March
31
Closing the Circle
Star Wars — Episode III: Revenge of the Sith #1
Creators: Miles Lane, writer (based on the screenplay by George Lucas); Doug Wheatley, artist
Dark Horse, 32 pages, color, $2.99
So? Adapting movies into comics is tricky, and evaluating them even trickier when the movie is still six weeks from release. But Dark Horse's adaptation of the final Star Wars film is here in a four-issue series and collected edition, and die-hard fans will be at least tempted to peek at this book for a hint of what's to come on the big screen. To avoid spoiling too much, only the first issue is being reviewed, and that issue is action packed and relentlessly paced, promising a spectacular opening for the film's story. There's only one semi-major spoiler in #1, and plenty of teasing thrills such as parallels being drawn with other movies in the saga. Marvel's adaptation of the first film by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin back in 1977 was one of the best adaptations of all time, perhaps only beaten by Archie Goodwin, Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon's even-better adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." In those days of six-issue adaptations, there was enough room and time to truly adapt a film into comics form. These days, adaptations are more often single, 64-page comics and mimic the movie, but don't have room to fully adapt it. (Think about trying to adapt a 110-page screenplay into 64 pages of comics and you'll see the problem.) Even "Return of the Jedi" suffered when it was adapted by Marvel in four issues instead of six. For "Sith," Wheatley's art and the color effects by Chuck Chuckry are excellent, with fluid storytelling that helps make this so far the best of Dark Horse's adaptations. While the comic is no substitute for seeing the movie on the big screen when it finally comes out, this is a good way for fans to tide themselves over with as much advance info as they want to know. Grade: B
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Glad to see that Lucas is covering the 'usual' bases. Gawd, is that man ever going to look beyond this merchandising. Bring some sanctity to these works Mr. Lucas... is all I can Say!
Posted by: visibleh20 | April 01, 2005 at 05:07 PM