The interesting thing about accidentally putting off your comic reviews for a few issues is what you notice about how an arc reads. I’m a big fan of Kieron Gillen’s work (just go look at my reviews of his fantastic Darth Vader) but something about his Star Wars series just wasn’t entirely clicking for me in the same way. That click finally happened when I sat down and read the latest three issues together. If you’ve struggled with “The Ashes of Jedha”, try reading it all together in one sitting for a better experience. (Which given that we’re talking about Gillen’s writing here, probably shouldn’t have surprised me. But here we are.) Let’s talk about each of the big three. Continue reading
Category Archives: Star Wars
Review: Darth Vader (2017) #11+12
After the crazy, brain breaking kyber crystal arc and then the Jocasta Nu Chronicles, Darth Vader #11 and #12 are nice, self-contained story that serve almost as a palette cleanser before Soule and Camuncoli send the dark lord off on his next adventure. For now though, his Jedi hunt continues as Vader and Ninth Sister head out to Cabarria after hearing rumors of a Jedi there… only for the hunt to turn against him and the originator to be very highly placed within the Empire…
These two issues make sure that we don’t forget several things about the relatively young Darth Vader. First, that he is far from an established presence within the Empire and its power structure. Second, that Palpatine is incredibly twisted and has no problem beating Vader down verbally. Third, there is still a little bit of Anakin Skywalker left within Darth Vader. In a way, all three of these things have been key to the entire book so far and will likely remain so in future issues.
This isn’t the first time the Camuncoli has depicted how Vader sees himself in the Force while meditating but it’s still jaw-dropping nonetheless. Those panels need very little to no dialogue to convey so much and I hope that they continue to be a thing throughout this book. I also strongly appreciated that Camuncoli made it a point to depict both men and women within the Imperial ranks. Hopefully this continues to be a trend in the Star Wars comics.
If you’re looking to start reading the Darth Vader comics, issues #11-12 aren’t a bad way to jump on to the book or to test the waters a little and see if it’s your thing. There’s plenty here to enjoy for both new and established readers alike.
Darth Vader #11+12: Charles Soule/Writer, Giuseppe Camuncoli/Pencils, Daniele Orlandini/Inks, David Curiel/Colorist, Joe Caramagna/Letterer, Heather Antos/Assistant Editor, Jordan D. White/Editor
Review: Poe Dameron #24
LISTEN AGENT TEREX. I’ve liked you a lot throughout these last two dozen issues of Poe Dameron. You’ve been a very good antagonist and delightfully evil when the occasion required it but this time you have gone TOO FAR.
PADMÉ AMIDALA NABERRIE’S GOWNS ARE INTERGALACTIC TREASURES AND HOW DARE YOU SPACE THEM LIKE THAT. HOW DARE.
*clears throat* Anyways. About the rest of the issue.
Actually you know what? Let’s just do bullet points for this thing.
- Terex has clearly lost it. Understandably so but lost it. Only a crazy man talks to Phasma like that.
- Lor San Tekka deserves better than what life is giving him.
- Jess Pava is an adorable nerd, pass it on.
- Still very much not invested in Karé/Snap, sorry.
- The close up shot on Leia’s ring is aces.
- No but seriously: Jess Pava is delightful and I need more of her.
Given that we know the events of The Force Awakens are rapidly approaching and the cliffhanger this issue ends on, I’m really unsure how Soule is planning to wrap this arc up but I’m definitely fascinated. It continues to be awesome to see more of the Resistance and how they tangled with the First Order. I have next to no idea how this all going to go but I sure am enjoying the ride.
Poe Dameron #24: Charles Soule/Writer, Angel Unzueta/Artist, Arif Prianto/Colorist, Joe Caramagna/Letterer, Jordan White/Editor, Heather Antos/Assistant Editor
Rebels Review: Wolves and a Door and A World Between Worlds
Let’s get this out of the way: I did not like last night’s episodes of Rebels. If you did, I am super happy for you, and you probably shouldn’t read this review.
I procrastinated on writing this review because I don’t enjoy disliking things about Star Wars. I have my preferences, and I admit I was biased against these two episodes of Rebels knowing there would be Mortis connections, but deep down I wanted to be wrong. I would much rather talk about things I enjoy rather than things I dislike.
