The High Republic #13 - Comic Review

In The High Republic #13 Jedi Master Avar Kriss and her small team of Jedi, consisting partially of Keeve Trennis and Sskeer among others, arrive at the Great Hall of the Nihil. Upon arriving on their home base, the Tempest Runners ask Marchion Ro what to do. His response is essentially to deal with it and leaves them to fend for themselves. Lourna Dee and Zeetar ready for the fight and shortly after the Jedi break for the attack! Trennis, who was tasked with keeping an eye on Kriss, follows the Jedi Master as she witnesses more and more rage and violence from the once peaceful woman. Can she hold her own against Kriss and stop her from doing the unthinkable? Or will this fight between enemies turn into a fight between friends?

Writer Cavan Scott continues his masterful writing in the third part of this story arc in The High Republic #13! Wow, what an issue. Every time one of these comics comes out I think “There’s no way this could beat the last issue!” and every single time I’m wrong. This is no exception as Scott continues to push this beautiful and heartbreaking narrative of the chaos and disorder in the lives and souls of the handful of Jedi that are front and center of this story. Watching Keeve do her best to center the mind of someone who should be the pinnacle of the Jedi Order, Avar Kriss, and seeing the discord between them is both incredible and so very sad. As Kriss continues her possible downfall, Scott’s incredible writing continues to elevate Trennis into the forefront of what it means to be a Jedi. I could honestly ramble on for many paragraphs about the writing here, but let’s just say it’s stunning and call it good. One last bit, though, I’d like to point out how perfectly in touch Cavan Scott is with Star Wars as a fan that he made a two panel reference to the Anakin and Padmé meme that’s been going around the internet for a while and how perfect that part was, as sad as it was too.

The visual arts team of The High Republic #13 also keeps up with the masterful work here as artist Ario Anindito, inker Mark Morales, colorist Carlos Lopez, and letterer VC’s Ariana Maher match Scott’s perfect writing with equally perfect art of their own. I’ve said this often, but I’ll say it again, this issue of The High Republic has some of the best art in a Star Wars comic to date! The action is ramped up to 11 when the Jedi come storming in (pun intended) to take on the Nihil is some of the most beautiful and visually stunning action sequences I’ve seen in a comic. Every page and panel with Avar Kriss is a masterpiece, especially the splash page near the end of the book that shows her attacking a heavily armored Lourna Dee, which is a piece I desperately need framed on my wall. There’s also one page that has not one, but two wonderful visual queues to the films. The first being a nice defended hallway shot referencing the opening of A New Hope followed quickly by a lightsaber through a door, slowly melting the metal plating, reminiscent of Qui-Gon melting a door in the opening of The Phantom Menace! It’s a brilliant issue full of brilliant artwork that needs to be seen.

All of the covers for The High Republic #13 match the incredible interior writing and artwork with just beautiful pieces as well! The main cover comes from artist Phil Noto showing an almost menacing Avar Kriss, lightsaber out, defending against multiple laser blasts as she walks down a dark corridor. The first of two variant covers was done by Ario Anindito and shows a tense closeup standoff between Avar Kriss and Keeve Trennis with their lightsabers locked in combat just inches away from each other’s faces. The second variant cover was drawn by Khoi Pham and features a heavily armored Lourna Dee with a vibrant and massive sword ready to take on the Jedi attackers!

The High Republic #13 is another absolutely stellar comic in this incredible run that demands to be read. It delves into darker territory once again with the Jedi questioning their lives and motives as they battle tooth and nail against the insidious Nihil who seem to bring out the darkest parts of a Jedi. So fire up your Jedi Vectors and fly on down to your local comic shop to pick up a copy today!