Star Wars #1
writer- Jason Aaron
artist- John Cassaday
A long time ago, in this galaxy, George
Lucas brought us the most memorable science fiction franchise the
world will ever know. Besides becoming an epic film series, it
became an epic Marvel comic book. Now that Disney owns Star Wars-
Luke, Leia, Han Solo, and the droids return to Marvel Comics,
galavanting across the galaxy to put an end to the evil Empire.
Star Wars is written by Jason Aaron
(recently off Original Sin) and drawn by Uncanny Avengers artist,
John Cassady, and it takes place after the movie Star Wars: A New
Hope but before The Empire Strikes Back.
On Cymoon 1, the Empire is making a
deal with Jabba the Hutt for the raw materials needed to help them in
manufacturing weapons and equipment. Overseer Aggadeen waits for
Jabba's negotiator to arrive. When the shuttle touches down the
negotiator introduces himself as, “the official emissary of his
High Exaltedness, the illustrious Jabba the Great, Mightiest of all
Hutts, Master of Tatooine, and Grand Warlord of the Outer Rim.”
Enter: Han Solo. His credentials check out. He's a scoundrel, a
pirate, and a small-time smuggler with a bounty on his head. All of
this is enough for the Empire to trust him. Of course it turns out
to be a ruse. Han's perfect reputation is the perfect cover the
Rebel forces need in order to sneak into the weapons manufacturing
plant and get the upper hand.
So let's look at the art in this book.
I've been a John Cassaday fan since his Planetary days. When Uncanny
Avengers came out in 2012, it was Cassaday's art that really hooked
me. In Star Wars, Cassaday not only has a feel for the characters
and the actors that played them in the movies, but he's got a great
connection with the landscapes. He's obviously a fan of Star Wars
and he knows the world in which this story is set. As for his
characters- Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher come
through the art with such life and such realism that readers can't
help but hear their voices while reading the word bubbles above them. To sum it up:
the art is simply stunning.
Writer, Jason Aaron has written a
handful of Marvel properties over time. Ghost Rider, Wolverine,
Black Panther, and the amazing Marvel event- Original Sin. Aaron has
proven himself in such a manner that he can actually have an
exclusive contract with Marvel and still write an ongoing series for
Vertigo. Now that's clout! Jason Aaron is also a true blue fan of
Star Wars. It shows in the scripting as well as in the plot. The
ruse Han, Leia, and Luke use to get into the Empire's station is a
signature move for one of our favorite sci-fi trios, and it is in no
way over-used or tired. The bickering between Han and Leia and the
sexual tension they've always shared is also there. Even C3PO's
paranoia and R2-D2's sass come out and provide readers with some
familiar comic relief. And not only is Jason Aaron good at
re-winding the story of the Star Wars universe. It's more than
that. There's a huge potential to make Star Wars a very successful
Marvel property again.
While we all have our concerns and
doubts about the new film coming out December 18th, Marvel
is starting off strong and has restored my faith in, at least this
aspect of, the Star Wars franchise. Check it out quick, and as they say "may the
force be with you!"
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