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Star Wars (2013)
Star Wars, Vol. 1: In the Shadow of Yavin
In the wake of the Death Star's destruction, the Empire seems to anticipate and thwart all moves by the struggling Rebel Alliance - which smells like a spy among the ranks. Princess Leia forms a stealth squadron of her best pilots - including Luke Skywalker - to expose the spy and find the Alliance a safe home. In another part of the galaxy, Han Solo and Chewbacca are on their own mission for the Rebels, but that, too, has been betrayed to the Empire. And, over all, Darth Vader watches...
Writer Brian Wood (The Massive, Channel Zero, DMZ, Conan the Barbarian) and artist Carlos D'Anda (Batman: Arkham City) bring you Star Wars adventure for today - and the ages!
Collects Star Wars #1–#6 and Free Comic Book Day 2013.
Writer Brian Wood (The Massive, Channel Zero, DMZ, Conan the Barbarian) and artist Carlos D'Anda (Batman: Arkham City) bring you Star Wars adventure for today - and the ages!
Collects Star Wars #1–#6 and Free Comic Book Day 2013.
148 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2013
24 people are currently reading
796 people want to read
About the author
Brian Wood
1,173 books962 followersBrian Wood's history of published work includes over fifty volumes of genre-spanning original material.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
August 26, 2014
I really enjoyed the first arc of Brian Wood's Star Wars or as I would like to say, "The Badassification of Princess Leia". In the first chapter of this six-part story, Wood justifies why Leia is a leader of the Rebellion and not just a figurehead like her mentor Mon Motha. She takes down an enemy fighter all on her on. This princess is an X-Wing fighter ace and she has no time for Luke Skywalker's patronizing tone.
There's a lot more to this collectedd edition but really, this is more about Princess Leia who gets to shine along with the big boys.
Dark Horse comics picked the right writer for what could be its swan song in the Star Wars Universe. The comicbook license is already Marvel's and we've seen the end of an era of quality licensed comicbooks.
There's a lot more to this collectedd edition but really, this is more about Princess Leia who gets to shine along with the big boys.
Dark Horse comics picked the right writer for what could be its swan song in the Star Wars Universe. The comicbook license is already Marvel's and we've seen the end of an era of quality licensed comicbooks.
November 3, 2024
I thought this would be better considering Brian Wood is involved. Pretty much your standard Star Wars story with some weird oddities that I didn't care for. Princess Leia is suddenly a hot-shot X-Wing pilot leading her own squadron containing Wedge and Luke. The narration is in 3rd person and heavy handed with stilted dialogue. While I did like was Carlos D'Anda's art, the coloring was just bad. All the characters' faces looked like they had multiple flashlights shining on them.
November 5, 2024
The basic plot is rather interesting, but my God, is it sluggish and badly written! I can't believe Brian Wood actually wrote it. Dozens of useless explanatory captions clutter up a shoddy storytelling as far as subplots are concerned: Admiral Bircher is clearly under-exploited and Solo is tap dancing.
I also have a lot of trouble with Leia as an X-Wing pilot and squad leader extraordinaire and with the pseudo-romance from left field between Luke and whatshername. His image as the galaxy's eternal cherry boy is badly tarnished.
In short, a severe disappointment: this exploration of the situation of the Rebellion immediately after Yavin was promising, but the mediocrity of the writing and the disconcerting changes with the main characters kinda ruin the adventure.
Art is ok but only that.
I also have a lot of trouble with Leia as an X-Wing pilot and squad leader extraordinaire and with the pseudo-romance from left field between Luke and whatshername. His image as the galaxy's eternal cherry boy is badly tarnished.
In short, a severe disappointment: this exploration of the situation of the Rebellion immediately after Yavin was promising, but the mediocrity of the writing and the disconcerting changes with the main characters kinda ruin the adventure.
Art is ok but only that.
July 15, 2013
The Star Wars universe has become so vast that if you want to look up something on Wookieepedia, you should set aside at least an hour of your time to allow for the multitude of side-clicking you’re inevitably going to end up doing within each entry. Expanded Universe (EU) stories extend into the distant past and the distant future and everything in between, but it seems that the legacy is returning to its roots with a series of new stories focusing on Han, Leia and Luke, directly following A New Hope. I’m looking forward to the upcoming
Razor's Edge
, and in the mean time, enjoyed this new comic series.
The most impressive aspect of this story is that it dives right into the fact that both Luke and Leia just watched their lives and the people they loved catastrophically destroyed. Things like that tend to weigh on you, particularly Leia, who was forced to watch the destruction of her entire planet shortly after hours of rigorous torture at the hands of Darth Vader.
This focuses heavily on the fact that Leia has not been allowed, nor allowed herself the time to deal because the situation is still dire. The destruction of the Death Star has only increased pressure on the Rebel Alliance and her role as a leader means she is constantly working and constantly needing to prove herself. The pressure rises even more when Mon Mothma tasks her with forming and leading a black ops team of pilots. Their purpose: find a new location for the Rebel base and root out the traitor in their midst. Leia herself gets to fly the sleek new X-Wings, revealing yet another of her skills.
Luke doesn’t feature as prominently as expected, though he and Wedge are part of the team. Luke is played up a bit more as the cocky kid we saw in A New Hope, rather than the more subdued and stoic Luke that starts to develop in The Empire Strikes Back. His attitude reminds us that he is barely twenty years old, so his actions are somewhat understandable. But that means that Leia is the same age, revealing the stark contrast of maturity and responsibility between them. I would have liked to see far more that conflict, but instead, we get the more simplistic love triangle plot device that plays out weakly for all involved.
Meanwhile, the fallout from Yavin has affected others as well. Namely, Darth Vader, whom the Emperor is pretty mad at for letting a wee X-Wing blow up an entire space station. Vader has been demoted to supervising the construction of the second Death Star and spends a lot of time mulling over the name “Skywalker” and what he sensed from the pilot that destroyed the Death Star.
And last, but certainly not least, is Han Solo. Joining up with the Rebels has tagged him and Chewie, their career as neutral smuggler and leaving them no other options but to continue working with the Alliance. Mon Mothma has entrusted him with a significant amount of credits to broker a deal with a contact. Is Han worthy of that trust? Hmmm….
Overall, I liked the elements of the characters and story that are introduced. There is a lot of potential for interesting intrigue and character development, with some reasonably good gun and dogfights tossed in for good measure.
With thanks to NetGalley and Darkhorse Comics for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum
The most impressive aspect of this story is that it dives right into the fact that both Luke and Leia just watched their lives and the people they loved catastrophically destroyed. Things like that tend to weigh on you, particularly Leia, who was forced to watch the destruction of her entire planet shortly after hours of rigorous torture at the hands of Darth Vader.
This focuses heavily on the fact that Leia has not been allowed, nor allowed herself the time to deal because the situation is still dire. The destruction of the Death Star has only increased pressure on the Rebel Alliance and her role as a leader means she is constantly working and constantly needing to prove herself. The pressure rises even more when Mon Mothma tasks her with forming and leading a black ops team of pilots. Their purpose: find a new location for the Rebel base and root out the traitor in their midst. Leia herself gets to fly the sleek new X-Wings, revealing yet another of her skills.
Luke doesn’t feature as prominently as expected, though he and Wedge are part of the team. Luke is played up a bit more as the cocky kid we saw in A New Hope, rather than the more subdued and stoic Luke that starts to develop in The Empire Strikes Back. His attitude reminds us that he is barely twenty years old, so his actions are somewhat understandable. But that means that Leia is the same age, revealing the stark contrast of maturity and responsibility between them. I would have liked to see far more that conflict, but instead, we get the more simplistic love triangle plot device that plays out weakly for all involved.
Meanwhile, the fallout from Yavin has affected others as well. Namely, Darth Vader, whom the Emperor is pretty mad at for letting a wee X-Wing blow up an entire space station. Vader has been demoted to supervising the construction of the second Death Star and spends a lot of time mulling over the name “Skywalker” and what he sensed from the pilot that destroyed the Death Star.
And last, but certainly not least, is Han Solo. Joining up with the Rebels has tagged him and Chewie, their career as neutral smuggler and leaving them no other options but to continue working with the Alliance. Mon Mothma has entrusted him with a significant amount of credits to broker a deal with a contact. Is Han worthy of that trust? Hmmm….
Overall, I liked the elements of the characters and story that are introduced. There is a lot of potential for interesting intrigue and character development, with some reasonably good gun and dogfights tossed in for good measure.
With thanks to NetGalley and Darkhorse Comics for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum
October 24, 2019
Dark Horse Comics started publishing comic books for Star Wars in 1991. Their run of dozens of titles set within the Star Wars Expanded Universe (SWEU) came to an end in 2015, when Disney bought the rights to Lucasfilm, and the comic book rights reverted back to Marvel.
I can only imagine that this was a bittersweet time for fans. On one hand, it was probably cool that the SWEU was coming back to Marvel, which originally ran the Star Wars comic book series from 1977 to 1986. In a sense, it was kind of liking coming home.
