Star Wars – Poe Dameron: Issue #001

Last week, when I went to the store to pick up my comics, the owner had added this new comic to my folder knowing that I am a Star Wars fan. I was told that it was very good and that it fills in some of the back story to the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” film. I decided I would give it a read.

I have to say that I wanted to hate this, because I really did not feel like adding another arc to my reading list. But the truth is, I liked it. The artwork is very good, the writing is solid, and yes, it fills in some of the back story to the movie, which I enjoyed. Basically, Leia has given Poe the assignment to locate Lor San Terra, the man believed to have critical information pertaining to the location of Luke Skywalker (this would be the person who gives the map section to Poe at the beginning of “The Force Awakens”). Poe selects a group to assist him and begins his quest.

If you decide to pick this up, I’ll let you know up front that the beginning of this issue is a little slow, and basically is a lot of panels depicting Poe flying his ship. But don’t be discouraged; it gets better after the first several pages. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will be reading this arc too, at least for a while to see where it goes.

Cheers!

Star Wars: Vader Down – Part 3 of 6

I don’t have a lot to say about this issue except that it is really, really good. The writing and artwork are both outstanding and the story is totally engaging. Since I have a warm spot for villains, I have to say that I have really grown attached to Dr. Aphra’s droids, who are like the evil twins of R2D2 and C3PO. They have just the right amount of sardonic humor which one would expect from a pair of sadistic droids. I found myself chuckling quietly as I read.

I decided to read this comic this morning because the day has finally arrived for the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” I purchased my tickets in advance and will be seeing it tonight, and fear not… there is no way I would put any spoilers in any of my posts. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I felt this excited about a film. And I’m very grateful to the folks at Marvel for putting so much effort into these new Star Wars comics. They are great and have totally awakened the Force within me.

It’s a great time to be a nerd!

Important PS – There are some people out there who think it is funny to post film spoilers. I will let you know that all comments here are moderated and I will not be reviewing / approving ANY comments until after I see the movie tonight. I will then block anyone who attempts to sneak in a spoiler to ruin the film for others.

Star Wars: Vader Down – Part 2 of 6

Loving this story!

This issue continues where Part 1 of the cross-over left off. Luke and Vader are both stranded on Vrogas Vas, the site of an ancient Jedi temple. Vader is being engaged by rebel forces under the direction of Princess Leia, who is determined not to let this opportunity to capture or kill Vader slip. Meanwhile, Luke is among the temple ruins, getting a sense of his past, when he is captured by Vader’s accomplice Dr. Aphra and her sadistic robots.

While there are no zinger quotes in this installment that warrant pointing out, the writing is solid throughout the entire issue. All the characters are fleshed out well, the dialog is engaging, and the story drives itself well. If you’re a Star Wars fan and looking for something to fill the void before the release of the film, consider checking out this graphic novel series.

Thanks for stopping by!

Star Wars: Vader Down – Part 1 of 6

It’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan!

I’ve been reading the latest Star Wars comics, getting myself psyched for the release of the new film. I’ve particularly been enjoying the Darth Vader comics, since he is such an iconic villain.

This issue is the beginning of a cross-over series, that will connect the Darth Vader arc with the main Star Wars arc. I have to say that this first issue is better than anything I have read in either of the other two arcs.

The premise is that Luke has gone to Vrogas Vas, a desolate planet that contains the ruins of an ancient Jedi temple. He has gone there to seek answers regarding his Jedi roots. Vader has discovered that Luke is there and has ventured there on his own to confront Luke, who he knows is his son, and turn him to the Dark Side. During an aerial battle, Luke crashes his fighter into Vader’s, causing both to crash-land on the planet. The tension builds as the stage is set for the father and son to confront each other.

The writing and the artwork in this comic are outstanding. I already have the next two issues in the series (yes, I’ve fallen behind in my reading), and I am ready to delve right into those. As I said, it’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan. Expect my thoughts on Part 2 very soon.

Happy Star Wars Day! My Thoughts on Star Wars: Issue 4

Happy Star Wars Day to all my nerdy friends and followers!

So I have to say that this is my least favorite of the series so far. Not that it was bad; on the contrary, it was quite good. The writing is solid and the artwork is top notch. It’s just that this issue was a little “Luke heavy,” and frankly, Luke was never my favorite Star Wars character. Still, it moves the story along nicely and there is enough Jabba the Hutt and Darth Vader in there to make it interesting for me.

