Category: STAR WARS-Related

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STAR WARS – JOURNEY TO THE FORCE AWAKENS: SHATTERED EMPIRE (MARVEL Comics)

Issues # 1-4 Written by Greg Rucka.

Issues # 1-4 Art by Marco Checchetto; Angel Unzueta; Emilio Laiso; Andres Mossa; & VC’s Jose Caramagna.

Collection Cover Art by Phil Noto.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2015 by Marvel Comics, this 124-page trade paperback reprints the same-named 2015 four-issue mini-series. 

Set in the closing moments of Return of The Jedi, amidst the Death Star II shootout, Rebel pilot Lt. Shera Bey aids Luke Skywalker’s borrowed Imperial shuttle escape back to Endor.  On planet Endor, Shera’s husband, Sgt. Kes Cameron is among General Han Solo’s commandoes in their effort to disable the Death Star’s outer force field defense system.

Having briefly reunited on planet Endor, Shera and Kes continue their Rebellion commitment in thwarting the Empire’s still-potent remnants.  As Han Solo’s shuttle pilot, an undercover Shera helps his commando squad take down Endor’s last remaining Imperial outpost.  Deciphered Imperial messaging indicated that the Empire now intends to attack multiple planets simultaneously in vengeance.  While Han, Chewbacca, and Kes are involved in leading multiple counterstrikes, Shera becomes Leia’s pilot in her diplomatic return to planet Naboo.

As the Empire bombards Naboo with catastrophic weather-altering technology, it’s up to Leia, Shera, and an unexpected third pilot to mount a vastly outmatched counterattack against a Star Destroyer and its TIE Fighter squadron.  Their only chance is whether or not the Rebellion fleet can reach Naboo in time to save the planet from destruction.  A parallel between the Han/Leia romance and the Damerons’ young marriage is conveyed.   

Shera and Kes contemplate the quiet future they should commit to, along with her father and their young son, Poe.  Recruited by Luke Skywalker, Shera accompanies the Jedi Knight on his personal extraction mission to planet Vetine.  It appears that the Imperials are holding on to a Jedi relic that Luke desperately wants to recover without Rebel reinforcements.  A hint of Kes and Shera’s imminent future is revealed.       

Note: This title is also available digitally and in hardcover.

REVIEW:

It’s really a glorified hodgepodge. Aside from Marvel/Disney’s slick production values, the content of Shattered Empire is relatively good, but it isn’t a must-have.  Specifically, writer Greg Rucka, with a terrific art team, conjures up a sufficiently appealing premise for an episodic mini-sequel to Return of The Jedi. 

It’s a shame, though, that plot elements of Shattered Empire couldn’t have been extended out to six issues vs. the conventional four-issue industry standard.  That way, there could have been more time spent with the franchise’s original characters, as opposed to playing supporting roles for Shera Bey and Kes Dameron.  

If anything, the four-part Shattered Empire offers a good read for Star Wars fans for most age groups, in terms of setting up Poe Dameron’s future link to The Force Awakens.  Besides introducing Poe Dameron’s parents convincingly, Rucka’s conveyance of Han and Leia’s leadership during their own separate missions is well-constructed.  The final issue shifting to Luke Skywalker’s personal side trip (which conveniently includes Shara Bey), however, is more of an obvious plot tack-on than it should be.   

As for this title’s additional padding, Princess Leia # 1 and Marvel’s original Star Wars # 1 supply just enough to attain a respectable page count.  Serving best as a welcome library find, Star Wars: Shattered Empire, at least, offers a kid-friendly escape back into a galaxy far, far away. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The full-page cover precedes each issue.  The cover artists are: Phil Noto (Issue # 1) and Marco Checcheto (Issues # 2-4).  Splitting pages are variant cover reprints.  For Issue # 1, the variant cover artists are: 1. Francesco Francavilla; 2. Checchetto; and 3. Pasqual Ferry & Chris Sotomayor.  Issue # 2’s variant artist is Kris Anka.  Issue # 3’s variant artist is  Mike Deodato.  Sarah Pichelli & Paul Mounts are the variant artists for Issue # 4.          

The opener for the 2015 Princess Leia mini-series is then presented afterwards.  The issue’s creative team consists of writer Mark Waid; artists Terry and Rachel Dodson (who also supply the full-page cover); colorist Jordie Bellaire; & VC’s Joe Caramagna on letters.

Set immediately after Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, Princess Leia recruits an embittered Rebel female pilot (and fellow survivor from Alderaan) for an unauthorized excursion to Naboo.  Defying General Dodonna’s orders to stay put (given there’s an Imperial bounty out on her), Leia gambles that her pilot can out-maneuver Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, whose X-Wings are in an interception pursuit.

Between Mark Waid’s likable scripting and the Dodsons’ sufficient visuals (still, their cover image surpasses the average interior artwork), Princess Leia # 1 makes for a nice read.  Waid smartly plays up Leia’s often icy exterior for some insightful scenes with Luke (briefly), General Dodonna, and a newly introduced Rebel pilot, Evaan.  While this single-issue ‘teaser’ isn’t a must-read, Waid and the Dodsons make it easy enough to visual the familiar actors playing out the dialogue.   

From out of Marvel’s archives is the first issue of its original 1977 Star Wars comic book adaptation.  The creative team consists of writer Roy Thomas; artist Howard Chaykin; and letterer Jim Novak.  The uncredited cover art team is Chaykin and Tom Palmer. 