On the other hand, Dark Horse had invested a lot of time and effort in their many titles set in the SWEU. Starting with a series called “Dark Empire”, Dark Horse went on to create many long-lasting series, including one set in the Old Republic (“Knights of the Old Republic”) and one set nearly a century after the events of “Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi” (“Legacy”).
Most, if not all, of the Dark Horse titles are now considered “old canon”, which means they are not technically a part of the current storyline which was set up in “Episode VII: The Force Awakens”. Sadly, many of the series started by Dark Horse came to an abrupt end, without true closure, in 2015, when Disney/Marvel retained the rights.
The good news is that many of these series are available in compendium editions that compile six or seven issues per volume.
I recently started reading some of these Dark Horse SWEU titles, never having read them during their initial run, and the quality of the stories and artwork range from mediocre to excellent.
While I have, admittedly, been blown away by what Marvel has been doing with the SWEU, the official “new canon”, it has been fun to go back and see what many writers and artists were doing back when Lucas was still in charge.
In 2013, Dark Horse started a short series of titles set immediately after “Episode IV: A New Hope”. The first series, entitled “In the Shadow of Yavin”, was written by Brian Wood and drawn by Carlos D’Anda.
The series starts off with an intense space battle in which Princess Leia (?), piloting an X-wing, is forced to land on Dominus III after an Imperial Tie-fighter squadron appears out of nowhere. Wedge Antilles, Luke Skywalker, and Leia decide to create a stealth squadron, with the support of Mon Mothma, which would take direct orders from Mothma and conduct top-secret black ops missions. Somewhere within the ranks of the Rebel Alliance there is a leak, because top-secret intel is continuously falling into the hands of the Empire.
Meanwhile, Han Solo and Chewbacca are making an undercover run to Coruscant to round up supplies and support for the Rebels. Unbeknownst to them, however, bounty hunter Boba Fett is hot on their trail.
Wood does a decent job of tying in elements from all six of the films. At one point, we even see the construction of the second Death Star on the moon of Endor.
D’Anda’s artwork is good, but I feel like I’ve been spoiled by the amazing artwork of the recent Marvel series, especially Salvador Larroca’s incredible work in the main title series. To be fair, D’Anda’s artwork is hyper-kinetic and probably more in line with traditional comic book art than Larroca’s.
Overall, “In the Shadow of Yavin” is a good read, and one that Star Wars fans will probably enjoy.
I can only imagine that this was a bittersweet time for fans. On one hand, it was probably cool that the SWEU was coming back to Marvel, which originally ran the Star Wars comic book series from 1977 to 1986. In a sense, it was kind of liking coming home.
On the other hand, Dark Horse had invested a lot of time and effort in their many titles set in the SWEU. Starting with a series called “Dark Empire”, Dark Horse went on to create many long-lasting series, including one set in the Old Republic (“Knights of the Old Republic”) and one set nearly a century after the events of “Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi” (“Legacy”).
Most, if not all, of the Dark Horse titles are now considered “old canon”, which means they are not technically a part of the current storyline which was set up in “Episode VII: The Force Awakens”. Sadly, many of the series started by Dark Horse came to an abrupt end, without true closure, in 2015, when Disney/Marvel retained the rights.
The good news is that many of these series are available in compendium editions that compile six or seven issues per volume.
I recently started reading some of these Dark Horse SWEU titles, never having read them during their initial run, and the quality of the stories and artwork range from mediocre to excellent.
While I have, admittedly, been blown away by what Marvel has been doing with the SWEU, the official “new canon”, it has been fun to go back and see what many writers and artists were doing back when Lucas was still in charge.
In 2013, Dark Horse started a short series of titles set immediately after “Episode IV: A New Hope”. The first series, entitled “In the Shadow of Yavin”, was written by Brian Wood and drawn by Carlos D’Anda.
The series starts off with an intense space battle in which Princess Leia (?), piloting an X-wing, is forced to land on Dominus III after an Imperial Tie-fighter squadron appears out of nowhere. Wedge Antilles, Luke Skywalker, and Leia decide to create a stealth squadron, with the support of Mon Mothma, which would take direct orders from Mothma and conduct top-secret black ops missions. Somewhere within the ranks of the Rebel Alliance there is a leak, because top-secret intel is continuously falling into the hands of the Empire.
Meanwhile, Han Solo and Chewbacca are making an undercover run to Coruscant to round up supplies and support for the Rebels. Unbeknownst to them, however, bounty hunter Boba Fett is hot on their trail.
Wood does a decent job of tying in elements from all six of the films. At one point, we even see the construction of the second Death Star on the moon of Endor.
D’Anda’s artwork is good, but I feel like I’ve been spoiled by the amazing artwork of the recent Marvel series, especially Salvador Larroca’s incredible work in the main title series. To be fair, D’Anda’s artwork is hyper-kinetic and probably more in line with traditional comic book art than Larroca’s.
Overall, “In the Shadow of Yavin” is a good read, and one that Star Wars fans will probably enjoy.
August 2, 2017
OK, I've been on a real Star Wars kick lately (thank you, Clone Wars, Netflix, and rocking little baby!) so I honestly really wanted to like this comic compilation, yet...
1. Filling in the story connecting "Star Wars" and "Empire Strikes Back" is interesting...but, much like with the prequel movies, we already know who lives and what their ultimate destinies are, so it becomes much more about the original characters...
2...who are woefully underwritten and not given much time to be themselves; Colonel Birch, for example, seemed like an interesting, ruthless hard-ass, but ultimately his great plan amounts to "Attack!" and Prithi gets dangled as a (maybe) Force-sensitive love-interest for Luke...but, apart from inexplicably sitting on his lap for a while, doesn't get much backstory clarification or agency.
3. Lastly, as much as I love the character of Leia, and appreciated the scenes of her dealing with her grief and guilt over the destruction of Alderaan, putting her in the cockpit of an X-Wing just seemed like a quick and dirty way to ensure she was at risk (laughable, in its own right, for the above-mentioned reason) and in the middle of the action as possible. The mole-hunt subplot could have presented thrills and dangers enough for her while respecting her character's strengths and weaknesses as depicted in the films, which have to be considered about as canon as they get.
So why 3 stars then and not 2 if I was so bemused?
In a word, the art.
This guy (Carlos D'Anda, to give credit where credit's due) can really draw a "space-scape", and the layouts are dynamic and easy on the eye.
Plus, Vader looks proper hard:
So for visuals alone, I say worth a gander.
1. Filling in the story connecting "Star Wars" and "Empire Strikes Back" is interesting...but, much like with the prequel movies, we already know who lives and what their ultimate destinies are, so it becomes much more about the original characters...
2...who are woefully underwritten and not given much time to be themselves; Colonel Birch, for example, seemed like an interesting, ruthless hard-ass, but ultimately his great plan amounts to "Attack!" and Prithi gets dangled as a (maybe) Force-sensitive love-interest for Luke...but, apart from inexplicably sitting on his lap for a while, doesn't get much backstory clarification or agency.
3. Lastly, as much as I love the character of Leia, and appreciated the scenes of her dealing with her grief and guilt over the destruction of Alderaan, putting her in the cockpit of an X-Wing just seemed like a quick and dirty way to ensure she was at risk (laughable, in its own right, for the above-mentioned reason) and in the middle of the action as possible. The mole-hunt subplot could have presented thrills and dangers enough for her while respecting her character's strengths and weaknesses as depicted in the films, which have to be considered about as canon as they get.
So why 3 stars then and not 2 if I was so bemused?
In a word, the art.
This guy (Carlos D'Anda, to give credit where credit's due) can really draw a "space-scape", and the layouts are dynamic and easy on the eye.
Plus, Vader looks proper hard:
So for visuals alone, I say worth a gander.
April 25, 2015
A great addition to my Star Wars graphic novel collection.
I've always had a soft spot for novels set during or just after the Rebellion conflict. I enjoyed reading about the developing relationships between Han, Leia, Luke, and Chewbacca... not to mention that Wedge is featured a bit more prominently.
Now, I won't go too much into the story; there are better reviews than that. Leia creates her own X-Wing squadron with familiar and new characters. People have mentioned the ridiculousness of Leia as an X-Wing pilot... Folks, she's a badass. She has piloted Y-Wings before and soon after this story ends, ends up co-piloting the Falcon. I'm cool with this. There are a few force adepts in the story, which is believeable, but so many in the first volume is stretching it. I'm keen to see where they go from there, though. Someone mention to Brian Wood about Trandosians spreaking basic...
Lastly, Boba Fett, because he is awesome.
The overall art is spectacular, top quality stuff I've come to expect from Dark Horse. There are a few times where the colorist washed out the characters with light and effects, but like a J.J. Abrams and Lens Flare, it doesn't mean you have a bad book, but it's hard to follow. I would have liked a cover gallery, because Alex Ross is slightly more awesome than Boba Fett. Slightly. =)
Really good start for Wood and Co.. Looking forward to more!
I've always had a soft spot for novels set during or just after the Rebellion conflict. I enjoyed reading about the developing relationships between Han, Leia, Luke, and Chewbacca... not to mention that Wedge is featured a bit more prominently.
