Star Wars Adventures: The High Republic Adventures #1: A Tale of Two Jedis

The unexplored eras of Star Wars never really hold my interest like they’re intended to do, I’d much rather read stories set during the different times that all the films are set in than find out about what Jedi dinosaurs were like. Thankfully, this book went above my expectations. I’m guessing because author Daniel Jose Older made this story about people rather than about Star Wars. The issue focuses on two people that have the same but opposite problem, and it plays out very interestingly for both of them. Older very quickly sets the stage, tells us who the characters are (there’s no need for introductions and the author knows it), and gets the plot moving. There’s some classic comic story beats that it hits, and that’s what makes it fun for ME to read, but I’m wondering if it’s the right book for the audience that this book is aimed at, namely younger readers, The “adventures” books are always all-ages books that are meant for the younger audiences, but these characters and the story in general are, I think, a little above it’s intended demographic. I think that this might be enjoyed by the older Star Wars fans than the younger ones. Nevertheless, it’s a very enjoyable comic.

Artist Harvey Toliboa is really great here, he turns back the dials on some Star Wars tech and lands at a place where things would logically be at this point in the history of the Star Wars galaxy. He’s designed some great characters and species but is sure to include many established aliens and creatures in this new chapter in history. While Tolboa puts out some incredibly lush and detailed pages that you could look at for hours and still not see the detail, again I’m just not sure that this is art that fits in an “adventures” book.