Comic Review: Star Wars: Obi-Wan (2022) #1

The first issue of this five issue mini-series is exactly the kind of story fans are clamouring for this close to the release of the Disney Plus show Obi-Wan Kenobi. An anthology of sorts, the run follows Alec Guinness’s grizzled hermit as he waits out a sandstorm by reflecting on his life and chronicling specific memories in his journal. This issue takes us right back go the beginning as we see an eight year old Obi-Wan as a Jedi initiate, before he’s taken as a Padawan by Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan awakes in the Jedi Temple to find his only friend, Gehren Rand, missing. He quickly finds her struggling with a vision of her father in pain and determined to rescue him even though she has no idea who or where he is. What follows is a short tale through Coruscant’s seedy lower levels filled with thugs and crime bosses that will stick with me through it’s wonderful writing and memorable characters.

Some of the more hard to please fans may be disappointed that we aren’t immediately getting the story of Satine or Obi-Wan’s Gathering, but to me stories like this are essential to better understanding a character and making the end of their story a little more heart-breaking. Granted there’s no big revelations as of yet, but the story flows naturally through it’s framing device and considered and heartfelt dialogue. I immediately wanted to jump straight to Wookieepedia to see if Gehren was a character I could learn more about as their relationship is tender and genuine. I have a theory that, even though the last page suggests otherwise, we will see Gehren again, most likely in the framing story. Could Gehren become an Inquisitor perhaps? Only time will tell.

The art by Ario Anindito is up to his usual sublime standards, taking a slightly more hazy and weathered look than his work on The High Republic for the older Obi-Wan story and an almost cartoonish, Avatar-esque style for the tale of child Obi-Wan. It’s effective and dynamic and really sells the characterisation by writer Christopher Cantwell.

The next issue seems to be about Obi-Wan a few years later when he’s apprenticed go Qui-Gon and I appreciate the apparent chronology of the series. I wouldn’t say no to a few more adventures of the young Jedi Initiate though, as it brings to mind the stellar early issues of the Kanan comic.