Published: August 5, 2020
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Charles Soule
Penciler: Jesus Saiz
Colourists: Arif Prianto, Dan Brown
Cover Artist: RB Silva
The synopsis;
The next steps on Luke Skywalker’s search for Jedi wisdom begin here!
Following a mysterious vision he received on CLOUD CITY, Luke travels to a lost planet looking for a woman he believes may hold the key to his Jedi future and that of the entire Rebellion.
But will he arrive at his destination in time to learn what he needs… or will the evil DARTH VADER get there first?
The review;
Five months, it has been a very long five months to get another release for this series. Looking back at my review for issue four and the only complaint I made was that there was too long a gap between issues being released. Talking about needing to close my mouth! In all seriousness, it has been a very long time since we last went to Soule’s take on Star Wars, yet I’m so happy that we are getting new releases again. Soule is a favourite of mine, someone who really looks in depth into the characters that we all know and love. This series has done just that, carefully looking at the turmoil inside of Luke and the revelations that he is now having to deal with, in light of The Empire Strikes Back. I can’t wait to see where Soule takes us next.
Before discussing the story, I can’t help but start with the artwork by Jesus Saiz. It is jaw dropping. The renditions of characters is excellent yet the one character that keeps capturing me is Vader. Every time I see him in this series, he looks so true to the films, I have never seen Vader look as good as he does here. I don’t want to overlook the work by Prianto and Brown either, who are the colourists. As long with the artwork, they provide Vader with a very matt black, as he should have. The artwork and the colour throughout this entire issue is eye popping. The use of shadows cannot be understated, creating a dark visual for the comic, which is just what it needs. Perhaps with reviewing older comics in Lockdown Legends, Saiz lays out the panels in a way that really harkens back to Crimson Empire, and I mean that as a huge compliment. The more I see of this incredible work, the more I want; this is comic art at its very best.
The centre of this series so far has been Luke, as it should be. It would be so easy to follow the other main characters, but at its core, Star Wars is about Luke. It is Luke we identify with, who’s journey we follow, and Soule follows this tradition. For me, the standout piece in all of this issue is the relationship between Luke and Artoo. There have been a few little bits here and there with Artoo and Luke having some bonding time (the last that comes to mind was when Kieron Gillen was writing the series prior to this one) but they have never been sustained. Even in the Sequel Trilogy, when the two are reunited, we are only treated to a single scene with them. When the old Expanded Universe came out, the two would go off on adventures and their bond really flourished. Soule is making sure to do the same here, to have quiet moments with them, where the trust Luke has in Artoo really shines through. Artoo (and Threepio) is the link throughout the saga and it never truly feels like Star Wars without them. Luke, round and impulsive, still needs Artoo to have his back, to save him when he finds himself in trouble. I do hope Soule continues to grow this partnership in future issues, as I have dearly missed it.
Soule shows us a comparison between Luke and Vader. Both are on their own separate journeys, yet both still have the same drive, the same distraction. Luke is desperate to find someone to train him, to find out who this mysterious woman is. But Luke is also distracted by the events of The Empire Strikes Back, meaning he is trusting too much to the force and not actually listening to it. Vader, on the other hand, is desperate to find Luke. Yet, he is also distracted by the events in the film, so much so, that at a whim he chases after phantoms of Luke. Soule examines how both these characters are dealing with the situation and it’s almost poetic that both father and son are coping in the same way. Luke is more like his father than he realises, and although we don’t get to see much of Vader in this issue, there is enough to make us realise that Vader too is dealing with internal emotions.
Soule doesn’t stop there with Luke. It’s easy to forget at this stage in the timeline just how naive Luke still is. He may have trained with Yoda and learnt about the force, yet in a lot of ways, he is still that farm boy from Tatooine. He doesn’t understand what has happened to the Jedi and the pivotal role his father played in it all. Through this, Soule shows us that Luke isn’t just dealing with his own emotions but the emotions of those around him, when they learn the truth. It was not his actions that caused it, but people will start to see him differently because of his father. Reminds me of ‘sins of the father are visited on the son’. The past is going to catch up with Luke. Luke hasn’t had time to deal with his own emotions, how he is feeling about the revelation of his father, let alone the emotions of others. Luke does forgive Vader; yet will others be able to forgive? To be able to start answering this, Soule draws on his previous work (Darth Vader: Lord of the Sith) and brings in Verla, an old Jedi. Through her, we see the reaction to Luke being Vader’s son. Soule has already shown us in this series the weight Luke is already carrying, about how far down the dark path he is treading. I can’t wait to see Soule explore this further in future issues, about how Luke deals with this added burden.
The general feeling of this being Star Wars is difficult not to notice. I’ve said in other reviews, that writers who are able to connect different parts, different eras of Star Wars, make fans feel like this is part of a wider galaxy. Yes, Soule has drawn on his own work but he also effortlessly draws on other works as well. The reference to Vader going to Vendaxa is an example of one of these, which is where Vader is in the Darth Vader comic series, that is being released at the same time. Another wonderful example, which really had me laughing, was Luke’s reaction to sand. It shows that Soule has a good knowledge and understanding of this universe, probably part of the reason he is one of the best writers in the franchise.
It has been a long wait for this issue, yet even five months later, it has been worth it. Soule is one of the best writers Star Wars has and picking up this issue I’m instantly transported to the original trilogy. Soule really shows some of the best parts, the relationship between Luke and Artoo, Vader being, well, Vader and above all else, character. The pacing, the parts of action, it all fits perfectly to make this feel like Star Wars. To top it off, it has some of the best artwork I have seen in Star Wars, with Saiz outdoing himself again with the help of colourists Prianto and Brown. If you miss the days of the original trilogy, of the characters that first drew you to this galaxy, then look no further. This series is precisely what you need to be reading. It will give you a deeper understanding of the characters as well as seeing them in a new light. I can’t wait for the next issue, even if I have to wait several more months, as I know Soule and Saiz will make it worth it.
Availability;
Star Wars (2020) is an ongoing series available from Marvel. This issue is available via the Marvel App and all good comic bookstores. This issue retails at $3.99.
