Avoiding that deep pool of anger.
Creative Staff:
Story: Greg Weisman
Art: Pepe Larraz
Colors: David Curiel
What They Say:
The conclusion of Caleb Dume’s first foray into the Clone Wars! The inevitable conflict with General Grievous! Star Wars adventure from the Republic to the Rebellion!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The Mygeeto storyline comes to a close with this installment and once again we get some really nice bookend aspects to it. I’ve liked how the book has used the connective phrases from the present to the past to tell the tale, though I’m sure some find it forced, because it’s a smooth transition that feels right in this universe where you can’t really do the usual visual wipes and other tricks of cinematography. The bookend pieces are pretty short once again but it serves to move things along well enough and the ending pages provides for some really fun and stylish moments for Kanan as he bursts out of the healing chamber. I’ll admit I was a little thrown by Hera calling him luv, however.
The third battle of Mygeeto has definitely had some good set pieces as we saw the last time around, but those take less of a focus with this chapter as it’s more about the characters and what they’re facing. Larraz continues to design some great looking sequences and I love the flow of the panels within panels that he does sometimes as it’s not always what you’d think of as natura yet has a great flow about it. There are some smaller tales to be told amid the action here, especially as we see Billaba going up against Grievous and doing her best to hold her own. I like the action of it but felt that her dialogue during it just felt kind of unnatural and stilted in a way that made it less clear as to what she was truly trying to say. Still, she’s been a solid character in this arc and I loved seeing her getting a chance to do some solid moves.
Most of the focus is naturally on Caleb as he deals with what’s been done to Stance. Stance’s death is one that hits him hard in his early time out in the galaxy in the midst of a war and seeing it so up close and personal, not the distant romantic version he had built up for himself, sets him off easily. What’s welcome, however, is that he feels the anger and understands it to be that deep pool that he can drown in. I won’t say that he taps into it to use it, but he becomes focused and aware of it and works towards dealing with the situation. It’s a difficult one since there’s the classic sense of Jedi justice that’s kind of murky on killing, but at the same time it’s to defend his own life from what’s coming at him. It’s well executed and I loved the way Larraz works the panels and motions to make it an engaging sequence of events.
In Summary:
While this arc perhaps feels like an issue too long overall, and not exactly a requirement to have the Rebels crew in there, it works overall and I enjoyed the tie-in during the TV series to the world as well because it enriched the show which in turn enriches the book. Weisman continues to have a solid grasp of the characters and their portrayal and I’m glad to get a bit more time in the Clone Wars era having enjoyed that TV series. Similarly, Larraz is just ideal for this series as he brings such a flow to it with great designs, excellent positioning for the camera to take it all in, and some great expressiveness in the cast as well. The book is just a smooth and fun read that digs into the characters in a way the show has a harder time doing and they make it look easy doing it.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Marvel Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: February 24th, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
