Variant Cover 1

Variant Cover 2

Variant Cover 3

About
Cover Price: $3.99
Page Count: 22 Pages
Digital Release Date: April 1 20Written by: Greg Weisman
Art by: Pepe Larraz 
Cover by: Mark Brooks





Summary: Kanan Jarrus: In Star Wars Rebels, he's a cocky, sarcastic renegade fighting against the Galactic Empire alongside the ragtag crew of the Ghost. But years before, at the height of the Clone Wars, he was known as Caleb Dume, Jedi Padawan under the instruction of Jedi Master Depa Billaba. Neither master nor apprentice ever suspected that the Clone Troopers they commanded would turn on them upon the issuing of Order 66-the order to execute all Jedi. How did Caleb Dume survive? How did he learn to survive on his own? And how did he become the man we know as Kanan Jarrus?
==================================================================================
The Review

OK, it looks like I might need to make a little confession to preface why I liked this issue and potentially this title in general. While, I have seen all 6 of the Star Wars film and will undoubtedly get dragged to the upcoming three kicking and screaming the whole way, I'm not exactly an overzealous fangirl when it comes to the franchise.The main reason being the expanded universe that use to be canon up until very recently and honestly as soon as it was announced that none of that other stuff mattered and they were basically starting over and making new stuff I got more interested in the franchise. I mean between DC comics, Marvel and A Song of Fire and Ice, not to mention Harry Potter and Star Trek, I honestly just didn't have room in my life for one more complex universe with a ton of backstory to memorize.

So the best thing about Kanan - The Last Padawan is that readers don't need to know the current Star Wars publishing line from Marvel Comics if they want to pick this issue up. As a casual fan of the franchise I found this issue to be a nice introduction to that galaxy far, far away.

The issue opens with a text crawl on the credits page, which I thought was cute. But the real narrative starts with the crew of the Ghost receiving their next assignment from the mysterious Fulcrum. My Star Wars fanboys tell me that anyone familiar with Star Wars: Rebels will undoubtedly find themselves at ease in this of the animated series and it's nice sincee the show is on a hiatus at the moment. I did find myself quickly questioning the presence of the crew because they're only shown for one panel, but the clock gets turned back for this adventure and introduces readers to Kanan before he was Kanan.The ensuing story follows a curious, busy body of a Padawan who joins his Jedi master in action.

Readers are introduced to Kallerans, a new alien race that has an appearance unlike anything in the Star Wars mythology. There is beautifully drawn architecture and technology throughout this comic, and the coloring produces swanky effects and sharp pattern work. Even the letterer went above beyond to make his work pop, it's very crisp and stands out refusing to be lost in the inks.

All-in-all, I think kudos are in order for the first Marvel Star Wars comic that gives us a glimpse at  the interim between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope.

Grade: A-

Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved.
Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd.