Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Star Wars #1Star Wars #1
Marvel Comics
Aaron, Cassaday & Martin

Star Wars launches at Marvel with an exciting first issue. Set in the time immediately after the destruction of the first Death Star, this comic book brings together all of the main characters is a straight action story. The comic isn't breaking any new ground in terms of stories as there have been many stories, either in novels or comics, that have covered this post-Death Star era timeline. Regardless of whether they are part of continuity, they do exist and if you've read them then this might impact how interested you are in this story. Overall, this is a good read and fans of all types will probably enjoy it.

Han Solo arrives at an Imperial weapon's manufacture to negotiate on behalf of Jabba The Hutt. The action picks almost immediately. As Luke and Leia assist Han in the sabotage of the factory some unexpected things sidetrack them. Luke finds some slaves and the Empire's negotiator happens to be Darth Vader. Things get complicated as their backup plan seems to stall like the Falcon's hyperdrive.

You get thirty pages of story (for the inflated price tag of five bucks) and the action is heavy and frequent. The book captures the vibe set in the Death Star escape from the original movie. The comic has a couple of moments to chuckle at and has a surprise or two. The comic is definitely a fun read.

The downside of the book is the unlikely scenarios that occur. Chewie taking orders from Leia, Vader crushing a tower, knocking Chewie down instead of killing him, Vader facing Luke. The effort to make this comic book matter is there but the comic kind of reads too much like a "What If." We know Chewie lives but would Vader really dodge killing him in this way? It is only the first issue, so things can heat up in unexpected ways in the future. The positives far outweigh the negatives.

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsThe artwork is good. The comic has a dirty feel to it which is definitely in line with the original trilogy. These are characters and environments that are lived in and worn out. It works well. The art reflects the actors extremely well but it is also limited in the variety of facial expressions. For example, Han doesn't smirk, roll his eyes or look angry in any panel. The range is limited.

Star Wars is going to be a fun ride. The comic book launches with a nice loop around the Star Wars universe complete with vehicles, surprise background characters and plenty of witty dialogue. Aaron seems to have nailed Han's voice down well and the others will likely follow. This is a fun read and one that any fan can pick up and get some enjoyment out of. I recommend this comic.

4 out of 5 Geek Goggles