Canon Comic Review: Star Wars Rebels TPB

– Non-Spoiler Review –

Star Wars Rebels ran for just around 4 years, and in that time fans (myself included!) grew to love and cherish their time with the crew of the Ghost and their struggles as they ignited the flame of Rebellion in the galaxy. The world of Rebels expanded with appearances from the crew in comics and novels, while they made cameos in films like Rogue One, and since it finished airing its characters are much beloved and its lingering story threads are of interest to many fans. While it might not be getting an animated follow-up, though it seems we’ll find out what happens next in live-action, fans can revisit the crew through Dark Horse’s Star Wars Rebels TPB, a collection of the comics that released during its original airing but largely weren’t accessible in the US. While the TPB (trade paperback) doesn’t pick up the story, rather filling in blanks between episodes, it captures the quintessential Rebels-vibe in both story and art, enriching the show, its characters, and any future revisiting of the series for fans.

Star Wars Rebels TPB collects Star Wars: Rebels Magazine #1-#35, #37, #39, and Star Wars: Rebels Animation Magazine #1-#4, two magazines that started first in Europe (specifically the UK) and continued after the US runs ended, finishing with the final 4 stories in Germany. Obtaining these since or even during hasn’t been the easiest, but Dark Horse has brought them all together in one slick package that cuts right to over 400 pages worth of comics. Written mostly by Martin Fisher and later Jeremy Barlow, with Alec Worley for only two stories, with art by Bob Molesworth, Ingo Römling, Eva Widermann, Cosmo White, and even Ruairí Coleman doing line art while Chris O’Halloran on colors (or Molesworth), there’s a reverence and consistency to Rebels’ look and messages that carry through from the first page of this collection to the last, and impressive feat that makes it easy to switch between watching an episode and reading an issue or two here. Throughout most of the comics, it was easy to tell roughly which season or when during each season a story took place, be it either context clues in the dialogue and character designs (Ezra with short hair and his green lightsaber for instance tells us we’re in Season Three or later) or certain characters being part of a mission, like Ahsoka Tano or Commander Rex. No matter which way you read it, there’s no mistaking this TPB for anything other than another way to spend time with the Ghost’s crew.

Between Fisher and Barlow, I barely felt like I noticed a difference in the quality or depth of the stories within, and even at his smaller contribution level, Worley fit the mold just as well. What I particularly enjoyed about the overall batch of stories within is how they felt consequential to the era and show’s overall story/themes, but also how they all expanded and developed the Ghost crew and surrounding characters even more. We get new glimpses into Ezra’s mindset during his struggles training or after Senator Trayvis’ betrayal, little details on Sabine’s time between the Imperial Academy and when she’s scooped up by Hera, more time with Zeb beyond him smashing bucketheads, Hera continuing to be the very best Space Mom, Kanan showing off how much a Jedi he is despite his own beliefs to the contrary, and even Chopper doing what he does best (yes, you know exactly what I mean!). Beyond that though, there’s stories with Mart Mattin, Ahsoka hanging out with others like Sabine and not just the Jedi, Sabine’s impact on Ketsu Onyo after reconnecting with her, Wedge and Hobbie, Lando Calrissian, Commander Sato, and even Imperial characters too, from Kallus before he switches sides to Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint before they wind up in Grand Moff Tarkin’s sights. No matter the length of a TV show, especially one with characters we can come to love as much as the crew of the Ghost, it often never feels like we get enough time with them, so it was special to read these now, 4 years since the show aired, gaining a fuller picture of these individuals but also simply having more time with them, as all three writers capture the characters and their essences superbly. And I enjoyed how these stories felt scale-wise, as while they aren’t often at the level of the main show, they are important to the Rebellion or the overall story of the show, while it explores smaller villains that present their own problems and issues for our favorites.