Now, I won't go too much into the story; there are better reviews than that. Leia creates her own X-Wing squadron with familiar and new characters. People have mentioned the ridiculousness of Leia as an X-Wing pilot... Folks, she's a badass. She has piloted Y-Wings before and soon after this story ends, ends up co-piloting the Falcon. I'm cool with this. There are a few force adepts in the story, which is believeable, but so many in the first volume is stretching it. I'm keen to see where they go from there, though. Someone mention to Brian Wood about Trandosians spreaking basic...
Lastly, Boba Fett, because he is awesome.
The overall art is spectacular, top quality stuff I've come to expect from Dark Horse. There are a few times where the colorist washed out the characters with light and effects, but like a J.J. Abrams and Lens Flare, it doesn't mean you have a bad book, but it's hard to follow. I would have liked a cover gallery, because Alex Ross is slightly more awesome than Boba Fett. Slightly. =)
Really good start for Wood and Co.. Looking forward to more!
January 3, 2015
Pretty decent graphic novel that follows the Rebellion after A New Hope. The art was great and the story was very good, I especially liked the storyline featuring Vader and the aftermath of his failure at stopping the rebels when they blew up the death star.
Why only 3 stars?
Not much new ground here and it ends on a cliff hanger but a good read and if you plan on reading all of the other Star Wars graphic novels then this is recommended.
Why only 3 stars?
Not much new ground here and it ends on a cliff hanger but a good read and if you plan on reading all of the other Star Wars graphic novels then this is recommended.
February 18, 2022
I own this book.
Admittedly, I have read very few of the non-Marvel Star Wars books. This book is set in the Legends era, pre sequel trilogy, in between Episodes 4 and 5 when the Death Star #1 has been destroyed and Darth Vader is trying to get to the bottom of who Luke Skywalker is to him. Luke, in this book, has the air of a cocky 19 year old who has just destroyed the most deadly ship ever known. He's using his position to be a flirt, to be stubborn and a little reckless while Leia accepts her new role as the leader of the rebellion, a strategist, a pilot and the former princess to a no longer existing Alderaan. One of my biggest pet peeves with the Star Wars universe is that we never got to see Leia truly mourn her home world. She and countless other ex-pats lost everything, and we never get to see how she dealt with that, but this book allows us to see her better and get to understand her thought process more. The plot of this book follows Leia as she recruits a small team of trusted pilots to help her locate a new home base for the Rebels as they suspect there is a mole amongst them, feeding their location to the Empire. I really liked this book and I will continue on with this series when I get my hands on the remaining volumes.
Admittedly, I have read very few of the non-Marvel Star Wars books. This book is set in the Legends era, pre sequel trilogy, in between Episodes 4 and 5 when the Death Star #1 has been destroyed and Darth Vader is trying to get to the bottom of who Luke Skywalker is to him. Luke, in this book, has the air of a cocky 19 year old who has just destroyed the most deadly ship ever known. He's using his position to be a flirt, to be stubborn and a little reckless while Leia accepts her new role as the leader of the rebellion, a strategist, a pilot and the former princess to a no longer existing Alderaan. One of my biggest pet peeves with the Star Wars universe is that we never got to see Leia truly mourn her home world. She and countless other ex-pats lost everything, and we never get to see how she dealt with that, but this book allows us to see her better and get to understand her thought process more. The plot of this book follows Leia as she recruits a small team of trusted pilots to help her locate a new home base for the Rebels as they suspect there is a mole amongst them, feeding their location to the Empire. I really liked this book and I will continue on with this series when I get my hands on the remaining volumes.
June 10, 2021
This is an interesting one to read with the new Marvel comic series - this came out in 2013, so it predates Skywalker Strikes. I'm not sure if this is still considered canon, or if it conflicts with the SS series or Rogue One, but it wasn't bad.
This book has Han and Chewie off on their own mission for the Rebellion, whereas Leia is on the search for a possibly spy in their ranks, working with Wedge and Luke. Leia's really the focus of this book - I love her so much, and she's fantastic in here, flying side-by-side with every other pilot.
This volume also introduced a couple new characters who were interesting - Prithi especially. But I really am interested to see where this story will go. The pacing is really criminal, though - it's weird to read. And there are a few too many blocks of text used in here.
3/5 stars. Let's see what'll happen next.
This book has Han and Chewie off on their own mission for the Rebellion, whereas Leia is on the search for a possibly spy in their ranks, working with Wedge and Luke. Leia's really the focus of this book - I love her so much, and she's fantastic in here, flying side-by-side with every other pilot.
This volume also introduced a couple new characters who were interesting - Prithi especially. But I really am interested to see where this story will go. The pacing is really criminal, though - it's weird to read. And there are a few too many blocks of text used in here.
3/5 stars. Let's see what'll happen next.
December 8, 2013
For a Star Wars Comic this was better than several others I have read recently. The Dark Horse Star Wars Comics have always been a favorite but I am an old-school-style comic fan so most comics these days seem to be lacking in my opinion. The comic has the Dark Horse creativity but does seem to have some more modern comic touches. A nice blend for all ages of fans.
This story mainly focuses on Leia, Luke, Wedge and fellow Rebels trying to find a new base after The Battle of Yavin. Luke is portrayed much as he was in the movie 'A New Hope' which is accurate as this takes places just a few weeks after that one ends. Leia, however, is quite different. More kickbutt in personality. Attitude, Flying in combat, etc. While it was fun to read, it was a bit too much for her character. She has always been strong and could generally fly but the stuff she was pulling hear, flying as good as Wedge, just didn't fit right.
The next major storyline we have is Han and Chewbacca doing some intel and trade work on Coruscant and getting a bit over their heads. Also we have a shorter bit with Darth Vader when is is sent off after a demotion. While I liked the Hand and Chewy story, Vader could always use a larger spotlight in my opinion. It seemed to be there mostly for filler on some pages.
Overall, not a bad start to this story arc, but I felt there was not enough there to fully grasp the characters. New, original characters did not stand out very much. I love when they pull 1 or 2 new characters and spotlight them. I saw the opportunity but a lack of execution. Still, the stories were enjoyable, the art was good and still one I will add to my collection and is worthy for Star Wars fans, or any comic fans, to check out.
This story mainly focuses on Leia, Luke, Wedge and fellow Rebels trying to find a new base after The Battle of Yavin. Luke is portrayed much as he was in the movie 'A New Hope' which is accurate as this takes places just a few weeks after that one ends. Leia, however, is quite different. More kickbutt in personality. Attitude, Flying in combat, etc. While it was fun to read, it was a bit too much for her character. She has always been strong and could generally fly but the stuff she was pulling hear, flying as good as Wedge, just didn't fit right.
The next major storyline we have is Han and Chewbacca doing some intel and trade work on Coruscant and getting a bit over their heads. Also we have a shorter bit with Darth Vader when is is sent off after a demotion. While I liked the Hand and Chewy story, Vader could always use a larger spotlight in my opinion. It seemed to be there mostly for filler on some pages.
Overall, not a bad start to this story arc, but I felt there was not enough there to fully grasp the characters. New, original characters did not stand out very much. I love when they pull 1 or 2 new characters and spotlight them. I saw the opportunity but a lack of execution. Still, the stories were enjoyable, the art was good and still one I will add to my collection and is worthy for Star Wars fans, or any comic fans, to check out.
July 15, 2013
Weeks after the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance is on the run, short of funds, and looking for a new base. Leia leads a crack commando team in the hunt for a suspected mole while, in the Empire, Darth Vader licks his wounds and seeks to regain his favored status with a very angry Emperor.
That set-up is compelling as all get-out, isn't it? There are some situations here that really have the potential for great tension and drama going forward.
But the execution falls so, so flat in Brian Wood's hands. The dialogue lacks the charm of the original trilogy - heck, it lacks the charm of even the pre-quel trilogy - which is important when dealing with the original characters. If the dialogue misses the pitch of the originals, then it becomes very hard to identify these as the same characters and very much takes the reader out of the story.
There is also an over-reliance on huge chunks of expository text that - rather than enlighten the reader - come off as redundant in some instances and as a narrative crutch in others.
The art is actually quite decent, if unexceptional - the characters are emotive and there's a lot of vehicle porn here - with one exception: the abundance of gradient bursts or halos around light sources or reflections. Who thinks this looks good? There are so many of these on every page that it becomes a distraction, and actually washes out the details of any given panel. If this were film, they'd have to smear vaseline on the camera lens in order to get the same effect. It's just terrible, like everyone has stepped into an episode of Moonlighting.
That set-up is compelling as all get-out, isn't it? There are some situations here that really have the potential for great tension and drama going forward.
But the execution falls so, so flat in Brian Wood's hands. The dialogue lacks the charm of the original trilogy - heck, it lacks the charm of even the pre-quel trilogy - which is important when dealing with the original characters. If the dialogue misses the pitch of the originals, then it becomes very hard to identify these as the same characters and very much takes the reader out of the story.
There is also an over-reliance on huge chunks of expository text that - rather than enlighten the reader - come off as redundant in some instances and as a narrative crutch in others.
