If the letters pages didn’t swear Rinzler was sticking to the original rough draft, I don’t think I’d believe it. Because this issue–adapted from a script written in the early seventies–has the standard modern action movie third act thing going on. When they attack the Death Star (it’s called something else, I think), Annikin and Leia are still on the station. They’re fighting to get away.

The original movie doesn’t try to overdo the dramatic tension–though Return of the Jedi basically does the aforementioned tension boosting. It reads more like what came later, in the genre created by Star Wars, than Star Wars itself.

There are some interesting twists and turns this issue too. The problem is more the length–Rinzler could have used two more issues for all the stuff he works out in this one–but The Star Wars concludes a somewhat successful curiosity.

Even with all the terrible names.

B- 

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

This issue isn't bad. It's got some of Mayhew's best art on the series–though not his giant Wookie battle, but the moments before those scenes–and Rinzler keeps the action going. But the comparisons to the original films, particularly Return of the Jedi, reveal just how much texture Rinzler has sacrificed to fit this comic into eight issues.

For example, there are these attempts at banter between Annikin and Artwo and they're incredibly forced–it's as though Rinzler remembered at the last minute Artwo could talk here and had to get something in.

The issue is preparation for the Wookie battle, which includes the introduction of Chewbacca and his single dialogue exchange with Han Solo (who's just around to give Luke Starkiller someone to talk exposition with), the huge Wookie battle, kids getting kidnapped, Darth Vader interrogating, Annikan infiltrating the Death Star stand-in.

Too bad Dark Horse couldn't give Rinzler twelve issues.

B- 

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

After some unimaginative issues, The Star Wars definitely feels a lot more on track this time around. Even with some way too static art from Mayhew. He has lots of problems with Princess Leia react shots. She looks completely nonplussed by the chaos around here; it's not a one time thing, it's every time she's in a panel.

But this issue gives writer Rinzler the chance to utilize that fantastic Star Wars device–divide the cast into separate story lines before bringing them back together. Annikin gets separated from Starkiller and Han Solo as they both run across the Wookie tribes on this jungle planet. Lots of interesting, unexplored threads from the original films, which is something this series apparently needs (and initially promised).

Before I forget–having an older lead in Starkiller, not a guest star, really helps.

It's definitely one of the better issues. The second half's fantastic.

B 

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

It’s an all action issue, which is good since Mayhew’s faces are way too static. Everyone is either grimacing or smiling. Maybe he was in a rush. Or maybe doing all the action took up too much time.

The action’s all rather familiar. It’s a mix of sequences from the first Star Wars movie, the spaceport subterfuges and then the Death Star rescue. It’s not bad, just kind of boring. See this version of Han Solo–an alien who looks a lot like the seventies Swamp Thing, only orangish–is about the only standout. And he doesn’t do anything.

Oh, Mayhew drawing Threepio slightly feminine might be interesting, but I think it’s just a coincidence.

One thing I did notice was the lack of strong female presence. The Princess in The Star Wars does about as much as a handbag. Except when she gets mushy.

Still, it’s slick and entertaining.

C+ 

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Mayhew has some fantastic panels this issue. Unfortunately, Rinzler has the single goofiest moment in the history of George Lucas goofy moments to try to pull off and he can’t do it. Mayhew even makes it worse somehow. He goes with this grand panel and then follows it up with a little normal one, like the event is immediately pedestrian.

It’s too bad, because besides forgetting about Leia as a character for almost the entire thing–Rinzler also downgrades Annikin’s presence too much, but not near as bad–it’s a fairly good issue. Rinzler gets a very strange, almost comedic moment out of the last panel, something very non-Star Wars. This issue might be the first where it feels like something other than an adaptation.

There’s also this ambitious–and not entirely successful–juxtaposition of the Imperials torturing prisoners, but at least Mayhew and Rinzler are trying for something.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

And once more, The Star Wars is interesting again. Rinzler introduces a lot this issue–the original Lucas treatment must have been a disaster, as even the issue is plotted like a movie serial where a new major character is introduced every four minutes.

Except in this comic, the major character relates to the Star Wars movies already made, so one gets to see how things changed. In some ways, this series reads like a good version of the prequel trilogy, like there’s a low ceiling on how far Lucas can go with sci-fi action without a lot of help.

Mayhew’s art is also rather good for the first half of the issue. The droids show up and he does well with them and the desert setting. Later on, he loses track of them and Princess Leia during a lengthy vehicle action sequence. It’s too confusing.

Still, interesting stuff.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editor, Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

I wonder why George Lucas went ahead and decided not to have a main–heroic–character who tries to force himself on every female character he encounters. If you’ve wanted to see Annikin Starkiller punch out Princess Leia, here’s the comic for you.

That summary is a bit of a low blow but Annikin really is the dumbest part of The Star Wars. Rinzler doesn’t know where to fit him into the story (probably because he just doesn’t fit) and, otherwise, it’s a rather decent comic book.

Once again, it reads like a mix of the original and the prequels, only without the stupid toy stuff. R2D2 and C3P0 show up–with R2 speaking in English, which is funny–and they have their own subplot getting off the Death Star.

Rinzler still can’t figure out how to do a cliffhanger in a comic.

Mayhew’s somewhat static but good.

It’s fine.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

I went into The Star Wars expecting nothing. It’s Dark Horse’s adaptation of George Lucas’s original Star Wars script, with the sillier character names and less character twists, but it’s also pretty engaging stuff. Some of it’s a curiosity, seeing how things changed, but it works out to be perfectly acceptable sci-fi.

It feels less like the original Star Wars and more like a smarter version of The Phantom Empire–except they kill off the annoying kid early on. Have to make the reader care as soon as possible, after all.

J.W. Rinzler’s sequential adaptation of a film script is surprisingly good. The comic moves right along; there’s a lot of expository dialogue, way too many characters introduced, but it’s digestible enough. Rinzler’s enthusiastic, which helps a lot.

Mike Mayhew’s art style is too static for action, but it’s fine.

I can’t wait for the next one. I’m shocked.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.