Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I wasn't sure what to expect with the Star Wars: Manga series. I wasn't sure if it would just be a tired retread of familiar material done with big eyes, or if it would be the first really quality adaptation of the Star Wars films. Because lets face it, most Star Wars comics suck. The art is lacklustre, with artists often trying to make their character look too much like Harrison Ford or Mark Hamill. The dialogue is flimsy, with characters either spouting catchphrases from the movies or just dropping awkward speech balloons all over the place. No, Dark Horse has not done much with the coveted Star Wars franchise to crow about. Until now.
I'm not one of those fans that preaches the unfailing superiority of Japanese manga. Nor do I decry the often exaggerated facial expressions and unfamiliar art style. I simply appreciate good comics, and this is good comics. This is the best graphic novel adaptation of Star Wars: A New Hope that anyone could ever ask for. The well-known script is adapted directly from George Lucas' original script, and so it includes the new scenes of the Special Edition releases from a few years back (Though Han does seem the shoot first in a highly satisfyingly violent scene). This is not merely a storyboard adaptation, but a true utilisation of what comics do best. Hisao Tamaki, who adapts and draws this story, uses plenty of panels just to establish mood and setting, most noticeable in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene. The characters, thankfully, are not modelled on their silver screen counter-parts, but rather have a life of their own. Action scenes are a beauty to behold, and Tamaki's kinetic style is really showcased. The lightsaber duel between Vader and Obi-Wan is infused with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic, giving the samurai-esque Kenobi a mobility that the honourable Sir Alec Guiness could simply never achieve. The destruction of Alderaan is handled far more dramatically than in the film, flashing panels of the people of that doomed world with the Death Star as it charges its cannon. The blast is one of those truly impressive sights that make your eyes widen in an attempt to take it all in.
Perhaps the most appealing part of this series is the way Tamaki exploits the lighter moments to brilliant effect. The Jawa's incessant jabbering, the mugging of Luke and Han, and especially the frantic chases through the Death Star in the third volume all illicit great little moments. Once one becomes accustomed to Tamaki's visual language, including little teardrops and pulsing forehead veins, it's easy to follow the laughs.
If there are any drawbacks to this story, they involve the inevitable problems in translating a Japanese work for an English market. Virtually all panels are mirrored to accommodate our left-to-right reading style. It seems that some action scenes devoid of dialogue were left in their original format, making the transition a bit jarring if your eye's sharp enough to spot the gaffes. I've read other reviews that disapproved of the sound effect lettering, arguing that it distracted from the art in certain scenes. I agree that the sound effects are occasionally overwhelming, but they are clearly an important part of the art style, and are used so effectively in certain scenes that I'm willing to forgive this minor sin.
For any fans of the Star Wars films or comics series, this set is a valuable and highly entertaining addition that lets you appreciate the classic tale in a new medium. I look forward to reading the following Star Wars: Manga adaptations.
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