Star Wars #1 Is Fulfilling and Satisfying, But Lacks Spark (Review)

The Star Wars brand has been doing plenty of celebrating these last few weeks. Revenge of the Sith had a successful re-release in theaters to commemorate its 20th anniversary. Star Wars Celebration Japan unveiled many new projects for the franchise. May the 4th released a new set of animated shorts, Tales of the Underworld, and Andor Season 2 has been ongoing to rave reviews. All those Star Wars projects don’t even touch on all the High Republic novels. This plethora of Star Wars content can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a fan who wants to consume it all. Marvel Comics has taken advantage of the May the 4th weekend to release a new Star Wars #1 issue this week. With so much Star Wars to consume, does the new number one from Alex Segura and Phil Noto stand out?

The new number one takes place not long after the Battle of Jakku, the trio of mini-series Segura helped usher in. The issue is split into three storylines told through the perspective of Luke, Leia, and Han Solo. Segura carries over the character Rynn Zenat from Battle of Jakku, serving as the co-protagonist with Luke’s sideplot. Luke and Rynn also partnered up in the Free Comic Book Day Star Wars comic, highlighting the two’s search for pirates. Rynn’s sudden rise to importance may irk some fans, as she takes away panel time from the characters we care about. She has yet to endure in the same way as other comic characters like Doctor Aphra, but it is still too early to judge her. At the moment, she’s a decent character with potential.

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Meanwhile, Han Solo rescues Beilert Valance from a group of criminals. It’s always good to see Valance once again, especially since the end of the Star Wars: Bounty Hunter comics made fans fear the character wouldn’t be seen again for a while. Valance’s and Han’s dynamic continues to evolve, showcasing how far the two men’s relationship has become. Their friendly banter provides the only comedic relief in the issue, with everything else being self-serious and dire.

Leia’s subplot is the most interesting and layered in the comic, spotlighting the growing difficulties of rebuilding the Republic. Leia and Mon Mothma try to sway the Pirrosi, an assembly of plants in a specific sector, back to the new Republic. The tension between Leia and the Prime Minister of Pirrosi is apparent, with the latter refusing to budge on their stance against the republic. It’s the most interesting part of the comic, foreshadowing future conflicts while potentially introducing a new villain that isn’t directly connected to the Empire. It makes logical sense that the protagonists would face other problems beyond the Empire, and it would be nice to see the franchise branch out.

Part of Star Wars’ ongoing celebrations this year is the tenth anniversary of the new Star Wars comics from Marvel. The comics company initially had the rights to the Star Wars comics in the 70s, returning after Disney purchased Lucasfilm. Ten years in, Segura’s and Noto’s Star Wars #1 is Marvel’s third relaunch of the mainline title. This new number one isn’t as exciting as when Marvel originally launched the comic line with Jason Aaron and the late John Cassaday’s Star Wars #1 in 2015. Something was electrifying about that new era of Star Wars in 2015 that Segura couldn’t really capture again. Segura still achieves a good story, capturing the voices of all the major characters well enough that nothing stood out as incorrect.

He brings in plenty of sci-fi action, with Noto supplying some of his most beautiful work yet. Noto has had a storied career with Star Wars, providing multiple fan art and covers for a franchise that clearly means so much to him. Noto’s early pages are thrilling, featuring Luke and Rynn’s space battle against a surprise attack. Everything about Segura’s and Noto’s Star Wars #1 is fulfilling and satisfying, but it didn’t reach the heights of previous comics published by Marvel. The era between Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Episode VII: The Force Awakens is still mostly unexplored by the Star Wars extended media, so it’s interesting to see what direction Segura will take the characters.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Published by Marvel

Released on May 7, 2025

Written by Alex Segura

Art by Phil Noto

Letters by VC’s Clayton Cowles

What did you think of Alex Segura’s and Phil Noto’s Star Wars #1? Let us know in the comments!