The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #2 - Comic Review

Marchion Ro and his army of Nihil have given the Jedi their most devastating blow: they’ve attacked the noble Force users with the Nameless creatures and broken Starlight Beacon in two! This is only the beginning of the Eye of the Nihil’s plans, though. Once again, broken into multiple acts, The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #2 follows Marchion Ro before and after the events of The Fallen Star as we see him collecting more creatures to turn on the Jedi as well as revealing his plans immediately following his brutal attack on the space station and announcing himself to the Republic and the greater galaxy!

Writer Charles Soule concludes his Marchion Ro duology with The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #2 in a breathtaking and brutal fashion. Previously, we have seen Ro grow and become the ruthless leader he is today, but this issue sees the intensity out in the open as he does anything and everything he can to do what he deems necessary. Soule perfectly encapsulates this in a piece of writing that fully explores the timeless adage that every villain thinks they’re the hero of their own story.

The visual arts team for The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #2 meshes perfectly with Soule’s writing to create a work of art fit for the biggest villain in Star Wars in a long time. Artist Guillermo Sanna, letterer Ariana Maher, and colorists Jim Campbell and Antonio Fabela have taken this epic story and brought it to a whole new level. The grandiosity to which this team treats Ro is breathtaking, constantly making him larger than life in every panel. The standout of this issue is the absolutely gorgeous and trippy visuals of the unknown planet that Ro and his chosen followers visit to acquire a terrifying weapon that is on par with the psychedelic horror we’ve seen in recent issues of the main The High Republic comic.

The main cover for The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #2 comes from artist Ryan Brown and depicts a menacingly relaxed Marchion Ro, adorned in his helmet, holding a chain leading right to the reader. The Phil Noto variant cover shows an almost regal version of Ro, helmet on his knee and hair flowing in the wind, as he stares right out of the cover. The Mico Suayan variant might be the coolest of the already awesome batch of covers, giving us a badass action movie pose of Ro brandishing a weapon, adorned in his helmet complete with a brand of the Eye of the Nihil on the front visor.

This first epic Phase of the earliest era of canon Star Wars reaches its conclusion with The High Republic: Eye of the Storm #2, and what an epic and menacing end it was! This issue is an absolute must read, not just for fans of villains or The High Republic, but fans of Star Wars as a whole. So hop in your Jedi Vector’s and fly on down to your local comic shop to pick up a copy today!