PopCultHQ received a review copy of STAR WARS: The High Republic Adventures Vol. 1 TPB from Dark Horse Comics. Available September 6th, the creators in this issue features writing by Daniel José Older, art by Toni Bruno, colors by Michael Atiyeh, and letters by Comicraft‘s Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
STAR WARS: The High Republic Adventures Vol. 1 TPB
Written by Daniel José Older
Art by Toni Bruno
Colors by Michael Atiyeh
Letters by Comicraft‘s
Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt
Cover Art by Harvey Tolibao w/ Kevin Tolibao
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Format: FC, 96 pages; TPB, 7″ x 10″
Genre: Star Wars, Science-Fiction, Action/Adventure
ISBN-13:978-1-50673-292-3
ISBN-10:1-50673-292-5
Ages: 10+
SRP: $19.99
Release Date: September 27th, 2023
Collects issues #1-#4 of the series.
For young Padawan Sav Malagán, joining the ranks of the noble Jedi Order has been all she’s ever wanted. But a chance encounter with a crew of eccentric misfits makes her question everything she’s taken for granted in her life. Trapped aboard the ship of infamous space pirate Maz Kanata, will Save ever be able to rejoin the Jedi? And if she spends much long with Maz and her crew, will she even want to?
PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
Take a trip back to the days of the High Republic in a galaxy far, far away. The Star Wars universe expands once more in this first trade paperback collecting the first issues of the latest comic book series from Dark Horse Comics. Thrill to the pulse-pounding action as audiences are introduced to another courageous member of the ancient Jedi Order and see a familiar face from the sequel trilogy. Fans of the beloved sci-fi franchise will enjoy the writing from Daniel José Older and note a standout moment that includes an appearance by a treasured character from Attack of the Clones.
Writing: Daniel José Older has made his name known throughout the Star Wars landscape by contributing to 2017’s From a Certain Point of View anthology and writing a tie-in novel to Solo: A Star Wars Story. It is evident from the word go that Daniel had a lot of fun writing this installment in the High Republic Adventures. He takes his experience as a novelist, combined with his love of Star Wars, and the result is the first issues collected here. No doubt newcomers to Daniel’s writing style will appreciate the underlying passion permeating the book.
Art: One of the things I have noticed over the years is that the level of artwork with various Star Wars comics can either be of the sort that grabs my attention right away or doesn’t do it for me. Sadly, Toni Bruno’s artwork falls into the latter category. He has a terrific eye for detail and scenery, but when it comes to the characters themselves, it feels a little too cartoon-like, even for a Star Wars comic. It may be the facial expressions, the eyes, or both, but whatever it is, the appeal is not there for this reader. I am sure there are split opinions on this matter. However, Toni’s style doesn’t match Daniel’s script for me.
Colors: Michael’s color selection for the TPB was stupendous. There are a lot of rich, bright choices that add a little sizzle and pop everywhere. It is clear that a lot of work went into selecting the right hues for everything from the different settings, skin tones, and clothes. Even elements like smoke plumes, flashes of heat, or light receive the same dedication and treatment as the aforementioned pieces. One page that was lavish with colors comes later in the book when Padawan Sav is resting with her newest friend and taking in a fantastic expanse of stars—simply marvelous work from Michael.
Letters: It is said that the eyes are the windows into the soul. Well, the lettering is the window into hearing the voices of the different characters in a comic book. Tragically, it was not meant to be with the work from Comicraft within these pages. It may be because only two persons that show up in this book have appeared in the movies and, therefore, have a voice that I can hear. It could be because everyone else in the TPB are newcomers and are still growing on me. Whatever the case may be, this is one time the lettering falls flat this time. Let us hope that this does not happen again down the road.
Overall Assessment:
I have been a Star Wars fan for a very long time. Since I was a kid, in point of fact. So much of the new material that has come out over the years has allowed fresh creativity and talented individuals to make their mark on this universe we all hold dear. It pains me that there were aspects from the team of this TPB that did not wow or thrill me as it has been from past Star Wars collections. For those looking for a fun new read or something for their kids to enjoy, perhaps this is for them. Whatever the case may be, hopefully, others will find something to appreciate when they pick this book up.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
3 out of 5 Stars
About Dark Horse Comics:
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics is an excellent example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and transform a company with humble beginnings into an industry giant. Over the years, Dark Horse has published the work of creative legends such as Yoshitaka Amano, Margaret Atwood, Paul Chadwick, Geof Darrow, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Faith Erin Hicks, Kazuo Koike, Matt Kindt, Jeff Lemire, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Kentaro Miura, Moebius, Chuck Palahniuk, Wendy Pini, Richard Pini, and Gerard Way. In addition, Dark Horse has a long tradition of establishing exciting new creative talent throughout all of its divisions. The company has also set the industry standard for quality licensed comics, graphic novels, collectibles, and art books, including Stranger Things, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Dragon Age, James Cameron’s Avatar, Game of Thrones, Mass Effect, StarCraft, The Witcher, and Halo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.
