3 panels rows per page.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: To Tom King and Mitch Gerads' earlier series, ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017''. Both stories are extended re-evaluations of daring DC heroes, juxtaposed with [[MunDanger the conflicts of mundanity]] and the need to reconcile with [[{{Deconstruction}} the inherent darkness of their past and present]], but while ''Mister Miracle'' is ultimately a story about [[MentalHealthRecoveryArc healing]] and [[{{Determinator}} surviving adversity]], ''Strange Adventures'' is a much more critical tale about how one reacts to evil and confronting it head-on. Even the signature 9-panel grid format of ''Mister Miracle'' is evolved with ''Strange Adventures'', which generally features 3 panels panel rows per page.
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* [[CigarChomper Cigarette Chomper]]: Alanna smokes almost all the time in the present-day. It's perhaps yet another example of how different the war with the Pykkts have made her.
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* [[CigarChomper Cigarette Chomper]]: CigaretteOfAnxiety: Alanna smokes almost all the time in the present-day. It's perhaps yet another example of how different the war with the Pykkts have made her.
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* ContinuityNod: Tom King has went on the record saying the African-American woman who gets her copy of Adam's book signed is the same one who asked Mister Miracle and Big Barda for a selfie.
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* ContinuityNod: Tom King has went on the record saying the African-American woman who gets her copy of Adam's book signed is the same one who [[ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017 asked Mister Miracle and Big Barda for a selfie.selfie]].
* CypherLanguage: As odd-looking as it is, and as much of a big deal is made on how incomprehensible it is, [[https://i.redd.it/lz37baya51f51.png it turns out the Pykkts' language is one of these]].
* CypherLanguage: As odd-looking as it is, and as much of a big deal is made on how incomprehensible it is, [[https://i.redd.it/lz37baya51f51.png it turns out the Pykkts' language is one of these]].
* GoodIsNotSoft: Adam ''is'' a hero in the sense that he fights to protect Rann and his family, but the series also makes it clear he's got a brutal side. At one point as he travels Rann to rally its races against the Pykkts, he's put in [[GladiatorGames a gladitorial duel]] with the Hellotaats' champion to prove he's worthy of their alliance, which he secures [[PragmaticHero by blindsiding his Hellotaat challenger after he "wins" and beating his head into a bloody pulp]]. [[spoiler:With the endgame reveal that he secretly and willingly sold out Earth to the Pykkts and used his daughter as a bargaining chip, he ends an UnscrupulousHero at best]].
* RunningGag: Issue #1 begins with Adam cheerfully introducing himself with "Hi, I'm Adam," reaching out to shake an offscreen character's hand, and the same image repeats throughout the issue, including at the very end as he meets with Mister Terrific. [[spoiler:[[BookEnds The final panel of the series also ends on this image]], [[ArtShift albeit drawn by Doc Shaner rather than Mitch Gerads]]]].
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* SpiritualSuccessor: To Tom King and Mitch Gerads' earlier series, ''Mister Miracle''.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: To Tom King and Mitch Gerads' earlier series, ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017''. Both stories are extended re-evaluations of daring DC heroes, juxtaposed with [[MunDanger the conflicts of mundanity]] and the need to reconcile with [[{{Deconstruction}} the inherent darkness of their past and present]], but while ''Mister Miracle''.Miracle'' is ultimately a story about [[MentalHealthRecoveryArc healing]] and [[{{Determinator}} surviving adversity]], ''Strange Adventures'' is a much more critical tale about how one reacts to evil and confronting it head-on. Even the signature 9-panel grid format of ''Mister Miracle'' is evolved with ''Strange Adventures'', which generally features 3 panels rows per page.
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It's not quite Author Avatar bc as this can be read as King injecting himself in the character, Adam Strange as a character goes way beyond those bits of autobiographical allusion. Fits more as Write What You Know.
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* AuthorAvatar: There are a lot of notable comparisons to be made between Adam and Tom King. After years "in service" as Rann's hero, Adam had returned to Earth to become a successful author, much like how King returned home from CIA work to devote his focus to writing.
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* TakeThatCritics: In Issue 5, Adam notes that he's the target of gossip and controversy while there were other heroes like ComicBook/BoosterGold out there that have more unstable personalities and probably deserve more attention than he does. Adding to the AuthorAvatar idea above, this sounds a lot like Tom King asking the critics of his more recent and controversial works if they don't have anything better to do.