There were things I liked about these episodes, and that’s probably why I’m so frustrated. The idea of the Empire wanting something with the Jedi Temple on Lothal is a solid plot. We know from Season 2 and Minister Tua that the Empire came to Lothal for a reason, and not just to build the TIE Defender. I can even accept a little bit of Force mysticism; perhaps the Lothal Temple was very strong in the Force, or amplified people’s powers, etc. etc. I enjoyed all the scenes with Sabine and the minister. I have been waiting for a scene like this since Thrawn joined the show — and to be honest, I’m a bit bummed we didn’t get that scene with Thrawn. I always love Palpatine, especially played by Ian McDiarmid. The animation was brilliant, especially the portal animation, which reminded me a lot of the Tale of the Three Brothers from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Kevin Kiner’s music continues to be one of the best things about the series. The Ghost crew saving the day is always fun to watch. Continue reading
Who Makes Our Myths? On the Unbearable Whiteness of Star Wars
Almost forty years ago, Lando Calrissian appeared in Star Wars, immediately becoming, as Donald Glover recently put it, “the only black guy in the universe.” Since then, a number of actors of color have joined Billy Dee Williams’s iconic character in the galaxy far, far away, including Temuera Morrison and Daniel Logan of the prequel trilogy, the incredibly diverse ensemble cast of 2016’s Rogue One, three of the starring actors in the sequel trilogy, and of course, Glover himself as young Lando in the upcoming Solo, for which he will be joined by Thandie Newton. As we celebrate these victories, however, it quickly becomes clear that Lucasfilm has only recently fielded casts that don’t merely feature token actors of color; white, male actors still make up the vast majority of the Star Wars universe. And behind the camera, those who have helmed the franchise’s films are overwhelmingly white and male.
Billy Dee Williams broke new ground as Lando Calrissian.
It has almost become a truism that to tell diverse stories, the creators of those stories must be diverse, too–but it’s a concept that’s proven by fact. One needs only to look at recent films directed by people of color to find proof that these movies feature more diverse casts: Creed, Life of Pi, and the upcoming A Wrinkle in Time. Directors of color find it imperative to tell stories starring people who look like them in a way that white directors simply don’t. If white creators found diversity at the forefront of their minds, then we would have had racial parity on screen a long time ago. Continue reading
Review: Doctor Aphra #17
Doctor Aphra: Still gay
Tolvan: Still doesn’t know her name. Still pretty into her
I dig it.
“Remastered” has no intent of confining itself to just one location and in Doctor Aphra #17, our favorite archaeologist and her team make their way to a rebel pilot training base where the general in charge is a very familiar green face. Yup, it’s the face you’re thinking of because who else could train a batch of recruits to fly x-wings quite as well as Hera Syndulla?
One thing I really like about this comic is that it never tries to hide that Aphra’s not a great person but at the same time, it makes it clear that she’s not exactly a really bad person either. This arc in particular has emphasized this with Triple Zero forcing her to do things she otherwise wouldn’t and Tolvan skinning another being as part of her disguise which Aphra’s not okay with. It gives Aphra more depth than your standard “bad gal” and honestly, it’s part of what makes me love her. It’s also a part of what makes her feel real. She makes a lot of bad decisions and then has to deal with the consequences. If anything, Jango’s line about being a simple man trying to make his way in the universe probably really applies a lot to her too.
This issue also does lovingly poke fun at how trusting some of the Rebels can be. (Or maybe that’s just Flight Control; Hera at least knows what’s up. Actually Hera is by far the most competent person in this issue.) In a way, it’s almost sweet how he so easily believes that these mercenaries are there to join up without any ulterior motive.
I think it’s been a little while since I’ve mentioned it but I am really digging the Laiso/Rosenberg combination for the artwork on this book. There was something about their work on this issue that particularly clicked into place. I can’t quite put my finger on it but there was something about it that took my feelings on the art from like to love.
There’s a heck of a lot going on in both “Remastered” and Doctor Aphra #17 and I’m definitely still on board with all of it and can’t wait to see how both Hera and Aphra handle things in the next issue.
Doctor Aphra #17: Kieron Gillen and Si Spurrier/Writers, Emilio Laiso/Artist, Rachelle Rosenberg/Colors, Joe Caramagna/Letterer, Heather Antos/Assistant Editor, Jordan D. White/Editor
Rebels Review: “Jedi Night” and “Dume”
This is fine. Absolutely everything is fine.
Yeah. Spoilers after the jump. Continue reading
Review: DJ: Most Wanted
DJ: Most Wanted: It’s fine.
Oh wait. You want more of a review than that? Fine.
(Did you see what I did there?)
