Star Wars (Marvel ongoing)

DIrishB

The Timeline Guy
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So I checked this out the other day and was extremely pleased. Jason Aaron's script and dialogue was a perfect example of everything that's good about Star Wars.

The dialogue was literally perfect. The characters sound so true to their film versions you can't help but hear the characters'/actors' voices (and Cassady's stellar artwork only amplifies that further).

The plot is simple, but again, truly echoes the franchise. All the main characters play important roles and get their respective chances to shine, and the scene with Chewie attempting to shoot Vader with the sniper crossbow and Vader using the Force to lift random Stormtroopers in front of him as human shields was epic.

Aaron is already laying groundwork in terms of connecting the dots regarding characterization and motivation, specifically in easing into the Han and Leia romance that comes to life in Empire, and Luke's lack of any real Jedi training besides the small bit Obi-Wan taught him (right down to Luke cutting off a Stormtrooper's hand much like Obi-Wan cut off the alien's hand in the cantina in ANH), and even Luke's foolish overconfidence when he runs into Vader (a teenager riding the wave of ego after blowing up the Death Star and just starting to discover his potential as a Jedi).

It's all perfectly on point. I love that they have Luke sporting the outfit he wore at the end of ANH, too, instead of reverting to the Tatooine garb (since that's more recognizable to casual fans).

Anyway, if this is a sign of what's to come from Marvel in their Star Wars titles, I'm fully on board. Really enjoyed the first issue, and can't wait to check out the Vader, Leia, and even Kanan Jarrus series.
 
Re: Star Wars (ongoing by Marvel)

This was pretty lackluster for me. Too much same, not enough new. First issue though so we'll see. I hope time travel or alternate dimensions enters Star Wars. That'd certainly shake things up.
 
Re: Star Wars (ongoing by Marvel)

Oh for Christ's sake...

Don't get me wrong, it was an incredibly well made comic. Captured all the voices perfectly, tone was perfect, art was incredible, plot was excellent, etc., it's just nothing new and that bothers me. That's why I like Rebels and The Clone Wars so much. They're telling new stories that aren't like anything told before.
 
Re: Star Wars (ongoing by Marvel)

It was solid. Nothing spectacular but solid. I'll keep reading. Doubt I'd buy it though.
 
Hot damn that was a good comic! Loved how Vader recognized his old lightsaber and they whole exchange he had with Luke was great. Character's voices sounded dead on too. Jason Aaron should write a spin-off flick.
 
I read #2 last night and it really is excellent. Cassaday is producing some of his best work and a lot of the problems he has (particularly with consistency in faces) isn't showing up here.

Jason Aaron is doing well and I'm glad that it's not Bendis writing this. Could you imagine Han Solo exclaiming "oy vey"? Douche chills!

I wonder why he isn't writing it. Like, what was the sequence of events that caused him not to be on it? You'd have to imagine he gets first pick of any book, and given that this is guaranteed to be one of their top sellers it would be awfully hard to pass on. Maybe they are quietly pushing him into the background.
 
I read #2 last night and it really is excellent. Cassaday is producing some of his best work and a lot of the problems he has (particularly with consistency in faces) isn't showing up here.

Jason Aaron is doing well and I'm glad that it's not Bendis writing this. Could you imagine Han Solo exclaiming "oy vey"? Douche chills!

I wonder why he isn't writing it. Like, what was the sequence of events that caused him not to be on it? You'd have to imagine he gets first pick of any book, and given that this is guaranteed to be one of their top sellers it would be awfully hard to pass on. Maybe they are quietly pushing him into the background.
He doesn't exactly get "first picks" on books. It may seem like it because of his status at Marvel, but that surely isn't the case. Bendis has his plans elsewhere and Star Wars likely was never part of them. Most people may think because this is a top tier book and Bendis is that within the company that the match was pretty much a no-brainer, but he judging from his work, he'd rather play in a different sandbox.
 
I read #2 last night and it really is excellent. Cassaday is producing some of his best work and a lot of the problems he has (particularly with consistency in faces) isn't showing up here.

Jason Aaron is doing well and I'm glad that it's not Bendis writing this. Could you imagine Han Solo exclaiming "oy vey"? Douche chills!

I wonder why he isn't writing it. Like, what was the sequence of events that caused him not to be on it? You'd have to imagine he gets first pick of any book, and given that this is guaranteed to be one of their top sellers it would be awfully hard to pass on. Maybe they are quietly pushing him into the background.

