By Keigen Rea — The newly-launched Star Wars era, High Republic, continues with its second comic series: Star Wars - The High Republic Adventures #1, published by IDW as part of its young reader-friendly Star Wars Adventures line.

So far, High Republic has been a blast. The Marvel comic debut — Star Wars - High Republic #1 — was great, and I really enjoyed both Light of the Jedi and A Test of Courage, and I’m excited for the new novel this week. So far, the whole era has felt fresh, which is a big thing for a franchise that is constantly glancing nostalgically at its past. This issue continues that freshness, even with the inclusion of Yoda, a character of whom I am not a fan.

Star Wars - The High Republic Adventures #1 introduces us to two leads, one a padawan girl on (ugh) Yoda’s cool teaching ship, and another a young girl on a planet in danger. Of course the Jedi leap to said planet’s defense, subsequently facing different kinds of danger.

If I have any complaints, it’s that I’m not really sure where this falls with the events of The Light of the Jedi novel. It feels like it takes place after it, as well as after the Marvel comic, but the problem of the issue feels directly linked to the events of the novel. It’s also interesting reading these novels, which are telling complete stories, while also reading comics that are telling small pieces of stories. It’s the nature of their different formats, but it has led to some small frustrations in understanding the timeline, especially without searching for one online.

In all, though I liked this book! This didn’t feel quite as surprising or as noteworthy as it’s Marvel sibling, but that at least partially has to do with the fact that the last comic was the first High Republic story, which gave it added novelty and interest.

What I’m most interested in here is the character of Zeen Mrala, the aforementioned girl on the dangerous planet. A lot of her deal is still mysterious, but what we do know is that she can use the force, and she’s also part of some cult that doesn’t like the force. She automatically brings to mind characters like Anakin or Luke, because she’s obviously older than the toddlers or infants the Jedi Order typically abducts adopts into their service, and seeing her come close to (ugh again) Yoda will be interesting to see, assuming it happens.

Overall: The High Republic era continues to click along, with Star Wars - The High Republic Adventures #1 being a less spectacular debut, but one that was still very enjoyable. Now please give me a clear timeline! 7.5/10

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REVIEW: Star Wars - The High Republic Adventures #1

Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures 1
Writer: Daniel José Older
Artist: Harvey Tolibao
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jake M Wood
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $3.99
An all-new ongoing series! In the glory days of the Republic, two hundred years before the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca, the Jedi stand as guardians of galactic peace—until a powerful new adversary called the Nihil arrives. Now a group of young Padawans, training under Master Yoda, must protect the Republic while learning the lessons that will one day lead them to become powerful Jedi in their own right. Writer Daniel José Older, bestselling author of Star Wars: Last Shot, and artist Harvey Tolibao bring IDW into The High Republic, a massive publishing crossover spanning comics and prose!
Read It Digitally: Star Wars - The High Republic #1

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Keigen Rea inhales through his nose and exhales through his mouth. He sips some Thai iced tea. He thinks about Star Wars. He wrote this. Find him @prince_organa writing other things.