Comics Review: "Star Wars" #1

- by Señor Editor, 16 January 2015

Star Wars. I talk about it a lot. So much that I'm not sure if I didn't already open an older Star Wars article this way. But I haven’t been talking about it here much lately, because there were no new comics out. Now, that the comic rights are back at Marvel, I can talk about it more! So let’s take a look at Jason Aaron’s and John Cassaday’s “Star Wars” #1.

Click for Death Star size.

First of all, I gotta say I was more than a little sceptic about Marvel making Star Wars again, because Marvel has been really bad for years. And because the original series of Marvel SW comics was the worst interpretation of Star Wars in comicbook form ever made. Not that Dark Horse didn’t have their share of crap comics based on the frachise (they sure did), but they at least showed they can make SOME good stories. I was hoping this comic would be good, though. And it is.

The most important question when considering if a Star Wars comic is good is “Does it feel Star Warsy?” (“Star Warsy” is a legitimate word). And this does feel very Star Warsy. The story takes place right after “A New Hope”, just like Brian Wood’s “Star Wars” series did, but the pace is a lot faster here. ADVENTURES! IMMEDIATELY! This is good.

The plot is simple. Han, Luke and Leia come to a Corellian weapons factory, disguised as emissaries of Jabba the Hutt. They are there under the guise of negotiating a contract with the Empire, but their goal is to destroy the factory. While they’re doing what they came for, it turns out that “the negotiator” they were supposed to meet is Darth Vader. It’s simple, but it is action-packed and entertaining. It is also very Star Warsy, and Vader is very cool and scary in it.

I can call you Betty, and Betty if you call me... Wait, we made that joke this Wednesday already.

By the time I got to the Vader parts I already forgotten about my initial skepticism. This is a fantastic first issue. Jason Aaron hits it on all cylinders (as he should – this is Marvel’s first Star Wars comic in decades, it needs to be good). This all feels familiar and yet new at the same time. It doesn’t mess up the continuity of the movies. It uses the movie canon very well and has a few decent jokes in it, kept in the slightly corny Star Wars humor style.

Okay, very corny. P.S.: The guy loses his hand. SPOILER ALERT!

If you like Star Wars, you will like this. If you don't like Star Wars, you either suck or you're Ninja Ross. And we both know you're not Ross. 

It is quite amazing how well Aaron catches all the little things in the characters' dialogues, making all of them sound just right. I also like it how well this comic fits into the time it takes place in. Luke is just beginning to learn how to be a Jedi. Blowing up the Death Star is fresh news. Han is still acting like he's not really a part of the Rebellion, just there for a while before he goes back to his smuggler ways. Vader is mysterious and powerful and very much like a horror villain. It is great.

You done messed up, Chewie.

As for the art, Cassaday is okay. I never really considered him an amazing artist like some people did, but he keeps everything on model. He does a very good job on the space ships and scenery, and the characters look good, too. Even though a lot of the faces here appear to just be traced from photos of Harrison Ford and the other actors, I am fine with that. I am sure he will be able to draw them all by himself in time, and for now I just want to see the characters looking like they are supposed to. By the way, there's a preview for Dodson's "Princess Leia" series in the back of this comic, and all the characters just have the standard Dodson Face, which is why it easily looks like the worst of the Marvel SW books so far.

Speaking of previews for the upcoming new Marvel series, there is one that immediately got me super excited. The one for Kieron Gillen and Sal Larocca's "Darth Vader" series (you all remember I am a massive, massive Vader fan, right?). It looks just like the scene in Return of the Jedi when Luke enters Jabba's palace, shot for shot. But it's not Luke. It's Vader! OH MY GOD, I WANT THIS RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT DENGAR THERE BEHIND 4-LOM? DROOPY McCOOL?!? JESUS, THIS LOOKS SO EXCITING!!!

Just watch out for that trap door, Darth.

Anyway, for now I am very happy with "Star Wars" #1. BUY IT. It is good, and if it continues being this good, it will make the wait for Episode VII a lot more pleasant.

 
Bought it yet? What did you think about it? Also, is that preview for "Vader" awesome or what?!

Tagged: comics, Reviews.

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