Review: Star Wars #1 (2015)

A long time ago (about two years), in a galaxy that's as close as you can get...

It was a period of nerd unrest. After being purchased by DISNEY, the entire expanded universe of STAR WARS was declared non-canon by the new story-group at LUCASFILM. The only pre-Disney Star Wars that would be considered canon were the six theatrical films, and the CLONE WARS television series (the cgi one). From this point on, anything released, whether movies, comics, games, etc. would be considered canon with the STAR WARS movies.

Despite Lucasfilm's rather sound reasons for making this decision and assuring fans that many of the elements from those other stories could be brought back, the Internet was enraged (but then again, when isn't it?). Due to it also being owned by Disney, all responsibilities to future Star Wars comics went to MARVEL. Multiple series have been made since, including character focused ones such as Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Poe Dameron, and C-3P0 (I'm not kidding).

Now that an awesome new Star Wars film is in theaters, the young blogger known as DRAGON SWORD has decided to review the first Star Wars comic to be declared 100% canon and see if the famous comic book company could truly do justice to the franchise he's loved since childhood....

I freaking love Star Wars. Ever since I first saw A New Hope on television as a little kid, this has been one of my favorite movie franchises, if not my actual favorite. Heck, I even enjoy the Prequels to some extent, though I acknowledge they have some major problems (insert obvious Jar Jar reference here).

You may already know that Marvel was the first one to come out with Star Wars comics, back in 1977. It closely followed the plot of the movie while actually coming out before it. So the decision to have Marvel make the new comics after Disney purchased Lucasfilm was kind of like coming home for the franchise. Let's just hope they don't try throwing in controversy to make the stories "interesting." If Luke Skywalker turns out to be a spy for Hydra the Empire, then I am dropping this book.

But let's go ahead and discuss the covers. Yes, plural.

The main cover looks great. We got the whole gang together and standing ready for action while a space battle is about to begin above and a hyperspace silhouette of Vader in the background. It works great. But if you don't like it, don't worry. Marvel made a ton of variants for this book. Seriously, it's like everybody at Marvel wanted to work on this book and they wanted to try every kind of variant known to man.

Different Artist (J. Scott Campbell)

Photo cover

Sketch version of another variant

Cover featuring someone who's not in the book. 

The heck is this?

Action Figure

OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH!!! 

The webpage I got these from has a total of 68 variants, including many that were outside the US. Just shows you how big and exciting something like this was to Marvel. So let's finally move onto what you want me to review, the story.

SPOILERS BELOW: Scroll down to bottom if you want to see my final thoughts.

The book opens up, doing everything it can to feel like a Star Wars movie, with "A long time ago..." followed by the main title and even an opening text scroll that's not scrolling because it's a book. Every time I see this, I feel like reading aloud while imitating the narrator from The Clone Wars. 

Basically, this takes place between Episodes IV and V, and the rebels are trying to press their advantage after blowing up the Death Star. After the text scroll, the comic continues to feel like we're watching one of the films by having this sequence.

Talk about commitment. This mysterious shuttle is arriving at a weapons factory for the Empire on Cymoon 1. The overseer, a guy named Aggadeen, makes the typical, insulting comment you'd expect from guys like him before greeting the people on the ship in a much more professional manner. We then see the footsteps of one man getting off the ship and introducing himself as an emissary for Jabba the Hutt. But it turns out to be everybody's favorite scoundrel, Han Solo.

Considering that R2-D2 is next to him and what we know from the movies, I'm going to say this is actually a ruse. Right off the bat, we have a good sense that Han's character is being done right. There's almost a slip up when an imperial droid informs the overseer that our hero has a bounty on his head for 50,000 credits. But the overseer lets it slide since the Empire is supposedly dealing with thugs. Unfortunately, Han and his "bodyguards" have to hand over any weapons before going inside the factory.

We cut to another view of the scene through the scope of a sniper gun before it's revealed to be Chewbacca watching over the team. Another panel gives a close-up to one of the guards, showing enough to let us know it's a familiar looking female and we confirm that they are indeed Rebels in disguise. We also get some exposition from C-3P0 over their comms about how the real envoy was intercepted by rebels. We then get this oh-so-helpful line.

C-3PO: ... I have a very good feeling about this.

Hey, that's not how you say it in Star Wars. Also, great work, Threepio. Why don't you just ask "What could go wrong?" while you're at it?

As they reach the door to the meeting room, Han states that he'd rather they do things in the noisy factory. Aggadeen points out how stupid that'd be, but Han makes a counter point.

HAN: Don't you remember? You said it yourself... We aren't here to negotiate. Artoo...

Oh come on! It was bad enough when Bumblebee did this.

Actually, this is just a "wait for it" moment as Artoo uses his electroshock prod to send a current through the fluid and electrocute a bunch of stormtroopers. The two guards suddenly attack the troopers to their sides, one of them being brutal enough to slam a troopers head against a wall and crack his helmet. The guards unmask, revealing themselves to be Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

Han demands that Aggadeen tell them where the main power core is, but the overseer is a high-ranking officer of the Empire and that he'll never talk. But one spark from Artoo's prod is enough for him to point the way. Leia does the proper thing in response: A hard punch in the jaw!

