Kanan: The Last Padawan, written by Greg Weisman, is the newest Star Wars series from Marvel. How does it hold up to the three other series from Marvel?

It might be the best one yet.

Well, it’s far to early to say in all honesty, but I think it had the strongest issue #1 out of all of Marvel’s Star Wars offerings so far. Obviously with comics you have to wait until many issues have been out to truly step back and see the work as a whole, but as far as first issues go, Kanan #1 knocked it out of the park.

Let’s just start with the artwork. Kanan has by far my favorite artwork of all the series so far. It’s goregeous and extremely impressive with a couple full page scenes bursting with colorful detail and expression.

The characters themselves work well. Kanan is Jedi Padawan Caleb Dume, as you might remember if you read the novel A New Dawn. How and when he changes his name from Caleb to Kanan we have yet to find out.

His relationship with his master is also nice to see. We don’t really know much about Master Depa Billaba, but the way she handles the conflict with the Separatists and appeasing the natives was interesting.

Her guidance of Caleb is also excitingto see. I always enjoy glimpses and insights into the wisdom passed from Master to Padawan. (That could explain why I like Qui Gon so much.)

The story is really a flashback, triggered when the crew of the Ghost is to head to the planet Kaller, a new planet in the Star Wars canon.



Literally the only thing I didn’t love about this comic was the stupid face Kanan makes when he hear’s the name of the planet they’re heading to. It felt out of character to me that he’d make a face like he just took a poodoo in his pants upon being reminded of painful memories. I’d expect him to just wince or something.

But whatever.

The art was phenomenal and the story was good. You know Order 66 is coming, but even knowing that won’t make it any less gutwrenching.

I can’t wait for future issues of this to see just how Kanan went from padawan Caleb Dume to Kanan Jarrus and the man he is when we first meet him in A New Dawn.