Comics
Review: ‘Star Wars’ # 3
Brian Wood continues his epic retelling of the post New Hope Star Wars Universe. Proving that these old characters can still tread new ground, and be completely engrossing in fantastic new ways. Wood’s new vision of Star Wars is a sight to behold, and an absolute pleasure to read.
WRITTEN BY: Brian Wood
ART BY: Carlos D’Anda
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: March 13th, 2013
For the unacquainted, Brian Wood has just begun a new “Star Wars” series at Dark Horse that picks up after that pivotal moment at the end of A New Hope. The Rebel Alliance has gained a momentary victory, Luke still has two hands, Leia may potentially still be into her brother, and Han is still a slimeball.
Which is all very good news. The characters we all know and love are fundamentally different here. Wood characterizes Luke perfectly; he’s not some Jedi in training, but rather a hot head kid who believes himself to be the best of the best. It totally works.
Leia leads a secret squadron of X wing pilots into the deep reaches of space, looking for a new home for the rebel alliance (can somebody say Battlestar Galactica!). Leia is still mourning the loss of her planet, and consistently butts heads with Luke. This dynamic makes up the bulk of this issue, and the stakes are constantly raised because you are never entirely sure why Luke is pissing her off so much. Is she in love with him? Or is she truly concerned with his cocky attitude? Only Brian Wood knows.
Which again is the major draw of this series. Everything is as you remember it from Empire or Jedi but subtly different. I found myself asking so many questions, and pondering so many “what ifs” as I turned the pages. Most notably Wood seems to be pushing Vader into a useless drone. A drone who has outlived his utility for the Emperor.
The new villain introduced by Wood could potentially be a Red Herring to take us off of Vader’s trail for a couple of issues, but it doesn’t seem like it. I imagine we’re heading into completely uncharted territory here, and that prospect is amazing.
The story bounces between the Rebel Fleet, Han & Chewie, and The Imperial Fleet. Carlos D’Anda’s art holds up beautifully throughout, although his style doesn’t quite resemble the actors who made the roles famous so many years ago, but echoes the old Marvel comics from days gone by. It takes some getting used to, but it helps the story stand on its own merits, rather than the shoulders of the films.
As a whole, a solid issue that left me wanting more. If you’re a die-hard Star Wars fan, but are worried about the future of the series, then do yourself a favor and pick up Wood’s “Star Wars”. It’s a wonderful alternate take on Star Wars lore, which will keep you guessing with every page.
3.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jimbus_Christ
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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