Review: Star Wars #1. This is the comic you’re looking for!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas conceived of the science-fiction franchise that would influence the genre for years to come. The Star Wars films are the favourite movies for a generation of sci-fi fans and are the very definition of a space opera. Now, almost 40 years after the release of Star Wars: A New Hope and on the eve of the release of the much anticipated episode 7; Marvel has regained the rights to the Star Wars cannon and is publishing their first Star Wars comic in long time. Thirty years ago, Marvel held the rights, but all of their stories were considered part of the expanded universe as opposed to being part of the canon. Now, under the careful watch of their great overlord Disney, Marvel and Star Wars are reunited and Marvel is employing some of their all-star creators to roll out four new titles. The first, aptly named Star Wars, hit the rack this week and is already the highest selling comic in a while by having already sold a million copies. As exciting as all of that is, the really big news is that this hugely popular issue was pretty great.
You heard me; this is the comic you are looking for! Taking place between Star Wars: A New Hope, and The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars captures the spirit of the original trilogy. Jason Aaron is one of Marvel’s heavy hitters, he’s been responsible for properties like The Punisher, Wolverine, The Hulk, and he even took the reins for this summer’s big event Original Sin, so he’s no stranger to a challenge. Lucky for fans, he rises to the occasion. Star Wars makes you feel like A New Hope never ended; you can hear Harrison Ford saying Han Solo’s lines. The story balances the diplomatic turmoil of the universe with plenty of action and suspense and never panders. Aaron does not spend time rehashing back story or explaining the rules of the universe; if you’re not on board, it’s your problem, WATCH THE MOVIES! The story picks up as Luke, Leia and Han make a move to sabotage an Imperial factory, but just like every Rebel plan, things don’t go as smoothly as they should. Along with the fun story, John Cassaday provides art that keeps the aesthetic of the original trilogy alive in the comic’s pages. The costumes, the scenery, even Leia’s makeup is taken directly from the source. As the characters move through the story, I realized that their posture and body language was reminiscent of how I remembered Han, Luke and Leia. I almost forgot I was reading a comic and became completely absorbed in the characters and story that I fell in love with so many years ago.
It is always difficult to buy into hype, especially when announcements of success are made before a comic is even released; but Star Wars deserves any accolades it receives. Fans maybe cynical about the fate of their favourite universe in the hands of new creators, but they can rest easy knowing that the Force is strong with Marvel’s interpretation of the Rebellion’s adventures. This first issue was just a tease; Aaron has left himself a lot of room to play around between the character’s relationships and the development of the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Between Aaron’s script and Cassaday’s art, Star Wars fearlessly adopts the best parts of George Lucas’ well-loved universe and brings them to life on the page.
