Marvel; $4.99

It’s obvious from the first four pages done to mirror Star Wars opening film credits that the folks at Marvel are just as excited as we are for the new Star Wars film. The story begins after the Death Star was destroyed in A New Hope and our first glimpse at a familiar face is that of the roguish Han Solo. He, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and R2-D2 are trying to infiltrate an Empire base posing as emissary and bodyguards for Jabba the Hutt. Chewbacca has taken up residence as protection via a sniper rifle while a nervous C-3PO waits in the Millennium Falcon where things inevitably go awry. The foursome in the factory bite off more than they can chew when Luke takes an unexpected detour to follow his newfound connection with the Force. As they scramble inside to carry out their mission, you’ll never guess who arrives to negotiate with Jabba’s “emissary.”

This extra-large story was written by Jason Aaron with art by John Cassaday and colors by Laura Martin. Aaron’s story is told so succinctly in the voices of these beloved characters that you can practically hear Han’s cocky tone and Threepio’s nervous ramblings from over 30 years ago. The story is paced well, filled with exciting turns, and manages to give all of the main characters a chance to shine in their respective ways. Cassaday’s art and Martin’s colors are brilliant. The likenesses of the characters is uncanny and the texture of each panel is so well done that readers will be completely absorbed by this book. Star Wars #1 includes a few preview pages of the Darth Vader and Princess Leia series due out in February and March, respectively.