Star Wars: The Force Awakens

star wars the force awakens cover review
7.0 Overall Score
Story: 8/10
Art: 7/10

Solid adaptation

Just an adaptation

Comic Info

Comic Name:  Star Wars:  The Force Awakens

Publisher:  Marvel Comics

Writer:  Chuck Wendig

Artist:  Luke Ross/Frank Martin

# of Issues:  6

Release Date:  2016

star wars the force awakens #1 cover esad ribic

Star Wars: The Force Awakens #1

Reprints Star Wars:  The Force Awakens #1-6 (August 2016-January 2017).  The Resistance is battling the First Order, but the key to success could be finding Luke Skywalker.  When Poe Dameron locates Lor San Tekka, Skywalker is within reach.  Unfortunately the Resistance wants Skywalker as well and Poe quickly becomes a prisoner of Kylo Ren.  Aided by a Stormtrooper named FN-2187 aka “Finn”, Poe escapes, but the mission to get the map to the Resistance falls on Finn and a young, mysterious woman from Jakku named Rey.  Teamed with Han Solo and Chewbacca, Finn and Rey must face down the First Order and find Luke…but the First Order has their own plans.

Written by Chuck Wendig, Star Wars:  The Force Awakens is the Marvel adaptation of the hit 2015 film Star Wars—Episode VII:  The Force Awakens.  The six issue mini-series features art by Luke Ross and Marc Laming.

Star Wars was always part of my life, and Marvel’s Star Wars adaptations were there almost as long.  I had the giant Marvel Treasury of Star Wars:  The Empire Strikes Back and looked through it (before I could read) and then read it over and over again.  Star Wars:  The Force Awakens “reawakens” these memories.

star wars the force awakens #5 cover kylo ren rafael albuquerque

Star Wars: The Force Awakens #5

Star Wars:  The Force Awakens doesn’t reveal any hidden scenes.  The Empire Strikes Back adaptation had some deleted and expanded scenes adapted into its version, but here, scripts are on such lockdown that this isn’t possible.  Still, I found myself trying to read more into the dialogue and trying to determine if there were additional clues to Rey’s origin or Snoke’s identity…they might not be there, but it is fun to try.

The art is also strong.  Luke Ross and Marc Laming have a harder time than most comic book artists.  Adaptations are forced to try to look like the actors.  It also isn’t just like creating storyboards, the artists have to find new ways to do the action sequences to make them understandable.

Either you liked Star Wars:  The Force Awakens or you didn’t.  The adaptation is just that.  It is an adaptation and will not change your opinion on the movie.  It isn’t controversial, it doesn’t offer insight, and it doesn’t really change the course of the series.  This is for the big fans of Star Wars and those who read movie novelizations.  As a kid who loved all things Star Wars, this still works for me, but for most, just watching the movie again will probably work better.

Related Links:

Star Wars:  The Force Awakens (2015)

Author: JPRoscoe View all posts by
Follow me on Twitter/Instagram/Letterboxd @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.

Leave A Response