Creative Staff:
Writer: John Ostrander
Artist: Jan Duursema
What They Say:
It began with the mysterious pyramid ships–the Tho Yor–scattered to the eight corners of the galaxy, and ended with the establishment of an Order that would change the universe forever.
Here’s your first look at the Star Wars of 25,000 years ago–before there were lightsabers, when the ties to the Force were new, and before the Jedi spread out into the galaxy.
The Review:
This is the first comic of its type that I have read, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I knew it was listed as a “guide”, but I didn’t know what that meant. There is no storyline here – but there are many hints about what the coming story will hold. While I prefer comics with a story to tell, I definitely appreciated the art and detail in this one.
The guide includes an amazing amount of information that helps set the stage for the tale of the Dawn of the Jedi; a tale that will help us learn about the true origins of the Jedi and Sith. The issue includes information about the locations on the planet Tython, the gathering of the Force sensitive who would begin the training, and the origin of the original name – the Je’daii. Most importantly, though, there are brief biographies of the characters that will help us navigate the coming story. Force Hounds who seek out sentient creatures that are Force sensitives, Je’daii with divided loyalties, and pursuers of power. What could go wrong?
Aside from the things I learned about this early world, the artwork was strong. There was a variety of types of art, including sketches of the Je’daii, some elaborately detailed images of locations, and some simpler pictures. My favorite was the sketch style art. The combination helped add to the informational feel of the text. As I’d expect from the Star Wars world, there are creatures of all types who come together on Tython, and I’m intrigued by their appearance. The Sith race, especially, is fascinating.
The scene has been set for a story with an extraordinary amount of detail. I have trouble keeping all those different details in my head at once sometimes, and I think this guide will be a valuable resource to help me get the most of out of Dawn of the Jedi.
In Summary:
I adore getting a glimpse into the backstory of a series I love, especially one with such a rich history like Star Wars. As much of a Star Wars fan as I feel like I am, my adoration to date has been mostly limited to the movies. There are just so many books and comics out there; I feel like I don’t know where to begin. So when I spotted the chance to dive into a brand new comic series, and saw that there was even this guide to help me start my journey, I was thrilled!
If the beauty of the art and the detail of the information is an indication of the quality of the Dawn of the Jedi title (and I certainly hope it is), this will become one of my “not to be missed” comics each month. This is a great guide, and no doubt will prove helpful to have on hand as you take the leap into the newest Star War series.
Grade: A
Readers Rating: [ratings]