Review: Star Wars Vol. 7- The Ashes of Jedha

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is exciting and has great moments from the main characters. The conclusion is enjoyable. This volume has a satisfying continuation of plot lines from other Star Wars properties.

Cons: Luke’s solo story isn’t that interesting. The artwork often enters the uncanny valley.

Overall: This is another solid addition to the Star Wars comic series. It combines excitement, tension, and an interesting story all into one satisfying volume. There are a few problems here and there but the collection as a whole is still very entertaining. Anyone with an interest in Star Wars, especially those who enjoyed some of the stories continued here, should consider reading this book.

Story

Star Wars Vol. 7: The Ashes of Jedha, by Kieron Gillen, is an exciting tale of rebellion that suits the Star Wars universe very well. The majority of the story here is satisfying and has plenty of fun action and well-executed operations. This volume also continues story elements from Rogue One andDarth Vader Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War (Review) in ways that are sure to satisfy fans of either or both stories. The only place it stumbles is in Luke Skywalker’s personal story, which ends up being a bit generic and disappointing. However, the overall appeal of this book is high and the story here is still very worthwhile.

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The main storyline in The Ashes of Jedha starts out by explaining the situation on Jedha and detailing the Rebel’s defense of the planet. Their defense is immediately interesting and leads to a number of exciting moments, such as Luke Skywalker charging into battle on the back of an alien horse creature. In general, this portion of the story is fun and feels like a classic Star Wars escapade.

While this is going on, another portion of the story focuses on Luke going on a solo mission to learn about the Force. Unfortunately, Luke’s solo mission is pretty lackluster and ends up being a generic message about being wary of the Dark Side, something every fan has seen over and over plenty of times.

Luckily, things improve once Luke rejoins the main cast and the rejuvenated Rebels launch an exciting operation against the invaders. It is a tense mission filled with action that feels exciting all the way through. Highlights from this portion of the narrative come from an unexpected double-cross from one of the Imperials, a twist that I found to be incredibly satisfying, and some worthwhile character development for Han Solo. All of this leads to an enjoyable Rebel victory that caps the book off nicely.

The Ashes of Jedha also will be particularly satisfying for fans who have experience with either Rogue One or Darth Vader Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War (Review). This comic allows readers to see what happened to Jedha after it was decimated by the Empire and even goes on to depict the resistance on Jedha as something inspiring and wonderful. It also allows readers to continue the story of Shu-Torun and learn that this society has continued to rebel against the Empire’s oppression. This information is a great extension of the Star Wars expanded universe and will be very satisfying for fans who have experienced these earlier properties.

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Art

For the most part, the artwork in The Ashes of Jedha is pretty appealing. Salvador Larroca does a great job in creating creative environments and unique looking technology. Pages are also laid out well, allowing panels to accurately depict the action and allowing splash pages to create some awe-inspiring moments.

However, the artwork in this volume has a serious problem with avoiding the uncanny valley. Nearly every face in this book looks like it was swiped straight from a scene in a Star Wars movie, even the characters who aren’t from the movies. These hyper-realistic faces contrast with the rest of the book, which is detailed by does not have anywhere near the same level of realism. It creates a jarring disconnect between characters and their environments, which significantly distracts from the visual appeal of this book.

Continuity

Star Wars Vol. 7: The Ashes of Jedha continues the story from Star Wars Vol. 6: Out Among the Stars (Review). Both stories take place between the movies Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back.

The story here continues in Star Wars Vol. 8: Mutiny at Mon Cala.

This volume also makes references to other works, detailed below:

• Most of the story in this volume deals with the aftermath of the Rogue One movie.
• Many references are made to Shu-Torun and the history of its current Queen. Her past and some aspects of her culture are introduced and explained in Darth Vader Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War (Review).