Star Wars #50
Marvel Comics
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Salvador Larroca and Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inks by Cam Smith
Colors by Guru-eFX and Java Tartaglia
Letters by Clayton Cowles
The rebels finally get a fleeting moment of peace as they celebrate the addition of the Mon Calamari fleet to their ranks. Leia is uneasy, but decides to make sure Queen Trios is comfortable after her defection to the rebellion. As the queen heaps praise on Leia for her heroic actions that led to the introduction of the new Rebel Fleet, Luke Skywalker is working with his fellow pilots on a presentation for the dignitaries and fleet brass in attendance.
Meanwhile, Han Solo, Chewie and Threepio are engaged in some business in the Out Rim territories. Business that gets them some codes that might be useful, but also gets the attention of a couple of bounty hunters on orders from Jabba the Hutt. Back at the fleet, Mon Mothma prepares to give a speech designed to show the power of the new fleet. When the presentation doesn’t begin as planned, Leia realizes that all of the ships have been sabotaged and Queen Trios has gone missing. The situation becomes increasingly worse when the Imperial fleet arrives led by Darth Vader himself.
The story in this part of the issue showcases some great art from Larroca and it does a great job of hitting the reader emotionally. There is some great building tension in this story and the menace of Vader is on full display.
The next part of the issue is the plan from the point of view of Vader. As Admiral Ozzel and General Veers consult with Vader on Mustafar, the Dark Lord of the Sith uses his first encounter with Leia to formulate a plan to destroy the fleet, starting with their hope. His plan requires a trip to Shu-Torun and a visit with Queen Trios who shows Vader exactly what she’s willing to do to keep herself in power. It’s a brutal example that showcases the kind of character Trios is and how much of a threat she is.
Gillen has done a great job transitioning this story from the previous arc and the story really resonates with the themes of hope and the loss thereof. The art is great and there are some great close-ups and facial expressions that are worth viewing. Can’t wait to see what happens next.