– Spoiler Review –
The Last Jedi – DJ: Most Wanted is a one-shot comic which gives us a peek into what the titular character was up to before Finn and Rose find him in one of Canto Bight’s prisons, and while fun, it won’t change your perceptions of the character.
A day in the life of DJ, played in the film by Benicio Del Toro, goes about exactly as one would imagine: he slips and slides between conflicts, always looking out for number 1 first and foremost, adhering to his own little code of conduct. I enjoyed his small role in the film, which I thought Del Toro acted great in despite its brevity, and this comic proves more of him can be a good thing. How he stays neutral throughout the various events in this issue, even when the perpetrator of his misfortunes comes to light, is a balancing act of beauty we don’t see often at all in Star Wars. He leaves quite a wake due to his selfish actions, but that he holds no ill-will to those who harm him or any debt to those who help him, makes him a curious enigma to watch. There’s plenty more potential where that comes from, as getting to see what other calamities he’s managed to survive while looking out only for himself could be quite fun. However, no layers are peeled back regarding DJ, as the comic doesn’t bother dwelling on who he was or how he got this way, just giving his unique perspective a chance to shine.
The novella collection Canto Bight gave readers their first look into the world of the glitzy casinos and DJ: Most Wanted expands on that in small, but intriguing ways. The matters of jurisdiction between the police and the casinos offers an even more corrupt look at the behind-the-scenes than either the film or the novellas managed to do, and it really sets up a twisted and fun environment to explore in the future.
I found Ben Acker and Ben Blacker’s writing this issue to be much better than their previous TLJ tie-in one-shot, Storms of Crait, as this one didn’t sacrifice character for plot, but rather let characters drive it. The twist regarding whom hijacked DJ’s made-up gangster’s identity doesn’t feel quite earned, but it might be the only real misstep this issue. On the art team is Kev Walker (pencils), Marc Deering (inks), and Java Tartaglia (colors). Walker and Deering collaborated for Doctor Aphra previously, with an art style I grew to enjoy as the series went on, and it fits rather well here, as they bring a cartoon-like whimsy, with some dark corners, to Canto Bight. Some faces and characters looked similar to the work for Aphra, specifically the Rodian, but I really enjoyed the design of the podracer DJ befriends for a bit, as it reminded me of something out of the Muppets. Tartaglia’s colors bring the brightness to the interior of the casino’s and slowly seeds the growing darkness when one travels further away from the glitz and glamour. Clayton Cowles is this issue’s letterer, keeping things easy to read and really bringing the shocks home when casino goons beat up on a gangster.
In the end, I’d place the DJ: Most Wanted one-shot as my third favorite out of the four one-shots released so far, as it shares one important characteristic with the top two: it shows the potential of spending more time with the titular character.
+ The grey of DJ makes for a fun time
– Doesn’t add to the character
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
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The Last Jedi (movie) | The Last Jedi – Storms of Crait (One-shot Comic)
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