Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Star Wars: Kanan The Last Padawan #1
Marvel Comics
Weisman, Larraz & Curiel
This is the Star Wars comic I've been looking for. Up to now, Marvel has published Star Wars comics that seem to cater to the fans that wandered away from the franchise twenty years ago or are only familiar with the films. However, this comic book does a number of pleasing things, including telling a deep story. This is a fantastic first issue for the series that deals with Kanan, the main character of the TV show, Star Wars Rebels. I recommend checking this out, even if you don't watch the show.
Kanan, previously known as Caleb, was the Jedi padawan of Master Depa Billba. This comic book seems to center on those events. This particular comic book gives readers a great glimpse into their relationship, as well as their interactions with their Clone commanders. The book has plenty of action as they are in the midst of a battle but it has plenty of quiet moments where the bond between the characters is highlighted.
The joy of this comic book is that it brings the event that any Star Wars fan is waiting for by the comic's end. There is no waiting period or long decompressed story. This issue's cliffhanger is exactly what anyone familiar with the Clone Wars is waiting to see unfold.
The comic book does a couple of things that might be of interest to the fans of the Expanded Universe. This issue references one of the novels, Shatterpoint, and thus, brings into back into canon. This comic book also gets away from the The New Hope era of comics that has been the norm for several years of comics publishing. The very best of the Star Wars comics deal with time periods without those characters and a Clone Wars centric series, Star Wars Republic, was among the best. This issue proves there are more stories to tell about the Clone Wars.
The comic book also plays with the disdain that the worlds caught in the war's crossfire have for both sides of the war. I liked that this comic book attacked this theme because it helps support the transformation of Darth Vader. The battlelines are so blurry for every front in this war.
The artwork is very good. There is an extensive battle scene in the book and that is probably the highlight but the comic's art has more to it than fighting. The tender moments between Depa and Caleb are also illustrated very nicely. The book presents an emotional bond between the pair, which isn't easy to pull off. This is a very good artistic comic book.
The first issue of Kanan is a fantastic start to this series. The book has action, nice character moments and it explores some good themes that tap into the best the Clone Wars has to offer. The comic requires no knowledge of the TV Show and provides a stronger first issue than the other three Marvel series. This is a comic book to pick up.
4.5 out of 5 Geek Goggles
