Published: October 27, 2021
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Rachael Stott
Paints: Vita Efremova & Nicola Righi
Production & Design: Johanna Nattalie
Cover Artist: Rachael Stott
The synopsis;
Follow former Jedi turned saber-for-hire monster hunter Ty Yorrick in this adventure-packed High Republic miniseries by Cavan Scott and Rachael Stott!
The time has come – Ty has reached the Gretalx layer and now she must do what she does best: slay the beast! But during the battle, her rusty Force powers trigger a cave in, trapping her and Drewen with the monster. As the Gretalax and Rock Weavers close in on the pair, Ty feels an unexpected presence in the Force…
The review;
Just the phrase The High Republic fills fans with confidence. This series has gripped us all with its incredible, consistent story telling. Every little piece is the same quality as the ‘grander’ stories, all of it like a jigsaw, fitting together flawlessly. The Monster at Temple Peak feels like one of these little gems, that’s just filling in some background on a great character, but does it with such excellent writing and jaw dropping art. The first two issues have been outstanding, and I can’t wait to see what Scott and Stott have in store for us this month.
This is Ty’s story, and we get to see more of who she is. Like the previous two issues, Scott provides a few flashbacks of her with her friend Klias. These provide a striking contrast to the Jedi Ty was to who she is now. In the present, she is full of emotion and anger; they seem barely controlled by her. What I did like, was that Scott mentioned the events of the previous comic. It seemed such a monumental moment to not mention again and we see why Ty has such emotional issues and to trusting the force. Compare this to her past, where she always did as she was told and when things got bad, she is reciting the Jedi code over and over to almost create a shield around herself. This is a character who has gone from two extremes, to completely trusting to the force to now loathing it. What is most exciting is Scott should (hopefully!) explain the catalyst for this fundamental shift.
This shift has everything to do with Klias. The flashbacks this issue do what the other two have done so remarkably well, which is to expand our knowledge of the galaxy. There aren’t just Sith and Jedi holocrons, but a different sort called a vitalicron from yellow cultists. This sort of information is fascinating, and Scott keeps dropping in these little bits of information that just beg more elaboration. But it’s the character of Klias who I think is very important in this part. In a lot of Star Wars (and for that matter a lot of other stories) we see that being a rebel, being curious and pushing the limits can be immensely rewarding, that sometimes we need to ignore the warnings and surge forward. However, it always has to be remembered that there are times when we shouldn’t, that there are reasons for the rules and guidance being there. For younger readers of the issue, I think this is an important lesson to remember.
Ty’s present companion is that of Drewen, who the more I see, the more I love. He is still trying to find his place in the galaxy and in this issue, we see just how far out of his comfort zone he is. He is scared, terrified and doesn’t have a clue what to do. But, and it’s a bit but, he never ever stops trying. He might get things wrong, he might wish to just turn back, but he never gives up. He pushes through to help those who need it. It’s a stark contrast between him and Klias, whereas Klias is trying to get glory for himself, Drewen is only thinking about others. Strange to think which of those two actually was the Jedi. It makes me like the character more and more and I hope Scott is able to keep him around.
Stott, as always, really maintains the incredibly high standard of artwork that we’ve seen so far. I’ve mentioned it before but the use of panels on a white background is used to perfection, so when a fun page spread arrives, you know about it, and it is so much more impactful. Each panel is bristling with detail and the colour is flawless. When the best does arrive in the story, the shadow of it peeking out is a truly shiver filled moment.
This issue has a few twists and turns and with most things, things are not always as they seem. There are a lot of questions about who the real monster is and what have they actually done. Which perhaps makes the ending even more curious…
Action, flashbacks, delving into a character’s past, monsters, lightsabers; it’s all here for readers. This is a beautifully packaged comic that just begs to be read. Even for fans who have not read The High Republic (and I can’t believe there can be many) this is a series that they can instantly jump on and get a feel for what this project is all about. For fans who have been keeping up, this is showing us a completely different side to the era, away from the main events and politics, on an incredibly interesting character. What more could you possibly need?
Availability;
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – The Monster of Temple Peak is a four-part 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.
