Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 11: Rise of the Wookiees

The curtain falls on Star Wars Adventures with this volume. Though Chewbacca is the main star of this book, the focus is on the sequel trilogy and honestly, it's just not as exciting as the original films nor the prequels.

Chewie's story sees the Wookiee helping the Resistance free his native planet Kashyyyk from the First Order. The stormtroopers have taken prisoners; one of which is a mortal enemy of Chewbacca's from a neighboring tribe. In order to save his people, Chewie must overlook an age-old rivalry, even if it's at the sake of his personal pride.

Another highlight of this volume was a Tony Fleecs pencilled adventure starring R2-D2, C-3PO and BB-8, unfortunately. Sorry, but Poe Dameron's droid is just a third wheel here. However, the story was such a visual masterpiece. It reminded me of both Sergio Aragones and Frank Quietly- kinda cartoony but full of detail. 

I also enjoyed the 2-part 'Tales From Wild Space' story. The epic of Emil Graf has a perfect ending; all the while promising further adventures. I do think it was a bit annoying that it took the last 'Wild Space' adventure to finally understand why Emil Graf goes around the galaxy telling stories of the Star Wars Universe. But, I can finally say I know what the character is all about.

The 3 stories starring the newer characters were the weakest of the bunch. The Finn story and glimpse at Poe's X-Wing training sessions with Rey were just too saccharin. The only thing missing from those two tales would have been appearance from Rose Tico and that would have made both of them unreadable. Can we all just admit Poe Dameron is a fascinating character. But he's brought down by those new trilogy wet blankets Finn and Rey.

The story with Kylo Ren team-up with General Hux was the best of the new character-only stories. Maybe it's because they are bad guys. Maybe it's because the two villains want to kill each other just as much as they want to squash the Resistance. I would have loved it if IDW would have scrapped the Rey and Finn stories and stretched out the uneasy alliance between the highest ranking officers of the First Order. It would have made for a much more entertaining read and have helped to bumped up my rating of this book.

This isn't IDW's last hurrah with Star Wars Adventures. For one reason or another, Marvel, Disney or IDW (or some combination of the 3) decided it was best to restart the series at issue #1. Could it be due to the latest rise in comic book speculating? That false belief that a #1 issue sells more books... Or is it due to the fact that Dark Horse regained the licensing rights to Star Wars and IDW was looking to unload their stockpile of Star Wars stories before their contract with DIsney ran out. 

I probably won't have an answer for that anytime soon. Only 1 trade of that new series was ever published and my library doesn't carry it. Heck, I can't even find it on Amazon or favored online comic book sellers. I'm probably going to have to wait to find them individually in the bargain bins.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

 It took 42 years. But the Skywalker Saga finally came to a close for me last night.

Being born in 1977, I have been in the mix of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows of everything Star Wars. I know that fans have taken issue with the prequels and Episodes VI and VII. But you know what? I decided to say the heck with the 'experts.' I stayed away from articles about secret reveals and fan reactions. I didn't even check out the reviews. My students tried to get into my head telling me yesterday that the movie got terrible reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and some Disney advisory panel. But I did not care! 

Star Wars is like life. You are who make it good or bad! I love Star Wars. Having been a shut-in with asthma, my Star Wars toys and vehicles were all I had growing up. (Thank you dad for buying all those toys and keeping them until I was a little older to play with them!)  I consider it my best friend. It's family. I love it unconditionally. 

Well, except for Jar-Jar. Oh, who am I kidding- he's like the crazy uncle that you don't talk about but still invite him to dinner. I like him too. Just in small doses...

Being a movie with a run of over 2.5 hours, there's no small dose of Star Wars here. Yes, things start off slow. You can tell that a stand-in was used quite a bit for some of the parts with the late Carrie Fisher's Leia. There was also some CGI used that made things look a little off. But the movie itself wraps things up nicely.

Ray's mysterious heritage is revealed. Kylo Ren makes his final decision into his ultimate fate! And so much more happens in this epic film! So much that I will limit my description of this film in order to not spoil the ending.

