Manga: - Star Wars: A New Hope Manga Volume 1

Star Wars: A New Hope Manga Volume 1 It`s Star Wars: A New Hope like you`ve never seen it before! Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Obi-Wan, and Darth Vader all drawn MANGA style! Taken directly from George Lucas` script for Episode IV of Star Wars, this book is masterfully drawn by Hisao Tamaki. This is one Star Wars book you won`t want to miss!
Customer Review: true star wars comics
You see I've read the non-manga version of comics of the movies, honestly I was disappointed. The artwork was bad, they screwed things up, left parts out. but this, this is the proper star wars comic. I'm not really a fan of the japanese style of drawing but I think star wars wears it well.
this book ends just when luke comes across his home set on fire. I was a little disappointed that they can't just put all the books into one longer one to save the reader money you know instead of buying 4 books for ten bucks each. that is really the only flaw I see with this series. As I was saying, although Han Solo is on the front cover he doesn't come into the series till the 2nd book.
For all of you that are old fans looking for a comic that is actually fit to wear the star wars name, I think you will like this series and I did. There are 4 books in this series, there is also a manga version of Empire strikes back and return of the jedi, so if you get into this there are more.
I feel this japanese art style worked so well with star wars is because of all the action in it. That was one of the big problems with the non-manga version was that they were unable to draw all the action in it. This does it all really well. Also a good thing about this is that the expressions on the characters tell volumes about they are feeling. Sometimes the artists over-do it a little bit, but its really not a problem.
So, I'd say that this is for new fans, long-time fans, old fans, young fans everyone really. You won't be disappointed, really its good.
Customer Review: Best Star Wars Comics Money Can Buy
I wasn't sure what to expect with the Star Wars: Manga series. I wasn't sure if it would just be a tired retread of familiar material done with big eyes, or if it would be the first really quality adaptation of the Star Wars films. Because lets face it, most Star Wars comics suck. The art is lacklustre, with artists often trying to make their character look too much like Harrison Ford or Mark Hamill. The dialogue is flimsy, with characters either spouting catchphrases from the movies or just dropping awkward speech balloons all over the place. No, Dark Horse has not done much with the coveted Star Wars franchise to crow about. Until now.
I'm not one of those fans that preaches the unfailing superiority of Japanese manga. Nor do I decry the often exaggerated facial expressions and unfamiliar art style. I simply appreciate good comics, and this is good comics. This is the best graphic novel adaptation of Star Wars: A New Hope that anyone could ever ask for. The well-known script is adapted directly from George Lucas' original script, and so it includes the new scenes of the Special Edition releases from a few years back (Though Han does seem the shoot first in a highly satisfyingly violent scene). This is not merely a storyboard adaptation, but a true utilisation of what comics do best. Hisao Tamaki, who adapts and draws this story, uses plenty of panels just to establish mood and setting, most noticeable in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene. The characters, thankfully, are not modelled on their silver screen counter-parts, but rather have a life of their own. Action scenes are a beauty to behold, and Tamaki's kinetic style is really showcased. The lightsaber duel between Vader and Obi-Wan is infused with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic, giving the samurai-esque Kenobi a mobility that the honourable Sir Alec Guiness could simply never achieve. The destruction of Alderaan is handled far more dramatically than in the film, flashing panels of the people of that doomed world with the Death Star as it charges its cannon. The blast is one of those truly impressive sights that make your eyes widen in an attempt to take it all in.
Perhaps the most appealing part of this series is the way Tamaki exploits the lighter moments to brilliant effect. The Jawa's incessant jabbering, the mugging of Luke and Han, and especially the frantic chases through the Death Star in the third volume all illicit great little moments. Once one becomes accustomed to Tamaki's visual language, including little teardrops and pulsing forehead veins, it's easy to follow the laughs.
If there are any drawbacks to this story, they involve the inevitable problems in translating a Japanese work for an English market. Virtually all panels are mirrored to accommodate our left-to-right reading style. It seems that some action scenes devoid of dialogue were left in their original format, making the transition a bit jarring if your eye's sharp enough to spot the gaffes. I've read other reviews that disapproved of the sound effect lettering, arguing that it distracted from the art in certain scenes. I agree that the sound effects are occasionally overwhelming, but they are clearly an important part of the art style, and are used so effectively in certain scenes that I'm willing to forgive this minor sin.
For any fans of the Star Wars films or comics series, this set is a valuable and highly entertaining addition that lets you appreciate the classic tale in a new medium. I look forward to reading the following Star Wars: Manga adaptations.