Yoda #2 - Comic Review

Yoda made the shocking decision to remain with the citizens of Turrak in the introductory issue of his Marvel series. We discover in Yoda #2 that he’s actually still spending time with his Jedi cohorts, though the majority of his focus still remains with the Scalvi. The Force is calling him to stay and ensure that Bree and the others learn as much as they can to keep their world safe from the dangerous Crulkon. With Yoda’s help, the Scalvi make good defensive progress; they’ve built a watchtower and have learned some basic fighting techniques. Even with the best laid plans, the Scalvi must put their new skills to use as the Cruklon attack once more. After the chaos dies down, the Scalvi discover that Yoda’s been taken captive by the Cruklon. As the Scalvi seek to set Yoda free, another dark mystery is revealed about the Cruklon, and Bree makes a choice with deadly consequences.

Cavan Scott’s second chapter in Yoda’s story, titled Light and Life Part 2: The Raid, continues to show his strength with character work in his writing. We were just introduced to the Scalvi people in issue #1 and already are invested in their survival. The character of Bree in particular is interesting for his youthful energy that Yoda will either help him manage, or it will spin out of control as he emotionally reacts to the events surrounding him. Similarly, Scott writes Yoda in a way that endears readers to the events of the series; if Yoda deems something important then so will we, if Yoda gets emotional then so will we. Scott’s a master at unfolding a narrative in a way that keeps readers on their toes; the mixture of quiet introspective moments with fight scenes ensure there’s never a dull moment.

Artist Nico Leon’s bold style suits both the emotional and action beats beautifully. Their work on Yoda, especially his facial expressions (that range from joyous to downcast) is a standout for the title. This mixed with color artist Dono Sánchez-Almara’s work truly show off the struggles between light and dark in Yoda #2. The art and colors, combined with Joe Caramagna’s letters, all make for a striking Star Wars comic book whose individual pages make for stunning Star Wars works of art in their own right.

Phil Noto’s cover art would tempt anyone perusing a comic book store, which features the Jedi Master with lightsaber at the ready with an attacking Cruklon in the background. Yoda #2 gets three variants for collectors to hunt down. Artist Bengal’s cover has the Jedi calmly meditating while playing his Scalvi instrument. Yoda channels the Force and elevates rocks in Todd Nauck’s cover. And Caspar Wjingaard’s Attack of the Clones 20th Anniversary variant features the epic showdown between Yoda and Count Dooku.

Whatever cover(s) you decide on, Yoda #2 deserves a spot on your comic book order this week, so grab your copy today!