Marvel recently took back the writing rights for Star Wars, which were lost “a long, long time ago,” but even they could not have predicted the outstanding success their first issue would meet when it hit shelves.

Star Wars #1 sold a million direct sales, a feat which the comic book industry has not seen since Batman #500 in 1993.

I am pleased the new comic’s author Jason Aaron decided to begin this new comic series directly where the original 1977 “Star Wars” film left off.  We see Luke Skywalker and friends on a mission for the rebellion, which gets complicated when Darth Vader makes an unexpected appearance.

As you open the first page, you are greeted with the iconic message that you are “in a galaxy far, far away” as well as the opening crawl that appears before every Star Wars movie. 

All of the characters are kept true to their original portrayals. One great example is the way Han Solo is written. He was seen by many as a cocky, arrogant, sarcastic rogue who turned out to be a hidden hero with a touch of charm.  Aaron captures everything from the character’s quick wit to his overconfidence in his own abilities.  

The art and coloring by John Cassaday and Laura Martin immediately bring the comic to life, capturing the realistic representations of your favorite characters. Your eye flows smoothly from one panel to the next, fully engrossing you into the story.

While this is a good and promising start, I have fears for the comic’s future.

One of my fears is that we do know how the story ends. When Luke says something like, “We may die if this fails,” or something similar, it will take all my strength not to throw down my comic in frustration. 

The $4.99 cover price also raised issues. I am thankful for the extra pages, but with a double-page splash title, and the two pages of roundup, I did not feel as if I was getting bang for my buck. 

All in all, I would highly recommend picking up this issue to see how the rebels will take on the imperial forces. The suspense will leave you with questions, causing you to want to run and get the second issue.