Published: June 29, 2022
Rated: T
Writer: Christopher Cantwell
Artist: Luke Ross
Colourist: Nolan Woodard
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Book Design: Adam Del Re
Cover Artist: Phil Noto
The synopsis;
“DARK SIDE OF THE MOON”
• Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan answer the distress call of an outpost on the edge of the galaxy.
• What’s the secret behind the devastation wrought upon the terrifying moon base?
• Will whatever plunged it into darkness pull a Padawan off his enlightened path.
The review;
You can never have too much Obi-Wan in my opinion! Hot on the heels of the epic finale of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+, we are treated to the second issue of the Obi-Wan mini-series from Marvel Comics.
The direct cover by Phil Noto, has a dark sinister tone and is well and truly a sign of things to come within the issue. It features padawan Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn being overlooked by an ominously shadowed beast. To celebrate Pride Month, it was great to see Derek Charm who did so much amazing work on the Star Wars Adventures series for IDW Publishing get a gig with Star Wars for Marvel. His illustration of Kho Pham Farrus is a cacophony of colour. Last, but in no way least, there is the must have cover for this issue, well for me anyway. The Choose Your Destiny cover features Obi-Wan and his lightsaber was on my pull list as soon as it was announced. It is to the usual high standard of work that Sprouse, Story and Menon go to, to create for these special series of covers. Now, onto the pages in between.
Obi-Wan is in his home, sitting out a Tatooine desert storm, recalling stories from his time as a padawan to Master Qui-Gon Jinn.
They approach Codia in their ship and notice the eerie darkness that has spread across the planet. With no response from the mining colony, they decide to land and investigate. On entering the base, they find blood and a miner, who is a victim, but has survived the attack of something gone mad. The darkness that surrounds them is getting deeper and is dampening the glow of their lightsaber’s. Obi-Wan encounters the beast and he is blinded by the darkness. He reaches out to the Force and then focuses on what eyes can’t see to fightback and the beast retreats.
The colony has had visitors recently, there to take diamonds from the mine. To fend them off a photonic charge was used. The radioactive fallout from the charge is affecting the light. A Gran miner revels himself and then explains that the beast is a miner, Rosack Denahst, who is a Defel. Due to the darkness, it is affecting the Defel and turning him feral.
Rosack is there and attacks once more, but Qui-Gon helps Obi-Wan and the Gran miner to escape. Obi-Wan arrives at the fuel rod that has been shattered during the explosion from the charge. Using the Force, he rebuilds the rod and engages it into the slot from where it has been ejected. With a blinding flash of light, power and light is resumed.
Obi-Wan lies on a bed in the medbay with his eyes bandaged being visited by his Master. Rosack enters the room, restored to his normal self once more, but ashamed of his actions while the darkness engulfed him.
With many of the mini-series that cast back to times before, we usually have two or three pages before and after the main event set in the present. For this issue we have minimal “now”, but plenty of “then”, with only 2 pages at the start and two frames at the end dedicated to the present. This change in balance really works for me as the narrative of old Obi-Wan carries the story so well. Christopher Cantwell is doing an amazing job of this series so far and should be proud of what he has achieved with the first two issues.
The way Cantwell has portrayed the relationship between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan is excellent. He has balanced their interactions so well, that you can almost hear Liam Neeson’s calm and gentle voice instruction and guiding Obi-Wan. The lesson Obi-Wan learns is well laid out. His path through the challenges of realising he was blinded by the darkness in combat and to not follow his instinct to use his eyes to see, but the Force. This reflects to his teaching of Luke in A New Hope onboard the Millennium Falcon.
One thing I do need to applaud is the inclusion of the Defel (Wraith) species through Rosack. Although originally seen during the scene at Chalmun’s Cantina in A New Hope, this is a species that was brought to prominence by Timothy Zahn as a covert operator for the smuggler and cigara toking, Niles Ferrier in his Legends Thrawn trilogy. The Defel was used then as a covert spy and thief by Ferrier, but now we get to see the species in a different way. This story feels like a bit of a redemption, not just for Rosack, but also his species.
Luke Ross and Nolan Woodard have done great things with the artwork for this issue. Ross’s art is sublime, as usual, but the Woodard has created the twilight atmosphere is stunning. It’s a great combination and is a true compliment to Cantwell’s storyline. Obi-Wan’s narration is in depth, but it only helps the storyline. On lettering is VC’s Joe Caramagna and he does so well to place the lettering for this.
So far, so good. Two issues down and the tone being set by Cantwell is perfect for me. Do I see a Clone Wars General Kenobi on the cover of issue three? I can’t wait for the next issue.
Availability;
Obi-Wan is a 5-part mini-series published by Marvel Comics. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via the Marvel App, ComiXology and all comic book stores.
