Published: March 1, 2023
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Madibek Musabekov
Colourist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Stephen Segovia & Rain Beredo
The synopsis;
THE FORCE IS BROKEN? The efforts of Lady Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn to destroy the Sith have sent deep ripples running through the Force, disrupting Luke Skywalker’s connection to the deep powers of the galaxy. How far will he go to find what he has lost?
The review;
The High Republic and the original trilogy together, what more could you ask for? Charles Soule has combed these two flawlessly and the two eras and ensuing story is wonderful. Last issue saw a dramatic change in pace that was refreshing and really set the tone for our heroes. This issue, I’m expecting to see a shift back to how it was, fast paced and full of action (and I’m not referring to the ending of last issue!). This comic sees a change in artist to Madibek Musabekov that I’m very interested in seeing. His work on Barbarella was incredible and it’ll be interesting to see what he brings to a galaxy far, far away.
What really struck me about this issue was the focus on Chewbacca. There has been a to paid to all the characters throughout this series, but I feel the one that has had the least attention is Chewie. Soule corrects that here and does it so well. There is a Jedi, one of the leaders of the Rebellion, a one-of-a-kind slicer, yet the one who has the plan, the one to come to the rescue is the Wookiee. This is his time to shine! As the issue progresses, Soule hones on Chewie again and again. Usually, he is overshadowed by Han and his piloting skills, yet Soule shows us the mechanic that is Chewbacca, the Wookiee who is able to fix almost anything. It is a side of Chewbacca that gets overlooked so much; he has a life debt to Han, he’s a Wookiee, he’s a copilot. But this is a skill, a skill that Chewbacca is very good at and it’s the thing that is going to save our heroes.
The humour for the issue also comes through Chewbacca as the catalyst. The two guards who are watching Chewie and Lobot are hilarious, almost like Art and Threepio as they bicker back and forth on the details about Wookiee’s. Then we have Chewbacca causing a bit of a fire on a ship. It’s this later bit of detail that really shows the careful and intricate work of Musabekov, that does not disappoint. The artwork is very different to what we’re used to, but it’s the small details that come screaming out in every panel. Not only that, but the facial expressions of the faces also have such details, making the emotions of our heroes easy to discern. Musabekov should be very proud of the artwork that is laid out in this issue and look forward to seeing more of his work.
The other character that I’m finding more and more interesting as this arc continues is Blythe. He is the leader of the colony and is trying to do his best for his people. On one hand, it is fascinating to watch him, particularly compared to Leia. We know (and have seen) Leia inspire others, to always provide that hope that is always needed within the Rebellion to keep its members going. Blythe does not have that luxury, he has given up on hope, so much so that it isn’t inspiring but dangerous. Where hope can make people blow up a Death Star and free a galaxy, in no-space it can someone killed. To have someone like that, faced with members of the Rebellion who are all about hope is interesting to watch and come to clashes.
However, there is also another side to this. Is Blythe genuine? Has he actually given up hope and is trying to make the best of a bad situation or has he realised that in no-space he is in charge? Has the power of the position made him want to keep it. Surely, if the inhabitants of the colony of Kezarat are able to come back to the known galaxy, there will be no need of him and his position, his power, will be forfeit. Power is known to corrupt, has corruption seeped into Blythe? There is another take on this, one that harkens back to Brookes from The Shawshank Redemption; has too much time passed? The galaxy has changed considerably since the population has been in the galaxy. It is no longer a Republic but an Empire. Would they be able to reintegrate back into society with such a lack of knowledge and how the galaxy works. Caught in a civil war, would they be better off and safer if they stayed where they were? All these questions really make Blythe such an intriguing character, as we have no idea on his exact intentions. Is it right for him to dictate to others if it keeps them safe? I can’t wait to see where Soule takes the character.
The end of the issue gets ready to set us on the next problem that our heroes are going to encounter. Clearly, it’s going to centre around Luke. Throughout this series, Luke has been growing in confidence and more assured of what he can and can’t do. It’s the perfect move from how he is in The Empire Strikes Back to when we see him in Return of the Jedi. Even more than that, Soule never makes it over the top. It’s subtle hints in the shift in his behaviour, showing a very small, gradual move. Even with this maturity, we still see the farm boy come out in Luke every now and again. His jumping from the ship is a perfect representation and added to that, the old-fashioned spacesuits look absolutely fantastic!
This story arc just keeps getting better and better. The detail in each panel, the depth of the characters and the focus on everyone’s favourite Wookiee make this an exceptional issue. Whether you have read The High Republic series or not, there is a lot here for fans of the original trilogy that can be enhanced if you have read the afore mentioned series. There are so many ways Soule can take this arc, which one he’ll pick is anyone’s guess but I’m just glad I’m along for the ride.
Availability;
Star Wars (2020) is an ongoing series available from Marvel Comics. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via the Marvel App, ComiXology and all good comic book stores.
