Comic Talk: Star Wars Adventures #3

Comics are frustrating and never release on time or on schedule, especially Star Wars comics. We should be here today talking about Star Wars Adventures #4, but the release date changed (again) and so I am going to talk about Star Wars Adventures #3 instead, which released on February 3rd.  

Prerequisites:

When the anthology series "Star Wars Adventures" first released in 2017 it was told through the lens of Emil Graf, pilot of the Star Herald. Emil told stories and tales to his crew: CR-8rR, BB-00, and a Kowakian monkey-lizard named Noni. Each story was also meant to teach a lesson to one of his crew members. Star Wars Adventures was published by IDW and ran for 32 issues before it was rebooted last year.

The relaunched series is still an anthology series that can take place in any Star Wars era and feature any character, however it is no longer framed through the lens of Emil Graf or the Star Herald crew. 

It also now features a slogan "Tales of Villainy" 

Who wrote this?

Michael Moreci has been writing for Star Wars Adventures since 2018. Before that he worked on horror comics such as Stranger Things & Vampironica.

Sam Maggs is new to Star Wars comics but is a Canadian author most knows for her book "The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy"

Characters: 

The first tale "Life Day" sees Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice "Obi-Wan Kenobi" on planet Kashyyyk during the celebration of Life Day. 

The second tale "The Hostage" features Darth Maul captured and chained on planet Bahlah. 

Why Should I Read It?: 

Obviously these tales are marketed towards kids, but they don't have to be. The scripts would work just as well with an older target audience. The only part of these stories that is really "kid-ified" is the art itself.

The genius of the anthology format is that you could find yourself in any era of the Star Wars universe with characters that you love.  The tales are quick-burns and then you are onto something new.

Comics can be so frustrating because issues often release months apart and it is easy to lose the plot threads. When comics are suddenly cancelled mid-plot-thread it is even more frustrating. Star Wars Adventures does not run into this issue. A lot of these stories are one shots, and if not, the story is going to be resolved the very next week.

What's Next?

If it releases on schedule I will be back next week to review High Republic Adventures #2

Aliens of "The High Republic"

Mirialans

Mirialans were a near-human species from planet Mirial- a cold, dry planet located in the Outer Rim. Mirialans could be identified by their green skin and geometric face tattoos. Face tattoos could be gained after completing a special task, but some were status symbols. Tattoos were seen as an important, yet sometimes antiquated tradition among the Mirialan people.

Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her apprentice Barriss Offee were the first Mirialans to appear in Star Wars. However novels and guidebooks from 2002 first identified the pair as being human. It may have been the 2004 MedStar novels that first assigned the Mirialan species name to the two Jedi.

In The High Republic series Vernestra Rwoh is a young Mirialan Jedi knight. Vernestra is the main character in “A Test of Courage” by Justina Ireland.

Umbaran

Umbarans were sometimes known as Shadow People. They hailed from a dark planet in the Ghost Nebula in which never saw daylight. Their colorless eyes could see deep into the ultra-violet spectrum. The Umbaran culture was a complex caste system and individuals would spend their lives attempting to rise into higher and higher social levels.

Sly Moore, chief of staff to Chancellor Palatine, was the first Umbaran to appear in a Star Wars film.  The character design of Sly Moore was inspired by Gothic Subculture. Moore was a close confidant of Palpatine and was rumored to have given birth to Palpatine’s son Triclops.

Orla Jareni is an Umbaran Jedi Knight / Wayseeker who appears in the novel “High Republic: Into the Dark” by Claudia Grey.

Zygerrian

Zygerrians were a fur-covered, pointy eared species from the outer rim. On their native world the Zygerrian government ran a slave trade.  Zygerrians often carried retractable shock-whips, which were a symbol of their culture. Shock whips were non-lethal as Zygerrians preferred to capture their enemies, rather than kill them. 

Zygerrians were first mentioned in “The Star Wars Sourcebook “in 1987. They first appeared onscreen in The Clone Wars animated series. Though the Zygerrians featured in Clone Wars are coyote-like in appearance, Zyggerrians that appeared prior to the animated series were hairless with facial ridges. Dave Filoni chose the coyote appearance specifically because he wanted the species to look deceitful. 

Farzala is a Zygerrian Jedi Padawan that is featured in the “High Republic Adventures” comic series.

Pantoran

Pantorans were a blue-skinned species from the moon, Pantora. The Pantorans had an very old society that once worshipped a moon goddess. ThModern Pantora was known for its beautifully designed democratic society, which stood as a symbol against oppression and slavery. Pantorans often wore golden face tattoos which denoted their family symbols.

Pantorans are not to be confused with other blue skinned species such as the Chiss (who have red eyes) or Wroonians (who have yellow eyes).

Star Wars fans were able to glimpse a very early concept drawing of a Pantoran as far back as 1995 as part of the “Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide CD-ROM”. The species would not appear onscreen until “Revenge of the Sith” premiered a decade later, where George Lucas and his daughter, Katie, appear as Baron Papanoida and Chi Eekway Papanoida. Initially the Pantoran name was not attached to the species. According to old guidebooks, the character that George Lucas played was a Wroonian and the character that Katie Lucas played was a Twi’lek. There’s even an action figure of the Katie Lucas character with Twi’lek Lekku. However in 2009 a Season 1 episode of “Clone Wars”. Firmly establishes these characters as being Pantoran.

