There is no greater team for Star Wars comics story-telling than Cavan Scott and Ario Anindito. This team creates amazing characters full of depth and nuance. The characterizations occur alongside classic Star Wars action, intrigue and wall to wall color. This book reminds us why we love the Star Wars universe and just how great an expanded universe with original tales of the Jedi can be.
The story in the distant past of Jedha follows Jedi Knight Vildar Mac who has just seemingly been killed, alongside Padawan Matty Cathley who is scrambling for solutions. Thankfully Vildar suddenly awakens in spite of dreams and visions leading him to their attacker.
All is not what it seems as the story unfolds. The Jedi are searching for those responsible for a series of thefts. Vildar’s visions lead them to a tavern called Enlightenment. The proceed on in spite of followers of the Path of the Open Hand who preach to the crowd and try to dissuade the Jedi from using the Force as a tool.
They enter Enlightenment and the art explodes as we meet massive bouncer known as the Twinkle Sisters and the owner Kradon. The art and story are astounding as we see characters and concepts unfold with the same magic we experienced in Rogue One. This is a true successor to the events shown there on Jedha as we see great characters mixed in with concepts including the Guardians of the Whills and the Force.
Vildar and Matty quickly find their attacker Tey Sirrek only to discover that he is much more a trickster than an agent of the Dark Side. He explains his innocence in the death the Jedi witnessed as well as the tonic that simply made Vildar appear dead momentarily. He then absconds with Vildar’s lightsaber but uses it to barter with a thief to gather clues as to the missing artifacts. Vildar prevents Tey from being shot before Tey saves his life in turn.
Tey leads them to the location where one of the recovered artifacts came from, the Temple of Kyber. The issue ends with our heroes surrounded by the unexpectedly unfriendly Guardians of the Whills. This issue is bright, bombastic and full of action. We get some great heroes in Vildar and Matty, but Tey is the real star of this show and just a classic literary archetype akin to Puck.
Cavan Scott and Ario Anindito remind us of how amazing Star Wars comics can be in the right hands. The High Republic was gone too long and even with the reset this book retains so much of the fun and adventure of the original run.
Writing: 5 of 5 stars
Art: 4.6 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.3 of 5 stars
Overall: 4.6 of 5 stars
Writer: Cavan Scott
Art: Ario Anindito
Inks: Mark Morales
Colors: Frank Williams
Publisher: Marvel Comics