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* TakeThatCritics: In Issue 5, Adam notes that he's the target of gossip and controversy while there were other heroes like ComicBook/BoosterGold out there that have more unstable personalities and probably deserve more attention than he does. Adding to the AuthorAvatar idea above, this sounds a lot like Tom King asking the critics of his more recent and controversial works if they don't have anything better to do.
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** The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful style]].
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** The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]].reader]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once again introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful art style]].
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* BookEnds: The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful style]].
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* BookEnds: BookEnds:
** The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorfulstyle]].style]].
** This also extends to the Gerads and Shaner covers for the first and last issues.
*** Issue 1's Shaner cover has a proud Adam in front of a space utopia. [[spoiler:Issue 12's Shaner cover has him overlooking a fiery hellhole.]]
*** Issue 1's Gerads cover has a grim-looking Adam having already been graffitied with claims of "Liar!" and "Stranger Danger". [[spoiler:Issue 12's Gerads cover has Adam's portrait being halfway-replaced with one featuring Mister Terrific by Alanna.]]
** The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful
** This also extends to the Gerads and Shaner covers for the first and last issues.
*** Issue 1's Shaner cover has a proud Adam in front of a space utopia. [[spoiler:Issue 12's Shaner cover has him overlooking a fiery hellhole.]]
*** Issue 1's Gerads cover has a grim-looking Adam having already been graffitied with claims of "Liar!" and "Stranger Danger". [[spoiler:Issue 12's Gerads cover has Adam's portrait being halfway-replaced with one featuring Mister Terrific by Alanna.]]
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* CavalryRefusal: Issue 4's flashbacks throw Adam in the wringer but HARD. He calls for [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] AND ComicBook/{{Superman}} to give him a ride to Rann. For Hal, it's due to the Guardians of the Universe dictating that the Green Lantern Corps declared neutrality on the Rann-Pykkt war. In Superman's case, it's because Mongul was coming to Earth, and just getting to Rann would leave Earth wide open. Needless to say, Adam is more than a little sore about both declinations.
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* CavalryRefusal: Issue 4's flashbacks throw Adam in the wringer but HARD. He calls for [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] AND ComicBook/{{Superman}} to give him a ride to Rann. For Hal, it's due to the Guardians of the Universe dictating that the Green Lantern Corps declared neutrality on the Rann-Pykkt war. In Superman's case, it's because Mongul was coming to Earth, and just getting to Rann would leave Earth wide open.open to Warworld. Needless to say, Adam is more than a little sore about both declinations.
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* MythologyGag: The two frogs Aleea have (had?) in Issue 5 are based on her dad's pet frogs Stranger and Strangest, who have only ever appeared in the DC Super-Pets Character Encyclopedia.
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* MythologyGag: The two frogs Aleea have has (had?) in Issue 5 are based on her dad's pet frogs Stranger and Strangest, who have only ever appeared in the DC ''DC Super-Pets Character Encyclopedia.Encyclopedia''.
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** The moment where Sardath slaps Mr. Terrific and [[spoiler: and gets slapped back for his troubles]] resembles a similar beat in ''Film/InTheHeatOfTheNight''.
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** The moment where Sardath slaps Mr. Terrific and [[spoiler: and gets slapped back for his troubles]] resembles a similar beat in ''Film/InTheHeatOfTheNight''.
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** [[spoiler:It becomes clearer later in the series that the the conflict was much closer to BlackAndGreyMorality, with the Pykkts (particularly their leadership) being brutal conquerors while Rann committed their fair share of brutal (if understandable) acts and outright war-crimes to survive, with it being revealed that Adam agreeing to being a double-agent for the Pykkts in a later invasion of the Earth being the main reason they did.]]
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** [[spoiler:It becomes clearer later in the series that the the conflict was much closer to BlackAndGreyMorality, with the Pykkts (particularly their leadership) being brutal conquerors while Rann committed their fair share of brutal (if understandable) acts and outright war-crimes to survive, with it being revealed that Adam agreeing to being a double-agent for the Pykkts in a later invasion of the Earth being the main reason they did.]]