The art is actually quite decent, if unexceptional - the characters are emotive and there's a lot of vehicle porn here - with one exception: the abundance of gradient bursts or halos around light sources or reflections. Who thinks this looks good? There are so many of these on every page that it becomes a distraction, and actually washes out the details of any given panel. If this were film, they'd have to smear vaseline on the camera lens in order to get the same effect. It's just terrible, like everyone has stepped into an episode of Moonlighting.
May 29, 2013
Holy crap. This is one gorgeous book. Awesome story by Brian Wood. Leia kicks some ass in this series. The other female pilot that Luke flirts with is an interesting character but me thinks she is a spy. Boo to Dark Horse for ceasing to give digital copies after issue three. I want to add more but can't think of what else to write but I implore you to pick up this series. Don't make me throat choke you. :)
August 9, 2015
High marks for this one.
November 13, 2016
Eine wirklich tolle Star Wars Story. Habe mich sehr gut unterhalten gefühlt. Schade nur, dass es sich dabei um ein "Legends" Comic und dadurch nicht um offiziellen Kanon handelt.
February 13, 2025
I bought volume 2, Star Wars, Vol. 2: From the Ruins of Alderaan, in London for every cheap, so before jumping into that, I checked out the first one... and it's again a reminder that the Star Wars comics aren't really for me...
This was too action filled, especially space fights which isn't my favorite thing - I'm particular about my scifi, and this was not my type of thing (which has been true for other comics for Star Wars...)
Now on the other hand, I really have good things to say!!! The book does such an interesting thing with Leia and Luke's relationship - making them front stage - the power dynamics coming to play with their friendship as well, but the loyalty and love there. Also seeing pilot!Leia was pretty awesome, this is a side of her I hadn't read about before, and this was very cool to see!!!
This was a fun book, but it's just not really a favorite like the movies!!
This was too action filled, especially space fights which isn't my favorite thing - I'm particular about my scifi, and this was not my type of thing (which has been true for other comics for Star Wars...)
Now on the other hand, I really have good things to say!!! The book does such an interesting thing with Leia and Luke's relationship - making them front stage - the power dynamics coming to play with their friendship as well, but the loyalty and love there. Also seeing pilot!Leia was pretty awesome, this is a side of her I hadn't read about before, and this was very cool to see!!!
This was a fun book, but it's just not really a favorite like the movies!!
October 31, 2021
How do you make Star Wars as boring as this? It's quite an achievement! The perfect comic for anyone who thought that there wasn't enough admin in the original trilogy. Some pretty good art (including Alex Ross covers) can't save us from the tedium.
March 28, 2017
Read again in German! Not sure I got it all but at least I could follow along!
The first comics I ever read were the marvel run of Star Wars comics. Since then I've not really been a fan. The last Dark Horse collection I reserved from the library I didn't even bother taking home as the art was so bad but this was SO MUCH better! First of all Leia was great! She got more "screentime" than she has in any of the secondary literature I've been reading lately. She had piloting skills, she was still a great diplomat, and intelligent and witty! The authors also made a point of having other women in the comics. Leia's band of rebels was perfectly gender balanced. Darth Vader made a woman into a Moff, and she wasn't the only female imperial officer either. The story wasn't hugely original, looking for a new rebel base. Han and Chewie were off doing there own thing on Coruscant and felt a bit like added extras. But overall this was very enjoyable! Definitely going to get the next one.
The first comics I ever read were the marvel run of Star Wars comics. Since then I've not really been a fan. The last Dark Horse collection I reserved from the library I didn't even bother taking home as the art was so bad but this was SO MUCH better! First of all Leia was great! She got more "screentime" than she has in any of the secondary literature I've been reading lately. She had piloting skills, she was still a great diplomat, and intelligent and witty! The authors also made a point of having other women in the comics. Leia's band of rebels was perfectly gender balanced. Darth Vader made a woman into a Moff, and she wasn't the only female imperial officer either. The story wasn't hugely original, looking for a new rebel base. Han and Chewie were off doing there own thing on Coruscant and felt a bit like added extras. But overall this was very enjoyable! Definitely going to get the next one.
June 14, 2025
This review will be a review of the full 20 issue series of ‘Star Wars (2013)’ by Brian Wood and various artists. Volume 1 ‘In the Shadow of Yavin’ covers only the first six issues, but I’ll cover the whole series here instead of logging four separate reviews.
This series is interesting because it was created without any respect for pre-existing canon whatsoever. In fact, it defies the old EU canon on purpose. This series was created for fans who may have only seen Star Wars: A New Hope. It continues that story as if no other Star Wars content exists. Considering Disney chose not to honor the EU one year after this series began makes me more accepting of this non-canon story. It was a great series and I’m glad I read it. The owner of Legendary Comics in Stillwater, OK recommend this series to me back in 2014, and so I bought all four trade paperbacks. I’m glad I did, because they were soon out of print and out of mind.
Part 1: In the Shadow of Yavin
I loved this strong opening to the Star Wars series. The artwork is gorgeous and bold, utilizing full page panels at least once per issue. This volume is worth it for the artwork alone and credit goes to the artist Carlos D’Anda. However, the likeness of the big 3 are not great. Luke, Leia, and Han all look a bit different. This doesn’t bother me really because the characterization was also a little off. So, both their character and image being slightly off was at least consistent.
When I say the character was slightly off, I’ll start with Leia. To begin, this whole first arc of the series is all about Leia both asserting her position as a leader of the Rebellion, but also learning lessons in leadership. It really is fantastic characterization, very compelling. However, Leia is not a dog-fighting pilot. In this arc she takes command of Gray Squad, a pre-Rogue Squadron team that goes on special missions. It’s not that Leia can’t pilot, I think we see her pilot the Falcon with Lando at one point in Empire, but she is no Baron Fel, know what I mean? This did not bother me though, because it was actually awesome to see. Leia shined in her role. She’s the main character of this series, and it works!
Luke is also off. He is unusually cocky, rebellious, and ends up fraternizing with another pilot, Prithi. It’s not the good boy we are used to, but it worked, as Luke has much to learn and is still very young. He’s never been in a military before and is now carrying the fame of destroying the Death Star. This is a fascinating interpretation of the effect of the events of A New Hope.
There are also plotlines featuring Han and Vader. The Vader stuff is fantastic, introducing a rival, name Colonel Bircher, and I really liked it. The Han & Chewie stuff was fine. Han was certainly the smallest part of this arc, but was set up well for an exciting story in the future.
Part 2: From the Ruins of Alderaan
Volume 2 sees to the end the first arc of the Star Wars (2013) series. The energy, artwork, and plot were all excellent, although I found the ending a little less interesting than it could have been. I felt it undercut the actions of our heroes. The artist changed for some of these issues, and while I think Ryan Kelly did a decent job, Carlos D’Anda’s absence was felt. His artwork just works for this series and I wish he’d done the whole thing.
Part 3: Rebel Girl
Rebel Girl continues the storyline of the rebels searching for a new home base, and Stephane Crety takes over the artwork. This odd story, echoing ‘Courtship of Princess Leia’ takes our heroes to a medieval fantasy setting. A gorgeous castle, complete with soaring towers, flying buttresses, and ornate halls was paired with a Switzerland-like countryside. Odd, yes, but not worth the criticism I’ve seen. I liked it and I want to give credit to Stephane Crety for designing such a complex castle, I know that wasn’t easy. It was appreciated on my part.
Was the story good? It was fine. Not as good as the first arc, but I suspect it might have been cut short, because it was likely during this arc that Brian Wood learned the series would be canceled as the Star Wars license was being surrendered to the mouse.
Part 4: A Shattered Hope
This volume begins with ‘Five Days a Sith’, an arc that I thought was so brilliant. This one will stay with me. I really wished this series could have continued so we could have followed Ensign Nanda in her descent into complicity. The decision to follow a low-ranking officer in order to give us a view of Vader’s exploits after the Colonel Bircher business was fantastic. I’m telling you, I really think Brian Wood was cooking with this series, and I wish it had continued.
The final arc of the series was a two-issue story about Leia retrieving a childhood friend. There were some interesting concepts there, like the fact that this might be the last time Leia reunites with a childhood friend, given that her planet was blown up, but ultimately there wasn’t enough space here to tell a story with any consequence. I liked seeing IG-88.
Despite its cancellation, Brian Wood’s time with this series was slated to end with issue 20 regardless, so I’m surprised he didn’t choose to flesh out the Arrochar story. Expanding it two issues could have given him time to better develop the 2D villain.
Closing Thoughts
The partnership of Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda was killer. I absolutely loved it, and I was glued to the page. I *will* be seeking out other work of Carlos D’Anda. If you want a Leia-centric story done well, this series is awesome, as long as you can accept that she is a snubfighter pilot on par with Wedge Antilles. It works better than you’d think, trust me.
The first issue of Star Wars (2013) by Dark Horse sold around 30,000 copies. The first issue of Star Wars (2015) by Marvel sold over 900,000 copies. It literally sold 30 times more copies. That’s insane, especially considering Star Wars (2015) stole the concept and did it worse (imho).
This series is interesting because it was created without any respect for pre-existing canon whatsoever. In fact, it defies the old EU canon on purpose. This series was created for fans who may have only seen Star Wars: A New Hope. It continues that story as if no other Star Wars content exists. Considering Disney chose not to honor the EU one year after this series began makes me more accepting of this non-canon story. It was a great series and I’m glad I read it. The owner of Legendary Comics in Stillwater, OK recommend this series to me back in 2014, and so I bought all four trade paperbacks. I’m glad I did, because they were soon out of print and out of mind.
Part 1: In the Shadow of Yavin
I loved this strong opening to the Star Wars series. The artwork is gorgeous and bold, utilizing full page panels at least once per issue. This volume is worth it for the artwork alone and credit goes to the artist Carlos D’Anda. However, the likeness of the big 3 are not great. Luke, Leia, and Han all look a bit different. This doesn’t bother me really because the characterization was also a little off. So, both their character and image being slightly off was at least consistent.
When I say the character was slightly off, I’ll start with Leia. To begin, this whole first arc of the series is all about Leia both asserting her position as a leader of the Rebellion, but also learning lessons in leadership. It really is fantastic characterization, very compelling. However, Leia is not a dog-fighting pilot. In this arc she takes command of Gray Squad, a pre-Rogue Squadron team that goes on special missions. It’s not that Leia can’t pilot, I think we see her pilot the Falcon with Lando at one point in Empire, but she is no Baron Fel, know what I mean? This did not bother me though, because it was actually awesome to see. Leia shined in her role. She’s the main character of this series, and it works!
Luke is also off. He is unusually cocky, rebellious, and ends up fraternizing with another pilot, Prithi. It’s not the good boy we are used to, but it worked, as Luke has much to learn and is still very young. He’s never been in a military before and is now carrying the fame of destroying the Death Star. This is a fascinating interpretation of the effect of the events of A New Hope.
There are also plotlines featuring Han and Vader. The Vader stuff is fantastic, introducing a rival, name Colonel Bircher, and I really liked it. The Han & Chewie stuff was fine. Han was certainly the smallest part of this arc, but was set up well for an exciting story in the future.
Part 2: From the Ruins of Alderaan
Volume 2 sees to the end the first arc of the Star Wars (2013) series. The energy, artwork, and plot were all excellent, although I found the ending a little less interesting than it could have been. I felt it undercut the actions of our heroes. The artist changed for some of these issues, and while I think Ryan Kelly did a decent job, Carlos D’Anda’s absence was felt. His artwork just works for this series and I wish he’d done the whole thing.
Part 3: Rebel Girl
Rebel Girl continues the storyline of the rebels searching for a new home base, and Stephane Crety takes over the artwork. This odd story, echoing ‘Courtship of Princess Leia’ takes our heroes to a medieval fantasy setting. A gorgeous castle, complete with soaring towers, flying buttresses, and ornate halls was paired with a Switzerland-like countryside. Odd, yes, but not worth the criticism I’ve seen. I liked it and I want to give credit to Stephane Crety for designing such a complex castle, I know that wasn’t easy. It was appreciated on my part.
Was the story good? It was fine. Not as good as the first arc, but I suspect it might have been cut short, because it was likely during this arc that Brian Wood learned the series would be canceled as the Star Wars license was being surrendered to the mouse.
Part 4: A Shattered Hope
This volume begins with ‘Five Days a Sith’, an arc that I thought was so brilliant. This one will stay with me. I really wished this series could have continued so we could have followed Ensign Nanda in her descent into complicity. The decision to follow a low-ranking officer in order to give us a view of Vader’s exploits after the Colonel Bircher business was fantastic. I’m telling you, I really think Brian Wood was cooking with this series, and I wish it had continued.
The final arc of the series was a two-issue story about Leia retrieving a childhood friend. There were some interesting concepts there, like the fact that this might be the last time Leia reunites with a childhood friend, given that her planet was blown up, but ultimately there wasn’t enough space here to tell a story with any consequence. I liked seeing IG-88.
Despite its cancellation, Brian Wood’s time with this series was slated to end with issue 20 regardless, so I’m surprised he didn’t choose to flesh out the Arrochar story. Expanding it two issues could have given him time to better develop the 2D villain.
Closing Thoughts
The partnership of Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda was killer. I absolutely loved it, and I was glued to the page. I *will* be seeking out other work of Carlos D’Anda. If you want a Leia-centric story done well, this series is awesome, as long as you can accept that she is a snubfighter pilot on par with Wedge Antilles. It works better than you’d think, trust me.
The first issue of Star Wars (2013) by Dark Horse sold around 30,000 copies. The first issue of Star Wars (2015) by Marvel sold over 900,000 copies. It literally sold 30 times more copies. That’s insane, especially considering Star Wars (2015) stole the concept and did it worse (imho).
December 28, 2014
What a disappointment! Clearly I liked it somewhat based on my rating, but Star Wars and Brian Wood? That's like chocolate and peanut butter. C'mon. Wood's strength is in memorable characters and emotional response although he has successful managed some concept heavy work in the past. Regardless, he must have been too hamstrung by having existing characters and constricted plot since this happens in between the Episode 4 and 5 of the original trilogy. It's not bad. It's just nothing special - a missed opportunity. As for the art, it was not particularly noticeable. But it is very hard to do a relatively photo realistic style for comics. It was better done in Ex Machina, but that had a whole different kind of vibe to it.
October 25, 2020
A história tava até dhr e tals, suspense pós os acontecimentos de Yavin e pós destruição da estrela da morte e os rebeldes procurando uma base para se reestabelecerem ok. Dai eles acham, tão safe lá fazendo a goma deles, dai tem a treta QUE DURA 1 OU 2 CAPÍTULOS SÓ E AI JA ACABA. Fiquei tipo wtf???? Tinha que ter desenvolvido mais a treta
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2020
Star Wars Legends Project #239
Background: In the Shadow of Yavin, released in October of 2013, collects issues 1-6 of Dark Horse's Star Wars run (January-June 2013), plus the one-shot "The Assassination of Darth Vader." All 7 issues were written by Brian Wood. The main 6 were drawn by Carlos D'Anda and the one-shot was drawn by Ryan Odagawa. Wood, a noted creator of original comics, wrote the entire 20-issue run of this series. D'Anda did the art for about half of them. Odagawa doesn't have any other Star Wars credits.
In the Shadow of Yavin is set during the 2 months after the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Leia, Luke, Han, Chewie, and Wedge Antilles, plus Darth Vader. The story takes place in various places, including Yavin and around the 2nd Death Star, under construction above Endor.
Summary: In the wake of their greatest triumph to date, the Rebellion has never been more vulnerable. The Rebel fleet is anchorless, hopping through the galaxy as Princess Leia leads a handpicked team on a search for a new planet to house their secret base. But no matter where she goes, Leia finds the Empire already waiting. If she can't root out the spy among them, the Rebels are doomed. Meanwhile, Han and Chewbacca are on a special mission to rendezvous with a Rebel contact on Imperial Center, but landing in the heart of Imperial power will prove far easier than taking off again . . .
Review: Aside from the fact that this series effectively ignores both of the other 2 series (Marvel and Rebel Force) that are effectively supposed to be happening concurrently with it, this is a very strong beginning. It's amazing to me that there was ever a point where the official line was to pretend that all of this was canon and could somehow be reconciled, but anyway. If I had to choose, so far there's no question this is the version I'd keep. For one thing (and I can't stop stressing this enough), once again the main plotline from the very beginning is that it isn't safe for the Rebellion to remain on Yavin and they are on the hunt for somewhere new (seriously, Rebel Force, I'm never forgiving you for that nonsense). For another, so far there is a distinct lack of carnivorous green space rabbits and weirdly-sexist female character tropes (sorry, Marvel, I know it was a different time but . . . well, that's it. It's a different time now, and this is the time I'm in).
What's immediately fantastic about this series is that Leia is the main protagonist. Luke and Han are front and center and they have plenty to do, but Leia is an established leader within the Rebellion. Luke and Han are both heroes, but they're also new to the organization. Leia is still the one helping to run this show, and she gets to play that role here. I'm not 100% sure from a canon perspective how I feel about her ace piloting skills, which I can't recall existing in quite this form in any other stories (we'll see, I'll be happy to be wrong), but honestly, I don't care. I love it all.
I also really like the role Wedge Antilles, always my favorite secondary character from the movies, gets to play here. He's only a few years older than Luke, but experience accrues quickly in wartime, and he plays the role of mentor very well. I'm really happy to see him get his due on this front. The depictions of starfighter space combat here are stunning, and are really whetting my appetite for the beloved X-Wing stories to come!
Darth Vader's plotline is the least-developed so far, but there's definitely something building here, and I'm interested to see where it goes. He's been effectively exiled from a central role in Imperial leadership for the time being, disgraced for his failure at Yavin. And naturally, he's chafing under it and actively looking for a way out. And I haven't even really mentioned Han's story, which is a perfect fit for him and also very enjoyable.
Really, the biggest difficulty, such as it is, is just having to ignore the obvious contradictions with the other stories from this time period that I've just read. That and the artwork, which, while I genuinely love the style . . . Well, the art is so good that it's distracting how little the characters look like their movie counterparts most of the time. If it were more stylized, I wouldn't notice as much. Ah, well.
The one downside, and it isn't much of one, is the one-shot, which is the usual totally depthless Vader carnage story that I was literally just complaining about a few reviews ago. An Imperial commander executes an incredibly ill-advised plan to try and take Vader out, and Vader rips through a bunch of stormtroopers and TIE fighters and climbs around the outside of a Star Destroyer to show him why that was A Very Bad Idea. Oh, and Boba Fett's there, because why not.
B+
Background: In the Shadow of Yavin, released in October of 2013, collects issues 1-6 of Dark Horse's Star Wars run (January-June 2013), plus the one-shot "The Assassination of Darth Vader." All 7 issues were written by Brian Wood. The main 6 were drawn by Carlos D'Anda and the one-shot was drawn by Ryan Odagawa. Wood, a noted creator of original comics, wrote the entire 20-issue run of this series. D'Anda did the art for about half of them. Odagawa doesn't have any other Star Wars credits.
In the Shadow of Yavin is set during the 2 months after the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Leia, Luke, Han, Chewie, and Wedge Antilles, plus Darth Vader. The story takes place in various places, including Yavin and around the 2nd Death Star, under construction above Endor.
Summary: In the wake of their greatest triumph to date, the Rebellion has never been more vulnerable. The Rebel fleet is anchorless, hopping through the galaxy as Princess Leia leads a handpicked team on a search for a new planet to house their secret base. But no matter where she goes, Leia finds the Empire already waiting. If she can't root out the spy among them, the Rebels are doomed. Meanwhile, Han and Chewbacca are on a special mission to rendezvous with a Rebel contact on Imperial Center, but landing in the heart of Imperial power will prove far easier than taking off again . . .
Review: Aside from the fact that this series effectively ignores both of the other 2 series (Marvel and Rebel Force) that are effectively supposed to be happening concurrently with it, this is a very strong beginning. It's amazing to me that there was ever a point where the official line was to pretend that all of this was canon and could somehow be reconciled, but anyway. If I had to choose, so far there's no question this is the version I'd keep. For one thing (and I can't stop stressing this enough), once again the main plotline from the very beginning is that it isn't safe for the Rebellion to remain on Yavin and they are on the hunt for somewhere new (seriously, Rebel Force, I'm never forgiving you for that nonsense). For another, so far there is a distinct lack of carnivorous green space rabbits and weirdly-sexist female character tropes (sorry, Marvel, I know it was a different time but . . . well, that's it. It's a different time now, and this is the time I'm in).
What's immediately fantastic about this series is that Leia is the main protagonist. Luke and Han are front and center and they have plenty to do, but Leia is an established leader within the Rebellion. Luke and Han are both heroes, but they're also new to the organization. Leia is still the one helping to run this show, and she gets to play that role here. I'm not 100% sure from a canon perspective how I feel about her ace piloting skills, which I can't recall existing in quite this form in any other stories (we'll see, I'll be happy to be wrong), but honestly, I don't care. I love it all.
I also really like the role Wedge Antilles, always my favorite secondary character from the movies, gets to play here. He's only a few years older than Luke, but experience accrues quickly in wartime, and he plays the role of mentor very well. I'm really happy to see him get his due on this front. The depictions of starfighter space combat here are stunning, and are really whetting my appetite for the beloved X-Wing stories to come!
Darth Vader's plotline is the least-developed so far, but there's definitely something building here, and I'm interested to see where it goes. He's been effectively exiled from a central role in Imperial leadership for the time being, disgraced for his failure at Yavin. And naturally, he's chafing under it and actively looking for a way out. And I haven't even really mentioned Han's story, which is a perfect fit for him and also very enjoyable.
Really, the biggest difficulty, such as it is, is just having to ignore the obvious contradictions with the other stories from this time period that I've just read. That and the artwork, which, while I genuinely love the style . . . Well, the art is so good that it's distracting how little the characters look like their movie counterparts most of the time. If it were more stylized, I wouldn't notice as much. Ah, well.
The one downside, and it isn't much of one, is the one-shot, which is the usual totally depthless Vader carnage story that I was literally just complaining about a few reviews ago. An Imperial commander executes an incredibly ill-advised plan to try and take Vader out, and Vader rips through a bunch of stormtroopers and TIE fighters and climbs around the outside of a Star Destroyer to show him why that was A Very Bad Idea. Oh, and Boba Fett's there, because why not.
B+
February 7, 2023
All'ombra di Yavin pt.1 ⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.2 ⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.3 ⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.4 ⭐⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.5 ⭐⭐⭐
Untitled ⭐⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.2 ⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.3 ⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.4 ⭐⭐⭐
All'ombra di Yavin pt.5 ⭐⭐⭐
Untitled ⭐⭐⭐
October 26, 2018
Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin blast off with Leia having to forge and work with a squadron of pilots! :D In amongst there pilots are Wedge Antilles, Luke Skywalker, Prithi etc! :D The character of Prithi herself seems to have more going on than you would see at face value as she certainly comes across as force sensitive! :D Leia shines throughout as she leads the squadron and comes up with a crazy but innovative way to accomplish their mission! :D Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin really gets to show Leia and leadership abilities off to the hilt as leads a mission to the Pybus System! :D Luke is getting big head syndrome and this play out incredibly with Antilles and Leia all spotting they symptoms! :D Leia herself works brilliantly as a squadron leader and you can really see the squadron start to gel throughout and get behind her! :D
Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin itself also give us a look into what happens to Vader after he fails to stop the Death Star from blowing up! :D These repercussions work brilliantly in the story really giving us an insight into what makes his character tick! :D At the same time we are also introduced to the character of Birra Seah who is also force sensitive and also manages to get on Vader's good side! :D Her role is surprising and promises plot twists aplenty! :D
Throughout the book there are nuggets of information dropped in as well such as the construction of the second Death Star and the plans around that! :D Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin does a great job of not only filling in plots but also setting up new ones at the same time! :D This adds to the feel of the book in what is already a break neck ride feel of a book! :D The pacing of the book is relentless! :D The characters are put through the ringer really coming up with great solutions that will you on the edge of your seat! :D
Anda, Odagawa, Wood, Eltaeb, Stradley and Ross do a great job bringing the script and the art brilliantly together giving the feel of the book an epic quality on every page! :D There is world building all over the show as well as we are introduced to the Pybus system for example! :D As you would expect Coruscant puts in an an appearance and we get to see from Han and Chewie's perspective the seedier side of things which as ever they slip into easily! :D Boba Fett naturally put in an appearance and this gives things a dynamic twist making for a plot that is totally unpredictable! :D
The character of Colonel Bircher as a direct rival to Vader is a different choice of the Emperor that you will not see coming but this puts a clever twist on things! :D It certainly keeps Vader and Bircher on their toes! :D In the book Vader also has to deal with an assassination attempt and this gives Vader the chance to do his thing as well he Rogue One style cuts his way to the rebellious Captain Torn really racking up the George R R Martin Syndrome! :D
Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin works on every level! :D The art and script literally pop off the page telling an epic story that works on every level! :D It will keep you late finishing it and wanting to make sure you have the next one! :D Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin is full of character development, daring do, clever planning, heroics, Evil Doers, Good Doers, adventure and action packed throughout! :D Crisp high five! :D Make sure you have the next one! :D
Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin itself also give us a look into what happens to Vader after he fails to stop the Death Star from blowing up! :D These repercussions work brilliantly in the story really giving us an insight into what makes his character tick! :D At the same time we are also introduced to the character of Birra Seah who is also force sensitive and also manages to get on Vader's good side! :D Her role is surprising and promises plot twists aplenty! :D
Throughout the book there are nuggets of information dropped in as well such as the construction of the second Death Star and the plans around that! :D Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin does a great job of not only filling in plots but also setting up new ones at the same time! :D This adds to the feel of the book in what is already a break neck ride feel of a book! :D The pacing of the book is relentless! :D The characters are put through the ringer really coming up with great solutions that will you on the edge of your seat! :D
Anda, Odagawa, Wood, Eltaeb, Stradley and Ross do a great job bringing the script and the art brilliantly together giving the feel of the book an epic quality on every page! :D There is world building all over the show as well as we are introduced to the Pybus system for example! :D As you would expect Coruscant puts in an an appearance and we get to see from Han and Chewie's perspective the seedier side of things which as ever they slip into easily! :D Boba Fett naturally put in an appearance and this gives things a dynamic twist making for a plot that is totally unpredictable! :D
The character of Colonel Bircher as a direct rival to Vader is a different choice of the Emperor that you will not see coming but this puts a clever twist on things! :D It certainly keeps Vader and Bircher on their toes! :D In the book Vader also has to deal with an assassination attempt and this gives Vader the chance to do his thing as well he Rogue One style cuts his way to the rebellious Captain Torn really racking up the George R R Martin Syndrome! :D
Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin works on every level! :D The art and script literally pop off the page telling an epic story that works on every level! :D It will keep you late finishing it and wanting to make sure you have the next one! :D Star Wars Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin is full of character development, daring do, clever planning, heroics, Evil Doers, Good Doers, adventure and action packed throughout! :D Crisp high five! :D Make sure you have the next one! :D
October 18, 2022
Ein neuer Anfang für die Rebellion
Fazit: Ein hervorragender Lückenfüller, der weit mehr ist als das. Gesamt: 4/5
Inhalt: Nach der Zerstörung des ersten Todessterns sind die Rebellen in Brian Woods "Im Schatten Yavins" auf der Suche nach einer neuen Basis. Doch das Imperium ist ihnen in dem circa 144-seitigen Abenteuer stets dicht auf den Fersen - zu dicht, als das es ein Zufall sein könnte. Mon Mothma vermutet einen Spion in den Reihen der Allianz. Leia ermittelt verdeckt, an ihrer Seite: C-3PO, Luke und Wedge Antilles...Unterdessen finden sich Han und Chewbacca in ihrem ganz eigenen Abenteuer wieder, welches sie ausgerechnet auf die Hauptwelt der Galaxis führt: zu den verführerisch blinkenden Türmen von Coruscant...
