Marvel have released a one-shot issue about Cassian Andor, the rebel spy. Star Wars: Rogue One: Cassian Andor aims to fill in a gap in the Rogue One storyline, ten years after its release. This Cassian Andor comic however does not live up to expectations.
Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: Rogue One: Cassian Andor #1!
Kafrene
The storyline fills in a very small gap in the Rogue One plot. It essentially covers Andor’s trip to Kafrene before he meets rebel informant Tivik. In the film, this is a vital part of the plot. It is here that Andor confirms the existence of the Death Star.
In Star Wars: Rogue One: Cassian Andor, artist Luke Ross and colour artist Mike Atiyeh bring the former mining colony to life. The now trading post looks impressive from space and in bustling in the streets with shady lifeforms. It is on these streets that Andor is avoiding Imperial attention, but is unaware that he is being watched by a bounty hunter.
Barger the bounty hunter
As Andor arrived in the Ring of Kafrene asteroid belt in his U-Wing, he was spotted by another ship. The pilot of this ship was a bounty hunter named Barger. Barger had been keeping an eye on Kafrene under orders of Director Krennic. Bounty hunters were able to do things that the ISB could not.
Barger had the potential to be an interesting new character. The morally ambiguous alien was happy taking Imperial credits while still maintaining a black market operation in illegal technology. Alas, Barger is just reduced to brawling with Andor when confronting him.
Where credit was given to the artwork earlier, the fight scene between Andor and Barger feels strange. In particular, there is a 12-panel sequence over two pages that seems rushed and static, in what should have been a dynamic climax. It is a shame as there are some really atmospheric and moody panels elsewhere.
What was the point?
Writer Benjamin Percy cannot take all of the blame for the shallowness of this issue. Marvel’s website describes Star Wars: Rogue One: Cassian Andor as a ‘tense espionage thriller‘, however at least two of those words seem redundant. Readers know that Andor is in no danger, and the storyline being so short, there is no sense of jeopardy.
Working within such a tight brief, it would have been difficult for Percy to achieve anything other than what he did with this issue. However, at only 20 pages, it is wafer thin. The issue could have least have ended with Andor meeting Tivik, as it would have given some narrative closure, but instead it just ends.
A lot of the dialogue feels out of character as well in this issue, meaning there is little to celebrate in this hollow issue. It added nothing to either the Rogue One storyline, or to Cassian’s character, nor the wider Star Wars universe. Marvel are releasing a Jyn Erso one-shot in June, hopefully it will be an improvement.
Buy Star Wars: Rogue One: Cassian Andor (E.M. Gist Mandolorian & Grogu variant) – Forbidden Planet
Buy The Art of Star Wars: Andor – Bookshop.org US
Buy The Art of Star Wars: Andor – Bookshop.org UK
Leave a Reply