Star Wars Adventures Annual 2019 gives 5-Page Sneak Preview

In the world of writing, the Young Adult market is, by far, the hottest and fastest-growing segment. YA stories sell like wildfire. IDW Publishing knows this, so they’ve once again tapped writer Cavan Scott to pen another installment of Star Wars Adventures Annual 2019, coming to comic shops this September. The cover art comes courtesy of Usagi Yojimbo artist Stan Sakai.

The story-line features a team-up between General Lando Calrissian and a newly-canonized green space rabbit, Jaxxon. The unlikely pair break in to the guarded seat of Imperial power on a mission to recover a valuable artifact that will nudge an entire planet to reject the Galactic Empire and forever banish from their home world.

Star Wars Adventures Annual 2019 Creative Team: Cavan Scott, Writer

Writer Cavan Scott is no stranger to the Star Wars universe, now penning his eleventh Star Wars Adventures Annual title, along with Dooku: Jedi Lost, The Star Wars: Adventures in Wild Space junior novels, and the Star Wars: Choose Your Destiny books. He’s also the author of the Tales from Vader’s Castle 5-issue miniseries. Add to that stories in other well-known universes such as Dr. Who, Warhammer 40,000, Sherlock Holmes and Skylander. With credentials like that, the writing is likely solid.

When asked about how this story was hatched, Scott had this to say:

“The story started life as a pitch for a potential Lando Calrissian book in the Star Wars Choose Your Destiny series. When that didn’t happen, I stored the idea away, knowing we’d be able to use it elsewhere. Nothing goes to waste in a galaxy far, far away. When I was asked to come up with a story featuring Jaxxon for the 2019 Star Wars Adventures Annual, I knew that it would be the perfect home for Lando … now with the addition of a big green space bunny! A team-up with Lando and Jaxxon was too good an opportunity to miss!”

Cavan Scott

Star Wars Adventures Annual 2019 Creative Team: Alain Mauricet, Pencils

Belgian artist Alain Mauricet whips the pencils on this issue, coming from previous work for CrossGen, Image and DC on Adventures of Superman. He’s been working on American and European comics since 1988. Below you can see some of his preview pages for Star Wars Adventures Annual 2019:

• 

• 

When asked about working with Mauricet on this title, writer Cavan Scott said:

“It’s great to be working with Mauricet again. He really gets the relationship between Lando and Han. I first worked with him on last year’s annual, when we brought Jaxxon back to Star Wars after an absence of 30 years. For those who don’t know, Jaxxon was a fast-talking, rabbit-faced smuggler, first introduced in Marvel’s Star Wars #8 back in 1977. It was the first Star Wars comic I ever read. In fact, it was my first experience of Star Wars in general, as at that point I hadn’t seen the first film. Bringing Jax back was therefore a real buzz. For me, he represents the fun — and somewhat surreal — side of Star Wars. In a universe where alien squid men can command armadas and announce traps, there’s definitely room for a carrot-hating, blaster-loving cottontail.”

Cavan Scott

• 

• 

Star Wars Adventure Annual 2019: Should you read it?

The old adage of not judging books by the covers is Bantha poodoo. Comics are all about the cover art, and variants of cover art. Nothing personal to Stan Sakai, but I hope they do a variant. The interior splash art of the Millennium Falcon dousing TIE Fighters are impressive, but the cover art would likely make me pass this one by. Perhaps it appeals to the young adult audience, but it does not appeal to me.

But… a green space bunny? Really?

Astute Star Wars fans might remember back in 1977, Marvel introduced us to Jaxxon in Star Wars #8 – Eight for Aduba. While I realize it is a classic, I feel this is from a dark time in Star Wars history… a time where things were thrown on the wall and what stuck was printed.

I admit, I have not read any story involving him, but Jaxxon seems like a mix of Jar-Jar with a little Rocket Raccoon thrown in for good measure. He feels like a try-hard character to interest young kids in something, and maybe it does. However, not this Star Wars fan. If I picked this one up, it would have to come on good authority from someone I trust to tell me it’s worth the read. Perhaps it’s the cartoonish, juvenile portrayal, perhaps it’s flashbacks to Jar-Jar. This might be one of those times where I claim too much Star Wars content may not be such a good thing. I wish it the best though!

What about you? Am I wrong on this one? Sound off and let us know what you think.

Source: SyFy.com