Comic Review – The Star Wars #1 (of 8)

With The Star Wars #1, J. W. Rinzler and Mike Mayhew take us to a time and place  they call “Longer ago, in a galaxy either further away.”  Adapted from the original screenplay by George Lucas, this comic shows what might have been if Lucas’s original plans hadn’t been altered by several revisions of the script.

What we know as Star Wars: A New Hope started life as The Star Wars, a tale of Jedi-Bendu vs. the Knights of Sith, as the New Empire had hunted down the architects of the Imperial Space Force.  You’ll notice similar themes and characters — Luke, Leia, Jedi, Sith, the Force, the Empire, mechanical prosthetics, wise tutors — but this story from 1974 has them changed so much that you can’t predict what’s going to happen.

J. W. Rinzler has written many books detailing the behind-the-scenes efforts to get the original trilogy on the screen as well as other tomes dealing with the Star Wars saga, so he is a prime candidate to put Lucas’s original story to the comic page.  Mike Mayhew takes a cue from Ralph McQuarrie’s original designs to provide a universe that hints of what was to come, but in many ways is unique and distinct.

Without spoiling anything, let me say I love this comic.  When it was first announced many months ago, I eagerly waited for this day to come.  I love Ralph McQuarrie’s designs; one of my prized collectibles is the McQuarrie Starkiller vs. Vader statue that embodies the familiar concept art.  I can’t wait to see how this might be incorporated into the story in a later issue.  And after having seen Star Wars countless times, it’s great to see something entirely new yet familiar.  Unlike some Expanded Universe stories, you don’t need any foreknowledge to fully enjoy this comic.

The artwork is crisp and clean, and the story moves along at a crisp pace (almost too fast, actually, but you have to take some pacing liberties when trying to adapt a movie script to a comic).  This story makes me really wish we’d get to see this as a movie; I’d love to see these designs realized.  Star Wars costumers — this is your cue.  I’ve see the McQuarrie Vaders, Starkillers, and Stormtroopers.  I have a feeling this mini-series will provide ample fodder for your talents.

If you are a Star Wars fan, you would do yourself a service to pick up this book.  I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants a peek into how the inner-workings of