Star Wars #12 Review

Writer: Jason Aaron / Artist: Stuart Immonen Marvel Comics Y’all, this seems like a cheap thing to say, but if Jason Aaron’s Star Wars series doesn’t get you pumped for Episode 7, nothing will. Granted, I’ve been pumped for Episode 7 to hit theaters for a solid two years now, so I might be biased, but…well…so what? Aaron is simply batting a thousand these days and this book is a prime example of why. If you can only get one book from Jason Aaron this week….well, The Mighty Thor is really good, too, so flip a coin and choose between that and Star Wars. Issue #6 is the big finish to Aaron’s second story arc for the series. Luke’s fighting for his life in a gladiator pit while Han and Leia meet up with Chewbacca and 3PO to try and mount a rescue. From there, the entire rest of the book goes batshit crazy, but in a good way. A few pages in, you start to feel like you’re dressed up in makeshift cosplay outfit, playing Star Wars with your friends, jumping from one random threat to another. 90% of this book is action, but it never gets stale and you’re always engaged in a healthy amount of character development simultaneously. I mean, there are points where you feel like you know a couple of characters that may/may not last very long better than I know some ex-girlfriends (take that however you want).

Stuart Immonen is easily the best thing to happen to this series in its 12-issue lifespan. I’m saying that fully aware that this is a guy who had to follow up John Cassaday. I …