The Rise of Skywalker was almost ready the overthrow Empire Strikes Back as the best Star Wars film. Just when I was about to bestow that moniker on this film, about halfway through, director J.J. Abrams (LOST) decided to pepper tributes to some of his favorite films of the 80s. 

The middle act pays tribute to Goonies, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Castaway among others. There was another cliche floating around at this point; but I can't remember what it referenced. I felt like I was watching a Star Wars parody of movies I grew up watching. Thankfully, that third act wrapped up the Star Wars saga that has been a part of my whole life. 

The Rise of Skywalker might not have been the perfect Star Wars movie. But it was the perfect ending to it. I am so thankful that I got to see all IX movies before my saga comes to a close.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The 18 Days of a Star Wars Christmas Miracle +7: Day 18 (SPOILER FREE MOVIE REVIEW)

  For today's advent, I decided to review the Force Awakens while being as spoiler free as possible. 
   
  For one thing, the Force Awakens is wicked fun. But it's not Empire Strikes Back- perhaps not only the greatest Star Wars film ever, but the best film of all-time- period. True, I have seen Episode V over 200 times and I might be a little biased. Multiple viewings of this film, which I am sure will be occurring in the next few weeks, will help me to really place this film at second or third place over A New Hope and Revenge of the Sith. 

   The acting was quite good. It was great seeing Han, Leia, Chewie, and some other friendly faces. But how did the new characters do? 
   Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron, the best pilot in the Resistance is cocky, fierce, and a little wild. But he's quite likable. The mysterious orphan Rey played by Daisy Ridley is a star in the making. I take that back, her performance as the scavenger from the planet Jakku is proof that a star is born. Another mysterious character is that of Kylo Ren, who plays a Sith Lord for the First Order. Played by Adam Driver- he's a creepy dude who I actually do not like at all (though his voice when helmeted rivals James Earl Jones' Darth Vader.)

   One thing about Episode VII that quite different from the other 6 movies are the villains. Unlike the Empire, the troops of the First Order don't strike me as evil. But they are baddies nonetheless. But whereas I love the bad guys characters of the Empire like the Emperor, Boba Fett, and, of course, Lord Vader, I hate these guys and hope that the resistance hands them their just desserts by the end of Episode IX. 

    Oh, I almost forgot one more character- the controversial Finn played by John Boyega. When he was first cast last year, some folks lost their freakin' minds over a black stormtrooper. The biggest argument was that the clones used as the original Stormtroopers were not black. Well, this is the second or third generation of stormtroopers made up of recruits and conscripts. So, haters: STIFLE!

    Boyega was the comic relief of the Force Awakens. But he wasn't annoyingly stupid like the notroious Jar Jar Binks. In fact, sometimes, his character of a conflicted stormtrooper played the straight man to an elderly Han Solo, who had some very funny moments as well. Still, Boyega's character was play with such heart and such charm that I openly welcome him into the Star Wars family. (On a side note, Boyega's Finn is rumored to be the son of Lando. If that becomes true, I'm totally fine with it because they both have that dapper swagger and a way with the ladies.)

   So, should you see Star Wars? Absolutely! The few trailers and commercials for the film haven't spoiled anything. In fact, expect some misdirects. JJ Abrams did a great job in making you think that Character A was going to turn out to be a Jedi or a villian, or someone's kid only to have it be Character B. (And yes, as I've been predicting a couple of characters from the Journey to the Force Awakens books do appear in this film. But do you have to read those books to understand what's going on? Not really, though Smuggler's Run does offer the most insight into the goings on in which we first are reintroduced to Han and Chewie.)

   Lastly, here's a couple of tips for seeing the movie this weekend.

   1. Get there early for seats but don't expect to see the film immediately at showtime. My tickets last night were for 7:30. It wasn't until 7:55 that the commercials and trailers finally ended.
   2. Cosplay is okay. But thanks to the a-hole in Denver, expect bag checks, head coverings and fake weapons to be banned, and regular appearances of ushers checking the emergency exits.
   3. There was a rumor of a secret scene at the end of Episode VII. If you hate staying through credits, go ahead and leave, there isn't anything waiting for you at the end of the movie except your car.
   4. Check your theatre for problems. I heard that one screening in Cary, NC was cancelled because their copy of the film was damaged. There were lots of upset folks last night.

