Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures - The Complete Phase 1

Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (2021) (Collected Editions) #1-3

by Daniel José Older, Harvey Tolibao (Illustrations)

"For light and life!"

Set hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures chronicles a time of galactic renaissance when the Jedi are at the height of their power and the Republic is experiencing unparalleled peace...until a mysterious evil known as the Nihil, threatens to cast its shadow over all the free worlds of the galaxy!

Follow the adventures of Lula, Farzala, and Qort, untested Jedi Padawans, with their Masters, Torban Buck and Yoda, on their first mission to rescue the inhabitants of the planet Trymant IV in the wake of a deadly Nihil attack. But the Nihil are not the only opposition they will face. Many of the planet's citizens resent and fear the Jedi. Two of those citizens, Zeen and Krix, will have to decide whether to go against all they believe and trust the Jedi; or go it alone and risk falling prey the Nihil's evil plans.

Perfect for readers of all ages, The Complete Phase I collects the entire Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (Phase I) series by New York Times bestselling author Daniel Jos� Older and artist Harvey Tolibao, with 6 never before collected issues, a new epilogue story, and of course, fan-favorite, The Galactic Bake-Off Spectactular one-shot!

Genres: Star Wars, Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Adventure

368 pages, Paperback

Published August 29, 2023

About the author

Daniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher (Scholastic), the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series (Penguin), and the upcoming Middle Grade sci-fi adventure Flood City (Scholastic). He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, the Mythopoeic Award, the Locus Award, the Andre Norton Award, and yes, the World Fantasy Award. Shadowshaper was named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. You can find his thoughts on writing, read dispatches from his decade-long career as an NYC paramedic and hear his music at http://danieljoseolder.net/, on youtube and @djolder on twitter.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

232 BBY

This graphic novel contains the entire arc of The High Republic Adventures Phas I Parts 1-13, including the prologue, epilogue, and the featured shorts "Attack on the Republic Fair" and "Galactic Bake-Off Spectacular." This story follows Jedi Padawans Lula, Farzala, and Qort, each getting their own parts of the tale to tell. The key narrator for the majority is Lula. After working with her fellow Padawans to save the people of Trymant IV from a Nihil attack, Lula encounters Zeen, a Force user, though not a Jedi, and much to old for training.

After Zeen saves Lula, she returns with the Padawans to Starlight beacon in the hopes of saving her best friend, Krix, from the Nihil. But Krix is furious that Zeen would hide such a power from him. On Trymant IV, Force wielding is not only frowned upon, but forbidden. Krix uses his rage to support the Nihil in their acts against the Jedi, while Lula and Zeen become close friends, or even something more.

Some aspects of the art shifted when there was a change in artist for this issue or that issue, but overall, the art is great and it is a fun way to visually see some of the characters mentioned in the High Republic novels. This graphic novel collection sheds light on another aspect of happenings with the war between the Nihil and the Republic. The reader also gets more Marchion Ro without a mask, which in of itself is a rather intriguing visual aspect. I also personally appreciated seeing the adult version of Sav Malagan, who is introduced as a spunky Jedi Padawan in the Phase II graphic novels. Overall, a delight to the High Republic collection that any fan will enjoy.

[The Rudie Librarian (Brian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Jazmin Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED THESE CHARACTERS SO MUCH
Part of the Qort club of fans

[Noah Vance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly a masterpiece, from all the artwork down to Older’s immediately recognizable joie de vivre. It was just a joy, and that’s how Star Wars is supposed to make me feel. As much as Andor was peak Star Wars, something about content like this and Ahsoka just puts a bigger smile on my face, and that means something too.

[Leensey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off a bit rough for me, but over the course of the series, I just grew to love these characters so much. They deserve the world. (Except Krix and his fellow Nihil 😜 lol)

[Jac Filer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series introduces a new slate of characters whose story runs parallel to the action of the High Republic phase 1 novels. The crossover to the events and key players in the novels was just enough to anchor the story, and not enough to make the reader remember with each installment that this is a High Republic era story.

The story itself was fairly linear and straightforward, with no real surprises or twists. The relationship angle, which was the main arc of this comic series, took too much page time away from the worldbuilding, political intrigue, and space fantasy that draw readers to Star Wars in the first place.

