SW7N Review: Marvel’s Star Wars #9
If you were wondering when the Star Wars comic books were going to have Luke stumble onto some Jedi artifacts, today is your day…
Luke just had his lightsaber snatched away last issue and he’s on a chase to get it back. On Nar Shadda, which is the Coruscant of the criminal world, Luke pursues the thief. Their chase leads them to a mid-air entanglement that gives the name Skywalker new literality. The two plummet to the deepest reaches of the city and we meet a new underworld friend, Grakkus the Hutt. Not only does Grakkus appear to be three-times the size of Jabba (my Hutt barometer), he is flanked by some Magna Guards and wears a necklace of Jedi lightsabers. Some Hutts are into money, spice, and slave girls. This Hutt is into Jedi artifacts.
After Luke gets “escorted” to Grakkus’ abode, we realize this Hutt has a serious collection of Jedi artifacts. Almost as serious as the Emperor’s collection of Sith artifacts aboard his private ship. Grakkus has one that is the most unique: a Jedi Holocron that only someone with knowledge of the Force can open. Luke may talk like a badass when he’s flinging a lightsaber around, but when pressed to open the Holocron with a blaster to his head, he gently reminds them he’s no Jedi. His Midi-chlorians must have kicked in, because the Holocron opens for Luke. I’ll let you all read what it says, because it’s a pretty cool moment.
Grakkus has all the proof he needs that Luke is the last Jedi. If you’re a Hutt, what do you do with the last Jedi? Have him sent to someone called the Gamemaster and prepare to watch the him fight for his life in the Arena. That’s where we are left with Luke’s story.
Oh yeah. I almost forgot! Han’s still married and after three issues we still know next to nothing about her. We probably have about thirty-seconds added to where you last saw Sana, Han, and Leia. They are still arguing about Han’s departure from their matrimonial union and Leia seems to be the only one who cares there are some TIE Fighter pilots that need to be blasted. Sana also didn’t know Han’s a Rebel and on the Empire’s most wanted list, which is surprising and sloppy writing, since she seemed to know every other aspect of his life. The three of them all escape in Sana’s ship and I have a feeling next issue they will punch the “exposition” drive and we’ll finally find out what the hell the deal is with Sana Solo.
We get a nice little cameo by some familiar Rebel Alliance leaders at the end of the issue. I’ll let you read about that one, as well.
This was a step-up from #8, but I’m still really let down by the artwork. The faces look washed out and cartoonish to me. It’s not a deal breaker and I still think this series is worth keeping up on. Pick this issue up but I wouldn’t run out and get it. It might even be worth waiting for the arc to finish. It’s good, but certainly not great.
You can order a digital copy at Marvel.com or at Comixology.com, or visit the nearest comic book store.
Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.
Those Jedi artifacts are being researched by top men. Top… men.
“Those lightsabers belong in a museum!”
cool. i think im gonna wait for the TPB
Why do they keep telling the same dang stories.
Why does the art suck so much too?
I liked the Hutt’s Jedi artifact collection. (There’s certainly a lot of collecting going on in the new Disney EU, isn’t there–starting with that child from Rebels). But I’m bored with the Han’s wife arc. It’s just too farcical for me.
a question. Did anybody notice wheter chronologically wich came first? the marvel comics or heir to the jedi? weapon of a jedi seems close to issue 1 of this series, mostly because of the same jacket he wears and that apparently he seems to know how to use the lightsaber… so is Heir something that happenned previously? But again, if he already knew telekinesis the issue he had in weapon of a jedi related to that (Wont spoil what) would make no sense. On the other hand all canon works seem to ignore heir to the jedi… I agree that it’s not the best canon novel, but wasn’t canon supposed to be coherent?
LOL! Coherent until they nuke it again to sell more crappy stories.
See here for the timeline of canon media:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_canon_media
And yeah, I know what you’re talking about with the telekinesis issue, and it doesn’t make sense.
Man, I think you set the standards for the artwork well higher than me. That hutt was mega, Nar shardaa looked really cool, and they’ve captured Luke quite well.