   So there you have it. I hope you'll go out and see Star Wars this weekend. There are some many showings, you shouldn't have any troubles getting to see the Force Awakens. Was it a perfect movie? No, but even A New Hope had it's flaws. There were 2 moments that upset me and only 1 of which really pissed me off. Episode VII was a journey back to the Star Wars universe and JJ Abrams was the right man to do it. I hate that he's not directing the next 2 films. With lots of easter eggs, tributes, and original trilogy thrills, this is the next chapter of the House of Skywalker that we waited 32 long years for.

   The Force is strong with this one...

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   

What's Missing from the Force Awakens Trailer? A Theory About Episode VII...

  

I must confess, I didn't stay up to watch the Star Wars trailer last night during Monday Night Football. But when I got home today, I immediately went online and viewed it. As much as I enjoyed it, I was struck by a nagging feeling that I couldn't put my finger on- until now... Where is Luke Skywalker?

   This is the third trailer I have seen for Episode VII. Except for his voice, the character played by Mark Hamill doesn't appear in any of them.

    Then I kept coming back to Han Solo saying that everything you here about the Jedi is true. Consider how big a skeptic in the Force Han was in the original trilogy, what would cause him to change his tune? That's when something else finally came to the forefront of my mind about why these trailers bother me- where are all the Jedi?

   You would think 30 years after the fall of the Empire that Luke would have created an impressive collection of Jedi Knights. But the only character that brandishes a lightsaber with any confidence is the Sith character of Kylo Ren. (At this point you might be yelling at my post saying " What about Finn? Don't worry, I'm coming to him.)

    Anyway, the whole thought of lightsabers got me thinking about another new character named Poe Dameron. This guy is an X-wing pilot tasked with retrieving the weapon Luke had lost, along with his arm, in his battle with Darth Vader on Bespin in Episode V. It's been 35 years since that happened, so why would Princess Leia wait until now to make someone other than Luke fetch it unless....
( this next sentence is A) speculation, not a spoiler and B) likely to make you mad. So, you've been warned.)

... Luke Skywalker is dead.

    Think about it, We've not seen Luke in any of the trailers, there's no army of Jedi, just this mysterious Sith character, Han waxes poetic about the Jedi, and when someone finally wields Luke's old lightsaber, it's the controversial character of Finn. So here's my theory:

   Luke tried to train the next generation of Jedi, but like with Obi-Wan, his apprentice became seduced by the Dark Side, became Kylo Ren, and killed Luke. Thus no further Jedi Knights.

   The movie is titled 'The Force Awakens.' If Luke was around, wouldn't it already be up? What if the character of Finn, played by John Boyega isn't a Skywalker but the new New Hope? Thus, the Force Awakens when Leia, who has some Force abilities, sees potential in this reformed stormtrooper. His teacher? Why, the ghost of Luke Skywalker! In a twist to the original trilogy, the ghost has become the master. Since revealing Luke to be a spectre would be a major spoiler- that is why Hamill has yet to appear in any of the trailers  (He's not even on the official movie poster!!! See above right...)

   Addendum: Luke might be alive but in typical Skywalker fashion, he has turned to the Dark Side of the Force. It's possible that we've seen Luke in all three trailers, it's just we've not seen his face. This actually makes a little bit of sense as in the most recent trailer, the Sith Lord, Ren seems to be in possession of the skull of Darth Vader. But how did he get it if Luke had his father's body at the end of Return of the Jedi? That's because Luke betrayed the New Republic, became a Sith lord named Kylo Ren and joined/ started the First Order. (Yes- I know that Ren is played by Adam Driver, but maybe that's only when the character is wearing his mask! Unmasked, Ren is played by Mark Hamill. It's happened before with Vader being played by two different actors in Episode VI!)

    So that's my theory. What do you think? I know it sounds wild. But if you find that my post was blocked by Disney, then I was on to something...