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Marvel is now fully engrained in its post-Return of the Jedi era. Last week saw the release of The Battle of Jakku: Insurgency Rising #1, and this week saw the return of everyone’s favorite Star Wars teddy bear. Steve Orlando’s Ewoks miniseries has made its debut, and while it hasn’t hit required reading status yet, the first issue reintroduces us to the murder bear species and brings some fun twists to their story.
Wicket and the rest of the Ewoks of Bright Tree Village are left to pick up the pieces after the Battle of Endor. The cruel ones have left, but that doesn’t mean they are safe. Over in the Anoat Sector, Moff Adelhard is approached by a wayward Imperial looking to make a name for himself in this new-age Empire. He is ordered to return to Endor, but the Forest Moon is full of surprises hidden in plain sight.
Issue #1 is nothing groundbreaking, but if you’re familiar with the wild world of Ewoks and works like Caravan of Courage, the Ewoks cartoon, and more, this might be for you. For my money, this is a charmer of a comic and quickly establishes its place in the Star Wars comic hierarchy.
Spoilers ahead…
Wicket is an unsung hero of Star Wars. If you disagree, you’re wrong. The series starts with a sparkle in Wicket’s eye as he recalls a moment when Leia glazed him up. But not everyone thinks the rebels represent the galaxy. That leads to a town hall of sorts, where the Ewoks have to discuss what to do when someone else comes to their village.
If it were up to Wicket, the village would welcome everyone in the future thanks solely to how well Leia treated them. Thanks to a harder Ewok named Meedro, he is forced to learn that it’s not that easy. I never thought of Wicket as a newbie to all of this Ewoking (making that a word), but the issue does a good job of showing his naivety, so I’m here for a coming-of-age story. It could come down to Wicket either doing his own thing or conforming to the wishes of his village, and it would be interesting to see how he balances them.
Meanwhile, Moff Adelhard makes a quick appearance. While he is the main antagonist in The Battle of Jakku series, it’s cool to see him here. This era of comics already feels quite alive. He tasks the downtrodden General Koyotta with recovering a weapons depot to help improve his standing. Koyotta puts together a team that includes returning Zuckuss and 4-LOM. It’s weird seeing them now playing baddies after their stint in Bounty Hunters, but a job is a job.
While searching for the depot, they are ambushed by a group of Duloks. The mortal enemy of the Ewoks are here, and they are mean. But, we must have a series so the baddies survive the skirmish. The Imperials (plus bounty hunters) question a Dulok survivor. They speak in riddles, warning them about a Great Devourer, a Red Ghost, and an adversary. The Dulok claims the adversary is 4-LOM, but the others in the group assert the lunacy behind it all. Of course, there’s an immediate cutaway to the Red Ghost, also known as Asha in the Ewoks cartoon. The Great Devourer tease is, of course, likely foreshadowing the appearance of the monstrous Gorax, so look forward to that at some point.
Later on, Wicket finds himself tagging along with Meedro. Wicket makes a few mistakes, including startling a snake-like creature. Meedro saves the day, and the two walk back to the village, but the Imperials have beaten them there. Now, the real fun begins.
Ewoks #1 sets up a fun miniseries that promises to touch on the lore of the Forest Moon of Endor. Wicket’s journey will be fun to go on, and I think his relationship with Meedro could become very wholesome by the end. Laura Braga and Álvaro López’s art is pulpy and old school, hearkening back to the Ewoks cartoon with its lighter feel. I don’t imagine the stakes of this series will reach The Battle of Jakku levels, but the creative team’s love for Ewoks shines on every page, which makes it well worth a read.
RATING: 7/10
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he’s not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
“}]] Marvel’s Ewoks miniseries is here, and Steve Orlando delivers a first issue with a clear love of the world of Ewoks. Read More