– Spoiler Review –
Galaxy’s Edge #1 begins teasing the upcoming Star Wars park with a light, fluffy, and overall fun issue, introducing a key component to visitor’s experiences when (and if) they get a chance to visit.
Dok-Ondor looms over the Den of Antiquities in Batuu’s Black Spire Outpost, the location of the park us humans of the planet Earth will get a chance to visit starting this year. The elder Ithorian is the procurer of the unprocurable, which is why the unsavory crew at the center of the story asks for an audience with him to see if he’ll help them procure a deadly weapon. The crew is made up of Remex, a changling, Kendoh, a human woman, and Wooro, a giant alien. Fans who visit the park and go into Dok’s shop will get to buy an eclectic mix of artifacts, from Sith/Jedi holocrons to busts of General Grievous’ face, and your entrance fee to the park is basically the same as what this crew had to pay upfront to even meet Dok. The grumpy Ithorian rejects helping them however, claiming he can’t get it, and throws them out…not before one of the crew drops a recording device into the room as they leave. We find out they are after an ancient lightsaber only in the solicitation for the upcoming next issue, which is teased in the final page of the comic, making its absence or even letting us see an image of their prize rather silly when what is kept secret is so easily revealed in a teaser page. Regardless, the lightsaber has someone as old and powerful as Dok frightened, having told his associates and others it was lost long ago, making me very curious to learn the tale behind the lightsaber. Is it the one from Secrets of the Empire, potentially to be seen again in this year’s Vader Immortal VR series? Something else, like either Vader or the Emperor’s blades? And will it factor into events at the park when people visit it? The “present” set tale might be the shortest part of the comic, but it leaves plenty of intriguing questions to help build up hype for the park experiences.
A majority of the issue is spent in the past with Dok’s tale of how Han and Chewie brought him a baby sarlacc, found by one of the crew inspecting his store. It’s the real light and breezy part of the issue, as Chewie overpowers unsuspecting captors and Han survives by the seat of his pants, and Chewie’s help, to not only get a baby sarlacc, but avoid death by several others. It’s a really fun and funny adventure for the two, very classic in their interactions and how they get out with only minor bumps and bruises, while intriguing as we expand upon sarlaccs, revealing the little baby ones can freaking move, inspiring nightmares. I hope the little sarlacc will be seen in Dok-Ondor’s shop at the park, as the art team worked with Disney Imagineers to make their depiction of the park as close to what fans will see when they visit as possible.
Ethan Sacks really captures the vibe of Han and Chewie’s unsavory jobs and camaraderie, so even though their fates weren’t any in harm, it was an enjoyable adventure with the two, while I’m curious to learn more about the park from what seeds he’s planted here. Artist Will Sliney, with Dono Sánchez-Almara (and Protobunker helping) on colors, paint a specific, but slowly revealing detail of the park itself (right down to the ronto wraps*), why the baby sarlacc are the cutest, most deadliest things I’ve ever seen in the GFFA. I imagine it can’t be easy to be constrained by a very real world place, but it must be fun to help give fans their first taste of the galaxy not so far away.
Here are a few other things:
- *The ronto wraps offered at the beginning of the issue? And the Meiloorun Juice? All things you can buy and eat when you visit!
- The Red Fury troopers of the First Order make a brief appearance here…are they the section of troopers fans will run into at the park? Is the crew procuring this ancient lightsaber in an attempt to fight them off?
- Not only would I love if the baby sarlacc can be seen at Dok’s, I hope it might grow over time, eventually breaking out and causing like a new storyline in the park like 5-10 years after opening (as it gives a lot of fans a chance to experience things as they are now before changing it up a little).
- I’m a little curious when the Han/Chewie tale takes place…is it sometime before Return of the Jedi, hence no reference to dealing with sarlaccs already? After?
Galaxy’s Edge #1 begins with a fun, enjoyable distraction and tease of the upcoming park experience, though has some intrigue that makes me want to come back and read it for more than park hints.
+ Art takes us to a galaxy not so far away
+ First hints of the park
+ Han and Chewie dealing with baby…sarlaccs?!!
CURRENT SERIES COMIC REVIEWS:
Doctor Aphra
Aphra (#1-6) | And the Enormous Profit (#9-13) | Remastered (#14-19) | The Catastrophe Con (#20-25) | Worst Among Equals (#26-31) | Annual: #2
TIE Fighter (miniseries)
Age of Republic (miniseries)
Age of Rebellion (miniseries)
Star Wars
Ashes of Jedha (#38-43) | Mutiny at Mon Cala (#44-49) | Hope Dies (#50-55) | The Escape (#56-61) | The Scourging of Shu-Torun (#62-67) | Annual: #4
Vader – Dark Visions (miniseries)