Though its artwork seems primitive today, this first issue’s plotting reasonably follows George Lucas’ script.  Including the film’s deleted Luke and Biggs sequence at Anchorhead on Tatooine, Thomas nimbly conveys the movie’s iconic dialogue in comic book form.  This Thomas/Chaykin collaboration, in that sense, makes for a decent blast from the past.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 5½ Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS: CHEWBACCA (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Gerry Duggan.

Art by Phil Noto & VC’s Joe Caramagna.

Collection Cover Art by Phil Noto.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2016 by Marvel Comics, this 112-page trade paperback reprints the Star Wars: Chewbacca # 1-5 mini-series from that same year. 

Per a Star Wars scroll, soon after A New Hope, the fugitive Chewbacca is returning home to Kashyyyk on a personal mission.  However, his one-seater starship malfunctions, leaving the Wookie stranded on a seemingly idyllic yet remote world.  The plight of a young girl, Zarro, who has fled enslavement from the planet’s subterranean mines, reluctantly draws Chewbacca’s sympathy.

Seeking to rescue her indebted father, Arrax, and other miners from the crooked Jaum, Zarro convinces Chewbacca to help.  Jaum’s business transaction with Imperial forces, however, gives the duo little time.  It’s up to Chewbacca and Zarro to thwart the ruthless Jaum’s scheme and keep the Imperials from bullying Zarro’s world.  The epilogue subsequently reveals what happened to Chewbacca’s Battle of Yavin medal and the purpose of his brief return home.   

Note: This title is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

For pre-teens, this undemanding Chewbacca adventure makes for a likable read.  Both its simplistic storytelling and reasonably good visuals should keep young Star Wars fans tuned in all the way to the poignant finish line.  Adults, however, will likely find the entire plot predictable and increasingly contrived – given its flimsy page count. 

For instance, the title scroll briefly indicates that Chewbacca has been marooned due to a clunker starship.  Yet, there isn’t an explanation as to why Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon doesn’t safeguard Chewbacca’s trip home (vs. meeting up in a story-ending rendezvous)?  One could infer that Chewbacca has opted to travel discreetly as possible to avoid “any Imperial entanglements,” as Obi-Wan Kenobi once adroitly put it.  Yet, writer Gerry Duggan doesn’t bother revealing any details of Chewbacca’s private mission until the very end. Extra material in this regard (i.e. a few flashbacks) could have presented welcome depth to attract older fans.        

The same applies to the book’s lack of bonus materials.  Had Marvel Comics padded this compilation with some worthwhile Star Wars reprints (in effect, Chewbacca’s greatest hits), there again would have been a wider potential audience.  Aside from a gift idea for the Wookie’s most ardent fans, Star Wars: Chewbacca’s most practical hideout is at the library.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Each full-page Phil Noto cover precedes its story.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  5 Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS: HAN SOLO (MARVEL Comics)

Han Solo # 1-5  Written by Marjorie Liu.

Art by Mark Brooks; Dexter Vines; Sonia Oback; Matt Milla; & VC’s Joe Caramagna.

Star Wars # 8-12 Written by Jason Aaron.

Art by Stuart Immonen; Wade Von Grawbadger; Justin Ponsor; & Chris Eliopoulos.

Collection Cover Art by Stephanie Hans.

SUMMARY:

In 2016, Marvel Comics released writer Jason Aaron’s Star Wars # 7-12 (from 2015) as a trade paperback entitled Star Wars, Volume 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon.  Writer Marjorie Liu’s complete 2016 Han Solo five-issue mini-series was subsequently released in a trade paperback format in 2017.  Come 2018, Marvel Comics compiled these two unrelated storylines into a 232-page hardcover simply titled Star Wars: Han Solo.  The only issue not included is Star Wars # 7, which sets up Luke Skywalker’s adventure apart from Han & Leia’s covert scouting mission.

Set several weeks after Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope, Captain Solo has uneasily dodged freelance smuggling gigs considering that he and Chewbacca are hot on the Empire’s Most Wanted list, not to mention Jabba the Hutt’s infamous bounty.  Prodded into a secret assignment by Princess Leia, Han & Chewbacca go undercover entering an illegal galactic race known as the ‘Dragon Void.’  Essentially, it’s any hotshot pilot’s dream to win the ultra-dangerous Dragon Void (let alone survive it).  As far as most of the elitist competition is concerned, Han Solo is a nobody; worse yet, just a lowly smuggler with seemingly nothing to lose but his life.    

Against the galaxy’s hottest racing talent, the Millennium Falcon’s crew must evade the Empire’s scrutiny while retrieving three Rebel spies, all targeted by an unknown mole bent on murder.  It’s up to Han & Chewbacca to protect their passengers from this assassin lurking among them.  In this five-part adventure, will Han’s pride or his conscience ultimately determine a rescue mission’s outcome vital to Rebel intelligence?

Picking up after Star Wars # 7 (also set in this same post-New Hope timeframe), Han & Leia find themselves in a tense stand-off with a vengeful mercenary, Sana Starros, who claims to be Han’s estranged wife.  Trapped in a nebula on a remote planet by the Empire, Leia & Han uneasily make a truce with the snarky Sana to escape with their lives. 