A couple characters stood out as well developed and were enjoyable to follow. Most notable among them was Krix. It was good to see him grow from a disillusioned kid with ill-defined anger into a cunning planner whose motivations and ideals were finally beginning to crystallize. Qort was also enjoyable, partly because his portrayal forced the reader to contemplate him on the visuals of the graphic novel format alone, and partly because his character still remains largely mysterious.

Overall, this collection added enough to the High Republic story to make it worth reading, but it is probably best enjoyed after closing out the novels of the phase 1 series.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol 1 (#1-#5): 4 stars.
The Jedi head to Trymant V to prevent Nihil attack. There are two youths there, longtime friends, Krix and Zeen. Krix has protected Zeen for years, and they care a lot for each other. Trymant V is also a planet with no love for the Jedi, and Zeen’s had a secret for years—she can sense and wield the Force.

The Nihil are also headed to Trymant V to find something, and the Jedi and Nihil clash, with Zeen preventing a disaster by using the Force, and breaking Krix’s trust in her. He leaves with the Nihil and one of Trymant’s leaders, furious with Zeen, and blaming her for his now dangerous situation.

Zeen is welcomed to Starlight Beacon, and feels accepted for the first time in her life. She and Lula and other young Jedi padawans become good friends as Zeen gets a chance to learn properly about the Force. Meanwhile Krix continues to behave as if all of his unfortunate choices and precarious position aboard Marchion Ro’s ship is totally Zeen’s fault.

The action is fast, and artwork is kinetic, and I liked how the author drew parallels between Zeen’s and Krix’s experiences, respectively, aboard the Beacon and the Nihil ship, while also contrasting how Zeen blossomed, and Krix became a smaller, meaner, and more cruel version of himself.

I anticipate Marchion Ro will continue to use Krix’s weak mind against him, while dealing the Republic and the Jedi more reversals.

Vol 2 (#6-#10): 3.5 stars.
Farzala, Qort and their Master, are being transported by Affie, Geode and Lyon to Hutt space to discuss things with matters with a Hutt. Things go wrong once Farzala lands, and on the ship, as someone is setting up the Jedi mission, making it appear they’re there under false pretenses.

There is a lot of action, while we get a better understanding of Farzala’s thoughts and concerns. We see how the resolution to this situation plays into Farzala‘s growth as a Jedi. I loved seeing Affie and Geode again.

And Geode is crafty and integral to help save the situation, because Geode, though a “Wild man”, is also quick thinking and quick on his, um, feet.

We also see the attack on the Republic Fair from Ram Jamoran’s POV. And there’s a dragon. Or whatever it’s called. But really, it’s a dragon!
Ram might be a padawan, but he finds a way to lend a hand Ty Yorrick. He’s kind of lovable.

Vol 3 (#11-#15): 4 stars.
Annoying Krix is still mad at Zeen, and trying to hurt Jedi in general. He decides to attack Maz Kanata’s castle and the Jedi temple facing it across the lake. We finally get some of Qort’s background in this volume, and though Krix seems vanquished, we also see how what he does is tied to the attack on Starlight Beacon.

Wrapping things up, we get the Bake-off episode, and Buckets of Blood and Master Kantam remembering how, during the Great Disaster, a ship of Jedi retirees worked together successfully.

Krix remains awful, and I imagine he’ll have more to do in Phase 3. And it’s too bad the Jedi had their heads so far up their butts by Phantom Menace time they no longer did fun things together, like bake yummy treats and share stories.

[Katrina M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The complete Phase 1 edition of The High Republic Adventures was a great opportunity to re-read this series before we meet up with these characters again in the brand new run! I love the relationship the padawans have with each other and their masters. DJO does a great job balancing grown-up themes with fun, humor, and whit. We see our padawans deal with identity, loss, and betrayal. All of this, alongside running jokes, lots of love, and a bake off spectacular!

Upon re-reading this series I was struck by how I missed the early LGBTQ themes, but I was originally reading it issue by issue, and my memory must have gotten in the way. This series is much more cohesive for me in one bound volume. I appreciate everything DJO and the other Luminous authors have been doing to bring more diversity to Star Wars!

