Journey to The Last Jedi began with Captain Phasma’s miniseries. The first issue began with the destruction of the Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens, in which the title character pursued another officer who read that Phasma disabled the base’s shields. While she did that under threat, it would ruin her reputation and possibly have her executed if anyone else were to find out. In the previous issue, she followed the other officer to a strange planet, whose inhabitants landed generations ago and then gave up all technology. The planet features unstable weather and sea monsters that separate Phasma from the officer who knows of her actions.
Written by Kelly Thompson, this issue picks up where the last left off. The other officer is not only stranded on this planet, but stranded on an island surrounded by the sea monsters. On the one hand, Phasma needs to make sure this leak is taken care of. On the other hand, it won’t be easy to get to this island with a tie fighter that’s not in great condition. It’s hard to talk too much about this comic without spoiling it, but it shows Phasma’s intelligence and her charisma as a leader. There’s also a hint of her past thrown in, and that’s a nice touch. Apart from that, it’s fun to see how this comic plays out. That said, this isn’t as good as the previous two issues. It’s not nearly as intense as the opening issue, nor is it as mysterious or intriguing as the second. There are parts of this comic that are more build-up than anything else. That in itself is not a problem, it just doesn’t read as well on its own.
The art by Marco Checchetto is brilliant. It’s a highly detailed comic with a slight anime feel in how the environments are drawn. The opening partial spread shows the target island in great detail, with some sort of ruins sticking out of the rocks, and all the sea monster tentacles in the water, giving the island a spooky feel. The facial expression on both the aliens and Phasma’s pilot (who isn’t wearing a helmet at the time) are very well done. There’s a moment where the pilot and an alien are arguing over a translation problem and they each look slightly annoyed and a bit confused. At one point a child leads Phasma and the pilot to a large ship, and there’s a sense of wonder in the child’s eyes, while the pilot looks delighted. Although Phasma’s face is always covered by a helmet, her body language suggests an observant personality, and her frequent tough stances imply a lot of confidence. Andres Mossa’s colouring is great. Because the planet is mostly covered in water, this is a very blue looking comic. There’s great use of mist near the water, the buildings are tinted brown to match the wood, and the tentacles are pink to help mix things up. There’s also brilliant use of shadows, especially on the wrinkles in Phasma’s cape.
Even if this issue isn’t as good as the previous two, it’s still a good comic with fantastic art. The build-up is clearly leading to something so I’m not the least bit worried about the next issue. Although Phasma is a tough soldier, the other characters around her help balance out the comic’s mood. That and her sheer determination and charisma make her fun to follow anyway. If this is any indication of what we may see from the captain in The Last Jedi, then we’re in for a treat. This series is definitely worth checking out for those looking forward to Star Wars Episode 8.
8/10
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