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker’s search for long-lost Jedi secrets takes him (with Artoo-Detoo) to Mar Shaddaa – the Smuggler’s Moon.  Seeking passage into Coruscant (the Jedi Temple), Luke is taken captive by the ruthless Grakkus the Hutt.  The young Skywalker (and his vintage lightsaber) are deemed the new prizes of this Hutt’s extensive Jedi artifact collection.

Forced into arena combat by Grakkus and a mysterious handler, an inexperienced Luke faces a gauntlet of gladiatorial challengers.  Learning of Luke’s predicament, Chewbacca & See-Threepio, along with Han, Leia, and a reluctant Sana converge on Mar Shaddaa to rescue him.  Standing between them and Luke is the Empire; Grakkus and his bloodthirsty minions; as well as the vile bounty hunter, Dengar.  Against an intergalactic horde of enemies, Han, Chewbacca, and Leia must resort to unexpected weaponry to save their friend’s life. The truth of Han & Sana’s marriage years before is subsequently revealed.

Elsewhere, Darth Vader continues his obsession with uncovering the identity of the rookie Jedi, who participated in the recent Battle of Yavin.       

Notes: Both individual books are available digitally, as is this combined title.  

REVIEW:

Visually, this book is a welcome gem, in terms of its high-caliber artwork.  The main characters consistently resemble the actors, especially as it’s made easy to imagine Harrison Ford playing out these stories.  As for the plotting, frankly, neither one rates as an absolute must-have for Star Wars afficionados, but readily ‘above-average’ is a fair assessment.  In Marjorie Liu’s Han Solo, formulaic ‘Cannonball Run’-like elements hit the plot’s target justifying the art squad’s stellar effort.  Even if there are virtually zero surprises, Liu’s racing/espionage caper still takes readers on an entertaining ride.

Jason Aaron’s action-adventure, at a minimum, offers the intriguing sequence of Han, Leia, & Chewbacca standing back-to-back wielding lightsabers in arena combat.  The introduction of Sana Starros is also a fun treat, along with Han & Chewbacca’s face-off with Dengar. 

Perhaps the best bit of dialogue comes from a mortified See-Threepio, upon his translation of the growling Wookie’s reply that ‘we’ means that he will be accompanying Chewbacca to help save Luke.  Speaking of which, the necessity for Luke’s friends having to suddenly come rescue the impulsive young Jedi is this tale’s only off-note.  Aaron should have depicted either Han and/or Leia expressing some justifiable exasperation at Luke’s foolish journey – for some semblance of reality.

Ultimately, readers get a dynamite Star Wars double-feature from Marvel Comics, even without Star Wars # 7 to better introduce the Smuggler’s Moon storyline.  With that in mind, Han Solo’s Marvel/Disney exploits are off to a rousing start.   

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The original covers and their variants are reprinted as full pages.  The Han Solo cover artists consist of: Lee Bermejo (Issues # 1 & 3); Tula Lotay (Issue # 2); Olivier Coipel (Issue # 4); and Kamone Shirahama (Issue # 5).  Interspersed throughout this book, Issue # 1’s variant artists are: John Cassady & Paul Mounts; Mike Allred & Laura Allred; Scott Koblish & Nick Filardi, and John Tyler Christopher. 

Issue # 2’s variant duo is Mike Allred & Laura Allred.  Issue # 3’s variant team consists of Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire, plus a separate cover from Michael Walsh.  Issue # 4’s variants are supplied by artists Stephanie Hans; Kirbi Fagan; Jamal Campbell; and Dustin Nguyen.  Issue # 5’s variants are provided by artists Mike Del Mundo; Joëlle Jones; Cameron Stewart & Matthew Wilson; and Kevin Wada.     

The Star Wars # 8-12 cover artists are the team of Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Justin Ponsor.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8 Stars

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DISNEY/PIXAR-Related Movies & Television (Videos) STAR WARS-Related The Ratings Game

THE RATINGS GAME: BEST & WORST OF THE STAR WARS MOVIES

In tribute to the Star Wars movie franchise, Odd Moon Media Reviews offers its own candid assessment.  Ignoring box office numbers, we will consider each Star Wars film’s watchability. 

ANALYSIS:

11. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (142 Min.)  2019.  Stunningly awful, a more apt title is ‘The Fall of Skywalker.’  By vastly one-upping the eye-rolling plot devices in Return of the Jedi, one viewing of the incoherent Rise is more than enough.  Conveniently back-peddling story elements from the controversial Last Jedi, the resulting fan service becomes nonsensical.  Further insult is inflicted upon the original trilogy’s icons, as they are again deemed expendable. 

Had Disney insisted J.J. Abrams & Co. spend an extra year reworking their incompetent script vs. rushing the film onscreen, it’s reasonable to believe a worthy series finale should have been accomplished.  By strip-mining the essence of the first six films, all Rise accomplishes is a ridiculously derivative homage that makes the prequels, as a whole, seem almost inspired.   

Note: Given how Rise was supposed to finally conclude the Skywalker Saga, shouldn’t The Last Jedi have made better sense as this movie’s title?     

10. Solo : A Star Wars Story (135 Min.)  2018.  Casting Alden Ehrenreich as Ben Solo might have sufficed for The Force Awakens, but his weak take on a young Han Solo isn’t even in the same galaxy as Harrison Ford.  Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, Thandiwe Newton, & Joonas Suotamo’s Chewbacca deliver excellent performances, as does Paul Bettany, but the remaining ensemble is forgettable.  Case in point: Woody Harrelson is woefully miscast as Solo’s sleazy mentor, as if the film really needed his distinctive star power. 

