"High Republic Adventures #1: Collision Course" by Daniel Jose Older

"High Republic Adventures #1: Collision Course" written by Daniel Jose Older, illustrated by Harvey Tolibao and Rebecca Nalty

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Although this series is under the "Star Wars Adventures" umbrella, it really just felt like a regular adult comic book both in regards to the story and the format. There weren't a couple of main stories followed by a shorter story in its own sub-series. Instead there was just one main story that took up the entire issue. Also, the content felt really adult as it delved into some difficult issues for the main characters involved, regardless of one being a Padawan and the other being Padawan-aged. These two young girls are dealing with some really heavy stuff!! And they're doing it with aplomb I might add--I can't wait to see where both of their stories go, especially since their lives intersected halfway through the issue and I see them getting more intertwined as the series progresses. This was a really great start to what I think is going to be an epic comic series! I do wish there was a "Tales from Wild Space" sort of shorter story following the main story as that sub-series was always so much fun, but I'll be interested to see how this progresses and works out being a singular story moving forward.

We meet tons of new people, both Jedi (mostly Padawans) and the people of Trymant IV (a nomadic group of many different species who see the Force as something you must always keep at a distance and definitely NEVER feel or use). But our two main characters are Lula Talisola (see her on the cover), a Padawan, and Zeen Mrala (see her below), one of the settlers on Trymant IV. Lula is scared, but refuses to let this reality become visible. She is top of her class and excels at everything but doesn't feel 100% ready to take on what the future holds--especially with her group of Padawans about to enter the Trymant system where another Emergence from The Great Disaster has just exited hyperspace (see below)!! Zeen lives in Bralanak City (see below) on Trymant IV and she can feel the Force strong within her...something her people would shame her for if she were to let this fact be known. Her best friend is Krix and they pretty much only have each other--Zeen's parents left to join a different commune when she was young as blood family doesn't mean much in her culture, just acolytes and elders. Zeen also has a little mammalian pet with bat ears named Cham Cham...so cute!!

The Nihil appear on Trymant IV making everything vastly more complicated for both the Jedi and the people of Bralanak City. Intriguingly, they seem to have come to Trymant IV only to rescue one elder in particular and nobody else at all--Elder Tromak. I am crazy intrigued as to what this could possibly be leading to in the next issue. Why him in particular?? Definitely a nice little mystery in that bit!

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Trivia:

-The Starhopper is the Padawan Academic Cruiser that Lula Talisola is stationed on when an Emergence appears in the Trymant system.

-Lula's two best friends are Qort and Farzala (see below-Farzala is the Zygerrian on the right, I'm assuming the guy on the left is Qort but things are a little confusing in that regard).

-Master Torban Buck is a Chagrian Jedi (see below) who, along with Yoda, is working alongside this comic's group of Padawans. Despite being a Jedi, he is one spooky looking dude!

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There is SO much more in this issue than what I covered here. But instead of bogging you down with details, I wanted to focus on our two main characters--a top-performing Padawan who on the inside is terrified and a Mikkian girl who has been told her whole life that something she secretly has inside of her is forbidden and dangerous. I totally feel for both of them. One being afraid to let her fears and concerns be known because she's in turn afraid that her mentors will look down on her and the other being afraid of something inside of her that she can't change and was born with. I've been there on both counts! These girls have obstacles they're going to have to overcome as the story progresses and I am so here for it!

I'll leave you with a map that lays out the location of Starlight Beacon in reference to Trymant as well as other star systems.