Star Wars #3 Review

Now that all of the pieces on this post-A New Hope chess board have been set, Brian Wood kicks things into high gear. He jumps from scenes of Leia’s secret squad to Han and Chewie’s smuggling operation to the bridges of Imperial Star Destroyers and back again with a rarely seen grace. Wood manages to highlight the tiniest moments from Episode IV and give them exponentially greater weight, allowing him to pay homage to the movie while carving out his own niche in the epic saga.

For a comic with a glorious painted cover by Alex Ross featuring Han and Chewie, it’s a bit of a letdown to see their storyline move forward at such a sluggish pace. This book is undeniably Leia’s story, so in that regard Wood does not disappoint. If the last two issues left you with any doubt that she could be the head of a covert squad AND be a kick-ass fighter pilot AND be a leading figure of the Rebellion, then one glorious sequence here will silence you once and for all. But Wood makes sure to show that she's not some infallible goddess by playing up certain romantic feelings that aren't revealed to be taboo until Return of the Jedi. Awwwwkward.

Artist Carlos D’Anda comes into his own here, truly showing off what he’s capable of with the opening double-page spread of the second Death Star. His superb use of depth and scale is enough to make you feel insignificant in this universe of ours, while the intimate moments on the following pages will remind you why life is worth living. The art may have tiny quirks here and there, but when combined with the engrossing narrative, it succeeds where many comics have failed in immersing you in the glory days of Star Wars.

Joshua writes for IGN. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl or on IGN. Aziz, light! That’s better.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com