You know, Leia's technically a Disney Princess now.

After some brief exposition on how the Millennium Falcon is currently hidden in a scrap yard, our heroes make their way to the central power station. Since the factory is automated, their plan is to blow the place up. They really have a knack for blowing stuff up, don't they? 

Luke is told to watch for any stormtroopers and he tries remembering Obi-wan's advice about using the force. Right on cue, he starts sensing a call for help. Keeping his priorities in check as always, Luke investigates and stumbles onto the truth of the weapons factory. It's not automated, it uses slave labor. Not only that, they shove all the slaves into one cage. That's gotta get cramped.

Luke is about to release them when he runs into their handler. He tries a mind trick, but he's not Rey. The guard pulls out an energy whip and threatens to use it if Luke reaches for his blaster. Luke gives his word that he won't reach for his blaster. 

He ignites his lightsaber, cuts off the handler's hand before opening the cage and striking an almost awesome pose.

Whoa. Luke, might want to lay off the donuts.

We cut back to Han and Leia as they've started the process and the whole place will blow in ten minutes. Leia asks Han why he's still with them, putting himself in the Empire's crosshairs as a rebel. He claims he's still just a smuggler, but she presses on and anyone who's seen the movies can figure out why he's really still there. Judging from the look on his face when he responds, I'd say anyone with two brain cells can figure out the reason.

Right on cue, Luke shows up with the freed slaves and Leia agrees to let them come along, but Chewie calls in and lets them know that a ship has arrived. And according to one stormtrooper, the negotiator has arrived.

Well, they're dead.
Oh, wait. I've seen the movies.

Let's see, Darth Vader in a comic where you don't have to worry about the budget when it comes to special effects? Yeah, this is going to get awesome.

Chewie let's the others know Vader's here. Han doesn't want Chewie to alert the whole factory by firing at the Sith, but Leia disagrees big time. She orders the wookie to fire on Vader, saying that him dying is more important than them living. This is proven pointless since it's Vader, not Kylo Ren. He senses the attack coming and blocks it with his lightsaber. Chewie tries firing more shots, but—Jeez!

Join the Empire today, Folks.

That was brutal, and totally something Vader would do. When he runs out of living shields, Vader uses the force to tear apart Chewbacca's vantage point. After he sends stormtroopers after his attacker, Vader learns that the overseer isn't responding. He puts two and two together and puts the factory on alert. To make matters worse, Vader can sense that the pilot who destroyed the Death Star is here.

Our other heroes hear the alarm go off and Han calls in Threepio, telling him to bring in the Falcon. Unfortunately, it turns out that the scrapyard they parked it in is more crowded than they thought. Because a bunch of weird scavengers with tentacles are taking the ship apart.

HAN: Well go out there and stop them!
C-3PO: Me? Go out...

This is sounding like a conversation between a teenage gamer and his mom.

Han let's Threepio know where the blaster is and nobody needs to tell us the odds of Threepio actually getting rid of the scavengers.

C-3PO: Oh. Oh... Dear.

Meanwhile, the rebels are trying to escort the slaves to safety while they're chased by stormtroopers. (Insert joke about stormtrooper aim here.) Han leads them through a door and Leia seems unimpressed.

LEIA: Great work, Han, if your plan was to get us trapped!

You're one to talk, Ms. "Killing him is more important." Fortunately, Han's plan to get out of the base is to walk.

Hey look. A walking thingy.

Just as they're about to get out, Leia stops and realizes Luke isn't with them. We turn to Luke who's traveling alone down an empty hall when he hears the voice of Ben Kenobi. Luke calls out to the voice in his head, saying that Vader is here. Luke believes he has to face his father's and Ben's killer. But just as our hero ignites his lightsaber, Ben's spirit gives him one warning: Run.

Then the comic closes with Luke standing ready as the dark lord himself advances towards him, red lightsaber drawn.

SPOILERS END HERE.

This was actually really good. Every second of this comic feels like a real, authentic Star Wars story. The characterizations are nailed to a T and the tone fits perfectly with the original trilogy. Even though we know all these characters are going to survive because they've got a few more movies, there are some surprises. Before this comic came out, I had always believed Luke's fight with Vader in The Empire Strikes Back was their first time meeting each other. Turns out that was completely wrong. 

Speaking of Vader, the scene where he used stormtroopers as living shields is a combination of awesome, horrifying, and heartless. In other words, it's perfect. By the way, if you haven't seen Rogue One yet, go see it. The last Darth Vader scene in it alone is worth the price of admission. 

One thing that is a minor complaint for me is the artwork. Don't get me wrong. John Cassady's work isn't bad. It just feels like there's some hiccups here and there. For example, that panel of Luke I showed earlier looks like it's been stretched horizontally. But the artwork is mostly fine. The only other complaint I have here is that part of R2-D2 "leaking fluid." It felt a bit too much like a peeing joke, especially considering where the fluid is coming from. But other than that, the book is pretty great. 

I might review other issues of this series in the future, but I like to keep a little variety in what I review each time.