COMIC BINGE: Star Wars: Canon Comics, Episode II
It’s been a week since most of us have gone to see the new episode of the Star Wars saga, and if you’re anything like me you’re really feeling a galaxy sized gap in your heart. It feels as if nothing can fill the void that is left behind after walking out of the theater, other than another viewing of The Force Awakens. I have to say, I was probably the most satisfied by Episode VII, than I have been by another movie in a long time. This movie had a way of cutting to the core of your heart of nerdiness, and just giving you an amazing time at the theaters. Sure, it had a few things to nitpick at, but really overall I can’t find myself wanting to watch another movie any more than I want to watch this one. I loved Kylo Ren, and BB-8 was the absolute boss. Finn was an excellent new addition, and Rey looks to be a very important new character. Poe was the fighter of a lifetime, and his bromance with Finn was applause-worthy. There were so many other great moments in the movie to make it one of the best of the year, and I’m finding it difficult to have a drink or vice that can please me greater than this film. However, I did finish up the rest of the Star Wars canon-worthy comic books that I had ready to read, and boy did I save the best for last. So if you’re looking to get your Star Wars fix and maybe can’t make it to the movies, try to get your hands on these excellent Star Wars comics in the meantime. We can only hope that the Blu-ray release for this film comes sooner rather than later… Before we delve in, I hope everyone has a Merry Bingemas, Christmas, and a Happy Holiday this week/weekend!!!
First up this week was Star Wars: Darth Vader, which seems to be a series that will follow Darth Vader’s quest for knowledge. It ended up connecting with the main title, which I will review here shortly. This first volume opened up with Vader having a visit and small chat with Jabba the Hutt. Jabba unfortunately believes himself more powerful than he really is, and it opened the book with a ton of suspense. Vader and Jabba have a war of words, albeit in disguise as pleasantry, other than Vader’s matter-of-fact statements about Jabba’s stupidity to believe he can best the Sith lord. The book opening like this put me right in the mood to read the rest, and it really sets the tone for the book. It’s a dark, suspenseful, brooding type of book that obviously follows our favorite Sith master Darth Vader and his evil exploits. Watching the battle of wits between the two in the beginning was a lot of fun, and it only gets better from there. As Vader is on the search for the man who attacks the Empire from underneath them, he eventually comes to find out the name of his attacker. Much to his surprise, it is a familiar name that literally causes the glass around him to fracture and show just how tormented Vader is about to be by his past. Those of us who are familiar with the films obviously know about all of this lore, but the book really helps to solidify some of what is in the movies, and gives us some behind the scenes of what Vader was up to in between. I really enjoyed this book, and I’ve recommended it to all Star Wars fans. This book does tie into the main Marvel title in the last scene I mentioned here, and honestly the next book was even better.
RATED : ( PG-13 )
STORY : ( 9 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )
Marvel’s Star Wars title has been around for awhile. There were already Star Wars comics in the past under the Marvel banner, and I’ve tried to read them. The ones I read that were any good to me were some of the newer ones with newer characters, but unfortunately those are now no longer canon. I’m not sure about the state of the original Marvel Comics series, but I would imagine that they have to be some sort of canon considering their owner and also their content. They started as adaptations of the original trilogy of films, and some of those issues are contained within the new canon hardcovers so I guess we will see in due time. Skywalker Strikes is the first volume of the new Marvel series, and it was a seriously good book. It opens with Han making his way into an Empire base as a smuggler, and somehow no one questions his company. As the book continues to open, we see that Han, Leia, Luke, and R2 have decided to try and attack the Empire at its heart. Luke ends up splitting from the rest as things go haywire and Vader arrives on the base. As Luke continues to learn the powers of the Force, he is assisted by his former master and tries to get revenge on Vader. All the while, C-3PO is stuck in a tough predicament with the Millenium Falcon off site, where he was supposed to come from to rescue the crew. This all evolves into another small story in the back half of the book, and we have some surprising new canonical revelations about some of our most familiar characters. This book was outstanding, and the art was awesome. I seriously cannot wait for more of Marvel’s Star Wars.
RATED : ( PG-13 )
STORY : ( 9 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )
Last but not least was the comic book that was part of the Journey to the Force Awakens movement, Shattered Empire. This book chronicles the time after the Emperor’s death, where we see Luke and company tackling the remaining sects of the Empire. I’m not sure if the first two books spoiled me a bit, but this one was a little less entertaining. You learn a little bit about some future characters, but we also get some hints at what is going on in The Force Awakens. I have two big theories that spun out of the new film, and I’m not going to spoil them here. However, one of my theories receives some evidence in this book and I’m really glad to see it, because it proves that I’m not crazy for thinking what I have been about a certain new character. I would welcome those who are curious to ask below and maybe we can have a small discussion about the revelations, but holy crap is it awesome. Also present is a mirage of Darth Maul, which I find very suspicious and wonder how he’s going to tie into future stories as he’s obviously still around and haunting the Force. We return to Naboo, and a lot of story follows Leia as well as she ties up some of her responsibilities as royalty. The art was the main thing that I found unpleasing to the eye here, because some of the time the characters have a very manga-esque appearance and I’m not too crazy about that for these characters. One full page in particular had Luke with some very funky looking eyes, but otherwise again the art is beautiful. Also, much like all of the other books listed above and before, the covers are outstanding and the alternates are even better. If you’re looking for your next Star Wars fix like me, and maybe don’t like to read the book hefty books, these three comic books here will provide plenty of new story, characters, and joy to your galaxy.
RATED : ( PG-13 )
STORY : ( 8 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )