“Star Wars” No. 1 cover illustrated by John Cassaday. (Image courtesy of Marvel Entertainment)

MAJOR SPOILERS! Go get Star Wars #1, read it, and then return!

Do you smell that? Ahhhh…new comics. It’s Wednesday folks and that smell never gets old. Even after 23 years of visiting my local comic shop I still get that excited, nervous feeling. The racks are filled with brand new, unboxed comics with bright images, heroic characters, and amazing adventures. Although this Wednesday is all-new, all different.

The Star Wars saga has returned home to Marvel Comics. Although as a fan of both comics and Star Wars it’s been hard for me to zero in on how I feel. I’m a child of the 80’s, a great era in many respects, but I never grew up with the original Marvel line of Star Wars comics. As for Dark Horse’s jaunt with the franchise I picked them up sparingly through the years. I’ve always seen Star Wars as films or toys. Comics, for me, were heroes in capes fighting evil villains each month, not space adventures. Yet at my vintage I’ve become more open to a lot of things and Marvel acquiring and releasing new Star Wars comics I got excited.

Boom! Today Star Wars #1 hits. Upon getting over the myriad of cover options (all are so good, how does one choose?) I turned the page almost holding my breath. A black page with those glowing blue words we all know hit and the iconic widescreen crawl. I smiled.

I had no idea what to expect, but leery of Star Wars in this medium. Opening with gorgeous art by the superstar John Cassaday we get a star ship drifting into view. From there we get Stormtroopers, Imperial officers, and none other than Han Solo himself in a great reveal. Folks, these first few pages of dialogue are truly great. Jason Aaron’s writing feels as if these are cut scenes straight from Episode 4. Spot on! A few more pages in we start to discover the plot as it’s revealed Han isn’t alone with a distraction from R2-D2, Luke and Leia break from their disguises and crack white and black helmets with ease. Leia is to note here as again the art explodes right off the page. It’s funny how, as I read this, my mind translated moments direct to screen and then back to the page in it’s own right. I honestly didn’t expect this.

As I journey along the plot thickens as the Rebels set up the reason they are at the Imperial weapons facility. To blow it sky-high! It’s through Luke’s burgeoning Force powers he senses something wrong and we get our first twist. This is a post-Death Star Luke, he’s still learning his ways, but has matured and it’s felt here. His lightsaber skills are also on display as he wields it like a pro! Then we get a big twist! I almost don’t want to mention it as it’s quite the spoiler, but the way it’s done here is pure spectacle and a great achievement for the creative team on this book and as moment in comic history, in my opinion!

Darth Vader has landed at the facility and his entrance is 2nd only to his original intro in A New Hope. You can feel his anger shake the comic panels. The Rebels inside are alerted to his presence, they play their ace and it’s revealed none other than Chewbacca has taken a sniper’s perch with Vader in his sights! This panel blew me away! Chewbacca with a sniper rifle ready to take out Vader!! YES! I eagerly went on to see what would happen. Blasts ring out, but Vader makes it look all too easy as he quickly dismantles Chewie’s plan. From there the tension is kicked into hyperspace! Our heroes are caught in a cliffhanger and the book comes to a bittersweet close as Luke stands to face their returning threat.

What these creators have achieved with this first issue is monumental. To capture Han’s swagger, a princess Leia who doesn’t pull punches, and a coming of age Luke set upon a new inner journey is none other than Star Wars! In this medium I wasn’t sure this could be done. I’m ecstatic to see what happens next as we join our favorite heroes and villains on this new canonical adventure.

5 out of 5!

You can purchase Star Wars #1 here.