Friday, January 11, 2013

Star Wars #1

I've been a big fan of Star Wars since I saw the first film (before they added the title, "A New Hope") with a sold-out crowd at a local theater. I returned many times to see it again and again.

As a fan, I bought the entire run of Marvel's comic books based on the movie, a series that ran the gamut from truly bad to quite wonderful.

But after the comic books rights moved over to Dark Horse, I started losing interest - perhaps because the story subjects seemed to move away from the original cast and into other corners of the Star Wars universe.

This issue, happily enough, gets back to basics (which always seems to be a good idea with long-running series). It's set shortly after the original film, with Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Wedge all dealing with the challenges they faced after the destruction of the Death Star.

There's a lot to like about this issue - the stunning Alex Ross cover, the fact that Brian Wood is writing it (and all the characters speak with the proper "voice"), and the interior art by Carlos D'Anda, which is quite good, even if Luke and Leia are slightly off-model in a couple of panels (a minor quibble).

The story has the Rebels looking for a new base while the Empire continues to seek the Rebels. The only problem is, in getting things set up for new readers, everything just seems to be moving in slow motion.

The issue begins with a trio of heroes under attack - but the only result is that we get to see how tough Leia is. Han and Chewie make a mere cameo appearance - hopefully we'll see more of them in upcoming issues.

It's a bit of a slow start, but I suspect (or hope) things will pick up from here.

It's nice to be getting a new start with this series, especially given the recent announcement that there's a seventh Star Wars film in the works.

I'm not sure of the plot or the creative teams involved, though I love the idea that it will bring back Luke, Leia, Han and the rest.

What can I say? It's a great time to be a Star Wars fan!

Grade: B

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