The Good
Every Star Wars fan knows George Lucas' vision for many of his characters changed and evolved before the first movie was released. Because we simply can't get enough Star Wars, Dark Horse has managed to get the permission and rights to adapt Lucas' original rough-draft screenplay. It is not quite what you'd expect.
Written in 1974, there are some familiar elements to the story and characters. There are also major differences that will throw you for a loop. You may have heard that instead of Skywalker, the main character would have the last name, Starkiller. His name is actually Annikin Starkiller. Even the name Anakin had been changed. If that wasn't strange enough, there is a separate character named Darth Vader and completely different one named Skywalker.
Basically what we have is the grand opportunity to see Star Wars in a totally different manner. Think of it as an alternate reality or even a WHAT IF…? story. This is a way to experience Star Wars for the first time once again. There are enough familiar elements to hook you into the story and the sense of not quite knowing what will happen next is fascinating.
The art is beautifully done by Mike Mayhew with colors by Rain Beredo. We've seen many many Star Wars comics in the past with varying degrees or art. This one is the tops. The "new" characters look great. Mayhew uses a great mix of perspective in the different scenes creating the cinematic feel you would want from this. I often complain about the colors in sci-fi comics but Beredo has the perfect touch in making the colors vibrant but not too harsh, something that usually leads to an artificial feel in the story.
The Bad
As you try to follow the story, you might find moments of confusion due to the change in names and characters. You simply need to unlearn what you have learned about Star Wars.
The Verdict
THE STAR WARS is a great treat for fans. It's a curious thing to see how Lucas originally planned the story and characters. Whether or not the changes and evolution were for the better remains to be seen. This series appears to be a grand experiment of sorts. We get to see the characters and ideas we're so familiar with in a strange and different fashion. J.W. Rinzler does a great job scripting the story, making it all flow perfectly. Mayhew's art and Beredo's colors are top notch and give glory to something that deserves a proper treatment. If you remember discovering Star Wars for the first time, this is your chance to do it all over again. It's a wonderful opportunity and one not to be missed.