Most the collection is a ping-pong between artists Bob Molesworth and Ingo Römling, and while Bob’s work is more in line with Rebels’ animation style, Ingo’s own unique take hues closely enough it’s different but similar. With Molesworth’s many contributions, I really liked the playful look of his artwork, from the bright colors to the bigger expressions on characters’ faces like seen in the show, there’s an exuberance to his work that feeds back into the scripts of Fisher and Barlow. I most enjoy his Zeb, as he imbues panels with the big Lasat’s lumbering movements but also his acrobatic, warrior-like abilities, doing a great job of showing him relaxing but always ready for a fight, something he captures very well in the “The Size of the Fight.” As for Römling, his style might be my favorite, as his colors are a little darker and dirtier, which fits in with tales like “Sabotaged Supplies,” while the overall look has sharp edges and more detailed emotive characters, but he still maintains the Rebels-vibe. His take on Sabine, the mischievous looks on her face or an older, yet still youthful defiance towards her Space Mom and Space Dad in her posing in panels brings a lot of Sabine’s colorful flair to the pages. A few other artists joined the party, like Eva Widermann, who also has a style closer to the show’s, sort of like Molesworth’s, but there’s more definition to what’s in each panel, a more voluminous feel; especially since her colors incorporate reflections, and her overall style makes we wish we had her for a few more stories. Then there was Cosmo White, who leans more towards an anime style (and makes sense why he drew for more Star Wars Resistance comics in its own Animation Magazine), but I liked the change, as he brought big, showy movements to an adventure with Sato and Sabine, as well as some Western-vibes that all felt very Star Wars in the end. Lastly, Coleman’s line art with mainly O’Halloran’s colors often looked the most realistic, as it were, compared to the show’s animation, and you can easily see the through-line from the show’s animation to the style of the characters in Hasbro’s The Black Series line. The little details he can drawn, from splinters of wood cracking or the rain drops pelting Ezra and a Wookiee in “A Time to Survive,” add heft to the action in the panels and the problems facing our heroes. O’Halloran’s colors still match the show’s soul, so it helps bridge the gap between Coleman’s art and the show’s style by making it just as colorful while not distracting from art.

Here are a few other things:

Over two years ago, The Art of Star Wars Rebels released as well, so if you’re looking to complete a Rebels-focused collection, don’t forget to pick that up too!
If this collection gets you invested in the show or you haven’t yet checked out other media with the characters, there are a few other places you can enjoy the adventures of various members of the crew. For starters, there was A New Dawn, which released ahead of the show and contains when Kanan met Hera. Hera Syndulla’s journey after the end of the show, post-Return of the Jedi, takes place in Star Wars Squadrons and more importantly the Alphabet Squadron trilogy. They overall crew has also been in various issues of Star Wars Adventures from IDW.
And lastly, expect to see resolution to some various threads in the upcoming Ahsoka show, set for release in 2023, per reports of the early teaser shown at Celebration Anaheim 2022.

Dark Horse collecting the various Star Wars Rebels comics into one easy place to enjoy them will be a boon for fans of the show missing their favorite characters, as these tales offer more time with the show’s stars whose tales have grown and will continue to grow beyond the initial show. It’s also great for fans of all-ages or even those who haven’t seen the show yet, as this could be a good place to start or pick up after the show is over. Overall, fan of the show or not, good comics await with Star Wars Rebels TPB!

+ More time with all your favorites

+ Across the board, art doesn’t disappoint

+ Keeping the show’s vibe throughout

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.

DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this comic from the publisher at no charge in order to provide an early review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.

STAR WARS REBELS REVIEWS:
Season Four: Ep.1/2: “Heroes of Mandalore” Part One / Part Two | Ep. 3/4: “In the Name of the Rebellion” | Ep. 5: “The Occupation” | Ep. 6: “Flight of the Defender” | Ep. 7/8: “Kindred” and “Crawler Commandeers” | Ep. 9: “Rebel Assault” | Ep. 10/11 “Jedi Night” and “Dume” | Ep. 12/13: “Wolves and a Door” & “A World Between Worlds” | Ep. 14/15: “A Fool’s Hope” & “Family Reunion – and Farewell”

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Canon Comic Review: Star Wars Rebels TPB

+ More time with all your favorites

+ Across the board, art doesn’t disappoint

+ Keeping the show’s vibe throughout

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