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Star Wars (2015)
Star Wars, Vol. 3: Rebel Jail
Collects Star Wars Annual #1, 15-19.
What comes next for the rebels after the events of VADER DOWN? Find out as the adventures of Luke Skywalker and friends continue! The rebel crew is en route to a prison base with a very important captive. But unlucky for them, they aren't the only ones with their eyes on this prize! Plus: Meet a rebel spy at the heart of the Empire, and join him on a mission of life and death! And in another tale from the journals of Obi-Wan Kenobi, journey back to the Jedi's days of exile on Tatooine. Moisture farmer Owen Lars may have taken in young Luke, but he refused to let Ben be part of the boy's life. Now, prepare to discover the reason why!
What comes next for the rebels after the events of VADER DOWN? Find out as the adventures of Luke Skywalker and friends continue! The rebel crew is en route to a prison base with a very important captive. But unlucky for them, they aren't the only ones with their eyes on this prize! Plus: Meet a rebel spy at the heart of the Empire, and join him on a mission of life and death! And in another tale from the journals of Obi-Wan Kenobi, journey back to the Jedi's days of exile on Tatooine. Moisture farmer Owen Lars may have taken in young Luke, but he refused to let Ben be part of the boy's life. Now, prepare to discover the reason why!
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2016
277 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,360 books1,677 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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September 28, 2016
Rebellious reading!
I got this storyarc on its single comic book issues but I chose to make the review using this TPB edition to make a better overall review. The story is set after the events of “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” but before the events of “Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back”. This TPB edition contains the issues #15-19 + Annual #1 from the title of “Star Wars” in its new Marvel Canonic run.
Creative Team:
Writers: Jason Aaron & Kieron Gillen
Illustrators: Mike Mayhew, Leinil Yu & Angel Unzueta
THE DIARY OF AN OLD JEDI CONTINUES
While the main storyarc in this TPB is Rebel Jail, developed from the issue #16 to issue #19 plus the Annual #1; however the issue #15, it’s a stand-alone tale about the days of Ben Kenobi at Tatooine, keeping watch from afar of a very young Luke Skywalker.
You can’t keep a Skywalker in the ground, unless of course you’re Uncle Owen!
Young Luke is trying out the Uncle Owen’s T-16 Skyhopper (obviously without permission) and while he is pretty good taking in account his lack of practice, well…
…a dang mountain had to be in the middle of young Luke’s flightplan!
Uncle Owen’s Skyhopper is ruined and young Luke is grounded (in all the sense of the term).
Ben Kenobi is keeping watch of young Luke from afar, but he knows that if Luke ever will have a chance to do a difference, he’ll need to know how to fly ships. So, it’s important to find parts for the T-16 Skyhopper to make able young Luke to repair the ship. Since it’s quite risky for Kenobi to just go to Mos Eisley (due Imperials and Hutt’s mob) so Kenobi will make a deal with the Jawas. Utinni!!!
Of course, Uncle Owen won’t like that.
It’s good to know in this issue that Kenobi was indeed busy really guarding young Luke, since thanks for his discreet watch, Uncle Owen’s farm is the only one in the neighborhood safe from Tusken Raiders’ attacks or Jabba the Hutt’s thugs.
Of course, Uncle Owen won’t like that neither. For the love of the Force!!!
TAXCOLLECTOR, REBEL, SOLDIER, SPY
In the Annual #1…
Tharius Demo has been a loyal Imperial bureaucrat for several years, working in the heart of Coruscant, the capital world of the Galactic Empire.
Only that none of that has been true.
His real name is Eneb Ray and all those years was in reality an infiltrated spy for the Rebel Alliance.
The work of Eneb is so secret that the only known contact for him is Princess Leia, and that’s the only contact in the Rebellion that Eneb knows about. Eneb even isn’t sure if there are other spies in Coruscant. There must be, but he wasn’t informed. In that way, if he is discovered, the rest of Rebel operations there won’t be compromised.
However, an unexpected high profile Rebel mission will complicate, Eneb’s secret status.
PRISON BREAK???
In the main story arc, Rebel Jail, Princess Leia hires the smuggler, Sana Starros, and her ship, the Volt Cobra, to take Dr, Aphra (Darth Vader’s collaborator) to one of the most secret facilities of the Rebel Alliance…
…Sunspot Prison!!!
A Rebel Alliance’s orbital penitentiary around a sun, where they have imprisoned…
… War criminals, Imperial spies, Mercenaries, even a Moff or two.
An installation so secret that even many Rebel soldiers don’t know about its existence.
Of course, somebody knows, a (not so) mysterious person that along a droid army will break IN the prison, however his intentions with the inmates won’t be what you may expect…
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are traveling in the Millenium Falcon and they are ordered to buy vital supplies for the Rebellion, and of course, Han thinks that a Sabacc game can be a great option to double their money and in that way to buy the double of supplies (of course, minus a fair fee) but…
…it’s Han, so you may deduce that the Sabbac’s game won’t go as expected.
Uneasy alliances, awful smugglings and broken convictions…
…you won’t have a moment to rest here!
I got this storyarc on its single comic book issues but I chose to make the review using this TPB edition to make a better overall review. The story is set after the events of “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” but before the events of “Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back”. This TPB edition contains the issues #15-19 + Annual #1 from the title of “Star Wars” in its new Marvel Canonic run.