Set right before the events of The Last Jedi, DJ: Most Wanted gives us a little more insight into what it’s like to be DJ. Unsurprisingly, it’s basically what you think: a scoundrel who finds trouble and looks out for himself. This isn’t even necessarily a slight against Ben Acker and Ben Blacker because there’s really only so much they could do with a character prequel comic like this and we have seen them do far more captivating work with their Storms of Crait one-shot where it feels like they had more freedom. It’s not a bad comic. It’s just… a comic in which DJ certainly gets into trouble and tossed into jail. If nothing else, the story helps further flesh out Canto Bight. If you want more of these things, it’s worth picking up this issue. Otherwise… it’s fine.
The one delightful thing about this book is that we get to see Kev Walker drawing Star Wars again! There’s no one else I could imagine being the one to draw an incredibly buff Rodian. (No really: look at the size of his biceps!) If nothing else, you can always count on Walker to keep his cast of characters diverse and his backgrounds interesting.
Bottom line? DJ: Most Wanted is fine but not worth going out of your way for.
DJ: Most Wanted: Ben Acker & Ben Blacker/Writers, Kevin Walker/Penciler, Marc Deering/Inker, Java Tartaglia/Colorist, Clayton Cowles/Letterer, Heather Antos/Assistant Editor, Jordan D. White, Editor
Review: Mace Windu
Mace Windu just might be the first of the Marvel comics that I recommend you skip entirely and that’s a bummer. Mace Windu has been one of my favorite Prequel Era Jedi ever since I read Shatterpoint and I was hoping for so much more from this. In fact… go pick up a copy of that book instead. It may be Legends now but it’s a better use of your time than this bland comic.
Bland may sound harsh but it’s the best way to describe the book. You could have subbed in almost any other Jedi without the story changing too much. That’s not a good thing. If you’re going to put Mace Windu on the cover then you expect a little of his grim and badass personality to come through on the pages. It never does. That’s not to say that Matt Owens doesn’t try and come up with an interesting story and you can see places where it might really take off but unfortunately, it just never works out.
And then there’s the art… It’s difficult to move past the gremlin Yoda and struggling depictions of some of the more familiar aliens. Most of the time, the art is serviceable but it’s difficult to get that image of Yoda out of your head.
In the interest of not being entirely negative about the comic, I was happy to see the miraluka brought back into canon. They’ve always been a species that’s fascinated me and the eye-related humor did get a laugh or two from me. The absolute best part of the book were the battle droids. Owens got their voices and The Clone Wars feel down pat. They were the highlight of the book.
I genuinely hate to sound so down on a Star Wars comic. I honestly do. Mace Windu isn’t necessarily bad: it’s just not up to the level of the other Star Wars comics that Marvel’s been publishing. You can feel comfortable in skipping this one.
Mace Windu #1-5: Matt Owens/Writer, Denys Cowan/Penciller, Roberto Poggi/Inks, Guru-eFX/Colorist, Joe Caramagna/Letterer, Heather Antos & Charles Beacham/Assistant Editor, Jordan D. White/Editor
Review: Poe Dameron #23
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Poe Dameron #23 had me flipping each page as anxiously as I might watch a dogfight in one of the films. It feels like a strange thing to say because we know that Poe’s going to make it out okay and we know that Lor San Tekka has to survive to hide on Jakku and yet I found myself consistently worried about both of them and, weirdly enough, Terex.
Let’s start from the top. When last we saw Poe, Commander Malarus who is, without a doubt, completely out of her mind, had just commandeered his x-wing. There’s just something about Poe that seems to infuriate his First Order opponents beyond their ability to think rationally. Malarus was just… Honestly, I can’t say that she’s been my favorite villain in this book. That honor still goes to Agent Terex who has really seen better days but who is also doing whatever he can to get control of his mind back. (Who knew that the riot batons came in miniature sizes?)
Poe, on the other hand, does some pretty fantastic flying in an unfamiliar ship but it has consequences that are, shall we say, adding to the feel that we’re rapidly approaching the events of The Force Awakens in this comic. On the one hand, it’s helping build the excitement but on the other, it’s a bit of a bummer because I’d love to see so much more of the Resistance in this book especially now that the Tico sisters are likely fair game. Also, precisely how much money does Leia have? Is she funding this entire Resistance out of her own bank accounts? And if so… daaaaang House Organa was loaded!
Poe Dameron #23 is a definite page-turner and I’m very anxious to see how things go in #24 especially after those last few pages.
Poe Dameron #23: Charles Soule/Writer, Angel Unzueta/Artist, Arif Prianto/Colorist, Joe Caramagna/Letterer, Jordan White/Editor, Heather Antos/Assistant Editor