To take on a character like Poe Dameron, who instantly became a fan favorite after his first appearance in The Force Awakens, but is still a relatively dark horse in the larger Star Wars universe at the same time, is no easy task. And how writer Charles Soule handles him is solid, although he doesn't always manage to work around the intricacies that are posed by the context of The Force Awakens.
The story, Poe and his Black Squadron trying to locate an explorer in the Outer Rim who could provide important information on the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker, is something Soule has proven to do more than well in his current Obi-Wan & Anakin series. Poe's relationship to BB-8 is warm, playful and always focuses on the strong bond between the two. It's definitely something the series should build upon in the future. Phil Noto's art is largely true to the movies and does a good job of capturing the character's emotions and illustrating a galaxy that feels pretty much alive, although he doesn't quite manage to capture the faster-paced action scenes here.
Princess Leia shines particularly here, as her wise, authoritarian tone perfectly rounds out the (unfortunately few) impressions we had of her in The Force Awakens. A chance has been missed though to give Poe more of an independent voice, as too much continues to remind of a young Han Solo. Although we can only guess how much freedom the creative team really has, with the Lucasfilm story group having such a firm grip on the overall lore of the Star Wars universe.
Some of the narrative holes that we encountered in The Force Awakens unfortunately persist here as well. Why is the Resistance called the Resistance, when it is part of the New Republic and should act out of a position of power? And why does the First Order act like they have any real political mandate, when they are really just operating from the underground? The comic does little to provide some context, only emphasizing the notion that the real reason is simply to be as close to A New Hope as possible. But again, it can only be speculation as to how much influence the creative team really has to tell their story.
Some of the narrative holes that we encountered in The Force Awakens unfortunately persist here as well. Why is the Resistance called the Resistance, when it is part of the New Republic and should act out of a position of power? And why does the First Order act like they have any real political mandate, when they are really just operating from the underground? The comic does little to provide some context, only emphasizing the notion that the real reason is simply to be as close to A New Hope as possible. But again, it can only be speculation as to how much influence the creative team really has to tell their story.
Despite all the above issues, Poe Dameron #1 is still an extremely joyful and enjoyable affair that puts the series on firm ground going forward.
7/10
Further links:
Obi-Wan & Anakin #4
Obi-Wan & Anakin #3
7/10
Further links:
Obi-Wan & Anakin #4
Obi-Wan & Anakin #3
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