Star Wars #51 Review

Clash of the Titans

Written by: Kieron Gillen
Art by: Salvador Larocca
Colors by: Guru FX
Letters by: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel
Publication Date: 18 July 2018


Well if there is one book that lightens the Star Wars load at the minute it is this main title. It has gone from strength to strength as it blasted through the Mon Cala arc and straight through the milestone 50th issue earlier this month. Yes, we haven't had to wait very long for this second July installment so let's drop in to see how it went.

Wow. Seriously, there is very little that makes me happy about Star Wars at the moment but this issue was absolutely great. I have been converted from a critic into a major cheerleader for Larocca's art style. He now really manages to replicate the feel of a Star Wars film, his faces have become finely tuned and pitch perfect. Likewise, the Guru FX colors in this book really look stunning and just set the art up perfectly. I am so pleased that I have this book to turn to at the minute - it is a shelter from the storm and gives me such good representations of the action-packed Han, Luke, and Leia I grew up with.

Keiron Gillen deserves major credit also. His storytelling is really filled with energy, and he manages to bring a big blockbuster feel to the title. I imagine him setting up the space battle action interspersed with the smaller dialogue scenes; a storyteller taking joy in the delight he is bringing to his readers. The ending of this issue is really fun and although know the threat isn't really that dramatic (I mean we know what happens in Empire Strikes Back and who is alive) it is an exercise in fun. Finally some fun again in Star Wars.

Bits and Pieces

Now that Houser's excellent Thrawn mini-series has ended, this book, the Vader title (Annual aside - see my other review on here of that heap of nonsense) and the odd issue of Poe are what constitutes the small amount of fun left in my Star Wars world. Long may it continue - another great issue in a series that has been reborn in recent months. Well done to all involved.

8.9/10