Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 8: Defend the Republic!

This trio of stories are set during the Clone Wars.

Yoda and Anakin Skywalker defend a group of refugees from Separatist droids on mission from Count Dooku. Queen Amadala is tasked to repay Gungan leader Boss Nass for his role in the siege of Naboo to assist Jar Jar Binks in a treasure hunt. Finally, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Clone trooper, Captain Rex are woefully outnumbered by droids. The odds do not look in their favor. But their luck changes when a malfunctioning clanker swears allegiance to the Republic and starts blasting away its fellow droids!

All three stories were very, very good. I thought the artwork of the Amadala and Jar Jar story was the best. It reminded me of those gags drawn by Sergio Aragones when you see an archaeologist digging through the ground and you see all these treasures that he's just missing out on. Some panels were like that in this story and I thought it was great.

The best written story was the Obi-Wan story about the droid that switched sides. I'd really like to read more stories about that character and I kinda hope he survived the Clone Wars and onslaught of the Emperor as the Sith lord attempted to purge any and all remnants of the Republic.

Despite 3 main stories, this volume only carries 2 Wild Space back-up stories. One tale is about another clanker that had quite a run of bad luck. The other story is about the apprentice of Jedi master Luminara Unduli, sent on the quest of finding an ancient Jedi text. Both were good reads but just not that memorable.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars Battle Tales #1 (Family Comic Friday)

The battle between the Republic and the Separatists continues in this exciting new series based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Learn more about it in this week's Family Comic Friday

Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars Battle Tales #1
Written by Michael Moreci
Art by Derek Charm, Arianna Florean
Published by IDW Publishing
Retail: 3.99

Disney+ has blown all of our minds with it's amazing seventh and final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. But that doesn't mean that the action has to stop. IDW Publishing is bringing fans another dose of intergalactic action in the new miniseries, Stars Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars Battle Tales. 

Battle Tales is told from the perspective of  the clones. In particular, Commander Cody and  Captain Rex, who in this first issue explain to some new recruits that despite how brash and impulsive Anakin Skywalker can be, the Jedi will never leave a man behind.

My favorite aspect of this issue is the artwork. Derek Charm has grown to become the definitive Star Wars comic book artist.  His work on the original Star Wars Adventures series (from IDW. Not to be confused with Dark Horse's series in the 2000s) as well as the Halloween spin-offs, Tales From Vader's Castle is light years ahead of some of the talent on Marvel's Star Wars books. Plus, I really liked the polished artwork of Arianna Florean. The Doctor Who illustrator's work depicts the flashback sequence that Cody and Rex narrate. Florian's work gives that part of the tale a youthful, antiquated look and it blends very well with Derek Charm's sections of this book.

Fans will need to realize that Battle Tales is experiencing some delays. Thanks to the COVID pandemic, the book has had to move from weekly to monthly. At the end of the first issue, it is promised that issue #2 was supposed to drop in stores this week. But it's been moved to June 10th. So, be patient. I know it's killing you to have to wait after 2 months with no comics. But I promise you, a series like this is all worth it.

Great fun for a the whole family. If the young reader in your life is a Star Wars fan already, then you and them will love this all-ages series!

Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars Battle Tales #1 debuted in print and digital formats on Wednesday May 20, 2020.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Volume 8: The Sith Hunters

Last season on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it was revealed that Darth Maul survived being cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of Phantom Menace. Now, I’m not really keen on this idea. I think the dead should stay dead, especially in Star Wars. We’ve already had the Emperor returned to life (by form of clone inhibition) in at least 2 Star Wars comic books. So, having Darth Maul pop up again really seems to make the Star Wars universe like a comic book or soap opera, where nobody stays dead.

Also, it takes a really cool scene in an otherwise lame movie and diminishes it’s effect.

So, in this issue, we see what happens to Darth Maul after being sliced in half and we learn a little of both Maul and his brother, Opress’s motivations. Sadly, it does little to win me over either as it seems like Opress is more vengeful and Maul is now an opportunist.

It’s really making me wonder in last season’s return of the dark lord has caused Star Wars: The Clone Wars to jump the shark.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.