Faithfully bringing events from the film to the comics page, The Last Jedi follows Rey and Finn as they stare down new challenges while their roles in the Resistance reach new heights. As new dangers approach and old threats emerge, the next generation of Star Wars heroes is here!
Capturing the galaxy-spanning action of The Last Jedi, experience Episode VIII as a beautiful graphic novel combining the epic wonder of Star Wars with the streamlined designs of Disney animation. This all-ages graphic novel is a must-read for longtime fans and a great introduction for young newcomers!
Manuscript Adaptation: Alessandro Ferrari
Character Studies: Igor Chimisso
Layout: Stefano Simeone
Paint (background & settings): Massimo Rocca
Paint (characters): Kawaii Creative Studios
Cover: Eric Jones
Art: Ken Shue, Roberto Santillo, Marco Ghiglione, Manny Mederos, & Stefano Attardi
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $9.99
Release Date: August 29, 2018
The Last Jedi is IDW Publishing’s third release of Alessandro Ferrari’s adaptations of the Star Wars films. This adaptation is a gently peeled version of the film, and is a refreshing read. The creative team has created a fluid story without diminishing any of the action or emotion from the movie. In fact, the stripped down sequences of key points in the story are actually enhanced by the brevity.
For example, the elegant departure of Luke Skywalker following his epic standoff with Kylo Ren is one of my favorite film sequences. Upon first perusal of this adaptation I was a bit wary of the scene being depicted in four frames. However, after reading the book through, I felt there was no loss but rather I re-experienced the scene in a new light. This is a pretty consistent and remarkable characteristic throughout the book.
I won’t deny there are a lot of ill-feelings for The Last Jedi and I get some of criticisms that fans have, but I feel it has only clouded the perception of the film. This adaptation pushes the fog away and reminds us that when you take away all of that clutter and see the film for what it is rather than how it fits, you realize it is a really good movie (the Marvel adaptation of The Last Jedi does a good job of it too). If you aren’t going to go with me that far, you could agree that at least cinematically it is a really good. Maybe you won’t, but that’s ok too. This adaptation may allow some fans to reevaluate and see the film and it’s narrative in a new light. Episode IX is only 463 days away and there is no telling where it is going to go.
I’ve enjoyed the artwork in all of the Ferrari adaptations. Once again, it is just the right balance of caricature which doesn’t make the characters outlandish or unrecognizable. In fact, I see a lot of similarity in these books with the upcoming Star Wars: Resistance animated series: it’s not too cartoonish and it’s not too anime-style.
I definitely recommend this for any fan’s collection. The book is completely satisfying and suited for all ages. It offers a great way to reminisce on the film in one volume and I anxiously await getting my hands on the A New Hope adaptation by Ferrari which arrived late last month.