Otherwise, the ultra-expensive F/X are this film’s best component.  Had Ehrenreich & Harrelson been effectively replaced, Solo might have lived up to its considerable hype.  Then again, having the screenwriters concoct a more worthwhile caper should have been on the priority list, too.

9. Episode II: Attack of the Clones (142 Min.)  2002. Attack’s overwhelming reliance on green-screen technology equates is reminiscent of watching somebody else play a Star Wars video game for 2½ hours.  Never has George Lucas’ inability to direct live actors been more disappointingly obvious.  Even for die-hards, Clones’ monotony best serves as background noise.  One, at least, finally gets some context re: The Clone Wars. 

8. Episode I: The Phantom Menace   (133 Min.)  1999.  Wasting great natural scenery and an arsenal of sophisticated F/X, the first prequel is wholly unnecessary.  Sorely missing the original trilogy’s charm and simplicity, the convoluted Phantom Menace is misconceived from the get-go.  Eliminating Liam Neeson’s character altogether, a premise exploring Obi-Wan Kenobi’s efforts mentoring a twenty-ish Anakin prior to (or early during) The Clone Wars would have made far more sense. 

As with Clones, the biggest eyesore is Lucas’ abject failure capturing spontaneous performances.  Case in point: the talented casts of American Graffiti and Episode IV: A New Hope both surpass this obstacle.  By comparison, along with youngster Jake Lloyd, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, & Neeson are merely left to flounder.  Working off stilted dialogue, the actors’ blank facial reactions spell out that Lucas’ priority, unsurprisingly, was devising his non-stop F/X.  Apart from the climatic two-on-one lightsaber duel, Phantom Menace is the easiest Star Wars to snooze through.

7. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (152 Min.) 2017.  Trading Harrison Ford’s enormous shadow for Mark Hamill’s, Last Jedi isn’t much fun to watch.  Aside from Rey’s Jedi training, the script’s wild inconsistencies (i.e. what The Force can now do; Leia’s ridiculous space flying; Kylo Ren/Ben Solo’s confusing anti-heroism) will likely test any fan’s patience.

6. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (132 Min.) 1983.  Considering the grim plot twists that George Lucas rejected (justifying the original title of Revenge of the Jedi), Return remains the franchise’s great ‘what if.’  Deploying a surplus of ludicrous gimmicks (i.e., the Ewoks, Death Star II, and Luke & Leia’s contrived sub-plot), Return’s kiddie storyline lacks the behind-the-scenes quality control that producer Gary Kurtz and director Irwin Kershner had infused Empire with. 

Had they participated, it’s likely that two vital components would be fixed: 1. A competent script that isn’t so blatantly formulaic, as if motivated solely by toy sales; and 2. Kershner could have persuaded Return’s cast (especially an apathetic Ford) to muster their A-game vs. lazily phoning in their performances.  It says plenty that cameos by Alec Guinness (hiding his own disdain for Star Wars) and Oz’s Yoda put the listless trio of Ford, Hamill, & a metallic bikini-clad Carrie Fisher to shame.

5. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (133 Min.) 2016.  It’s basically Star Wars’ answer to The Dirty Dozen.  Rogue One sure isn’t kid-friendly, but, as a plausible prequel to A New Hope, the project lives up to its potential.

4. Episode VII: The Force Awakens (136 Min.) 2015.  As much as Force shamelessly retreads New Hope, it’s still a welcome pivot away from the blah prequels.  Still, one wonders why J.J. Abrams cast Adam Driver as Han & Leia’s son, considering he resembles neither Ford nor Fisher in the slightest degree (and yet Daisy Ridley logically resembles their what-if daughter). More significantly, the bigger mistake is a tone-deaf capitulation to Ford’s insistence re: Han Solo’s fate.  Why would Abrams foolishly one-up what 1994’s Star Trek: Generations does with Captain Kirk? 

The same result could have been achieved, had there been a classy rewrite (i.e., without too closely duplicating Obi-Wan Kenobi’s similar demise, a galaxy-weary Solo could have poignantly sacrificed himself to save Rey from his own monstrous son).  Otherwise, Daisy Ridley & John Boyega’s energetic contributions, at least, offer sufficient promise of an intriguing sequel trilogy.   

3. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (140 Min) 2005.  Burdened by a bleak timeline now set in concrete, the far-fetched Sith is somehow remarkably entertaining.  Having wasted Phantom Menace on irrelevant galactic politics (not to mention, Anakin’s childhood), Lucas rushes too much to justify the inevitable finish.  Still, Sith outclasses Rise and Return with the franchise’s best action choreography.  McGregor’s best prequel performance is another plus.    

2. Episode IV: A New Hope (121 Min.) 1977.  Keeping in mind the occasionally clunky dialogue, what more really needs to be said?  How about this? — George Lucas should thank his lucky stars (literally) that his reliable cast could more or less direct themselves.  Everything else contributes to a Hollywood underdog story worthy of its legends. 

And, inevitably, the best Star Wars flick is:

1. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back    (124 Min.)  1980.  Except for a murky timeline (i.e., does the story transpire over a few days?  Maybe a few weeks?), Empire is near-flawless entertainment.  With Lucas focused on complex production issues, director Irvin Kershner guides the franchise’s best performances into an unforgettable cliffhanger. 

