Writers: Katie Cook & Casey Gilly
Artists: Cara McGee & Butch Mapa
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 23, 2021
Reviewed by: Glimmer
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STORY
“Star Wars Adventures #5” is divided into two separate short stories. The first is entitled “The Incident, Part 1” and is written by Katie Cook with art by Cara McGee. It features Senator Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker and takes place during the “Clone Wars.” In this story, Padme attends an annual festival party. Anakin also attends as a Jedi Knight security guard. During the event, Padme and Anakin both jump into action to defend the host (Tomarian) against a group of evildoers. The second story called “The Short Goodbye” is written by Casey Gilly with art by Butch Mapa. It features Captain A’Shar Farless, a captain in the Empire, who is under the authority of Governor Tarkin. A’Shar (who has a reputation for being fearless) is directed by Tarkin to head a group of stormtroopers to protect the Empire’s schematics for their plans to build the first “Death Star.”
OVERALL THOUGHTS
“Star Wars Adventures #5” is a “mixed bag” for me. I didn’t care much for the first story but found the second intriguing. The idea of Padme and Anakin attending a festival is boring. Everyone familiar with “Star Wars Clone Wars” knows the couple is secretly seeing each other. So, having them “team-up” against a group of “party crashers” just isn’t exciting. Maybe “part 2” in next month’s issue will be better. The second story starring Imperial Captain A’Shar and Governor Tarkin was fun and kept me thinking. After reading the brief insight into A’Shar’s backstory, I began to wonder if Tarkin’s trust in him was genuine. Does Tarkin truly believe that A’Shar “Fearless” is an asset to the Empire? Or does he really fear him and think his “fearlessness” is something the Empire needs to eliminate? The artwork in both stories by Cara McGee & Butch Mapa is fine. It’s cartoony with very little detail, but that is to be expected in a book that is trying to resemble the style of the “Batman Adventures.” So, the artwork succeeds in what it is trying to do. 
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, “Star Wars Adventures #5” is a book that most fans of the series will enjoy. It’s not the best issue in the series, but it’s also not bad. I also think that readers interested in a Star Wars comic in the style of the “Batman Adventures” will appreciate it.