Star Wars: The Acolyte - Kelnacca #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE - KELNACCA No. 1, November 2024

Considering that this one-shot’s New York Times bestselling author arguably relegates the titular character to a secondary cast member, it is quite probable that a fair few readers of “Star Wars: The Acolyte – Kelnacca” came away from the comic fairly disappointed. Indeed, some of the Bristol-born writer’s decisions concerning the Wookie Jedi Master surely had many a bibliophile shaking their heads in confusion as to just what his twenty-five page plot was trying to achieve; “That’s it. They’re safe, Master. But what about you? Okay. Okay. I’m leaving.”

Sure, during actor Joonas Suotamo’s interview at the rear of the book it is explained that the publisher was attempting to explain some of the great warrior’s “ever-present scalp tattoos”, and it certainly couldn't have been easy for anyone to pen a story where the named protagonist doesn’t actually say a word – or even growl much for that matter. However, such hurdles debatably still fail to explain why so much of this tale appears to revolve around Yarzion Vell’s almost selfish obsession to get his Jedi training finished following the death of Master Lulad, rather than focusing upon the almost three-metre tall alien from the planet Kashyyyk subsequently battling against the nefarious Nihil marauders who caused Starlight Beacon space station to crash into the planet Eiram’s ocean.

In fact, disappointingly little in this ‘hit Disney+ series debut’ truly suggests just how formidable a fighter Kelnacca is, due to its narrative predominantly just showing him using the force to either lift rubble or keep the flames of a burning thatched hut at bay. Instead, so much of this comic follows the aforementioned pointy-headed Vell, as he explains to Padawan Ordea his own personal adventures whilst learning the ropes from the Wookie Jedi.

Such disillusionment with the publication’s script means that much of the heavy-lifting relies upon the artistic skills of Marika Cresta, and the Ringo Award-nominee doesn’t appear to disappoint – most notably when she pencils Kelnacca superbly somersaulting his way through more Nihil tormentors in a double-splash page set a year after the Starlight Beacon was destroyed. Coupled with proficient colorist Jim Campbell, it’s simply a pity that the illustrator isn’t given more dynamic action sequences to draw, as opposed to a series of death scenes and dialogue-driven flashbacks.

Writer: Cavan Scott, Artist: Marika Cresta, and Color Artist: Jim Campbell