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* {{Elseworld}}: The series is quietly framed as taking place in one of these (similar to most Creator/DCBlackLabel books). Even more so than ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017'', ''Strange Adventures'' doesn't neatly fit with any established continuity in Franchise/TheDCU ([[BroadStrokes despite referencing it plenty with appearances of the Justice League]]), and featuring Adam Strange retiring after a final war with the Pykkts. While the series does [[AndTheAdventureContinues end with a degree of continuation for the distant future]], it also firmly stakes [[DistantFinale a definitive ending to Adam's story]], though likely not one to be regarded in the DCU canon.
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* DecoyProtagonist: The story is definitely ''about'' Adam Strange, and he remains active as a major character, but he's not quite the protagonist as the main core of the story is focused on the periphery of his previous actions. In terms of forward motion, Mister Terrific and Alanna end up rotating into the main focus as they unveil more of Strange's adventures, [[spoiler:and when [[TheHeroDies Adam is accidentally murdered at the end of issue #11]], it's up for the two to pick up the remaining pieces]].
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* RedHerring: In the first few issues, Alanna is played as much more aggressive regarding the allegations made towards her husband than Adam himself, being way more defensive of his (publicly undisclosed) actions on Rann and pushing the idea that the murder of the angry book store critic was a Pykkt FrameUp. [[spoiler:This might raise some red flags to suggest that [[LadyMacbeth she's got devious motives and plans in store regarding Adam]], also suggesting ''she'' did the murder, but neither of these turn out to be true -- the man really was murdered by Adam all along (though he insists it was [[PoorCommunicationKills a terrible misunderstanding in a moment of weakness]]), and while it's revealed that she was complicit in encouraging and committing war crimes against the Pykkt, [[FallenHero Adam made the orders to begin with]], and built on a secret exchange he never shared to her.]]
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* ArcWords: "Five... Four... Three... Two... One."
* BoldInflation: The bright SpaceOpera portions of the story (illustrated by Doc Shaner) features characters speaking in a campy and dramatic cadence with a lot of bolded words. Meanwhile, the realistic, grounded half (by Mitch Gerads) [[SubvertedTrope features none]], and everyone speaks in a casual, more natural flow.
* BookEnds: The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful style]].
* BoomHeadshot: The guy that yells at Adam gets his head blown clean off his neck, complete with a large amount of blood on the floor.
* BookEnds: The very first panel of the series features Adam (drawn in Gerads' realistic, gritty art style) at a book signing, happily introducing himself [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall to the reader (in-universe just a fan)]]. At the very end of issue #1, he's happily introducing himself to Mister Terrific in the same way. [[spoiler:In the much longer term, the final panel of issue #12 flashes back to Adam once introducing himself at the book signing, but this time drawn in Evans' clean, colorful style]].
* BoomHeadshot: The guy that yells at Adam gets his head blown clean off his neck, complete with a large amount of blood on the floor.
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* BoomHeadshot: The guy that yells at Adam gets his head blown clean off his neck, complete with a large amount of blood on the floor.
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* GenreRoulette: Half of the dominating aesthetic of the series is of a pulpy SpaceOpera -- the same type of adventures Adam Strange is usually involved in -- but the other half is built like a mystery wrapped in a war story, dealing with [[{{Deconstruction}} the more mundane yet consequence-heavy fallout of said adventures]]. It's even divided through art (Doc Shaner depicting the space half as vibrant, clean, and colorful, Mitch Gerads the Earth half as a stylized and gritty approach to "realism"), and of writing (the SpaceOpera half has dramatic dialogue that'd be right at home in [[TwoFistedTales a pulp superhero comic]], the Earth half featuring diction that's far less polished and more natural).
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''Strange Adventures'' is a 12-issue miniseries by Creator/TomKing (''ComicBook/BatmanRebirth'', ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017''), Mitch Gerads, and Evan "Doc" Shaner as a part of the Creator/DCBlackLabel imprint. While King and Gerads' previous collaboration focused on the New Gods, this is a look into another one of DC's space heroes: ComicBook/AdamStrange.
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''Strange Adventures'' is a 12-issue miniseries by Creator/TomKing (''ComicBook/BatmanRebirth'', (''ComicBook/BatmanTomKing'', ''ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017''), Mitch Gerads, and Evan "Doc" Shaner as a part of the Creator/DCBlackLabel imprint. While King and Gerads' previous collaboration focused on the New Gods, this is a look into another one of DC's space heroes: ComicBook/AdamStrange.
