The Rise of Skywalker Graphic Novel Adaptation Review

On November 24, 2020, did you feel ”a great disturbance in the Force”? If you are a comic collector and completist with a soft spot for Marvel’s Star Wars film adaptations, you may have “cried out in terror” when they announced the cancellation of the talented Jody Houser’s COVID-delayed adaptation of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. With preview cover art by the incomparable Phil Noto already floating in the ether and many anticipating certain relationships and plot lines not addressed by the film to be more deeply explored, many fans seemed to be disappointed with the decision to cancel. Perhaps those cries were not “suddenly silenced”. Perhaps you’ve been waiting patiently for some kind of comic adaptation to complete your collection. It remains to be seen if IDW’s The Rise of Skywalker graphic novel adaptation will scratch that itch and serve as the capstone for fans’ Skywalker Saga collections, but what it does do is faithfully retell the final chapter in this legendary story.

Anyone who has been paying attention to the Star Wars fandom since The Force Awakens debuted in 2015 knows full well that the sequel trilogy has undergone a kind of real-time scrutiny unseen by its predecessors, driven by the dominance of social media as a mode of cultural conversation. How prevalent it’s been in shaping the storytelling is up for debate, but it’s reasonable to say that, unfortunately, many minds are made up before entering the theater or, in this case, cracking open a book. I try to be as open-minded as possible, and this graphic novel adaptation evokes the same “big, loud, and fun” aesthetic of the film, and I’m not complaining at all.

As I mentioned, this is a faithful retelling so, after thumbing through several pages with character bios explaining “the story so far”, we immediately find ourselves on Mustafar watching Supreme Leader Kylo Ren slashing his way to the Sith Wayfinder. His singular purpose; find Palpatine and kill him. Of course, we know how that works out. On the other side of the galaxy, Rey, completing training under Leia, senses a disturbance and sees a dark vision that shocks her to her core. Her confession of self-doubt is interrupted by the return of the Millennium Falcon carrying Finn, Poe, and Chewie back from an intelligence-gathering mission. Our heroes, reunited at last, set off to find the way to Exegol and stop the resurrected Palpatine before it’s too late, but will Rey succumb to her dark vision? Will Ben Solo be redeemed? Is it ok if I’m eating a giant tub of popcorn while I’m reading this comic?

Great respect to Alessandro Ferrari for his manuscript adaptation, taking the very frenetic tale and making it fit in the confines of a single graphic novel. Even faithful retellings need to rein it in sometimes, and Ferrari does that well. The list of artists for this book is long, but worthy of mention. Igor Chimisso, Davide Turotti, Matteo Piana, Cryssy Cheung, Enrico Soave, and Kawaii Creative Studio bring familiar locales like Pasaana, Exegol, Ajan Kloss, and Kijimi to life with their respective atmospheres, and it’s hard not see some of the opening pages and not hear the now-signature screeches of ”dark science” in the background when Palpatine gives up the plot. Additionally, their portrayals of the characters we’ve all grown to know and love are recognizable but also not overly so. Photorealistic depictions in these comics can be a bit unnerving to some readers, and the art team strikes the perfect balance.

As the world looks for light at the end of the pandemic’s tunnel, perhaps Marvel will eventually complete their own saga and release their shuttered Episode IX treatment. Either way, it may be worth checking out IDW’s The Rise of Skywalker graphic novel, particularly if you miss seeing the sequel characters in action. Just be prepared for a film-style amusement park ride. Seat belts and popcorn recommended.