Specifically, Kershner’s savviness encouraging ad-libs (i.e., Ford’s carbon freeze sequence) surpasses stilted moments in screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan’s dialogue.  This flexibility is priceless vs. the detached outcome of director Richard Marquand filming Lucas & Kasdan’s lackluster Return script as is.  If New Hope exemplifies the timeless ‘Peter Pan’ in us all, then Empire reminds viewers that adult repercussions inevitably follow.

In closing, is it a mere coincidence that the original trilogy and the belated sequels follow nearly the exact same trajectory?  Besides lifting New Hope’s plot, Force Awakens represents the same style of ‘fun’ popcorn movie.  Hence, Empire and Last Jedi are meticulously structured as darker midpoints geared for adults.  For whatever reason, Return and Rise are then left pitching recycled hot messes that fall far short of their two predecessors. 

As Empire and New Hope confirm, success begins with an inspired script.  The dubious alternative is expending a $250+ million budget, and leaving the odds of a first-class epic merely to chance.  Just a random thought … thanks for reading! 

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DC-Related Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos STAR WARS-Related

SUPERMAN V: BATTLE OF THE DEATH STAR (EXTENDED VERSION) – FAN-PRODUCED

SUMMARY:                            RUNNING TIME: 7:58 Min.

Presented by A Price Production, this fan-produced video was posted on September 13, 2019.  Imagine this: at the Fortress of Solitude, Christopher Reeve’s Superman poignantly views a crystallized flashback of his doomed parents sending his rocket to safety from Krypton. Upon the Kryptonian elders defying Darth Vader, the Death Star destroys the planet. 

In the present-day, with his flashback interrupted, Superman ominously senses that Earth is an approaching Death Star’s next target.  The legendary Man of Steel must then face the Death Star’s immense firepower and even Darth Vader in galactic combat in hopes of defending Earth.

This video splices together footage of Reeve from his four Superman films, as well as lifted footage of Marlon Brando, Susannah York, and ‘Krypton’s elders’ from the first Superman.  Taken from Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, there is footage of David Prowse & James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, plus Peter Cushing’s cameo as Governor Tarkin. 

The familiar score is borrowed from original composers John Williams and (from Superman II) Ken Thorne.  As necessary, project editor Aaron Price, incorporates new special effects, voice-overs, and insert shots of the Death Star’s weapons control system.

Editor / Supplemental Voice Acting: Aaron Price

Supplemental Voice Acting: Jim Bowers

3D Superman Modeling: Mike Harjan

REVIEW:

Given its limitations, this fan project is a superb homage to both the Superman and Star Wars franchises.  Aaron Price’s vivid imagination and hard work is a welcome alternative to the dreck viewers were subjected to in Reeve’s last two Superman films.  Definitely well-played!         

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  8 Stars

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Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos STAR WARS-Related TV Episodes & Movies

STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL (1978)

SUMMARY:                 RUNNING TIME: 98:00 Min.

In its sole airing, CBS broadcast a prime-time Star Wars variety special directed by Steve Binder on November 11, 1978. 

Presumably, the events occur several months after A New Hope.  On planet Kashyyyk, Chewbacca’s family (his wife/mate Malla; son Lumpy; & father-in-law Itchy) anxiously await his return for their culture’s annual ‘Life Day.’  Yet, as seen from the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit, fugitives Han Solo & Chewbacca are desperately eluding an Imperial blockade that impedes their arrival.  Malla’s increasingly worried calls to a dismissive Luke Skywalker and later Princess Leia alert them that perhaps they, too, should be concerned. 

Meanwhile, Chewbacca’s loved ones try to keep themselves busy, which includes forms of holographic entertainment.  Among them is a Nelvana-animated cartoon adventure introducing the deceptive Boba Fett that features the voices of Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, & Anthony Daniels.  With local Imperials later holding Chewbacca’s family captive within their treehouse home, they stall for time.  Ultimately, Chewbacca’s extended family reunites before he and his loved ones solemnly celebrate their spiritual ‘Life Day.’   

Note: The only portion of this TV special officially available is Nelvana’s cartoon, which can be found on Disney +.

Musical performers include Diahann Carroll, Jefferson Starship, Bea Arthur (as the previously-unseen Mos Eisley cantina owner), and Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia.  Presently, only Nelvana’s cartoon has been released by Lucasfilm in any official capacity.         

Han Solo: Harrison Ford        

Chewbacca: Peter Mayhew     

Malla: Mickey Morton

Saun Dann: Art Carney                      

Princess Leia: Carrie Fisher   

C3P0: Anthony Daniels

Itchy: Paul Gale                                 

Lumpy: Patty Maloney           

Luke Skywalker: Mark Hamill

Krelman, Chef Gormaanda, & Armophian Instructor: Harvey Korman

Mermeia (hologram): Diahann Carroll

Ackmena: Bea Arthur

Imperial Officers: Claude Woolman, Lev Mailer, John McLaughlin, Jack Rader, & Michael Potter

The Reeko Brothers: The Mumm Brokers

Holographic Tumblers: The Wazzan Troupe

Holographic Rock Group: Jefferson Starship

Great Zorbak (hologram): Stephanie Stromer

Darth Vader (voice): James Earl Jones

Boba Fett (voices): Gabriel Dell & Don Francks

Archival Footage includes: Alec Guinness (as Obi-Wan Kenobi), David Prowse (as Darth Vader), and miscellaneous background actors (as Imperial Stormtroopers) (and from the Mos Eisley cantina).

