Published: March 3, 2021
Writer: Daniel Jose Older
Artist: Harvey Tolibao & Pow Rodrix (Magnus Arts)
Colourist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jake M. Wood
Cover Artist: Harvey Tolibao
The synopsis;
Flaming destruction has come to Trymant IV! Childhood best friends Zeen and Krix try to find safety, while Yoda’s Padawans, Lula, Farzal, and Qort are trying to evacuate the citizens, but the Nihil ship won’t let anyone onboard. And when a massive battle breaks out, Krix and Zeen get torn apart!
The review;
Perfection. It is difficult achieve, some would say impossible, and yet The High Republic series has been perfection. From the incredible opening by Charles Soule with Light of the Jedi, to Cavan Scott and the regular The High Republic comic series from Marvel, to Gray and Ireland with their books (the latter which I’m currently enthralled with), this series has yet to make a mistake. IDW have always aimed their work for the younger readers and you’d (maybe) forgiven for thinking that this series wouldn’t be able to meet the standards set by the rest of the overarching series… you’d be wrong, very wrong. Older wrote an incredible first issue to open this series and set a very high bar for himself and the other contributors to The High Republic. This is a story for anyone and everyone and the month between issues has felt very, very long. I can’t wait to see what older and artist Harvey Tolibao have in store for us with issue two…
The format last issue was two lives, two very different lives (or perhaps not so different), crossing paths in the carnage on the planet of Trymant IV. It was a fantastic way of creating the issue and I thought that this would carry on into issue two, that we would follow Zeen and Lula as closely as before. Older has completely different ideas, throwing his two main characters into the background for this issue. It is a very bold move but one that I think pays off. I remember back in 2002, walking into a cinema to watch Attack of the Clones, sitting through most of the movie, waiting in anticipation to something that had been promised to us for this film. As first Obi-Wan and then Anakin battled and failed to defeat Dooku, the sound of a stick could be heard. A laugh washed over the cinema as the diminutive Yoda strode in. It wasn’t a laugh at Yoda but a laugh of, “Oh boy, you’re going to get it now!”. The anticipation could barely be contained in that screen. From the very first mention of The High Republic, we have known that Yoda is present, but no matter the book or comic, it has very much been in passing. This issue has felt like Attack of the Clones, Older almost having that walking stick moment and that lets the Jedi master loose on the story. To see Yoda in action is simply wonderful, after three books and three comic issues (not that I’m keeping count), it feels like it is about time! Older gives him the proper entrance he deserves, filled with righteousness and humour. To have left Yoda for so long makes this issue feel so much more earned as well as allowing the newer characters of the series shine through.
Yoda captivates through this whole issue but as issue one was a story of two halves, so is this. Kris steals the other half of the show, issue one being a girl-centric issue, this issue is definitely one focused on the boys. Kris is in the familiar situation of following what his life, his community has always taught him versus his belief in a friend and what deep down he knows to be right. Going against your elders for the right cause is never an easy decision, it’s a test that happens a lot in stories. Kris is no different and has to put his trust in the right person. Of course, there’s only one way that can truly play out. Although predictable, having Krix go through this will have a huge impact on Zeen and it is this that I can’t wait to see where Older goes with. Her attachment to Krix will be a hurdle that she will have to cross.
Tolibao does a wonderful job with the art again this issue. There is a lot of action here, yet the flow and movement between scenes is effortless and makes reading a joy. It is his wide panels that seemingly always give me pause. I said last issue, that there are panels that just suck you in with the high level of detail that there is. This issue is just the same. The biggest panel in this issue is littered with detail upon detail. I found myself pausing my reading of the issue just to try and take it all in. After looking at the panel three or four times now, I still don’t think I’ve spotted everything in it!
There is another Galactic Datafile in this comic, this time focusing on the ships. With The High Republic being such a new era to Star Wars these files seem wonderful for anyone who has got themselves lost in the series. They are just a single page but really help to provide clear visuals for the story. To be honest, I’d be very happy if they expanded this to three or four pages.
The Nihil are a group of beings that I really like as villains. There are no force powers here, no lightsabers creating issues, its pure savagery. Although aimed at a younger crowd, Older doesn’t shy away from their nature. We see them for exactly what they are. For me, it is this fine line, between something for younger readers compared to something that younger readers can appreciate, that Older does so well. Star Wars has always been about including everyone for its audience, it doesn’t dumb down the stark realities of what is happening. In the original movie, we see a whole planet destroyed, smoking carcasses and arms chopped off. It never shied away from these things to make it ‘child friendly’. Older doesn’t dumb his story down, we still can see the Nihil for what they are, while creating a story that is accessible to them. It’s why I think this series works so well; it can be enjoyed by all.
Build up two fantastic characters in your first issue and the completely shift focus for your second issue to two different ones… doesn’t sound like the most sensible plan in the world, let’s be honest, yet Older makes it work. He does something completely unexpected and that’s why this issue works. Older raises the bar again and not only that, but Yoda does his proper introduction get. This is what fans have been waiting for and Older does not disappoint. This series is gaining momentum, the pieces are falling into place to really push this story into a…well, that’s the thing, in a direction that I’m really not sure of, but that’s what I love. Older shows that he isn’t going to do the expected and in a new era with new possibilities, that makes for very exciting reading.
Availability;
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures is an ongoing series available from IDW Publishing. This issue is available from all good comic bookstores in the USA and from Forbidden Planet in the UK. This issue retails at $3.99.