Both issues were excellent. #1 was fantastic in terms of setting up the plot of the comic itself, while dealing with plot lines left over from Ep IV (and hell, even the Prequel trilogy to some degree regarding Vader) and setting up plot lines that'll show up in Ep V.

The character dialogue and behavior is all spot on.

And as you said, Cassady's artwork is stellar.

#2 continued that in spades.
 
I think most people's problem was the same as mine as far as issue one is concerned. I was talking to my friends and they also said that they were let down by the first issue. Not because it was bad, just nothing happened. It was all set up. This issue definitely had stuff happening. These better get the motion comic treatment.

He doesn't exactly get "first picks" on books. It may seem like it because of his status at Marvel, but that surely isn't the case. Bendis has his plans elsewhere and Star Wars likely was never part of them. Most people may think because this is a top tier book and Bendis is that within the company that the match was pretty much a no-brainer, but he judging from his work, he'd rather play in a different sandbox.

I wonder where he's going. X-Men was such a big thing. I wouldn't mind it Bendis got to launch some more Ultimate books and he just steered that line. He'd have more Marvel work elsewhere though.
 
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I think most people's problem was the same as mine as far as issue one is concerned. I was talking to my friends and they also said that they were let down by the first issue. Not because it was bad, just nothing happened. It was all set up. This issue definitely had stuff happening. These better get the motion comic treatment.

The first 20 minutes of A New Hope was all set up too. I can't fault a first issue for using its page space to establish the story. And plenty happened in the first issue. I don't know, I haven't read a lot of Star Wars comics since I was a kid (back when DH had just started their run and Zahn's Heir to the Empire trilogy was new), but I've read enough to safely claim that Star Wars #2 (quickly followed by #1) are the best Star Wars comics I've ever read (or at least remember reading).



I wonder where he's going. X-Men was such a big thing. I wouldn't mind it Bendis got to launch some more Ultimate books and he just steered that line. He'd have more Marvel work elsewhere though.

I'd be more than ok with that, maybe an ongoing Ultimate Daredevil series and other street level heroes (that's Bendis' forte in my experience) in addition to USM... but it's all for naught, given the Secret Wars story will end the Ultimate universe.
 
He doesn't exactly get "first picks" on books. It may seem like it because of his status at Marvel, but that surely isn't the case. Bendis has his plans elsewhere and Star Wars likely was never part of them. Most people may think because this is a top tier book and Bendis is that within the company that the match was pretty much a no-brainer, but he judging from his work, he'd rather play in a different sandbox.

I understand he's not the only writer, but he's definitely their biggest name and I don't have any doubt that someone, at some point, presented him as an option, whether it was internally by the higher ups or directly to him.
 
I understand he's not the only writer, but he's definitely their biggest name and I don't have any doubt that someone, at some point, presented him as an option, whether it was internally by the higher ups or directly to him.
Yeah, I have no doubts his name likely came up and/or someone talked to him about it, but I'm sure after someone (and/or Bendis) shot it down for whatever reasons, I'd guess notably whatever he is working on after X-Men.
 
Darth Vader #1 was another hit. I liked that the prequels are being acknowledged.
 
Darth Vader #1 was another hit. I liked that the prequels are being acknowledged.

Yup. I didn't like it as much as the SW ongoing issues, but it was definitely solid. I also like that they're creating a nice, tight continuity (the Darth Vader issue referenced the events that occurred in the first couple SW ongoing issues, and presumably the next few as well that finish off the arc, but which haven't been released yet). And like you said it referencing the prequels was cool, and showing Vader taking time out to massacre Sand People (due to what happened to his mother in Episode II) was certainly in character. It even helps set up Vader using bounty hunters to track the Millenium Falcon in Empire Strikes Back (well, at least in reference to Vader first meeting Boba Fett).
 
Darth Vader #1 was fantastic.

DiB - you might know the answer to this, but have the events in the first two Star Wars issues and the one Darth Vader issue contradicted anything established in the Dark Horse comics (or any other source that is now non-canon)?
 
Darth Vader #1 was fantastic.

DiB - you might know the answer to this, but have the events in the first two Star Wars issues and the one Darth Vader issue contradicted anything established in the Dark Horse comics (or any other source that is now non-canon)?

That I don't know (I stopped reading Star Wars comics and novels back in the mid-1990's, until the reboot last year). I doubt it's contradicted anything so far. Though it's a given that eventually that will happen.

Either way, between the first couple issues of the ongoing and the first issue of the Darth Vader series, Marvel is firing on all cylinders with their SW line. Hope that level of quality continues.
 

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