Additional Appearances: a radio-controlled R2D2 and Art James (as the unseen voice-over announcer).

REVIEW:

Ideally, the production team (including a mostly uninvolved George Lucas) sought a creative compromise between entertaining pre-teens and yet still appeasing adults.  The campy dreck viewers are instead bombarded with doesn’t even amount to a decent Muppets movie.  Inserting recycled footage and F/X from A New Hope doesn’t help matters, either.

Far too much screen time is allotted to junk filler that adds nothing to this supposed mini-sequel.  Case in point: the supposed downtime justifying Itchy’s PG-rated, virtual-reality ‘grandpa porn’ sexualizing Diahann Carroll makes no sense whatsoever.  The same applies to Harvey Korman’s inane comedy relief segments, let alone Bea Arthur’s tone-deaf show-stopper amongst the Mos Eisley ruffians. 

Besides Carroll’s suggestive contribution, other ‘holographic’ videos (i.e. Jefferson Starship) further spell out that the producers/scriptwriters were grasping at invisible straws.  Hence, as interspersed throughout the program, the Star Wars cast’s glorified cameos will alleviate inanity only so much.    

Among the primary cast, only Harrison Ford, Art Carney, and, in thankless roles, Mickey Morton & Patty Maloney, contribute watchable performances … with a fair amount of dignity.  By amateurish comparison, a disinterested Mark Hamill barely even musters a facial expression, and the less said of Carrie Fisher’s eye-rolling ‘Life Day’ song the better.

Ultimately, only Nelvana’s cartoon comes off as remotely inspired entertainment.  The remaining ninety minutes is an audience-squirming mix of kiddie fluff, wonky disco-style vaudeville, and the Empire’s Nazi-like harassment that never gels.  Even for nostalgia aficionados, cringing through the Star Wars Holiday Special once proves challenging. 

In retrospect, had George Lucas & CBS had recruited Jim Henson (and/or Frank Oz), a decent script rewrite would have been feasible.  Beyond that, under Henson’s command, a classy Muppets-Meets-Star Wars-style extravaganza celebrating Wookie Life Day might have succeeded for sixty minutes, but certainly not a two-hour block like CBS had allotted.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      1½ Stars

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Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS (LEGENDS): SCOUNDRELS

Written by Timothy Zahn

Cover Illustration by Paul Youll

SUMMARY:

Released by Del Rey Books in 2013, this 512-page paperback is set several weeks after Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope.  With their hard-earned reward recently stolen by pirates, Han Solo & Chewbacca are laying low from the Rebellion, not to mention Jabba the Hutt’s well-publicized bounty.  Desperate for a big score, their new gig is collecting an aggrieved client’s enormous stash of credits from a mobster’s impregnable vault

Solo & Chewbacca recruit a crew of eight other mercenaries: twin sisters Tavia & Bink Kitik (high-tech burglars aka ‘ghost thieves’); surly Dozer Creed (ship thief); Zerba Cher’dak (sleight-of-hand expert); super-efficient Rachele Ree (intel & acquisitions); Kell Tainer (explosives); Winter (surveillance & a perfect memory); and their agitated client, Eanjer Kunarazti, who is funding the job.  Joining them is Lando Calrissian, who still sports lingering doubts re: the brash Corellian smuggler’s judgment from their past team-ups.  Still, assuming all goes well, they’ll be equally splitting the take as if it’s a mega-millions lottery ticket. 

Complicating their seemingly impossible heist are the nefarious Black Sun crime syndicate, Imperial intelligence, and who- knows-who-else with their own covert stakes in this ruthless game.  As it’s revealed, another invaluable prize is sequestered in the same vault that others will gladly kill for.  Worse yet for Solo’s Scoundrels is that somebody close may really be a double-agent with an ulterior motive that Han & Chewbacca will never see coming.

REVIEW:

Timothy Zahn’s obvious arithmetic is adding Star Wars and Ocean’s Eleven together.  Hence, it’s no coincidence that Han Solo’s magic number is eleven ‘Scoundrels.’  Slowly building up this audacious heist, Zahn develops his cast with deliberate care, i.e. Solo is far more the cool Danny Ocean here than A New Hope’s impulsive hero-for-hire.  The same applies to exploring Lando & Han’s wary friendship, as subtle hints towards The Empire Strikes Back are winked.  For the most part, readers get a well-played Star Wars caper, complete with a jaw-dropping twist reminiscent of The Usual Suspects.  

The flip-side is Zahn’s overindulgence for depth.  For instance, there’s far too many sequences where Han’s cronies are holed up in their hotel suite updating various logistics.  This unnecessary slog becomes increasingly tiresome, especially after the fifth or sixth time this scenario happens.  Yet, for all the time Han’s crew spends in their suite, Zahn offers minimal insight re: the Corellian rogue’s savviness for devising such complex schemes and contingency plans. 

