STAR WARS #1: A Fractured Republic

Star Wars #1: The Empire has been defeated and the New Republic now faces a new enemy, diplomacy. Princess Leia may have had an easier time battling the Empire as she struggles to bring new planets into the New Republic. Meanwhile, Luke lands himself in trouble as an Imperial Destroyer run by pirates appears on a routine mission leaving his crew needing help!

Creative Team:

Alex Segura (WRITER)

Phil Noto (ART and COVER)

Clayton Cowles (LETTERS)

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

Matt: Alex immediately brings us into familiar territory with our beloved characters in their elements. We get to see Luke as a pilot leading his squad Leia in a diplomatic role, and even Han on his adventure. What I love is how each character’s essence is captured so perfectly right from the get and I can almost hear their voices in my head. Alex is taking us on this journey showing just how fractured the galaxy is and that the New Republic will face struggles which is something that has always fascinated me post Return of the Jedi.

Josh: The story is incredibly accessible for any reader to jump into. You know who Luke, Han & Leia are? Well you’re good to go! I also love how chaotic things are at the start of the story with this new series. You might think that everything was neat and tidy, and a simple transfer of power. But it could not be any further from the truth. I particularly loved Leia’s portion of the story because it shows her in a role we didn’t get to see all that often in the films. I’m not 100% certain where Alex Segura is going to take us on this journey, but I can’t wait to get there.

The Art and Letters:

Matt: I can confidently say that Phil blew me away with how detailed and accurate he was in bringing Carrie Fisher’s Leia to these pages. It looks as though they simply put a portrait of her onto the pages and it instantly took my breath away. Phil also has some fun artwork such as when he shows an X-wing explosion showing the pieces breaking apart and the ball of fire within. The art was a standout for me returning to this fun world visually. Clayton is working magic on the letters and the tones and inflections within the voices are captured perfectly and immersively within the panels.

Josh: The story is obviously great to start off the series. Undoubtedly the standout of the issue has to be the artwork done by Phil Noto. And anytime you’re taking characters who were real people first, and adapting them to a 2D drawn format can be tricky. Nonetheless Phil does an immaculate job of taking the characters we’ve been intimately familiar with for over almost 50 years now and adapting them in this issue. Everything about the art is just beautiful. Along with that the work done by Clayton Cowles is incredible and do a fantastic job of bringing some weight to the story.

Overall Grade: 9/10

Matt: 9/10

Star Wars #1 is taking us into the post-Empire world as the New Republic is struggling to stand on its own two feet and bringing us to new planets with a new set of problems. This first issue instantly captures that Star Wars spirit and is an instant must-read for me!

Josh: 9/10

Alex Segura pens what might be the best first issue of a series I’ve read in quite some time. He takes an era of Star Wars that’s being explored fairly heavily lately and makes it incredibly accessible for any and all fans. You do not have to be a die hard Star Wars fan to enjoy this issue, and you should 100% add this to your pull list ASAP

So what did you think of the issue? Be sure to leave a comment down below letting us know your thoughts!