The Good
Star Wars Rebels has been an interesting show in that it's letting us see more of the period between Episode III and Episode IV. With Kanan, we have the "last of the Jedi." The question is, how did he survive Order 66, when all the Clone troopers were programmed to wipe out the Jedi and their padawans? That places this comic series in a strange position. We see Kanan along with the crew of the Ghost in the period set in the show but the main focus of the comic will take us back prior to the execution of Order 66.
The fact that Greg Weisman is writing reassures fans of the show that this series and the characters are in safe hands. As a writer and executive producer of the Star Wars Rebels, it's clear he has some insight into who the characters are. Seeing the crew of the Ghost, I'd even be interested in a comic series focusing on them. Weisman takes the opportunity to show us Kanan, back when he was known as Caleb Dume, with his Jedi Master, Depa Billaba.
It is a little eerie seeing Kanan and his master working and fighting alongside some Clone troopers when you know what's coming. It does drive home the feeling of betrayal they must have had we just got a glimpse of during Revenge of the Sith. This is enhanced by Pepe Larraz's art and David Curiel's colors. There's a nice sense of motion and fluidity with the characters and the fight scenes capture the feel from the movies and animated series.
The other Star Wars comics we've seen at Marvel have all been in the period immediately after Episode IV. It's good to see Marvel taking on the post-Clone Wars era and still making it feel right.
The Bad
With this being a first issue, it's obviously a set up issue. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not all readers may have watched the show if they didn't have access to Disney XD or simply missed the first season. We know the flashback events have to lead up to Order 66 so until that passes, it feels like we're just biding our time until we get into the heart of the series and see what Kanan does to survive the Great Jedi Purge.
I'm also looking forward to the post-Clone Wars era. I loved the Clone Wars show but have felt the comics taking place in that period were a little dry.
The Verdict
Marvel has released another new comic series. Rather than focus on the period following Episode IV, this one will fill in some of the gaps between Episode III and the Star Wars Rebels animated show. With a focus on Kanan, one of the characters from Rebels, we'll get to see more on the mysterious time period and how a young padawan could have survived the Great Jedi Purge. Greg Weisman is clearly a great choice to tell this story with his connection to the show and Pepe Larraz's art with David Curiel's colors capture the Star Wars feel nicely. This issue is a bit of a set up but once the story is set up, it's clear this series will be moving into the action at light speed.