Pantoran characters appear in “The High Republic: Into the Dark” and “The High Republic: A Test of Courage”. 

Tholothian

Tholothians were a human-like species with long white tendrils growing from their heads. Tholothians tended to have dark skin and blue or violet eyes. Tholoth was a warm world with many trees. The Tholothian government prided itself in keeping wildlife preserves over large swaths of their planet.

Many Tholothians were skilled force users including Jedi Council Members Adi Galia and her cousin, Staff Allie. Indeera Stokes is the Tholothian Jedi who appears in the novel “The Light of the Jedi”

 

Comic Talk: Darth Vader #10

Darth Vader is arguably the most iconic character of an entire franchise of iconic characters. Vader has been a goldmine of merchandise for decades and he will continue to sell merchandise long after "Baby" Grogu "Yoda" is a forgotten memory. Star Wars comics have always cashed in on Darth Vader. Dark Horse had a dedicated Vader line from 2011 - 2014 and Marvel has hardly let a month go by without a comic with Vader's name on the cover. The current Vader line is actually the 3rd to be published under the title "Darth Vader". 

Prerequisites:

You do not have to be familiar with the plot of the first Marvel Vader line that covered the timeframe between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back" to enjoy this comic. You also don't have to read the "Darth Vader Lord of Sith" series, the "Vader: Dark Visions" or the "Target Vader" series. 

What you should really be familiar with before tackling "Darth Vader #1" (2020) is the novel "Queen's Shadow" by EK Johnston. Trust me, it's worth it. 

Who wrote this?

Grek Pak has been writing Star Wars comics since 2019. Pak first wrote the series "Age of Rebellion" before taking over as head writer on the closing arc of the main Star Wars line (#68 - #75). 

Characters: 

Vader is on a journey of self-discovery in which he is haunted by his past, his present, and his future. The journey has taken him to the planet Tatooine (where he grew up), the planet Naboo (where he fell in love), the asteroid field of Polis Massa (where his son was born), the planet Mustafar (where he was reborn), and now the planet Exegol (where his Master keeps secrets). 

Ochi of Bestoon is a Sith assassin, who was first introduced in "The Rise of Skywalker". Palpatine had tasked Ochi with eliminating Vader, but now Ochi is very much a captive and along for the ride on Vader's strange quest.

Why Should I Read It?: 

The character of Darth Vader has never been so compelling. Fresh from his duel with his son, Luke Skywalker, Vader is questioning his place in the Galaxy. Vader's tenuous relationship with his master has always been strained, but now it feels like it's at the breaking point. Vader wants Palpatine dead and Palpatine knows it. This series bridges the gap between Bespin and Endor, but also draws on storylines from both the Prequels and the Sequels.

What's Next?

I will be back in two weeks to review Star Wars Adventures #4

Comic Talk: The High Republic

Star Wars fans who read comics should be overjoyed with the fact that 2021 will have 7 ongoing Star Wars comic series, which is probably the most in the history of Star Wars comics.

Over the next couple of months I will be checking in on these various series and this week I am looking at The High Republic #2 by Cavan Scott.

Prerequisites:

The High Republic series is part of the newly launched "High Republic" subfranchise which includes various comics, books, and novels which take place in an era set about 200 years before "The Phantom Menace". Though readers should feel free to dive into this series without any prior knowledge it might be a good idea to read Charles Soule's amazing novel "Light of the Jedi" which launches the series.

Who wrote this?

Before Disney purchased Star Wars, Cavan Scott wrote comics for many other franchises including Power Rangers and Doctor Who. Scott's first foray into Star Wars were the children's books "Adventures in Wild Space", which he wrote with Tom Huddleston. Since then Huddleston has worked on the Star Wars Adventures comics, the Choose Your Own Destiny books, and the Dooku: Jedi Lost audiodrama. Scott's "The Rising Storm" will be the second hardcover book in the High Republic novel series (due out June 29th)

Characters: 

Jedi Padawan, Keeve Trennis (introduced in the book A Test of Courage) and her Master Sskeer (introduced in the book Light of the Jedi) are stationed at Starlight Beacon in the Outer Rim territories (think Deep Space 9). Keeve is ready for her Jedi trials but there's something wrong with Sskeer. Every since the Battle of Kur the Trandoshan has been acting strange- like Dark Side strange. Trennis considers going to the other Masters with her concerns. 

Why should I read it?

This might be the first Star Wars comic (certainly the first Marvel Star Wars comic) to feature a black female in the leading role. But representation aside Keeve Trennis is a fairly cool character. Like Vernestra Rwoh (see A Test of Courage) she is a new Jedi Knight discovering her place in the galaxy. Also like Venestra Rwoh (see A Test of Courage) the creators have given Trennis a fairly unique type of lightsaber in that her double-bladed green lightsaber can unlock to form two single blades.

If Keeve Trennis isn't enough for you, Sskeer is the "mystery box" mechanism of this series. Just what is going on with this Jedi Master and how could that impact  the Jedi Order itself?

What's Next?
I will be back next weekend to review the comic Darth Vader #10 by Greg Pak