Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Princess Leia #1Star Wars: Princess Leia #1
Marvel Comics
Waid, Dodson, Dodson & Bellaire

Marvel launches a Princess Leia comic book this week that picks up the strands from the first movie, Star Wars. The comic book mostly sets up the plot for the initial arc and introduces the companion character for Leia, another Aldreraan survivor, Evaan. The comic is a good read but seems to drag this first issue out longer than necessary. It's not clear exactly what Leia plans to do but the general set up is at least enough to return to see where this is heading. This is an okay start.

The comic begins just as Leia hands out the medals. There is a brief nod to those that lost their lives, specifically her parents, and then the attention turns towards instruction on evacuating the base. Then, we are introduced to a frosty character called Evaan. A female X-Wing pilot, she is upset at how the Princess seems so dismissive of her duties as a royal. Evaan doesn't want to see Alderaan's culture vanish just as the planet did. Leia is drawn to this character that seems to push her limits. The pair concocts a plan to travel the galaxy looking for more survivors of their home world.

Making this issue drag is that Leia then needs to convince the brass of this idea. She is met with resistance that makes some sense but not complete sense. The logic is that Leia is too valuable to travel the galaxy when the Empire is looking for her and will stop at nothing to find her. But logically, the Empire knows where the rebels are now. Why wouldn't they be looking to take on the rebels now and not be focusing on one person? If the Empire isn't organized enough to launch an assault on Yavin now then wouldn't they be more focused on looking for the bulk of the rebel force out in the wide galaxy and not one lone soul? I'm not buying the security concerns.

The comic has some missteps as well. When Leia and Evaan are escaping (?) Yavin, Evaan asks if it's good that the ships pursuing them pass by them, which Leia responds no. However, it is Evaan that then explains to Leia what the pursuing ships are doing by passing them. Also, the scene between Luke and Leia is beyond awkward, obviously intentionally, but this was too much. The comic book could have been tighter.

The book feels familiar. For the most part, the characters, their roles and depictions all feel right for this time period. The comic book definitely does Star Wars right in this regard.

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsThe artwork is good but not great. There is something missing from the details and I'm not sure if it's that this book seems to rely too much on film references or if the look of the characters just don't deviate too much from what's been seen in the films. I like the ship design and some of the scenery but for the most part the artwork isn't breaking away from anything seen in the movies.

Princess Leia is off to a decent but slow start. If the book had been condensed down 10 ten pages or so I think there could have been more of a first issue "wow" factor written into the back half. Instead all you really get is setup and not anything very interesting when you boil it down. The second issue will be very telling about the long-term prospects for this comic book. This is an okay read.

3 out of 5 Geek Goggles