Even Zahn has Han acknowledge that he’s a smuggler and not some world-class burglar, which is at least consistent with the reckless character George Lucas created.  Hence, it’s difficult to reconcile Scoundrels’ ‘elite strategist’ take on Han with the improvised, not-so-bright bravado he displays in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi … that is, aside from an ultra-obvious homage to ‘who-shot-first?’ in a shady cantina early on.   

Further bogging down the storyline’s pace are multiple criminal underworld sub-plots where the Empire is ironically construed as the galaxy’s ‘law-and-order.’  Hence, Scoundrels’ surprising density plays far more to hardcore fans familiar with Star Wars’ galactic mob rivalries (the Empire, the Black Sun syndicate, the Hutts, etc.) than to casual readers.  Zahn, at least, inserts enough understandable heist lingo to help justify his plotting excesses.  For instance, it’s a welcome help when grasping his descriptions of various items of alien technology. 

In Scoundrels’ better moments, though, one can readily visualize this double-crossing and even triple-crossing storyline as a live-action series co-starring Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, & Peter Mayhew.  Zahn certainly knows how to make Han & Chewbacca’s gang of thieves come off as likably greedy and fun to ride along with.  By this reckoning, for Han Solo fans, Scoundrels is an anything-goes, get-rich-quick scheme worthy of his legendary exploits.          

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A standard Star Wars novel chronology is included.  There’s a short list of characters, so readers will mostly know who’s who without a scorecard.  Included as another solid read is Zahn’s 2012 sixty-seven page prequel novella, Loser Takes All, starring Lando Calrissian.  During a high-stakes sabacc tournament, Lando partners with three other future Scoundrels (Tavia, Bink, & Zerba) on their own Mission: Impossible-like heist.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 7 Stars

Note: Recommended is another fun Han Solo adventure: Empire and Rebellion – Honor Among Thieves, which follows after Scoundrels.  Its plot is about as close as one gets to ‘Indiana Solo.’   

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS, VOLUME 2: SHOWDOWN ON THE SMUGGLER’S MOON (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Jason Aaron

Art by Simone Bianchi (Issue # 7 only); Stuart Immonen; Wade Von Grawbadger; Justin Ponsor; & Chris Eliopoulos

Cover Art by Stuart Immonen; Wade Von Grawbadger; & Justin Ponsor

SUMMARY:

Released in 2016 by Marvel Comics, this 144-page compilation reprints Issues # 7-12, which is set months after Episode IV: A New Hope.  Continuing plot threads from Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes, a flashback tale from Obi-Wan Kenobi’s journal reveals an incident years ago where he rescued a young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine from Jabba’s nocturnal moisture raiders. 

In the present-day, Luke & Artoo-Detoo journey to the notorious world of Nar Shaddaa, known as ‘The Smuggler’s Moon,’ where finding covert passage to Coruscant is possible.  It’s where the fabled Jedi Temple exists, as Luke desperately hopes to find answers there. 

Captured by Nar Shaddaa’s resident Hutt, Grakkus, Luke discovers that his abductor possesses a vast collection of Jedi relics.  A mysterious henchman dubbing himself the ‘Gamemaster’ trains the would-be Jedi for deadly slave-like combat inside Grakkus’ gladiatorial playpen.  Aboard the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca and See-Threepio go after Luke, but embittered bounty hunter Dengar intends to settle some old scores with Han Solo and his Wookie cohort first.    

Elsewhere, in the Monsua Nebula, Princess Leia uneasily plays referee in the bickering between Solo and his allegedly long-estranged wife, mercenary Sana Starros.  Forced into a tentative truce to escape the Empire, the trio sidetracks to Nar Shaddaa to try retrieving Luke. 

Han & Sana separately reveal to Leia their versions of what precipitated Sana’s grudge.  Ultimately, it’s desperation time, as the Empire descends upon Nar Shaddaa seeking to abduct the lone heir to the Jedi legacy. 

REVIEW:

As with Volume 1, writer Jason Aaron‘s sense for conjuring up first-rate Star Wars adventures is impressive.  Including an inspired homage to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1985 Commando film, Aaron devises fresh twists while staying faithful to the saga’s norms. 

More specifically, it’s easy to imagine Carrie Fisher playing out Leia’s eye-rolling reactions to the feud between a befuddled Han and a snarky Sana.  This subplot proves a gem, as Sana’s inferred ulterior motive is a fun complication to Han & Leia’s relationship.  Similarly, Chewbacca’s ‘Odd Couple’ schtick with See-Threepio is a hoot, as they take the initiative to save Luke and Artoo-Detoo. 

These plot threads offset Luke’s foolish behavior, as the consequences logically ought to get him killed multiple times during this adventure.  Still, what are loyal friends for? – especially, when they don’t reprimand a Jedi Knight-in-training for making them jet across the galaxy and risk their lives saving his naïve skin.  Aaron makes the best of this wild scenario, as Luke’s friends must even resort to using lightsabers to defend themselves.  The way this intriguing sequence unfolds is something George Lucas himself might have devised.  In that sense, Aaron confidently plays these characters like a first-rate guitar solo (pardon the expression).    