Finishing this on the day HRA #1 (2023) comes out really brought everything full circle and I can't wait to see what Lula, Zeen, Qort, and Farzala do next! Hopefully we get some humor in the darker phase three that is to come!

[Zettifar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic entry in the high republic. If you are someone who has been reading the phase 1 YA and middle grade books then you'll get plenty of familiar characters and if your like me you'll love getting more Ram and that's so wizard.

Now the main characters Zeen and krix grow up on a planet that doesn't allow any use of the force at all and surprise surprise Zeen can use the force but has kept a secret from Krix their whole lives and the day comes when the nihol and republic arrive and Zeen uses her abilities and leaves Krix feeling lied and betrayed.

Krix goes off to join the Nihil and Zeen is welcomed in by a group of young padawans who accept her for who she is as a person and all while Krix keeps sending her massages about can't she just be his view on a "normal" friend. #respecttranskids

The Main throughout this comic gives plenty of character growth for our main characters along with giving the reader plenty of background around the group of young jedi padawans and masters,

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't...terrible, though it is ultimately inconclusive and at over 300 pages, it might have been nice to wrap a few things up. I get the story is continuing, but this was a lot of material, covering the rescue on Trymant IV all the way up to Krix and Zeen becoming young adults and having to live with their choices. I wasn't a huge fan of the story that jumped around all over the place--there'd be a couple of pages with the Jedi, then a couple of pages of the Nihil, then back again--though I suppose that was meant to reflect the storytelling in a movie? The art by Harvey Tolibao is uniformly excellent, but the issues done by others reflect badly by comparison. If there is to be a Complete Phase 2, I guess I'll read it, though I'll probably have forgotten these characters by then.

[Mj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is what I have been waiting for from The High Republic! Every character leaps off the page with life and each arc brought someone new to the forefront without ignoring the rest. The art is gorgeous and reminds me of something ripped out of the 80s with its attention to line work and coloring. The only thing I wish is that it could have stood a little more on its own in between the tie-ins. There are things referenced in other works and outcomes assumed off-page which I’m sure will make sense as I continue to read, but the work here was too good to let the connective tissue be somewhere else.

[Daan Spanbroek · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, this edition is ideal for collectors (me). It contains every adventures story of the first phase. I kept coming back to read a few issues across the whole first phase. There are some nice arcs, there are less nice arcs. At one point, it felt like the story - especially Lula's character - was going in circles. But in the end, this run is aimed at young readers. I am not a fan of the 'wrinkly' art, though I liked the mirroring of Lula and Zeen they used, and it really elevated these moments. There are some interesting new characters (Qort my goat), and the crew of the Vessel always get bonus points from me.

[Daniel Roslan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some good and there's some bad in here, nothing in it is truly incredible so giving it a 3 feels generous. From this, Race to Crashpoint tower, and Midnight Horizon, its clear to me that (IMO of course) Daniel Jose Older is a bad author. He tells instead of shows constantly, and his characters personalities and motivations are paper thin. That said, there are some good ideas in here, he just fails to excute them well. Those good ideas were enough to keep me entertained for the most part, and I feel like this is basically required reading if you want to read Midnight Horizon, but your not wrong if you skip it either.

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is it complete ?
We have not the listing of the issues from where these stories come from. Why ?
What happens to Yoda ? He goes doing something relevant for the plot but we do not see him again the big last half of the TPB.
Who are the Nihils ? What do they want ? Who is the Eye ? What it is plan ?
Why should I care if the story goes all over the place and never seems to conclude a plot point ?
I've learned nothing about the High Republic, nothing about its foes, nothing about living there.
All those pages to tell nothing is in itself astonishing.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, and it helps fill in some of the gaps with the YA novels. My main critique is that some characters (in my opinion) don't completely match their characterization from the novels. I also felt that the way the Nihil operate is portrayed much differently than in the main novels. There's no talk of Tempest Runners, and the main antagonist is a kid seemingly operating outside of the group's main structures. Setting that aside, I like most of the characters featured here and look forward to their stories continuing in phase three.

[No_One · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out great, ended fine. The plot overall felt like it was holding back in terms of intensity and catharsis. I wanted more of a buildup between the rift between Krix and Zeen, but instead there was a focus on Zeen and Lula which really killed the initial setup of the story: Zeen and Krix, two friends becoming enemies and going very different ways in life.

