There are so many Star Wars memes and jokes one could use to start this review, but those are too obvious. So instead, let’s skip them, start the new year with a small spoiler warning and take the high ground instead.
… I meant “high road!”
Written by Jody Houser
Illustrated by Cory Smith and Wilton Santos
Colored by Java Tartaglia
Lettered by VC’s Travis LanhamTHE EARLY DAYS OF OBI-WAN KENOBI, JEDI KNIGHT! Following the wishes of his master, OBI-WAN has taken on ANAKIN SKYWALKER as an apprentice. Will his mission alongside his young Padawan bring them closer together, or sow the seeds that will drive them apart? And who else is after the ancient holocron that they seek?
Say what you will about the Star Wars prequels, Obi-Wan Kenobi stole the show. Yet for all we see of him and Anakin, the movies showed us Anakin near the end of his training, when the two had already established strong bonds. We saw very little of them as they were first getting to know each other, so this comic attempts to fix that.
What we get is Obi-Wan taking Anakin on his first mission, all told from Obi-Wan’s perspective. It’s a good look at him in his early days of teaching, interspersed with flashbacks to his own tutelage under Qui-Gon Jinn. It frames the story well, letting us see him from a sympathetic angle where we can understand his hesitance, doubt, and uncertainty about his own abilities as a teacher.
It also lets us learn more about Anakin’s own time training in the Jedi temple, given how the films established he started at a much older age than the other padawans. The fact that Jedi such as Obi-Wan were taken to the temple at a very young age, compared to how he was taken from Tatooine later in life, provides more to his character and inner turmoil. In that sense, it’s as much a comic about Anakin as it is Obi-Wan.
Although the story is supposedly about the two going to retrieve a holocron before pirates can get to it, that storyline is secondary to the character work presented through narration and conversation. We see the early signs of conflict between them, as both deal with the circumstances that Qui-Gon’s death left them unprepared for, and as they strengthen their bonds as master and padawan.
Still, the story itself moves at a good enough pace for what it is. Jody Houser brings a strong voice and personality to the characters, along with plenty of good character-defining moments, strengths and flaws alike, that we see help shape the characters they were in the movies.
And yes, Obi-Wan does say, “Hello there.” Because that, of all his lines, is the one people have latched on to. There’s even a section at the end talking about how surprisingly iconic the line has become.
As far as art goes, Cory Smith and Wilton Santos do a decent job with the human character designs, give or take the occasional odd smile. In fact, we get some really nice moments, such as Obi-Wan meditating calmly, his robes flowing from the Force letting him levitate. However, the best part of the artwork comes from the scenery, whether it’s the architecture within the Jedi temple or the alien world of Dallenor.
The way the planet is designed is appropriately alien and in line with the visuals we’ve come to expect from Star Wars. The red and yellow tint to the skies, the purple plants, and the shapes of the buildings are all unique and visually impressive, making it feel like a real world within the movie universe. Java Tartaglia’s color work makes the different colors blend and feel natural, adding warmth and life to the location.
Similarly, the art team does a great job with the alien characters. We get familiar faces, such as Yoda, a wide range of species, and some new designs that don’t feel out of place. When bird-faced alien bandits ride in on a mount that looks like a massive dog with a head the size of its body, it feels normal. Some scenes include several different alien species, mingling and training together, and each one is identifiable to a certain kind of Star Wars alien, drawn, inked, and colored expertly.
Continued belowThere’s a little combat near the end as well, when we get to see Obi-Wan in action. Most of it takes all of a single two-page spread, indicating just how quickly he manages to dispose of his foes; of particular note is how the comic illustrates a lightsaber effortlessly cutting through a steel blade. It’s quick but drawn very nicely, with the slight exception of a kick where I’m just not sure where his leg is coming from or going.
In the end, what “Star Wars: Age of Republic – Obi-Wan Kenobi” gives us is not a story of action or Jedi uncovering a lost holocron, but a character-driven tale that gives us a look into the psyche, and even the uncertainty, of one of the franchise’s most famous and beloved characters. It shows us Obi-Wan and Anakin beginning to grow, accompanied by some great set pieces and alien designs.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – An all-around solid comic, providing a look into the mind of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the early days of him training Anakin. It’s worth a read for anyone who wants to see more of the Jedi in action, not just in a physical sense but in an emotional one.
