Star Wars: Kanan Vol. 2-First Blood collects issues 7-12 of Star Wars: Kanan written by Greg Weisman with art by Pepe Larraz (7-11) and Andrea Broccardo (12).
Synopsis
Caleb Dume at the Jedi Temple
Having been seriously wounded retrieving stolen supplies on the planet Kaller, Kanan Jarrus is in a bacta tank surrounded by his Ghost crewmates. Unfortunately, the building they are hiding in is also surrounded by Imperial Stormtroopers. However, Kanan isn’t concerned about that now. He is flashing back to a time when he is first chosen by Depa Billaba to be her Padawan. After foiling a Separatist bombing plot at the Jedi Temple, Caleb Dume is introduced to Styles and Grey, two of the few survivors of Billaba’s last battalion. He gets his first taste of the war on Kardoa. There he bonds with a rookie clone by the name of Stance, who saves Caleb’s life in a fire-fight. Next, it’s on to Mygeeto where Republic forces are outmaneuvered by General Grievous and Col. Coburn Sear. Sear kills Stance and is in turn killed by Caleb. Grievous escapes and the Third Battle of Mygeeto comes to an end. Billaba, Dume, and their clone compatriots head to Kaller, where the war will soon end on a tragic and unexpected note. Meanwhile, back in the “present”, Kanan awakens from his bacta nap just in time to help take out a room full of Stormtroopers. The Ghost crew leave to deliver the long-awaited supplies, but Kanan and Ezra remain behind to help an old friend of Kanan’s who has been captured by the Empire. It turns out to be a trap set by Admiral Rae Sloane. Kanan escapes; and Sloane finds herself visited by the Grand Inquisitor, who is very interested in Kanan Jarrus.
Review
Caleb and Depa on Mygeeto
Star Wars: Kanan was originally supposed to be a 5 issue mini-series. It was then expanded into an ongoing series that was subsequently cancelled with issue 12. This goes a long way toward explaining why this second volume feels a little disjointed and lacking in the “big picture” department when compared with the first. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine set of stories; but the lack of a single story arc can be a little distracting. In these issues, we see young Caleb Dume exposed to the horrors of war, experience the camaraderie of friendships forged under fire, and know the loss of one of those comrades. The battle scenes are good, clearly depicted. It’s not easy to make B-1 battle droids seem frightening and like a real threat; but in a scene where Depa, Caleb, and a few clones are trapped on top of a platform as countless battle droids crawl up and threaten to over-run them, you get a very real sense of danger.
Caleb faces Coburn Sear while Billaba gets a rematch with Grievous
Depa Billaba gets a good amount of new canon character development here. At the beginning of the story, she awakens from having been in a coma for six months after a devastating loss to Gen. Grievous on Haruun Kal. We see her struggle with her previous loss and its effect on her confidence throughout the story. The scenes set in the present are about as good as any pretty good episode of Rebels. Once again, I have to say it is a real shame we never got any other comic series tying in to the show during its original run. Seeing Rae Sloane is a real treat, even if it does kind of come out of left field. There’s just not a whole lot to say here; again, these are good stories, but the lack of an overarching storyline does detract.
Notes
Ezra gets a glimpse at Kanan's past
The idea of Depa Billaba taking part in a devastating battle on Haruun Kal, being wounded and falling into a coma was first seen in the excellent (Legends) novel Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover and in some issues of Star Wars: Repbublic. This doesn’t “canonize” Shatterpoint since details are different, but it is a nice tip of the hat.
Fenn Rau and his Skull Squadron appear in issue 10 and provide air support to Republic. This issue was released on the same day that the Rebels episode “The Protector of Concord Dawn” (Fenn Rau’s first appearance on the show) aired.
We see the Third Battle of Mygeeto end here. Either there was a Fourth Battle of Mygeeto, or significant “mopping up” operations were still under way since we see Ki-Adi Mundi fighting here when Order 66 occurs.
Rae Sloane first appears, and meets Kanan Jarrus, in the 2014 novel “A New Dawn”.
We see Cin Drallig and some Jedi Temple Guards in action during the attack on the Jedi Temple.
Comic Pack Wish List:
I really want a Cin Drallig figure, have for years. Rae Sloane would be good.
Score:
Some very solid PT/CW action and a pretty good Rebels story: 3 Skulls.