Bewertung: Mit "Im Schatten Yavins" startet die schon rein äußerlich wunderschöne Legends-Comic-Kollektion im Panini Verlag. Der Auftakt nimmt sich gleich eines bekannten Themas an: die Suche nach einer neuen Basis nach der Schlacht von Yavin. Brian Wood versucht mit der vorliegenden Geschichte eine Lücke in der Geschichte einer weit, weit entfernten Galaxis zu schließen. Gelingt ihm dies? Grundsätzlich schon. Die Handlung ist klassisch, aber effektiv. Der vermutete Spion lädt den Leser zum Miträtseln ein und erschafft gleichzeitig eine Atmosphäre der Spannung. Schließlich könnte jeder Charakter der Verräter sein. Diesen Umstand macht sich der Autor geschickt zunutze. Immer wieder gibt es einzelne Panels, die das Publikum bewusst manipulieren. Schnell glaubt man die undichte Stelle im Kader der Allianz identifiziert zu haben. Doch liegt man mit seiner Vermutung richtig? Gleich die nächste Szene deutet auf anderes hin. Schon alleine dieses Katz-Maus-Spiel hat mich sehr unterhalten. Hinzu kommen die Charaktere. Die klassischen Figuren rund um Luke, Leia und Wedge sind alle sofort erkennbar und trumpfen mit ihren ebenso klassischen Charaktereigenschaften auf. Leia zeigt ihre geborenen Anführerqualitäten und neuerdings auch Flugfähigkeiten im X-Wing. Das passt perfekt zu ihrer Rolle. Gleichzeitig scheut sich der Autor aber auch nicht ihre verletzliche Seite zu zeigen. Grade diese fehlte in den Filmen komplett. Natürlich geht die Vernichtung ihrer geliebten Heimat nicht spurlos an der Prinzessin vorüber. Die neue Sichtweise hat mir sehr zugesagt. Luke lässt auch in diesem Abenteuer keinen Freund im Stich und ist plötzlich dazu auch noch ein Womanizer. Und Wedge? Wedge ist das Flieger-Ass, welches neben den machtsensitiven Geschwistern manchmal etwas doof aus der Wäsche schaut...auch eine Rolle. Chewie und Han unterdessen haben immer wieder ihre typischen Dialoge, in denen der Leser einen Teil des Gespräches kennt und sich den Rest aus "Gwarrh" selbst herleiten muss. Unterhaltsam wie in den Filmen. Darüber hinaus werden auch einige neue Figuren eingeführt, denen es aber zumindest aktuell noch an Tiefe fehlt. Mal gucken wie Teil 2 das Ganze fortführt. Einziges Manko sind die manchmal sehr klobig wirkenden Gespräche. Vielleicht liegt es an der Übersetzung, aber einige Zeilen scheinen plump.
Die Zeichnungen hingegen verkörpern den Charme einer vergangenen Zeit und passen vielleicht grade deswegen so gut. Alle Fans werden sich sofort zurückversetzt fühlen zu den originalen Blockbustern und erleben auch visuell eine Papierversion der Galaxis von damals.
Fazit: Ein hervorragender Lückenfüller, der weit mehr ist als das. Gesamt: 4/5
September 4, 2018
Una muy buena aventura dentro del universo de Star Wars. Este comic transcurre poco después de lo sucedido en el Episodio IV “Una nueva esperanza” y narra los eventos que ocurrieron una vez que la alianza rebelde destruyera la estrella de la muerte, con un imperio galáctico buscando a los rebeldes para destruirlos mientras estos huyen y sobreviven con los pocos recursos y personal con los que cuentan.
El protagonismo de la historia recae en la princesa Leia, siendo apoyada por personajes clásicos como Mon Mothma, su hermano Luke Skywalker y el veterano piloto Wedge Antilles, así como por todo un nuevo escuadrón de pilotos rebeldes. Han Solo y Chewbacca también tienen una pequeña aparición en la historia.
El comic relata los intentos de la alianza rebelde para encontrar un nuevo planeta que les sirva como base, una vez que la que tenían en Yavin 4 ha sido descubierta. Sin embargo, cada una de sus expediciones es interceptada por el imperio, lo que hace sospechar a Leia y a Mon Mothma que tal vez tengan un espía filtrando esa información. Al mismo tiempo, Han Solo y Chewbacca son enviados a Coruscant a comprar armas para la rebelión, pero son traicionados y perseguidos por los caza recompensas Boba Fett y Bossk. Por otro lado, el emperador humilla a Darth Vader por su fracaso al proteger la estrella de la muerte, cediéndole el mando a un nuevo y misterioso personaje llamado Coronel Bircher.
Algo que me pareció muy interesante de esta historia es la manera en que nos muestra las consecuencias de lo ocurrido en el Episodio IV. Lo vemos en Leia reproduciendo promocionales turísticos del planeta Alderaan, destruido por la estrella de la muerte y lo vemos en Vader que debe afrontar las humillaciones por su fracaso.
Para mí que no soy un lector de comics, me parece una excelente historia. Los dibujos me gustaron bastante, y aunque no estoy acostumbrado a ver a un Darth Vader musculoso, tiene muy buenos momentos. La idea de un escuadrón rebelde de elite que incluye pilotos no humanos me parece algo excelente. Además, puedo ver que se basaron un poco en este comic para la creación del X-wing negro que Poe Dameron pilota en el Episodio VII.
El protagonismo de la historia recae en la princesa Leia, siendo apoyada por personajes clásicos como Mon Mothma, su hermano Luke Skywalker y el veterano piloto Wedge Antilles, así como por todo un nuevo escuadrón de pilotos rebeldes. Han Solo y Chewbacca también tienen una pequeña aparición en la historia.
El comic relata los intentos de la alianza rebelde para encontrar un nuevo planeta que les sirva como base, una vez que la que tenían en Yavin 4 ha sido descubierta. Sin embargo, cada una de sus expediciones es interceptada por el imperio, lo que hace sospechar a Leia y a Mon Mothma que tal vez tengan un espía filtrando esa información. Al mismo tiempo, Han Solo y Chewbacca son enviados a Coruscant a comprar armas para la rebelión, pero son traicionados y perseguidos por los caza recompensas Boba Fett y Bossk. Por otro lado, el emperador humilla a Darth Vader por su fracaso al proteger la estrella de la muerte, cediéndole el mando a un nuevo y misterioso personaje llamado Coronel Bircher.
Algo que me pareció muy interesante de esta historia es la manera en que nos muestra las consecuencias de lo ocurrido en el Episodio IV. Lo vemos en Leia reproduciendo promocionales turísticos del planeta Alderaan, destruido por la estrella de la muerte y lo vemos en Vader que debe afrontar las humillaciones por su fracaso.
Para mí que no soy un lector de comics, me parece una excelente historia. Los dibujos me gustaron bastante, y aunque no estoy acostumbrado a ver a un Darth Vader musculoso, tiene muy buenos momentos. La idea de un escuadrón rebelde de elite que incluye pilotos no humanos me parece algo excelente. Además, puedo ver que se basaron un poco en este comic para la creación del X-wing negro que Poe Dameron pilota en el Episodio VII.
April 29, 2019
This is billed as a continuation of the original Star Wars as if the rest of the established lore never happened.
In a way this is somewhat refreshing in that the main crew don't have too much baggage. Luke's still getting to grips with the force, Leia's keeping busy to keep Alderaan out of mind and Han's... Han.
As a story arc, In the Shadow of Yavin unfortunately doesn't really go anywhere. The story moves along quite nicely in the telling, but the answers are few and far between and the book just ends with little tied up. There’s some interesting character dynamics, particularly between Leia and Luke and Luke’s relationship with another female pilot. It was also great seeing Leia take a more central role in the action and proving to be a pretty decent fighter pilot herself.
However, as an 'alternative universe' there are still a lot of things kept from the two later films, the prequels and the EU in terms of characters, species and other things. This was a little bit jarring in that I'd prepared for something completely different, got different but also an awful lot of the known, such as there's a second Death Star being constructed at Endor, Mon Mothma heads up the Alliance from the Mon Calamari capital ship Home One and Boba Fett and Bossk are hunting Han Solo. I think I'd have preferred a whole new look rather than a partial change.