Older seems to run with that at first but then…there feels like a shift in focus on what is important and then, again, the Krix and Lula through line is less important. Could have been epic.

[Jonathon Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff introducing a fun cast of characters — and some cameos from other areas of the High Republic — and showing some background events occurring before, after, and during the main ones depicted elsewhere. At the heart of it is a love story of a sort between the two main POV characters, a Jedi Padawan and a Force-sensitive non-Jedi who becomes Marchion Ro’s new protege.

There’s a bit of Drengir stuff but it’s mostly more about the Nihil. Art is consistently good even though it varies a little in style between artists, and the writing is snappy and often quite funny. All solid stuff.

[Erick M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estuvo bien, a términos generales.

Debo admitir que no era el público objetivo al inicio, con personajes ligeramente meh para mí y villanos aburridos (cómo te detesto, Krix), pero, al igual que los protagonistas, fue creciendo mi aprecio por estos, verlos levantarse y caer, reír y llorar, explorar más allá de los caminos jedis y, quizás, el amor que hay dentro de una familia encontrada.
No fui el mayor fan de Lula, pero definitivamente fue divertido leer su historia principal a lo largo de la primera fase de la alta república. Espero saber más de ella en el futuro

[Javier Fontecilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was a good idea to leave Adventures at the end of my Star Wars High republic phase 1 reading list, because the whole plot is mostly to fill the gaps between the adult and young novels. Nevertheless, I felt the pace of each issue very forced, with not enough time to feel the characters and their emotions, maybe it’s because in a war like that, they do y have time at all, but maybe a few extra pages could fix that.

[Tanner Reeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm same author as the last book which was poodoo, but I guess he works better as a comic writer! This was fun, I really appreciate the art and seeing this period in Star Wars. The characters are enjoyable enough, it’s just always hard to get enough development when the series are this short. Did a great job gluing wave 3 together though, and I’m excited to see everyone again so I guess it did it’s job! (Qort’s the goat)

[Joshua Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first graphic novel I have read in close to 15 years. The art was beautiful and the overall story matched it. There were a few of the chapters that were confusing because every page was a different person/scene, but other than that it was great! I look forward to finding out what happens next with Lulu, Zeen, and friends.

[Joshua Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Wars High Republic Phase 1 Adventures Omnibus was a great collection of all the Comics.
I enjoyed reading the story all together without having to wait for each issue. I also really liked how the comics fill in little gaps between the books, its little treats and Easter eggs for the novel and comic readers.

5 Lightsabers Held High!

For Light and Life!

[Jamie Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this over the last year so don't remember all plot points and details 100% but I liked this.

It started off being a really light entry into the high republic but I found myself getting swept up in its whimsical nature, great characters and compelling emotional story beats. A surprise gem of the high republic

[amanda ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this is my second Star Wars comic book read, I am super happy that I started with this book/series. Interesting, captivating plot line and characters with stunning visuals. Great introduction and will not be my last comic read!
Zeen and Lula steal my heart, I love them! ♡
Qort and Farzala are basically my brothers now.
MAZ CAMEOOOOO!!!

[Decimo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing is the feel good aspect of it. The great Jedi baking day, the great Jedi rumble race. Just the younglings in general, them being friends and interacting, them living a life that the Jedi during Clone Wars didn't have a chance to.

This comic make me want to be a Jedi.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this comic series. I love Lula and Zeem! There are lots of things I love about this, but for the most part, it was the exploration of holding love and being able to let go. It is the most potent and relatable problem the High Republic has covered, and I'm so keen to know what's next.

[Josh Trice · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5 stars) This started with a pretty intriguing idea/plot or Zeen and Krix, but then by the end it feels like and afterthought with a ham-fisted "I have feelings" plotline that comes out of nowhere and leads nowhere.

[amy ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars.

this was such a cute book and i literally LOVE lula and zeen with all my heart

i love seeing so much happy jedi life

[Colin Mcclusick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story. Awesome comic book to read if you like the high republic timeframe of star wars.

7/10

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole story around Lula and Zeen is 😚👌🏻, the rest of the story is alright and I didn't like the illustrations in some issues.