With the Yoda series Cavan Scott and Nico Leon craft a beautiful, dynamic, interesting parable with one of fiction’s greatest characters at the center. This book feels like one of the best episodes of Clone Wars with the focus on a single Jedi taking on a challenge which seems simple but has complex stakes and conflicts.
In the distant past a younger version of Yoda takes on the task of helping the Scalvi who are being attacked by Crulkon raiders. This has required he leave the council during the time of the High Republic and the other Jedi are not please by his absence.
Nico Leon’s artwork is just astounding. This feels like a parable at the level of James Cameron’s visuals for Avatar. The villagers are lit up by contrasting colors between the different races and the different homes of the Scalvi and Crulkons respectively. This is Art in the truest sense that goes well beyond any house style or formula.
The issue begins with Yoda visiting the Jedi on The Wheel. Pra-Tre and Ela try to figure out why Yoda is dedicating so much time to a single conflict on Turrak. Yoda shows them an instrument the Scalvi made for him. Yoda returns to the village where Bree and Litah show him a watchtower the Scalvi have built. Yoda trains to the Scalvi to take care of themselves. Trikk teases and bullies Bree but they are interrupted by another Crulkon attack. Bree uses his ingenuity to battle them back but the Crulkons take Yoda with them.
The Scalvi find a Crulkon skiff and weapons and use them to try and free Yoda. Something is clearly not right as the Crulkons are coughing and their children look like Scalvi. Bree lashes out with Yoda’s lightsaber and seemingly kills a Crulkon as the issue ends.
This issue just crackles with energy, artistry, characterization and intrigue. There is clearly more than meets the eye to the Crulkon and this story is a fun, contained adventure showing how well a book for a character we love can work without making the character feel too familiar to trite. This is Yoda facing a different type of conflict that will use more than brute force to work through.
Writing: 5 of 5 stars
Art: 5 of 5 stars
Colors: 5 of 5 stars
Overall: 5 of 5 stars
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Nico Leon
Color Art: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Publisher: Marvel Comics