– Spoiler Review –
We dive into the “Tomb in Space” in The High Republic’s second issue, where new secrets are uncovered, Sskeer’s anguish increasingly takes hold, and Keeve can’t help but swear some more; yes, it’s even better than it sounds!
Let’s cut right to the chase: what the heck is going on with Sskeer!? I had my theory it was due to Jora Malli’s death in the Battle of Kur (as seen in Light of the Jedi), but this issue at least seems to hint it’s more to do with the trauma of losing his arm in the battle than Jora’s death. Keeve cues Avar Kriss onto what happened with Sskeer after the Starlight Beacon’s Marshal already ordered the Trandoshan on a new mission, saying she noticed he’s not been the same since Kur but didn’t give it as much attention as it needed. I’ve seen some theories Sskeer had a type of vision/feeling related to Keeve and her future, considering we know there’s a Master Trennis who sits among the Jedi Order’s Lost Twenty, hence his outburst at the end of the first issue and subsequent distancing from Keeve this issue, but this feels more like something from within Sskeer, not an external crisis. I’m still betting on Jora’s death being the catalyst and obviously adding in the arm now, which I feel like has to be driving a lot of his anger and outburst here, slashing a Nihil solider into pieces long after they’re already dead. As a Trandoshan, Sskeer can regrow lost limbs, so while losing his arm would still be traumatic, which is totally understandable now we’ve seen a beautifully dark representation of the moment in the panels here, it could be the reptilian part of his brain he’s suppressed/overcome is harder to hold at bay as his body begins the regrowth process; I imagine chemicals needed for the process, an ancient thing for his species, much like the hunt he mentions when he chases down the Nihil, could be pushing forward and overwhelming him, especially as the death of Jora hangs over him as well as having to let go of Keeve as she begins her Jedi Knighthood. Plus, lots of his anger in chopping apart the Nihil comes from his concern over not being able to sense them, as usually a Jedi’s senses are failing them when they falling to the dark side or it begins clouding things, which only adds to the potential his arm regrowth is messing with his senses too as the anger and pain over the experience/Jora’s death clouds everything. It’s the theory I’m sticking to, at least, but I’ll curious to see what everyone else thinks! And what’s coming for Sskeer will only make things worse, because if the strange tentacle that swipes up Ceret on Sedri is what I think it is, a certain villainous creature introduced in the recently released Into the Dark, we’ve got quite the story ahead of us!
What a first mission as a Jedi Knight for Keeve Trennis, hey?! First the Kotabi twins of Terec and Ceret (their names are palindromes even) test her patience as they finish one another’s sentences and are hard to tell apart, then the derelict ship they visit causes them to uncover a Hutt dead in Republic space, with a potential load of crops involved with the new miracle salve, bacta (yup, widely used in the eras we already know, it’s getting its start here), and she sees her old Master hack up an already dead Nihil; I’d swear dank farrik (making it’s jump from The Mandalorian to comics) too if that’s how things went, which is one of the many little ways writer Cavan Scott has made her such a favorite already. Her swearing habit in the first issue cued us on her unique demeanor, where she’s still an outstanding Jedi but doesn’t easily spout their platitudes, so it’s interesting to see her try to be better about it, even if she says “blah blah blah” after thinking of the line we attribute mostly to Chirrut from Rogue One, as if that’s what makes a Jedi a great Jedi; I hope she doesn’t change to be more rigid, as what makes her different and unique is what makes her such a great Jedi already, as I don’t believe any other Jedi in this era we’ve met could’ve past the Trial she had last issue, and it’s also what makes her my favorite character in the initiative. Her reaction to what Sskeer did, chopping up the Nihil, and waiting to tell Avar Kriss when she arrives with Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh (!), is an understandable one because no matter how off-the-cuff she might be, no Jedi of this era really seems ready for something like this to happen to another of their Order. Will she be able to bring her old Master back from whatever path he’s barreling down? We can only hope!
The mesmerizing team of Ario Anindito on art, Mark Morales inking, Annalisa Leoni as colorist, and Ariana Maher for lettering continue to bring a spectacle to behold on every page; it’s so impressive it sometimes makes me feel like they took an animated Star Wars show and put screenshots from scenes in an episode into comic panels instead of airing the show…which isn’t a complaint at all, mind you, but rather the best way I could phrase this intended compliment! In particular, I really enjoyed (per usual) some of the little things: Sskeer’s face, panel by panel, slash after slash, descending into anger and feral rage, was likely not an easy thing to pencil, ink, or color, due to his scales and intense eyes, but dank farrik (thanks a lot, Keeve!) does this team convey such a tonal shift so deftly here; while Sskeer is admonished by Avar, you can see Keeve in the background, glancing over her shoulder with worry for her old Master; and the lightsabers themselves, a thinner, longer blade, with some sparkles next to it to give it a sizzling look, just look phenomenal to me, as the team pulls off the lighting just right when they’re ignited, making them light scenes and cast shadows. Of course I loved the thickness of the gas, and the darkness of the derelict ship, giving the entire issue a sense of building dread, but it’s the panel with the dead Hutt that remains seared into my brain, a truly horrific panel only hinting at the dangers and terrors to come; is it just me, or is it getting chilly in here?
Here are a few other things:
- The possibility of seeing characters from all different mediums in another one is extremely high with THR content, but it didn’t lessen my surprise and delight at seeing A Test of Courage’s Vernestra Rwoh in this issue! She even saw Sskeer on Starlight and he’s the one who suggest she take on a Padawan, despite her age/not being a Master, but her time with the Jedi in question from AToC is what really helps them make the call. We’ll be seeing her back in a starring role later this year in July’s Out of Shadows YA novel from Justina Ireland.
- This week also saw the release of IDW’s own THR-era comic, written by Daniel José Older (the last of the luminous authors to have his content released): The High Republic Adventures! It has just as excellent of a start as this series did, with some great new characters and stunning artwork rivaling this team’s work, so make sure to check it out!
- Writer Cavan Scott has an interview over at Nerdist that talks about the first two issues and includes some sneak peek panels from issue #3 (confirming what danger lurks on Sedri).
The High Republic #2 continues to impress, not simply from a stunning art level, but also from how Star Wars it inherently feels, despite being 200 years from anything we know with a completely new cast of memorable, intriguing characters. I can’t wait to see what else they have in store of us with this series!
+ New, dark, horror vibe!
+ Sskeer’s gradual slip
+ Keeve’s relatable reactions
+ Art team continues to make wonders
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC COMIC REVIEWS:
There Is No Fear: #1