::Dan witnesses his childhood teddy bear materialize out of thin air right before him. Floating in the air and emitting a soft blue glow::
D: Teddy?! Is that you?
TB: Yes, Dan. It is I. Your childhood companion.
D: How can you be here? And… you can talk?
TB: I am now one with the Force. It flows through us all. It is what gives a Jedi his power.
D: But… But… You’re a stuffed animal!
TB: You loved me. You believed in me. Those elements are what make time travel poss… er… those things are what bind the universe together. And time travel. But that’s a different movie series.
D: So, why are you here?
TB: It’s now the time for more adventures. It’s now the time… for more STAR WARS.
::hands Dan a large pot and baseball bat::
It’s now the time… to put this pot over Kate’s head and have her swing this bat at that bee hive over the garage. It’ll help in her Jedi training. You know, like that scene in the movie? Just like that.
D: ::stares::
TB: TRUST ME. TRUST… THE FORCE.
D: I don’t know if she’s game for swinging at bees, but we sure are ready for more STAR WARS!
TB: Then study this. And when she is ready for further Jedi training, we’ll work on that bee thing.
::STAR WARS #1 materializes in Dan’s hands, emitting a soft blue glow::
::reads comic book::
K: Holy craparooni, that was awesome!
D: That might have been, dare I say it… the perfect comic book.
K: It’s so hard to write licensed characters. How do you get people invested in characters that you know will be ok, since they’re on TV next week, or in movies that are due out in theatres next year?
D: That’s the trick, all right. Why should I pick up a tie-in, when it really doesn’t change the story in the other media? What’s the point, except to get people to spend more money? But news of this new STAR WARS run had me take notice.
K: This is STAR WARS’ grand return to Marvel Comics, right?
D: Yup. Marvel originally had the property from 1977-1987. It then landed at Dark Horse Comics from 1991-2014. But with Disney’s recent purchase of Lucasfilm, the comics are back at Marvel (which is also owned by Disney, so.) I think I was looking forward to this because so many of the recent movies have been so underwhelming. And with comic book superstars Jason Aaron and John Cassaday on this book, I knew this was going to not just scratch that STAR WARS itch, but be damn good comic booking.
K: “Comic Booking” isn’t a thing.
D: ::waves hand:: This is not the grammar you are looking for.
K: Shut up.
D: ::waves hand:: Bring me a Nutty Bar.
K: I’m going to get a Nutty Bar. Want one?
D: Since you’re up, sure. That’s very nice of you. So, what do you think of this comic booking?
K: I really liked it!
D: ::grins::
K: I see what you did there. The “comic booking” was great! The book picks up after Luke, Han, Chewie, and the gang blow up the Death Star at the end of the STAR WARS movie, but before Han shoves Luke into a tauntaun on the planet Hoth at the beginning of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Something had to happen between the movies, right? You don’t just end up on an ice planet like Hoth. Something had to happen to bring you to such a horrible place.
D: Filling in the Star War gaps. I dig it. The Star Wars gang travel to Cymoon1, the weapons manufacturing facility that keeps the Imperial Forces in blasters and the like. Under the guise of being the negotiator for Jabba the Hutt, Han Solo has a meeting with Overseer Aggadeen. Han’s bodyguards turn out to be Luke and Leia (duh.) Chewbacca has staked out the high ground. They have no intention of bargaining with the Imperial Force. Instead they plan on blowing up the factory. It won’t be that easy.
K: Nope. It never is. Darth Vader shows up, the Millennium Falcon is mistaken as garbage (again), and Leia punches an Imperial Guard. You know, the all the Star Wars-y stuff you love.
D: The book moves quickly and is very easy to follow. You know exactly who the villains are (hint: it’s the guys in black) and you know who the good guys are. The motivation for the good guys is very clear (the bad guys are dicks). There won’t be 5 issues of “Who really is the villain?” followed by another 3 issues of “Why is he/she so bad?” Writer Jason Aaron gets you into the plot on page one and keeps it moving from there.
K: The outstanding art by John Cassaday makes it feel like an extension of the movies. Han Solo LOOKS LIKE HAN SOLO! Just like Harrison Ford! From the 1977 movie! This book isn’t a re-imaging of the characters. These are the characters from the screen right there on the page. Amazing. Just amazing. The panel layouts play out in cinematic style. It really feels like you’re turning the pages of a film. I can’t explain the feeling any better than that.
D: Darn it, instead of scratching my STAR WARS itch, now I want more STAR WARS…
K: I do feel a little more hopeful about the new movies after reading this book. Now that Disney and Marvel Studios are at the helm for the Star Wars franchise the movies could be much, much better than what was released in the late 90’s.
D: We don’t talk about those movies.
K: I know.
D: Since we have almost a year until STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS…
K: …your mom…
D: …this would be a good time to start your Jedi training. Here, put this pot on your head and swing this bat at the bee hive over the garage.
K: No.
::waves hand::
Eat your Nutty Bar.
D: This is the Nutty Bar I was looking for.
