Comic Info
Comic Name: Star Wars (Marvel Volume 2)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Jason Aaron/Kelly Thompson
Artist: Salvador Larroca/Emilio Laiso
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2017
Star Wars (2) #28
Reprints Star Wars (Marvel Volume 2) #26-30 and Annual #2 (January 2017-June 2017). C-3PO has been captured by the Empire, and R2-D2 has set off on a rescue mission to find him. As Luke questions his next step, he returns to Obi-Wan’s journal and reads of a great Jedi’s mission on a planet of children which is hiding its own secret. Plus, a warehouse employee named Pash Davane must decide what side of the war she is on as she hold Princess Leia’s fate in her hands.
Written by Jason Aaron (with Kelly Thompson writing Star Wars (2) Annual #2), Star Wars Volume 5: Yoda’s Secret War continues Marvel Comics’ relaunch of the franchise. Following Star Wars Volume 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger, the collection features art by Salvador Larroca and Emilio Laiso (on Star Wars (2) Annual #2).
Star Wars relaunch has been all over the place. It has been very good (like the start of the series) and pretty poor (like Vader Down). Star Wars Volume 5: Yoda’s Secret War has both good and bad aspects which lie primarily in the storytelling.
To be honest, a lot of what happens in the last issue of the Yoda’s Secret War storyline is confusing. The story is smartly written in that Luke cannot know Yoda’s name so the idea of him reading Obi-Wan’s journal and never realizing he’s reading about Yoda is smart. It was also a good time to step away from C-3PO’s capture and the events with the Empire, but the storyline about the magic mountain and Luke’s final confrontation with Garro feels like a letdown after the story is told. I am all for character building, but it doesn’t feel like they finished the construction in this volume.
Star Wars (2) Annual #2
The Princess Leia story in the annual is actually kind of fun. It is good to see the core heroes from other perspectives, and I wish that more Star Wars tales were told from a different angle as a result. The Skywalkers have essentially screwed up the entire galaxy and people have to have an opinion on that…here, you get a little glimmer into an outsider’s view of the Rebellion and the Empire. I can’t imagine everyone hated being under Imperial control, and I’d like to hear more stories on that front.
Star Wars will always be a classic. Though I didn’t enjoy Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Marvel’s storylines show me that there is still potential and people writing Star Wars stories I might still care about. I look forward to seeing where Star Wars goes and how it can be experimented with in a constructive way that still fits within the context of the films. Star Wars Volume 5: Yoda’s Secret War is followed by the Star Wars: Doctor Aphra crossover storyline Star Wars: Screaming Citadel.
Related Links:
Star Wars Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes
Star Wars Volume 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon
Star Wars Volume 3: Rebel Jail