Joining Aaron is a high-caliber art squad, as their visuals are exciting to keep up with.  The teamwork this creative team shares with Aaron is definitely well-played.  For fans ages 12 and up, Star Wars, Volume 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon consistently delivers Marvel entertainment worthy of John Williams’ iconic music.    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

A Star Wars movie-like scrawl sets up the ongoing plot.  Each cover is reproduced in a full-page format preceding its story.  The cover artists are: John Cassady & Laura Martin (Issue # 7), and, for Issues # 8-12, it’s the trio of Immonen, Von Grawbadger, & Ponsor.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        8 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS: HAN SOLO (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Marjorie Liu

Art by Mark Brooks; Dexter Vines; Sonia Oback; Matt Milla; & VC’s Joe Caramagna

Compilation Cover Art by Lee Bermejo

SUMMARY:

Released by Marvel Comics in 2017, this 120-page paperback compiles 2016’s five-issue Han Solo limited series.  Shortly after A New Hope, Han Solo & Chewbacca are cajoled by Princess Leia into taking an undercover job during the legendary (and highly illegal) Dragon Void racing tournament.  Only the galaxy’s most formidable fliers are even eligible, as the Rebellion pays the Millennium Falcon’s entry fee. 

Amidst this intergalactic ‘Cannonball Run,’ all Han & Chewbacca have to do is discreetly extract some Rebel spies from remote worlds used as fuel stops, not to mention avoid any dreaded Imperial entanglements.  Their predicament is exacerbated by a murderous traitor lurking among them.     

REVIEW:

Though the storyline is undemanding, writer Marjorie Liu still delivers a racing caper that exudes everything Han Solo fans should expect.  Along with Liu’s entertaining plot, the art squad’s visuals are generally high-octane.  For Star Wars buffs, this Han Solo & Chewbacca showcase delivers a reliably fun read.    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The covers and variants are included in full-page format.  The artists are: # 1 (Lee Bermejo; plus two variants: John Cassady & Paul Mounts and Mike Allred & Laura Allred); # 2 (Tula Lotay); # 3 (Lee Bermejo); # 4 (Olivier Coipel; plus a variant: Stephanie Hans); & # 5 (Kahome Shirahama).  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          8 Stars

Note: Another worthwhile top-secret Han Solo & Chewbacca mission is the novel, Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves.



Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS, VOLUME 1: SKYWALKER STRIKES (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Jason Aaron

Art by John Cassady; Laura Martin; & Chris Eliopoulos

Cover Art by John Cassaday & Laura Martin

SUMMARY:

Released by Marvel Comics in 2016, this 160-page compilation reprints Star Wars # 1-6 from 2015.  Leia’s squad (Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2-, & C-3PO) infiltrate a vital Imperial munitions factory on Cymoon 1 in the Corellia system.  Rescuing dozens of prisoners and explosive sabotage won’t be enough for the Rebels to escape Darth Vader’s furious wrath. 

Chewbacca, as a Rebel sniper, takes his best shot at assassinating Vader.  Seeking justice for Ben Kenobi, Luke son initiates his first duel with Vader.  With C-3PO dismantled by scavengers plundering the Millennium Falcon, Han & Leia must desperately improvise another way out of the destructive chaos.

Han & Leia use a stolen Imperial shuttle to investigate a possible location for the next Rebel base.  Deeming himself a dangerous liability, Luke leaves the Rebellion to take R2-D2 with him to seek possible answers about his past at Ben’s abandoned hut on Tatooine. 

The planet is further teeming with visitors: 1. At the Mos Eisley cantina, a masked predator is hunting for an elusive Han Solo; 2.  Vader personally renews Imperial supply lines with Jabba the Hutt; and 3. At Vader’s behest, Boba Fett ruthlessly seeks out the unknown Rebel pilot who recently destroyed the Death Star.  Again, the cantina is the crime scene for brutal interrogations.

On a storm-plagued world inside the Monsua Nebula, Han & Leia’s forced detour is complicated by someone Han least expects to see. Having already been humiliated by Vader, a blinded Luke now must face Boba Fett alone.  At last, Vader may gain the young Rebel’s identity, who is now becoming his obsession.  These storylines will continue in Volume 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon.  

REVIEW:

The ‘Force’ is indeed with Marvel Comics in reviving its Star Wars comics franchise.  Impressively, writer Jason Aaron conjures up a storyline that logically extends and explores plot threads stemming from A New Hope.  Virtually everything that fans could want in a near-immediate sequel is present. 

For these first five issues, Aaron proves that he can handle all the necessary details with flair and welcome expertise re: these characters.  His sole overreach is pitting an inexperienced Luke vs. both Vader and Boba Fett too soon.  In that sense, it tarnishes some of the magic witnessing Luke’s subsequent battles in The Empire Strikes Back.

Kudos must also go to the art squad’s visuals.  Case in point: Issue # 5’s cover, for instance, sports perhaps the best-ever comics recreation of Carrie Fisher’s Leia.  By any measuring stick, Marvel easily meets, if not surpasses, all expectations in replicating the classic look of Star Wars for this book.  Of utmost importance this time, the character likenesses are consistently spot-on.  Hence, it’s likely the first time that Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, & Mark Hamill actually ‘play’ Han, Leia, and Luke in comics. 

Come to think of it: the only element readers might need to bolster Skywalker Strikes is John Williams’ score playing in the background.  Appropriate for ages 10 and up, even casual fans should be delighted with this initial run of Marvel’s take on Star Wars.          

Note: If you see this book in person, Issue # 5’s cover is also partially reproduced on the back cover.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Each cover is reproduced in a full-page format.  The cover artists are: John Cassady & Laura Martin, with help from Paul Mounts for Issue # 4.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    9 Stars