Published: June 23, 2020
Cover Artist: Francesco Francavilla
The Incident, Part 1
Writer: Katie Cook
Artist: Cara McGee
Colours: Britanny Peer
Letters: Jake M. Wood
The Short Goodbye
Writer: Casey Gilly
Artist: Butch Mapa
Colours: Charlie Kirchoff
Letters: Johanna Nattalie
The synopsis;
Padmé and Anakin have grand plans to have a romantic night together after a long separation. But before they get a chance to get together, Anakin is Jedi-napped by a group of outlaws! Then, in a new Tale of Villainy, Grand Moff Tarkin proves just why he is one of the most dangerous and terrifying members of the Empire.
The review;
Three months… IDW… THREE months! My goodness me, it has been a very, very long wait for the next issue of Star Wars Adventures to hit stores. Thankfully, Daniel Jose Older’s High Republic Adventures have been exceptional and been able to tide fans over while we wait for this latest issue. This month we have the first part of ‘The Incident’ by Katie Cook. Fans will recognise Cook’s name from a variety of projects, from The Clone Wars webcomics to children’s books such as the Star Wars Galactic Storybook to most recently a story in A Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back. The story is illustrated by newcomer Cara McGee. The second story is written by another newcomer, Casey Gilly, and illustrated by the fantastic Butch Mapa, who is no stranger to comics. From the previous issues, it’s an interesting line up and I can’t wait to see where these stories may take us…
The first tale, ‘The Incident’, is set during the Clone Wars and set Anakin and Padme reunited on Naboo. Even with the war going on, Cook gives us a story that shows what normal life on Naboo looks like, filled with the arts and the characters that attracts. This aspect of the story I really liked, as we don’t see much of Naboo culturally. The fact that Anakin and Padme have to use this as an excuse to try and see each other adds even more. This is a couple who, for the duration of their relationship, have known nothing but war while trying to keep the secret of their union. It’s a tremendous strain for anyone, let alone those who are in such important positions within the Republic. Cook shows the lengths and care the two have to go to. Padme has to try and avoid anyone with her, and Anakin has to volunteer for assignments that I’m sure he would rather not.
Which leads us to Tomarian and the upper classes of Naboo. Cook is quite suggestive that Tomarian, the owner of the theatre, has asked for a Jedi so they can do tricks for the guests. It makes Anakin stumble in the story, as he isn’t sure the motives of the characters, but more than that, it asks a far more interesting question. How do the rich view the Jedi? One would think that the Jedi are held in high regard, that they are the ultimate authority. Yet here, we see the rich abusing their power (and their money) to be able to utilise the Jedi far beyond any expectation. They go from being an authority to performers. This aspect I would love to see more of, of how the different classes see the Jedi and how they are treated as such.
I really liked the artwork of McGee, which has a very anime style to it. This fits the Adventures comic perfectly. What impressed me most were the backgrounds to each panel, which had just enough detail to allow the feeling of a grand scene without taking any of the attention away from the main characters. There is one part, where the room is dropped into darkness and Anakin activates his lightsaber that is done particularly well, creating the perfect mix of fear and interest.
Cook removes Anakin quite quickly from the story to allow Padme to take the lead. We know Padme can look after herself but it’s always good to be reminded of it. We also see a new droid, Checker, who… well, isn’t as special as Artoo but might end up saving the day. If every droid was as good as Artoo, it would remove the charm that is the little astromech. But for me, this really sums up the tale. There are lots of different elements here that are clearly going to be coming back in part two. This first half feels like that, setting up all the pieces, the characters and themes, ready for Cook to deliver a grand finale next issue. ‘The Incident’ feels a little slow in places yet knowing that there is a second part will surely justify Cook’s choice in this regard.
The second story, ‘The Short Goodbye’, is the shorter of the two tales for this comic. However, from the very first page, the first panel, this story grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. The artwork by Mapa is exceptional. Every single panel screams to be noticed, from the very first, to the very last. It is simply breathtaking. There are small details to be found everywhere, and for something based on an Imperial base, that’s rather impressive. The composition of the panels, the realistic take on Tarkin, it all works so beautifully. The panels with Tarkin really drew me in, particularly when Tarkin is giving his speech. Even without much action, Mapa is able to keep your eyes captivated for the whole tale without effort. It is quite obvious we are in the hands of a pro and Mapa doesn’t let the reader down.
With such beautiful artwork, is a story that is also very well constructed. Gilly introduces us to the two main characters, Farless and Jez. These two characters will win your hearts in the few pages that Gilly has to make an impact. The humour, the interactions between the two is simple amazing to see. You feel like you’ve known these characters for years and I know that I finished the story wanting to know a lot more about them. Farless seems like a model Imperial officer, believing in an Empire that is trying to do right by the galaxy. As the reader we know otherwise, but Farless believes it all, which makes his beliefs all the more fascinating. He has a trusty combat droid with him, Jez. At first, I thought this was some early prototype of the death trooper, and now? I don’t know if that door is still open. Either way, this is a pair that need more story time.
We also get to see far more of Tarkin. This character has had such an impact on fans, even though he made such a short appearance. Here, Gilly shows us just how intelligent the Moff is. He knows that certain things require the ultimate sacrifices and for that he needs a certain type of person. Tarkin shows how good he is at reading people, of inspiring people to do his work. Although he is military, there is an obvious political side to Tarkin, who knows how to play that type of game well. Gilly is really able to demonstrate just how calculating he is in every single aspect. Tarkin is also not the only notable thing here, the fact that the story is set on Scarif, the appearance of Darth Vader, there is so much here to absolute love, from the writing to the artwork.
It has been a long wait for issue five but as always, it’s well worth it. There is something here for both the prequel fans and the original trilogy fans, all without very much action. It might seem strange to have such a quiet issue, but I feel it works. The real highlight for me were the pair of Farless and Jez, who IDW need to bring back for some more adventures (whether it be a sequel or a prequel). As always, the word for these stories is fun, it is a chance to sit back and enjoy some Star Wars, what else could you possibly need?
Availability;
Star Wars Adventures (2020) 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.
