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
