Star Wars 108: Forever Crimson

Posted by James on 06/19/19 at 12:15 PM Category: Comic Books

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Introduction

Star Wars 108: Forever Crimson, written by Matthew Rosenberg with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, Andrea Broccardo, Kerry Gammill, Ze Carlos, Jan Durursema, Stefano Landini, Luke Ross, and Leonard Kirk was published on May 29, 2019 as part of Marvel Comics’ 80th Anniversary celebration. As a continuation of the original Marvel Star Wars comic, it is published under the Legends banner.

Synopsis

Four years after the Battle of Yavin, the Empire has fallen; but another threat, one that the Rebels have faced before, returns. Domina Tagge seeks to once again unleash the Crimson Forever, a disease that could kill untold numbers of people. Our heroes are joined by a beloved roster of friends, enemies, frenemies, casual acquaintances, and that one guy that you had, like, one class with every year in high school as they try to foil the evil plan.

Review

Beilert Valance AKA Valance the Hunter

On June 17, 1986 Marvel Comics released Star Wars issue 107 bringing an end to its nine year run of Star Wars comics. Aside from Annual 3 and the ROTJ adaptation and a couple of issues of Ewoks, I don’t recall having or reading any of those comics as a kid. I didn’t really get into comics until around ’89, by which time Star Wars in general was in a state of hibernation. However, I have noticed that people who did read those comics when they were being published have remained pretty attached to them over the years. It was a different time back then. There were very few novels being published and no TV series until the decidedly kid-oriented Droids and Ewoks shows premiered in 1985; but for nine years, every month, you could get a Star Wars fix in the form of that comic. About a year ago I finally decided to commit to reading the series and bought the first hardcover omnibus collecting the run, I have since moved onto volume 2 and actually just read issue 50 (the story to which 108 is a sequel). With much less constraint to tie in to the films than we see now, Marvel’s Star Wars was really allowed to go to its own places. I don’t say that to criticize the current comics, which I really like; but necessity is the mother of invention, and with so little source material to go on at that time, the creators really had to take the initiative as far as introducing new characters and expanding on those already seen on the big screen. Even if it was sometimes silly, I think the dedication to telling a good story really shines through and that this is what has been so endearing for so long to so many fans. Star Wars 108 is a continuation of the old series, and it’s a follow up to Star Wars #50; but more than that, it is a love letter to the original run. You get supporting characters from early in the run like Jaxxon and Valance, and from later in the series like the Zeltrons, and everywhere in between like Domina Tagge and Plif the Hoojib. Having this issue tie in to a story told earlier in the run is essential and adds a lot of substance, making it seem like more than just a one-off special; but for those of you unfamiliar with the previous material, I think there is enough in-story exposition to render everything comprehensible.

Domina Tagge from Star Wars #50

Though our Rebel heroes certainly get the spotlight here, ultimately, the heart of the story is Beilert Valance; which is ironic, because he doesn’t have a heart. Valance only appeared in four issues of the original comic, with his apparent death occurring in issue 29. Valance was a fascinating character, and I was sorry to see him go so quickly when I was reading through the series. He returns here, and his quest to regain his humanity is brought to a rather poignant conclusion. As I said, even if you’ve never heard the name before, fear not, his whole back-story is told succinctly in the issue. You won’t be lost. The art in the issue varies of course due to the rotating roster being utilized; but it’s never bad. Jan Duursema’s contribution is sure to delight fans (myself included) of her prolific work on the Dark Horse comics.

Notes

Timeline: even though 108 is a sequel to issue 50, it does take place after issue 107.

Beilert Valance has already returned to canon via the comic mini-series Han Solo: Imperial Cadet. He can be seen again in the mini-series Target Vader beginning in July.

Comic Pack Wish List:

Valance, Domina Tagge; I won’t say Jaxxon, but I’d totally buy Jaxxon.

Score:

This is a can’t miss must read for fans of the classic Marvel series. Even if you’ve never read the series, I think you will really enjoy this story; and it may inspire you to go back and take a look at the old comics. 5 Skulls.