Writer: Ethan Sacks

Art: Luke Ross, Lee Loughride, and VC’s Clayton Cowles

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 9th, 2019

What’s left of the resistance is now operating out of a literal “garbage” temporary base. With the First Order eventually bearing down on them, they need to evacuate and find a new base. Wait??!! Isn’t this the story from The Empire Strikes Back?

As a “neutral” planter is obliterated by the First Order our story literally starts out with a bang but quickly falls into some typical Star Wars storylines.

Leia reminisces about the destruction of her own homeworld as she grieves over the destruction of Tah’Nuhna. She decides they must find a new base and flee the garbage planet of Anoat. But first they need weapons, ships, and people to fly and fight. As a new base is being sought out, Finn and Poe are tracking down weapons.

Leia decides she needs to make a trip for a “friendly visit” with Rose, 3PO, R2, and Chewbacca. She also needs a pilot, Rey. However, Rey is out fighting a monster in the garbage and is frustrated in her inability to focus her force powers. She’s grieving the loss of Luke. She eventually agrees to go with Leia.

On the Wayward Gomet, a refueling station, Poe and Finn have a potential lead on weapons, but a mercenary has his eyes on them.

Kylo Ren, now the Supreme Leader, does as Vader did in Empire Strikes Back and orders bounty hunters to wipe them all out!

Leia and company arrive on Mon Cala, the home planet of Admiral Ackbar. What she thought would be a friendly visit is not, as they are immediately greeted with some hostility.

Where do I start?! How about the title?? Surely they could come up with a shorter one.

Secondly, I don’t know how else to say it, but this is just another version of The Empire Strikes Back. I fully expected to see Hoth, Boba Fett, and Lando. It’s the same story. From the Resistance needing a new base to Ren sending out bounty hunters, to Leia visiting supposed friends, it’s all just too similar to Empire. I recognize the reasoning for the build-up to the movie, but rehashing an old story to promote it isn’t the right way to do it.

Final Thoughts:

As a prelude of sorts to the Rise of Skywalker, I was expecting an original story. I didn’t get that at all. I feel like I’ll never get that time back that I spent reading this issue.