Star Wars Annual #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS ANNUAL No. 1, February 2016

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly focusing upon unknown Rebel operative Eneb Ray and his infiltration of Coruscant as opposed to any of the infinitely more recognisable and more marketable “Star Wars” characters, this “Marvel Worldwide” Annual still managed to sell an impressive 89,635 copies in order to become the tenth best-selling comic book of December 2015; an accolade Kieron Gillen’s ‘Spy-fi’ narrative arguably well deserves. For whilst the Stafford-born writer’s undercover agent initially proves rather pompously disagreeable, due to his disguise as Imperial tax-collector Tharius Demo and selfish regret that although “the Rebellion has heroes” he doesn’t “get to be one of them”, the “prying” mole soon gets to demonstrate his far more laudable qualities to this title’s significant audience when Princess Leia orders him to penetrate the Arrth-Eno prison complex and smuggle “Senator Nadea Tural and the anti-Imperial senators” incarcerated there off-planet before they’re executed.

So “very difficult” a mission, understandably conducted by Organa’s secret agent in absolute silence, could potentially have lead to something of a rather tedious excursion considering that letterer Joe Caramagna exacerbates the experience by failing to populate its dozen or so panels with any sound effects whatsoever. Fortunately such external secretive noiselessness is not however replicated by Ray’s inner turmoil and questioning as to just “how many rebel spies are… actually on Coruscant”; a worry which provides the British author with plenty of opportunity to genuinely flesh out this thirty-page periodical’s central protagonist via numerous thought bubbles.

Those fans tiring of such a rather reticent read though are eventually rewarded with more blaster beams and “political assassination” attempts than even an enraged Wookie could handle once the leader of the Galactic Empire makes an appearance. Indeed the entire tone of the book abruptly changes to one of all-out action as the seemingly sullen Eneb transforms himself into a dynamic gun-slinging risk-taker upon hearing that “the Emperor’s just walked into our crosshairs” by “having a final conversation with the [captured] senators in an hour’s time.”

Equally as responsible for so successful a publication as Gillen’s constantly surprising storyline, has to be Angel Unzueta’s extremely clean-looking pencilling. The Spaniard not only somehow manages to imbue the Rebel agent with an air of arrogance befitting someone posing as an all-powerful Imperial bureaucrat. But later effortlessly adds a grim determination and then desperate desire to Ray’s visage as it becomes abundantly clear to the “hero” that “I’m not even the same species of monster” as Palpatine.

Writer: Kieron Gillen, Artist: Angel Unzueta, and Colorist: Paul Mounts

Princess Leia #1 - Marvel Comics

PRINCESS LEIA No. 1, May 2015

Declared the best-selling comic of March 2015 by Diamond Comic Distributors due to it shifting 253,655 copies, this “Star Wars” based mini-series spear-headed an incredible month for “Marvel Worldwide” which saw the publisher own nine of the ten most popular titles for that period. Yet apart from a rather nice variant cover depicting a typically chibi-style cute Organa by Skottie Young, it is actually rather hard to establish why Issue One of “Princess Leia” was so incredibly successful.

Spot-lighting the angst and woes of a bereaved adopted daughter straight after the Battle of Yavin, Mark Waid’s script disappointingly does little but pointlessly push the surviving head of the Royal House of Alderaan around the fast evacuating rebel moon base. Indeed the character’s meanderings appear so directionless that the majority of scenes would seem to have been solely orchestrated to allow the writer to parade a plethora of cameos before the reader. Han Solo, Chewbacca, a smitten Luke Skywalker and his two droids, all make fleeting appearances following their celebratory awards ceremony in the Great Temple of Massassi. But such obvious ‘guest-stars’ are soon passed by in favour of the Princess interacting with General Dodonna, Corellian pilot Wedge Antilles and even Admiral Ackbar. 

Regrettably even the personality of the Eisner Award-winner’s own character, Evaan Verlaine, is rather lifeless and bland despite the woman clearly despising her recently rescued sovereign. Indeed the American author misses a real opportunity with the Amazon-like pilot from Alderaan to bring some much-needed energy to his dialogue-heavy narrative. For instead of injecting some real fire and friction between Evaan and ‘her highness’ Waid instead has the rebel pilot conceal her contempt through platitudes of lifelong service to the Organa family and polite etiquette…

Even when Verlaine’s temper does eventually get the better of her, and she informs Leia that the Princess' plan to defy the Rebel Council by single-handedly rescuing any Alderaanian survivors “reeks of impulse” and “will put valuable ships and pilots in harm’s way”. It is done in a very matter-of-fact manner, and immediately stamped upon by the titular character with the quietly spoken words “That’s quite enough for now”.

Fortunately this comic book’s saving grace is undoubtedly its extremely stylish artwork created by the husband and wife team of Terry and Rachel Dodson. Slightly cartoony but wonderfully detailed, the pencilling is particularly impressive as a result of the American artist steering away from any attempt to replicate the exact facial features of the actors involved in the “Star Wars” motion picture trilogy. Instead he has simply tried to present each characters' vague physical likeness, and paid far more attention to their identifiable and unique clothing.

The regular cover art of "PRINCESS LEIA" No. 1 by Terry Dodson