Published: June 12, 2025
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Alex Segura
Artist: Phil Noto
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Phil Noto
The synopsis;
ACTION AND ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN THE POST-RETURN OF THE JEDI ERA!
• What secret did the NAGAI PILOT tell LUKE SKYWALKER?
• What is the CROWN OF VERITY?
• What tragedy awaits Luke on the winter planet of GADRILIM?
The review;
It is always difficult starting a new series. It is always difficult carrying on the name of a series that has done an incredible job of expanding the galaxy. It is always difficult rewriting a time in history that has been well explored by Legends. In other words, this series was always going to be a difficult task for writer Alex Segura. In the opening issues, Segura showed us that he was going in a completely different direction to anything that has come before. While for some die-hard fans of the Legends timeline, that might seem like a massive no-no. I am one such die-hard fan, yet I see this as an opportunity to read a different idea, a different approach. Segura sets up so many things that seem so different, that it is rather refreshing, not knowing where some of these things will lead. Joining Segura is artist Is Phil Noto, who did a worthy job of bringing Segura’s story to life. I’m not sure what to expect, I’m not sure where it’s heading but I have a quiet optimism that I might just enjoy it.
This is a Luke issue, and it is better for it. I was raised on the Original Trilogy, my hero, the person who’s journey most relates to me, is (and always will be) Luke. While Leia is in a couple of pages, the rest of the time is spent with her brother. It means Segura can really focus on telling one story, rather than shuffling between many and moving the story forward in none. I’m actually going to jump to near the end of the story when we get to hear Luke’s inner thoughts. This transition really brings the narrative up and if I had one complaint about this comic, it is that Segura didn’t have this internal monologue throughout the whole issue. Hearing what Luke is thinking adds a a layer of mystery and sets the atmosphere just right. And the atmosphere is fantastic. Luke has to go on this adventure on his own – thank goodness. While appreciate writers wanting to bring in new and old characters, Luke going off with Artoo has always been his style. In The Empire Strikes Back, he leaves the fleet to go to Yoda, he goes off on his own on Endor to confront Vader. He faces things on his own and the story is better for it.
With Luke left on his own, he travels to Gadrillam. Where is Gadrillam? What did the pilot say to Luke? It all adds mysteries that Segura doesn’t wait too long to tell us, as the answers themselves simply add more questions. Luke is in search of a crown called the Crown of Verity, an artifact. Initially I’m skeptical about these things, I mean authors can just about come up with anything to suit the story. As I usually do, I always double check online, in case I’m hitting that age where my memory starts to fail. What I found made me very much reevaluate the crown. It comes from the sourcebook Nexus of Power, released by Fantasy Flight Games (FFG). My son and I have played a bit of the role-playing game during lockdown but never got onto this sourcebook – which now I’m finding very unfortunate! The crown, and some of the ensuing history that gets revealed, comes from this book. The fact Segura has used this makes him go up in my estimation even more! I started this review saying that as a writer, he has a lot against him, one of those been rewriting the Legends books that took place at this time. Those books (and comics) used a lot of the old roleplaying game source books by West End Games. Segura can’t use them, they don’t apply to this continuity, yet he uses the same type of source material to help flesh his story out. It’s honouring the tradition of the old by the use of the new. I couldn’t be happier! I think a lot of gamers will be happy to see this come into comic lore.
Luke also shows a level of confidence that we don’t really see in him until his appearance in The Mandalorian. Even inReturn of the Jedi, he has much more confidence than previously, but he still shows his doubt when facing the Emperor and Vader. Here, after that event, you can see that he knows that he can trust his own skills and judgment, he no longer needs to be afraid. This is where the internal monologue comes into its own as I loved reading Luke, his understanding of the situation and how he plans on dealing with it.
Gadrillam is still a mystery and while Luke (and us through him) learn a lot about what is happening on the planet, we never understand why it is occurring or who is operating all of these strange things. It works well and I’m intrigued to find out what the answers are to all of this. If referencing roleplaying games were not enough, Segura then brings in the Nagai. This species was from the original Marvel series back in the seventies and saw a resurgence during the time of Dark Horse Comics in my favourite series Legacy as well as Knights of the Old Republic. What I like about all of these things is that having prior knowledge is certainly not needed. Segura is able to fill readers in effortlessly on what you need to know. But, if you do want to know more, or you have read these previous titles, there are things out there to help you explore further.
The artwork by Noto is what I always expect. This is a man who captures faces, and the likeness of characters brilliantly. Mothma is my favourite of his renditions. He takes the Mothma of Andor and blends it seamlessly with the likeness of Caroline Blake. His best page by far this issue is the one with Luke entering the bar on Gadrillam. The atmosphere, the feel and the detail on all the panels really set this above everything else.
Lastly, we have Leia, who enters the issue and leaves before you can blink. It’s the right move by Segura. He is able to show us that Leia is dealing with enough with the political situation. It also shows that her level of trust in Luke is also very secure. It’s not that I don’t want to know what is happening, I most certainly do, but I don’t want to jump from storyline to storyline – that seems to be the most typical format these stories follow. Segura hasn’t fallen into that trap here and I hope he continues not to.
I enjoyed this second issue. Focusing on Luke, and solely on Luke, really provides a clear narrative and direction for the comic. It doesn’t fall into the jumping around storylines that we are so used to to. I’m really hoping Segura will follow this pattern through the rest of the series, I’m not holding my breath, but I would love it if he did. Referencing RPG games and older comics drew me in, hook, line and sinker and Segura does it effortlessly. The mentions are obscure but that’s the point and he seems to have fashioned a story that has a lot of meat on the bone for him to explore as this series progresses. My optimism for this series has just gone up another level, here’s to issue three when it arrives!
Availability;
Star Wars (2025) is an ongoing series published by Marvel Comics. This issue retails at $4.99 and is available from comiXology and your local comic book store.
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