Star Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 4: Legends Found by Charles Soule and Angel UnzuetaStar Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 4: Legend Found by Charles Soule & Angel Unzueta

Star Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 4: Legends Found by Charles Soule and Angel UnzuetaThe fourth volume in the POE DAMERON series, which details the early conflict between the (still fledging) Resistance and First Order forces, really starts to line things up with the opening act of The Force Awakens in this issue — specifically, the search to find Lor San Tekka, an intergalactic explorer who may have clues to finding the location of Luke Skywalker.

Played by Max von Sydow in the movie, we’re introduced to him here breaking into a high security vault in order to study an ancient Jedi artefact. When he’s arrested for his crime, it’s up to General Leia, Poe Dameron and the rest of Black Squadron to pull off a daring long-con to rescue him.

They’re got all the pieces in place: the lie, the misdirection, the inside man, but the return of the cunning Agent Terex throws a spanner in the works of their ingenious plan. It’s easily the best of Charles Soule’s POE DAMERON comics so far, with plenty of witty dialogue and clever plot twists, as well as an awareness of the wider franchise’s continuity — from the vaults being owned by the Neimodian species to Leia using her mother’s gowns as a front to enter the facility.

The comics on the whole provide a better understanding of the Resistance and First Order in a way the films have not, such as pointing out that the Resistance is much smaller than the original Rebellion, and that Leia has found it difficult to warn the rest of the galaxy of the threat the First Order poses.

And naturally the members of Black Squadron are explored in more detail too, from Jessika Pava’s unlucky streak with astromech droids to Snap Wexley’s romance with a fellow pilot. It’s not essential reading to understand the events of the film trilogy, but it certainly enriches the experience.

And Angel Unzueta’s artwork is wonderful: Leia in particular is beautifully rendered, with all of Carrie Fisher’s mannerisms and facial expressions. I’m also fond of original characters like Suralina, an alien who looks like a mix of a fish, vampire and elf. It’s a shame she’s not in the movies, because her design is gorgeous.

Last of all, the comics even provide foreshadowing for future events — such as Poe’s tendency to ignore orders and make impulsive decisions, a trait that certainly plays a role in The Last Jedi. With only one more volume to go, I’ll be sad to see this series end.

Published in 2018. Collects Star Wars: Poe Dameron #20-25 and Annual #1. The galaxy’s greatest pilot flies on! General Leia Organa gave Poe Dameron an important task: locate the mysterious Lor San Tekka. And our hero may be closer than he thinks — but can he get the job done in time? Black Squadron faces their next assignment, but is it mission impossible? Not for Poe’s crew — which means it’s prison-break time! Plus: Poe has never been one to follow the rules. So when he disobeys a direct order from General Organa and gets stranded in First Order space — with no ship and little oxygen — how will he survive? Meanwhile, Terex sets plans in motion to finally free himself from the grasp of the First Order! And the end of an era approaches as the force of Poe’s destiny draws him toward an awakening.

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  • Rebecca Fisher

    REBECCA FISHER, with us since January 2008, earned a Masters degree in literature at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Her thesis included a comparison of how C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman each use the idea of mankind’s Fall from Grace to structure the worldviews presented in their fantasy series. Rebecca is a firm believer that fantasy books written for children can be just as meaningful, well-written and enjoyable as those for adults, and in some cases, even more so. Rebecca lives in New Zealand. She is the winner of the 2015 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best SFF Fan Writer.

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