Wordless comics seem to be a growing trend right now and I'm not sure if that bothers me. I generally feel that if I buy a comic book and there's no words in it (aside from sound effects), then I got gypped. Yet on my last trip to my favorite LCS, I bought not 1 but 2 pantomime comics.
Man, I must be a sucker...
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Ewoks is part of a series of one-shots Marvel will be releasing this year in honor of Episode VI's 40th anniversary. It just happens to be a lucky coincidence that I chose this book to review for Family Comic Friday as Disney and Lucasfilm is releasing the movie for 1 day only on this very day! Sadly, where I happen to be as I write this review is nowhere close to where Jedi is being shown in theaters. Not like I've not seen the movie a hundred times, including open day 1983 (Mission Valley Cinema, Raleigh, NC- may you Rest In Peace!), but if I had the chance, I'd go see it again now!
The main reason I decided to review Ewoks this week was due to its cover rating. Marvel has this special listed as being for teens (and up). Yet, the Ewoks themselves have always been fodder for marketing to children. For Millennials and Gen Z, the Ewoks are the Porgs of Generation X.
One purpose of this weekly review is to help parents navigate the ratings system of comics. It's not a uniform program and it's left to each individual publisher to rate their own books. I've seen reprints of stuff from the 60s, which had no rating system, be re-released as all-ages and they really shouldn't have (and vice versa), hence Family Comic Friday.
Knowing that kids love Ewoks and the older folks who now have kids might be wanting to share their 40th anniversary memories with their children and grandkids, I thought it might be a good idea to check this book out.
The premise is that the elders of Ewok village are having a festival. During this event, Logray and some of the other adults regal the woklings with tales of legendary Ewoks from the past. There are essentially 3 stories. Story One is about a young Ewok who befriends a Dulok girl. You'd only know who the Duloks were if you watched the 1985-86 Ewoks cartoon, which I did. The Duloks are the main enemy of the Ewoks. These furry green bipeds are mostly rivals in terms of battling over resources and land. Though I think on at least one or two occasions, a Dulok tried to eat a Ewok. This is an adorable tale, drawn similarly to the animated series and boasts a message of friendship and tolerance.
Story #2 tells of an unfortunate Ewok who stumbles across a Gorax. These gigantic creatures ARE known to have enjoyed the Ewoks as a snack. While the artwork is absolutely stunning, the middle adventure can be terrifying. That ending really stunned me, though what Logray does to the storyteller when we return to the present gave me a huge laugh. If you are one who thought Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was too intense, this is a story young readers should skip.
The final story is really fanciful. It tells of an Ewok who built their own flying machine out of parts scavenged from the Imperial presence on Endor. There is one scene of violence when the Ewok steals a Scout Trooper's helmet. The Ewok knocks the guy out with a giant log to get it. But who are we kidding? He could have killed him. It's really up for interpretation.
Star Wars had always been known to have 3 things in it- heartwarming inspiration, jump scares, and thrilling adventures. This one-shot has all three. So really, if you're already letting your 4 year old watch Star Wars, then you'll probably not have any issue with this issue.
I fell in love with the main cover that bears the image of a Ewok's face. The way they are enthralled by the village bonfire was just so elegant and intense. I knew I had to have it. One of the variant covers is done in the style of the Saturday morning cartoon show. It's something that very much would appeal to a young child. But don't be fooled. Some of the material in this anniversary comic is intense and I am not lying when it comes to that middle story. It starts off with the image of a decomposing Ewok. But let's face it- Episode IV has the charred corpses of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. So it's not like it's anything that's never been seen in the Star Wars Universe before.
Great read. I would've liked words. But it brought me back to my childhood and some fond memories. This is a book that generations of Star Wars lovers can partake in together and make some fond memories of their own. It's just something that may have to wait a while if the young reader in your life just isn't ready for some of this material yet.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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