Sorry I don’t have much more to share, but really, there is not much depth to this installment. As I said, it just moves the story along.

Cheers, and May the Fourth be with you!

Happy Free Comic Day! Review of Star Wars: Issue 3

Today is Free Comic Day. I went and joined all my nerdy friends at Comic Envy and got a nice stack of freebies, and I also purchased a few. It warmed my geek heart to see so many people out there in costume.

Anyway, I’m finally getting caught up on my Star Wars issues. This one has Han, Leia, and Luke fighting their way out of Cymoon 1. They barely manage to escape and Luke succeeds in destroying the weapons facility.

Since I am a big fan of Darth Vader, it should come as no surprise that my favorite part of this comic is the scene where Vader muses about Luke and the boy’s undeveloped Jedi powers.

The boy. The boy is your last great hope, isn’t he, Obi-Wan? He is what you died to protect. He may be strong in the force, but he is untrained, and who is there left to train him now? No one but me. When I find him… and I will find him… he will be my weapon, not yours. The dark side always wins, Obi-Wan. You should know that by now.

I’m definitely enjoying these comics and they are fueling my excitement for the upcoming film.

Star Wars: Issue 2

OK, so I am officially hooked into this comic. I’ve always loved Star Wars and this embodies everything about the saga that appeals to me.

The story continues with the attack on Cymoon 1. Charges have been set to destroy the Galactic Empire’s weapons facility, and now Luke, Han, and Leia are struggling to escape along with a group of freed slaves.

Luke, with a show of his characteristic naïve foolishness, faces off with Darth Vader. I love these panels because the dialog does an exceptional job of capturing the essence of the two iconic characters.

Darth Vader: You hold that weapon like an untrained child. You have no right to it. You, boy, are no Jedi. Who are you?

Luke: You killed my father.

Darth Vader: I’ve killed very many fathers. You’ll have to be more specific.

(Luke strikes at Vader who easily knocks him down.)

Darth Vader: This is most pathetic. You are not worth the seconds it would take to finish you. Who sent you here to die like this?

As I read this, I could hear in my mind Vader’s deep, resonant voice speaking these words. Because he is such an iconic and well-known villain, anything short of perfection when writing his quotes would fail miserably. Personally, I think Jason Aaron, the writer of this comic, nails it. And not just Vader’s lines, but those of all the main characters. As Han and Leia are in the walker, bickering with each other, it really felt genuine and true to the original films. To quote Lord Vader: “Impressive. Most impressive.”

Speaking of Vader, he figures prominently in this issue, which I believe is intentional as a setup for the Darth Vader comic which was just released (and yes, I already have my copy and will be reading and reviewing it shortly).

Few things make my geek-heart flutter quite like Star Wars. Bottom line is I think this comic is excellent. Feel free to share your thoughts. Cheers!

Star Wars: Issue 1

I purchased this issue the day it went on sale but was too busy to get around to reading it until now. It is a little more expensive than most comics and felt thicker, so I assumed it was an expanded issue to kick off the series. Well, I was kind of duped there. I’d say that probably a third of this issue is advertisements and teasers for upcoming off-shoot comics, such as the “Darth Vader” comic and the “Princess Leia” comic. It’s like the Disney marketing machine is primed and ready to go.

In spite of the blatant marketing blitz, I have to say that I did enjoy the issue. It is well-written and the artwork is clean and vibrant. Obviously, a lot of effort went into this, and it shows. The dialog captures the nuances of those personalities that have become such an ingrained part of our popular culture. Han is as cavalier as ever; Leia is strong-willed and dedicated to the cause; and Luke is idealistic and somewhat naive. And then, there is Vader, who is a villain in the classic sense. They are all such powerful and interesting characters, and the writers and artists truly do them all justice.

To sum up the story without any spoilers, the triumvirate arrive at Cymoon 1 in the Corellian Industrial Cluster, which is the Empire’s largest weapons manufacturing facility. Han poses as an envoy from Jabba the Hutt, while Luke and Leia are disguised as his bodyguards. Their plan is to destroy the facility, but then they discover that the negotiator they are supposed to meet with is none other than Darth Vader.

And so the plot is set. I will definitely give this series a go, but I am going to try to resist the lure of getting sucked into all the spin-offs, even though, a Darth Vader comic certainly piqued my interest. Heck, truth be told, I’ll probably read at least the first issue of that, but that’s how they hook you in, right?

Thanks for stopping by, and may the Force be with you.