Published: May 5, 2021
Writer: Daniel Jose Older
Artist: Harvey Tolibao
Colourist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jake M. Wood
Cover Artist: Harvey Tolibao
The synopsis;
Zeen has followed the Jedi to the Starlight Beacon, where she learns what it means to be a Padawan and begins her own training. Meanwhile, her best friend Krix tries to survive on a Nihil ship, fighting their way through a Republic blockade, as he wonders who the mysterious person who rescued him truly is.
The review;
The High Republic. It has brought fresh, new ground that gives writers and artists the space to explore, yet somehow still feel like Star Wars. This could not be truer of The High Republic Adventures. Daniel Jose Older has done a tremendous job of bringing us a story that is original, compelling and also is accessible to all. Do not think that this series is just for children, it’s not. There is a depth to be found here just like the Original trilogy which is what makes it such an enjoyable read. Add to that the detail of artwork provided by Harvey Tolibao, and you have one of the best Star Wars series out. So, let’s see what the duo has in store for us this month…
Let’s start with what really steals the show for me this issue: Harvey Tolibao. I have already said that the detail in his issues is superb, yet this issue he has outdone himself. From the very first panel, the sense of peace and tranquility is impossible to ignore, it reaches out of the pages and washes over you. To create such immersion is a true talent. Even here, the little parts of detail are still there. To give you an example. A few pages in, the characters are talking and there is a clear roof looking towards the sky. Tolibao has a creature flying by rather than just leave the space. It might seem so simple, yet it is these little touches that are scattered throughout every single panel that Tolibao does, and it is these pieces that add to a very immersive experience. To then go from this to the ‘hangar’ panel… I won’t spoil anything, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it. It makes your jaw drop. The breadth of work that is in this issue is immense and Tolibao rises to the challenge with seeming ease. This feels like a movie in a comic. The detail, the angles of the panels, Tolibao is really bringing Older’s writing to life.
And where to begin with the writing? The story of Krix and Zeen continues and the comparisons between the two are still so engaging. These are two characters that have had a very similar upbringing, best friends and yet are torn apart by chance. This issue is very much focused on Krix, about the challenges that he is going to have to go through. I love seeing Marchion Ro and the harsh treatment he puts on Krix. It’s similar to Darth Vader in the original films, he is someone you have no love for and despise. This comic we see that Krix is in and he’s in deep, bringing to mind Yoda, “For once you start the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” This isn’t someone who is a bad person but who has been caught up in events beyond his control and finds himself on the wrong side. He even knows it’s wrong and tries looking for a way out. His friendship is what is pulling him through, his belief in his friend. This is such an important theme to have underlining this series because it’s this theme that has underpinned Star Wars since 1977! It’s one of the foundations of the franchise and Older utilises it here perfectly. The fact he wants to run away with his friend from all this drama, well isn’t that, Han? And Zeen, who realises she is finally ‘home’ and wants to make a difference, isn’t this Luke and Leia? These are the archetypes of what helped us all to fall in love with the franchise, rewritten and placed in a new, exciting way. Zeen’s side of the story also begins to reflect more of Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. Kris is her friend, and that friendship means a huge amount to her. From the very start of the issue, she is torn between her new ‘family’, her duty and what has been asked of her and going to help her friend. Older is taking the essence of Star Wars, distilling it and putting a new spin on it. It works wonderfully well and brings everyone, no matter their age, into the story.
While there are some very heavy themes here for our two main characters, Older makes sure to give us a reality check. Padawans, and young ones at that, running around and saving the day, thrown into danger, and so on and so on. While this may sound awesome for younger readers, there is also that question of: seriously? Are the masters really throwing young kids into danger? Again? Older addresses this. The fighting in the first two issues was an anomaly that no one had foreseen and the padawans were swept into. But it was just that, the exception. Older really makes that clear in this issue, that events like that are very out of the norm. It is this sort of writing, this acknowledgement of the actual reality of how old these children are, of what they should actually be involved in, that makes this series stand out. Older doesn’t bend the story to accommodate the children, it works around them and shows their limitations. It allows younger readers to relate but also makes it a believable read for older fans.
Detailed artwork, revisiting the foundations of Star Wars, grounded in reality, what else could you need to make this a great Star Wars comic? With so much going on it’s easy to think that Older and Tolibao would hang up their hats. But there are so many little things that keep coming through these pages. The planet the Jedi are on, Ord Mantell, it could be any planet, but it’s a planet we all know, at least by name. The galactic datafile that’s included in this issue is lightsabers and oh my goodness, I thought last issues was cool, Tolibao goes far beyond my expectations with this page! The bookends of the comic talking about the force, the unexpected humour that catches you completely off-guard in true Star Wars style. There is so much that Older and Tolibao keep giving again and again in this issue. You really get the sense that they are making sure that everything, every panel choice, every word has been thought through to ensure that you get that sense of a galaxy far, far away. If this issue could, I think it would burst with the amount of content within it.
I have made no secret in the past of what a fan I am of the IDW Star Wars Adventures series. In my reviews, I have often wondered what would happen if instead of two short stories, they had an ongoing series. The truth is, it’s simply wonderful. This issue has raised the bar again for this series. There is something here for everyone who is a fan of Star Wars. Older has really thought carefully about the story he wants to tell alongside the themes that make Star Wars what it is. With artwork that completely immerses you within this story and you have a recipe for success. But the two don’t stop there. They go beyond every single issue, with extra detail, with the little moments that made the original films so unique and loved. This is a duo who get what Star Wars is and before you finish reading, they’re going to make sure you get it too.
Availability;
Star Wars 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.
