The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1 - Comic Review

Writer Charles Soule has crafted a stunning tale in the origin of Marchion Ro with The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1 in the best and most unique ways possible. Long before The Great Disaster, long before the Nihil, there existed a race of people known as the Evereni. They existed on a world full of lightning, wind, and storms. Their lineage tells the story of the building of the Nihil, how they learned to become a storm themselves, entities of power and destruction, all leading down the line to one boy: Marchion Ro. As this boy grows, Ro finds himself face to face with different forms of power, be it the Nihil themselves, the Paths that lead to destructive battle maneuvers, or even his own father. During the times of his younger years, we follow Ro as he grows and learns from all of these things on his path to become the vicious ruler we know today: The Eye of the Nihil.

The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1 is structured in a three act format, sectioned off by title cards that list each “scene” by number, title, and a short and vague description that’s reminiscent of films like The Shining (1980) or the more recent Inglorious Basterds and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It’s a fun, pulpy, and fascinating way to structure the story. The writing overall is wonderful, fitting perfectly with the structure of the book to give it a very epic and grandiose vibe throughout Soule’s storytelling. Each scene is a very specific and important event in the building of Marchion Ro’s life and legacy. Soule also does a fantastic job showcasing Ro’s personality through very small details scattered throughout the pages. The issue is given enough information and story to make it absolutely worth reading, but keeps enough hidden to leave you desperate for the second issue.

The visual arts team for The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1 consists of artist Guillermo Sanna, colorist Jim Campbell, and letterer VC’s Ariana Maher. All of them are on point with this issue and help elevate it to the epic heights that this story demands. Right off the bat we know we are witnessing something huge with the incredible talent of these three bringing the Evereni homeworld to life with it’s massive storms and intricate structures. The group of artists never lets up throughout the issue as it keeps with the ever chaotic visual of the storm throughout it’s pages while still coming off as serene and beautiful, as storms often are along with their destructive power. It’s a really visually beautiful issue that is paired perfectly with it’s themes.

The main cover for The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1 comes from artist Ryan Brown and depicts a strong and sturdy Marchion Ro from the present day, standing powerfully in the middle of a raging storm with his newly acquired yellow lightsaber, showing his intensity and strength. There are two variant covers with this issue, the first of which comes from Giuseppe Camuncoli and sees another version of Ro surrounded by a storm, brandishing his yellow blade, this time much closer and much more full of emotion and passion. The second variant is by Carlos Pacheco and shows off the Eye of the Nihil as he holds his helmet in one hand and a weapon in the other against multiple blades of unseen enemies ready to cut him down.

The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #1 is a wonderful and epic first part of an origin for one of the most fascinating characters in Star Wars: Marchion Ro. It’s deep, dark, and full of well written and visualized history that feels almost like you’re watching a documentary film. So fire up your Stormship and jump on down to your local comic shop to pick up your copy today!