Published: January 27, 1999
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Jan Strnad
Penciler: Anthony Winn
Cover Artist: Ken Kelly
The synopsis;
Ki-Adi-Mundi, Jedi Knight of the planet Cerea, has been charged with murder, and only the high technology of the Republic can exonerate him. But this isn’t the most brutal irony: Ki’s own teenage daughter is an accessory to the murder! Sinister forces are gathering around Cerea, but what could they possibly want with a remote, low-tech farm world?
The review;
After a fantastic opener to the series, one that was released before Episode One, I couldn’t wait to return to this series. It has been years since I have read it, the general beats of the series and the high points I can recall instantly, but not the details, which makes rereading this so much more exciting. I said in my last review, that there is an optimism to these stories, where anything seems possible. It feels like Strnad isn’t dictated too much by what has come before or what will come after, that she can write the story she wants to. A very different time indeed!
The entire atmosphere of this issue feels very different to the first. This has a detective noir feel, the narration at parts felt like it could have been Ki-Adi himself talking through a black and white film. It is this same feeling I get when watching Obi-Wan in Attack of the Clones, there is a mystery to unravel. The shots, the narration on top of it, it all adds to this effect that works so well together. And talking of the narration, it is still very noticeable throughout this issue but what I also think is noticeable is the length of the comic. There feels like there is so much more here, that you are getting a full story as opposed to just a part. With the narration being as prevalent as it is, it means there is less time needed showing us what is happening, as we’re being told. It allows Strnad to tell a much longer, in depth story. That’s not to say that there aren’t writers now who do the same thing (Charles Soule comes to mind instantly), but I do think more modern comics seem a lot shorter in comparison. Although the narration is very much of its time, there are huge advantages to having it this way (and I for one quite like it!).
Throughout this entire issue, you get a complete feel of the Original Trilogy. From the visit to the cantina, to the fights, to the aliens, it is all Star Wars. Usually I would take this as a guarantee, but with the Sequel Trilogy out and seeing the direction away from the more recognisable aliens, this comic shows us just how lucky we were. I now get far more of a high from seeing an Ortolan and a Devaronian, than I would have done twenty years ago, when something like that would have seemed commonplace. I suppose we should have realised back then, do not take things for granted!
The main villain in all of this, Bron, is handled so well by Strnad. We rarely see him, but we know he is there. In more recent years, the trend has been to overplay the villains a bit too much in stories, not so here. Brief glimpses, yet we know the type of person we are dealing with. I also love that he is the stereotypical type of villain, from the dark hair to the cheesy grin. At the time I might have thought it slightly unimaginative; looking back, there’s a nostalgic view of this type of character, one that can be found in any number of comics and animated television shows of that era.
We get to see more and more of Ki-Adi through the story and the more we get to see of him, the more we come to realise that he is still very naive and very stubborn. He has a long way to go until he becomes a true Jedi and has the wisdom to sit on the council. He is quick to rush in without thinking of the consequences, very similar to how Anakin will be a few years in the future. Even though he is not a full Jedi, he still presents this stubborn view to outsiders. This is the view that a lot of the galaxy are starting to hold of the Jedi, that they are set in their ways. It is this that alienates the very people the Jedi are trying to help. The whole basis of this starts to be felt through the rest of the legends universe and is also able to be utilised by Palpatine to help their fall.
The artwork in this issue is very traditional in its style. We get far more action, which is handled brilliantly. You know exactly what is going on. Winn drops the background so you can focus purely on the fighters. Is it a dated way of things? Sure, I mean look at the swoop bikes travelling with a very clear path marked out by Winn. But this is part of the enjoyment of it for me. Comics are rarely drawn like this now and I almost feel like Luke, looking back on the myth of the Jedi through the eyes of the future.
This issue feels very different to the first but to me, that is even more impressive. Strnad really captures what Lucas was trying to do in Attack of the Clones with Obi-Wan. The detective type adventure is just the type of tale I want to read and one that I think many of us imagined the role of a Jedi to be like, even back when this was first written. To end it all with Yoda (and an Original Trilogy Yoda at that), what more could one want? That glimpse of Yoda before Episode One must have had fans jubilant! Although this story is dated in parts, not only is it part of its charm, but it also slots in perfectly with how we see the Jedi portrayed in future films and television shows. And having a tall building called The Citadel… probably just a coincidence with the Clone Wars… right?
Availability;
Star Wars Republic was an ongoing series originally released by Dark Horse that ran from 1998 till 2006 encompassing 83 issues. Prelude to Rebellion is currently available in digital format from the Marvel Online Comic Store, via the Marvel App, comiXology or by subscribing to Marvel Unlimited. A physical copy can be found in one of the many trade paperback releases from Marvel. Please check with Amazon UK and US or your local comic bookstore for availability.
