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A review by twilliamson
Star Wars, Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes by Jason Aaron
4.0
Aaron picks up the Star Wars universe in the first comic series of the new canon continuity, and as such tries to suture together the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and other characters after the events of the first film.
Much of what Aaron provides in this first collection, which spans the first six issues of the series, feels like some classic Star Wars action, but the convenience of his plotting makes the series feel like a whole lot of fan fiction. Because so many canon characters, as well as a few new ones, crop up in these issues, it feels like a constriction of the Star Wars universe more than it does an expansion. Whereas the 1970s comics felt wild because there was no canon to build from other than one original film, this series feels like it is trying too hard to fit into a canon perhaps better left unwritten, and although it was written in 2014 (released in 2015), it feels like its events would spoil much of the novelty of the second Star Wars film.
Indeed, of my biggest gripes with the comic's story is the confrontation between Vader and Luke, which here feels like it lessens the impact of Luke's later confrontation with Vader in Cloud City. Although Aaron is ostensibly filling in gaps in the canon--How did Luke learn to control the Force? How did Vader learn who Luke was before the events of Empire?--it does feel like there's almost too much crammed into what would otherwise feel like two episodes of an ongoing television serial.
All of that contention aside, I can't fault Aaron's enthusiasm for the series, and I do think his characters ring mostly true. He gets the right notes for Han and Leia, especially, even if his Luke is a little underwhelming. He does both Vader and Fett justice, and his Jabba is believable. Cassaday's art is also pretty good, although I am not so sure his inker or colorist do his linework real justice. There's a feeling of stiffness in the ship depictions, as if they're not even drawn from the same visual plane.
All in all, though, I do think that this is a series many Star Wars fans can still enjoy in a totally retconned Star Wars universe. Although I regret the loss of so much of the EU canon, this new canon of comics does inspire some hope that there might be some cool stories told in the future.
Much of what Aaron provides in this first collection, which spans the first six issues of the series, feels like some classic Star Wars action, but the convenience of his plotting makes the series feel like a whole lot of fan fiction. Because so many canon characters, as well as a few new ones, crop up in these issues, it feels like a constriction of the Star Wars universe more than it does an expansion. Whereas the 1970s comics felt wild because there was no canon to build from other than one original film, this series feels like it is trying too hard to fit into a canon perhaps better left unwritten, and although it was written in 2014 (released in 2015), it feels like its events would spoil much of the novelty of the second Star Wars film.
Indeed, of my biggest gripes with the comic's story is the confrontation between Vader and Luke, which here feels like it lessens the impact of Luke's later confrontation with Vader in Cloud City. Although Aaron is ostensibly filling in gaps in the canon--How did Luke learn to control the Force? How did Vader learn who Luke was before the events of Empire?--it does feel like there's almost too much crammed into what would otherwise feel like two episodes of an ongoing television serial.
All of that contention aside, I can't fault Aaron's enthusiasm for the series, and I do think his characters ring mostly true. He gets the right notes for Han and Leia, especially, even if his Luke is a little underwhelming. He does both Vader and Fett justice, and his Jabba is believable. Cassaday's art is also pretty good, although I am not so sure his inker or colorist do his linework real justice. There's a feeling of stiffness in the ship depictions, as if they're not even drawn from the same visual plane.
All in all, though, I do think that this is a series many Star Wars fans can still enjoy in a totally retconned Star Wars universe. Although I regret the loss of so much of the EU canon, this new canon of comics does inspire some hope that there might be some cool stories told in the future.