Comics
Review: ‘The Star Wars’ # 1
J.W. Rinzler’s “The Star Wars” manages to create a wildly original tale in a familiar universe, and show us what could have been a much more complex and imaginative version of the Star War’s universe. The issue hits the ground running and doesn’t stop, but at a certain point it may leave even the most diehard fans behind.
WRITTEN BY: J. W. Rinzler
ART BY: Mike Mayhew
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: Sept 4, 2013
J.W. Rinzler’s hotly anticipated series makes it debut this month. Using George Lucas’ original script. This is a vast departure from what fans are used to. Which isn’t a bad thing; in fact it is what excited people most about this series. However, the script is so incredibly dense that some people may feel left behind by the scope of what they are experiencing.
Rinzler begins the issue with the comic version of the famous title crawl. It’s effective in establishing this universe, and the current state of political affairs. On the first page Rinzler introduces us to our hero Annikin Starkiller in four absolutely beautiful frames. He is proficient with a lightsaber from the get-go, and undergoes personal tragedy that is sure to plague him for the run of the series.
Rinzler’s script has the impossible job of rebuilding the Star Wars universe. It does so with a particular confidence that is admirable. Yet, it sometimes feels overwhelming. As after Starkiller’s incredible introduction, we are taken to Alderaan. This is entirely new to this series, we’ve never seen Alderaan like this, where a very different Emperor addresses legions of people about the political climate of the galaxy.
Rinzler gives us rapid fire introduces of the key players in his story. All of them are familiar but distinctly different than we know them. It is clear that all of the elements of the story are similar, but the motivations of the characters are entirely different. Adapting an early version of a screenplay implies an inherent list of problems. The story lacks a distinct focus in the middle, which manages to muddle the story. However, by the end he returns focus to Starkiller, and the issue regains its footing.
Mike Mayhew’s art is a force to be reckoned with. His pencils are incredibly detailed. The world of Star Wars is present in all of the architecture, and attention to detail. His character work is stunning. Every character looks wildly original and unique. Mayhew puts his own spin on each of them, and no two look quite like we have come to expect.
Not to mention his action panels are handled with a certain mastery. Lightsaber duels shouldn’t work on paper, yet, within the first couple of pages, Mayhew flexes his muscles. The character art is so incredible and original that the issue is propelled into the stars. The facial expressions on the last two pages will move you, and bring you down. You’ll feel the weight of Kane’s struggle, because Mayhew made you.
Finally, Rinzler’s use of Luke Skywalker is fantastic. We have no idea who this character truly is yet, but it seems he has taken the mentor role. The script takes enough twists and turns through familiar territory without ever bordering on fan service. What results is incredibly original, weird, and a little overwhelming. In any event, it works more than it doesn’t and is bound to get even more compelling with every issue. While a little dense, its nothing a second reading can’t solve. I can’t wait to see where things go from here.
Rating: 4/5 Skulls.
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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