STAR WARS #1 is on sale January 14, 2015.
The Good
A new STAR WARS comic isn't something new. We've had many great Star Wars comics over the years. There is a new feeling of excitement with the franchise returning to Marvel Comics. The fact that both Marvel and Star Wars are now owned by Disney does give a feeling that continuity will be tighter.
This first new series at Marvel focuses on the core characters we all love. Taking place right after Episode IV brings us back to that exciting time when it was all still new for us. The Rebel Alliance have just won a major victory in destroying the Empire's Death Star. This was always a fascinating time for me. There may have been several novels and some comics taking place during this time period but I always wanted to know exactly what happened between Episodes IV and V. The Rebels were victorious but when we next saw them, they were still on the run, hiding out on a frozen planet.
This issue begins exactly like you would hope. With the giant Star Wars logo followed by the scrawling yellow text leading into a scene reminiscent to the opening of Episode IV, you feel like this is how it's supposed to be. The Star Wars galaxy is a big place and the Empire is a gigantic force to reckon with. There's no way destroying one Death Star (as gigantic and powerful as it was) could be a huge decimation against their forces. That means the Rebel Alliance's job is not over. Now our characters are able to go on their next glorious mission to try to put an end to the Empire.
Jason Aaron establishes the scene and all the players immediately. They all simply feel right. John Cassaday also captures their likeness and the entire Star Wars vibe in his art. Color in Star Wars comics have always been my pet peeve. Trying to capture the feel of the movies with comic book art isn't easy. I've often been distracted by the colors making it all look too artificial but Laura Martin does a great job blending it all nicely. We shouldn't have overly bright colors and there's a nice mix of muted tones along with shadows and grime in the right places. Except when a lightsaber is ignited, of course.
We might just have the first chapter in an introductory tale but it's captured my attention and my expectations have been met.
The Bad
There were a couple minor moments things felt a little cliché, in a Star Wars fashion. There really isn't too much of a way around it as sometimes, I'm sure, the characters almost write themselves. If I'm being nit-picky, having Luke and Leia change out of their disguises in the middle of a mission into their more familiar outfits seemed unnecessary. Understandably, their true outfits provide better visuals but in the middle of a mission where things are starting to turn and time is of the essence, it doesn't seem reasonable to change your clothes. I also couldn't help but wonder if anyone else needed to assist them on this mission. Based on the score, you can see this is truly not a big deal.
The Verdict
There's been a lot of hype around this first new STAR WARS comic at Marvel. Marvel has accepted the challenge of delivering a STAR WARS comic with a lot of high expectations surrounding it and they have succeeded. STAR WARS #1 simply feels like a true Star Wars story. Jason Aaron, John Cassaday, and Laura Martin nail it completely. When you open the comic and see and read those first few pages, you'll likely hear the familiar theme song playing in your head. We've had some great Star Wars comics in the past and this shows the franchise is headed in a great direction. If you're not already excited for the new Star Wars comics, you will be...you will be. This is exactly the Star Wars comic I was hoping for.