The artwork is also a little wonky regarding the likenesses of the characters, it’s clear enough who’s who and I get that there’s a stylistic approach rather than an accurate one who but the faces change a lot from panel to panel which I found a little distracting. Like with the story, they a bit different from what was, but not enough for it not to be a little disturbing.
This volume finishes with the inclusion of a Free Comic Book Day story The Assassination Of Darth Vader which, while pretty short, was a fantastic little piece showing not only Vader's utter lethality, but also his interesting alliance with Boba Fett. Low on dialogue, high on action and visuals.
In a way this is somewhat refreshing in that the main crew don't have too much baggage. Luke's still getting to grips with the force, Leia's keeping busy to keep Alderaan out of mind and Han's... Han.
As a story arc, In the Shadow of Yavin unfortunately doesn't really go anywhere. The story moves along quite nicely in the telling, but the answers are few and far between and the book just ends with little tied up. There’s some interesting character dynamics, particularly between Leia and Luke and Luke’s relationship with another female pilot. It was also great seeing Leia take a more central role in the action and proving to be a pretty decent fighter pilot herself.
However, as an 'alternative universe' there are still a lot of things kept from the two later films, the prequels and the EU in terms of characters, species and other things. This was a little bit jarring in that I'd prepared for something completely different, got different but also an awful lot of the known, such as there's a second Death Star being constructed at Endor, Mon Mothma heads up the Alliance from the Mon Calamari capital ship Home One and Boba Fett and Bossk are hunting Han Solo. I think I'd have preferred a whole new look rather than a partial change.
The artwork is also a little wonky regarding the likenesses of the characters, it’s clear enough who’s who and I get that there’s a stylistic approach rather than an accurate one who but the faces change a lot from panel to panel which I found a little distracting. Like with the story, they a bit different from what was, but not enough for it not to be a little disturbing.
This volume finishes with the inclusion of a Free Comic Book Day story The Assassination Of Darth Vader which, while pretty short, was a fantastic little piece showing not only Vader's utter lethality, but also his interesting alliance with Boba Fett. Low on dialogue, high on action and visuals.
December 9, 2018
As Star Wars comics go, this is a pretty good one. This is the first arc of Brian Wood's run on the Dark Horse "Star Wars" title that takes place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. It ends with a bunch of stuff up in the air, so you'll probably want to read the second volume, if you read this one.
Wood handles the main characters well. In particular, he gives Leia a lot of attention. A lot of the plot here is driven by her actions. We also see most of the other main characters, including Luke, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and so on. And he introduces a bunch of new supporting characters. It's quite a lot to jam into six issues.
There's a lot of X-Wing / Tie Fighter space battle stuff, which is expected, but can be hard to pull off well in a comic. It's hard to tell characters apart when they're all dressed in the same flight suits and they're addressing each other by code signs instead of names. In a comic, you don't have the sound of the actor's voice to go on. And there's no actual motion, so it can be hard to follow what's supposed to be happening. Wood and D'Anda try hard, but only partially succeed in making Star Wars space battles work in a comic.
Speaking of D'Anda, I like his work here, though it's not perfect. His style is a little cartoony, but it works well enough. The characters are all recognizable and distinct from one another. And the hardware (ships, robots, etc) all looks fine.
Overall, I liked it enough that I'll probably pick up the second volume at some point, maybe the next time they have a big Star Wars sale at Comixology.
Wood handles the main characters well. In particular, he gives Leia a lot of attention. A lot of the plot here is driven by her actions. We also see most of the other main characters, including Luke, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and so on. And he introduces a bunch of new supporting characters. It's quite a lot to jam into six issues.
There's a lot of X-Wing / Tie Fighter space battle stuff, which is expected, but can be hard to pull off well in a comic. It's hard to tell characters apart when they're all dressed in the same flight suits and they're addressing each other by code signs instead of names. In a comic, you don't have the sound of the actor's voice to go on. And there's no actual motion, so it can be hard to follow what's supposed to be happening. Wood and D'Anda try hard, but only partially succeed in making Star Wars space battles work in a comic.
Speaking of D'Anda, I like his work here, though it's not perfect. His style is a little cartoony, but it works well enough. The characters are all recognizable and distinct from one another. And the hardware (ships, robots, etc) all looks fine.
Overall, I liked it enough that I'll probably pick up the second volume at some point, maybe the next time they have a big Star Wars sale at Comixology.
June 4, 2021
The story starts off pretty slowly with long preparations in the wake of the events in the first movie. There seems to be a bit too much focus on intimate relationships than I would expect from a military force. The multiple story threads aren't linked in any way, so it's like reading 3 separate stories. They're cool and good artwork, but are still not engaging enough. It's just the first chapter, so things might pick up in the future.
After destroying the Death Star, the remaining rebels are on the run, desperate to find a new base. The Empire is still too strong to face head-on, but they too face shortages. They have a further advantage on the rebellion - a spy feeding them information on the rebel fleet. Leia is tasked with finding a new home base and/or discovering the spy. Colonel Bircher, a rising star in the empire army, receives command of Vader's star destroyer while Vader is sent on a secret mission. Han Solo is trading for weapons systems on Coruscant under an assumed identity.
After destroying the Death Star, the remaining rebels are on the run, desperate to find a new base. The Empire is still too strong to face head-on, but they too face shortages. They have a further advantage on the rebellion - a spy feeding them information on the rebel fleet. Leia is tasked with finding a new home base and/or discovering the spy. Colonel Bircher, a rising star in the empire army, receives command of Vader's star destroyer while Vader is sent on a secret mission. Han Solo is trading for weapons systems on Coruscant under an assumed identity.
April 12, 2024
Star Wars: In the Shadow of Yavin Volume 1, written by Brian Wood and illustrated by Carlos D'Anda, is a graphic novel that falls under the genre of science fiction. This specific story focuses on futuristic technology, space exploration, and adventure. Compared to other works in the same genre, Star Wars: In the Shadow of Yavin stands out for its integration of the iconic Star Wars universe with new characters and storylines that expand the franchise beyond the movies. It utilizes the futuristicnews of the Star Wars universe to make a very entertaining story for readers. It also explores themes of good versus evil, heroism, and the struggle for freedom.
In terms of pacing, the story moves at a brisk and exciting speed. This fits right into the Star Wars universe, very action packed and exciting. This makes no slow or boring portions. The pacing has a significant impact on the narrative and the reader, keeping us engaged in the storyline, while maintaining the momentum and energy of the narrative. In other words, the story is still told very well, while still keeping the reader interested.
The characterization in the graphic novel has a mix of different character developments. Some characters, such as Luke Skywalker, have the popular stereotypes of the genre, such as the wise mentor and the young apprentice. Another development is Princess Leia, where she was a dumb rich princess turned into a battle hardened soldier. This mix of characters make a great variety. These stereotypes also make characters very realistic.
The topics and themes in the story are resistance, hope, and the struggle against tyranny. The author mixes the theme with the writing style of the story. The authors ability to mix complicated fight scenes with heartfelt character moments makes the story that much more meaningful. We as readers can get connected to characters, only for them to get killed a few pages later.
The setting of the story is set in the same time as the main Star Wars universe. The time is really unknown, however, we do know that it is in the past. The story uses iconic ships and planets that make the story even more exciting for die-hard fans. The setting develops as the characters move around to different planets.
In conclusion, Star Wars: In the Shadow of Yavin takes on the main elements of Star Wars very well, while still doing its own thing. Its pacing, characterization, thematic depth, writing style, and setting all contribute to its unique and exciting plot. This story is a must read for any Star Wars enthusiast.
In terms of pacing, the story moves at a brisk and exciting speed. This fits right into the Star Wars universe, very action packed and exciting. This makes no slow or boring portions. The pacing has a significant impact on the narrative and the reader, keeping us engaged in the storyline, while maintaining the momentum and energy of the narrative. In other words, the story is still told very well, while still keeping the reader interested.
The characterization in the graphic novel has a mix of different character developments. Some characters, such as Luke Skywalker, have the popular stereotypes of the genre, such as the wise mentor and the young apprentice. Another development is Princess Leia, where she was a dumb rich princess turned into a battle hardened soldier. This mix of characters make a great variety. These stereotypes also make characters very realistic.
The topics and themes in the story are resistance, hope, and the struggle against tyranny. The author mixes the theme with the writing style of the story. The authors ability to mix complicated fight scenes with heartfelt character moments makes the story that much more meaningful. We as readers can get connected to characters, only for them to get killed a few pages later.
The setting of the story is set in the same time as the main Star Wars universe. The time is really unknown, however, we do know that it is in the past. The story uses iconic ships and planets that make the story even more exciting for die-hard fans. The setting develops as the characters move around to different planets.
In conclusion, Star Wars: In the Shadow of Yavin takes on the main elements of Star Wars very well, while still doing its own thing. Its pacing, characterization, thematic depth, writing style, and setting all contribute to its unique and exciting plot. This story is a must read for any Star Wars enthusiast.
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