Creative Team:
Writers: Jason Aaron & Kieron Gillen
Illustrators: Mike Mayhew, Leinil Yu & Angel Unzueta
THE DIARY OF AN OLD JEDI CONTINUES
While the main storyarc in this TPB is Rebel Jail, developed from the issue #16 to issue #19 plus the Annual #1; however the issue #15, it’s a stand-alone tale about the days of Ben Kenobi at Tatooine, keeping watch from afar of a very young Luke Skywalker.
You can’t keep a Skywalker in the ground, unless of course you’re Uncle Owen!
Young Luke is trying out the Uncle Owen’s T-16 Skyhopper (obviously without permission) and while he is pretty good taking in account his lack of practice, well…
…a dang mountain had to be in the middle of young Luke’s flightplan!
Uncle Owen’s Skyhopper is ruined and young Luke is grounded (in all the sense of the term).
Ben Kenobi is keeping watch of young Luke from afar, but he knows that if Luke ever will have a chance to do a difference, he’ll need to know how to fly ships. So, it’s important to find parts for the T-16 Skyhopper to make able young Luke to repair the ship. Since it’s quite risky for Kenobi to just go to Mos Eisley (due Imperials and Hutt’s mob) so Kenobi will make a deal with the Jawas. Utinni!!!
Of course, Uncle Owen won’t like that.
It’s good to know in this issue that Kenobi was indeed busy really guarding young Luke, since thanks for his discreet watch, Uncle Owen’s farm is the only one in the neighborhood safe from Tusken Raiders’ attacks or Jabba the Hutt’s thugs.
Of course, Uncle Owen won’t like that neither. For the love of the Force!!!
TAXCOLLECTOR, REBEL, SOLDIER, SPY
In the Annual #1…
Tharius Demo has been a loyal Imperial bureaucrat for several years, working in the heart of Coruscant, the capital world of the Galactic Empire.
Only that none of that has been true.
His real name is Eneb Ray and all those years was in reality an infiltrated spy for the Rebel Alliance.
The work of Eneb is so secret that the only known contact for him is Princess Leia, and that’s the only contact in the Rebellion that Eneb knows about. Eneb even isn’t sure if there are other spies in Coruscant. There must be, but he wasn’t informed. In that way, if he is discovered, the rest of Rebel operations there won’t be compromised.
However, an unexpected high profile Rebel mission will complicate, Eneb’s secret status.
PRISON BREAK???
In the main story arc, Rebel Jail, Princess Leia hires the smuggler, Sana Starros, and her ship, the Volt Cobra, to take Dr, Aphra (Darth Vader’s collaborator) to one of the most secret facilities of the Rebel Alliance…
…Sunspot Prison!!!
A Rebel Alliance’s orbital penitentiary around a sun, where they have imprisoned…
… War criminals, Imperial spies, Mercenaries, even a Moff or two.
An installation so secret that even many Rebel soldiers don’t know about its existence.
Of course, somebody knows, a (not so) mysterious person that along a droid army will break IN the prison, however his intentions with the inmates won’t be what you may expect…
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are traveling in the Millenium Falcon and they are ordered to buy vital supplies for the Rebellion, and of course, Han thinks that a Sabacc game can be a great option to double their money and in that way to buy the double of supplies (of course, minus a fair fee) but…
…it’s Han, so you may deduce that the Sabbac’s game won’t go as expected.
Uneasy alliances, awful smugglings and broken convictions…
…you won’t have a moment to rest here!
December 28, 2016
While I was in the middle of reading this one news broke that Carrie Fisher had suffered a heart attack so that added a certain bittersweet flavor to a story that focuses heavily on Princess Leia. It also provided further evidence for the case against 2016 when we finally haul it into court for its crimes against humanity.
Leia’s part involves her delivering an important Imperial prisoner to a secret Rebel prison and being caught there when a mysterious man attacks the jail. Meanwhile, Han and Luke are off on a supply run which gets complicated, there’s a single issue story about what Obi-Wan was up to on Tatooine while waiting for Luke to grow up, and the first annual has an off-shoot story about a Rebel spy on Coruscant. (If you’re reading these as single issues from the Marvel Unlimited app you should check that one out first.)
Overall, this is still a fun and solid set of Star Wars stories in which Jason Aaron and the other creators continue to fill the gap between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back and do a pretty good job of it. Since we know how things shake out they can't generate much tension regarding the main characters, but there’s a lot of interesting turns here. My favorite part was learning that Han Solo was literally a nerf herder for a brief time.
Leia’s part involves her delivering an important Imperial prisoner to a secret Rebel prison and being caught there when a mysterious man attacks the jail. Meanwhile, Han and Luke are off on a supply run which gets complicated, there’s a single issue story about what Obi-Wan was up to on Tatooine while waiting for Luke to grow up, and the first annual has an off-shoot story about a Rebel spy on Coruscant. (If you’re reading these as single issues from the Marvel Unlimited app you should check that one out first.)
Overall, this is still a fun and solid set of Star Wars stories in which Jason Aaron and the other creators continue to fill the gap between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back and do a pretty good job of it. Since we know how things shake out they can't generate much tension regarding the main characters, but there’s a lot of interesting turns here. My favorite part was learning that Han Solo was literally a nerf herder for a brief time.
May 19, 2017
Better than a bucket of warm spit? Undoubtedly (but, then again, most things are). As fun and engaging as Vol. 1 of this series? Nah. Sufficiently interesting to keep going? You betcha.
Do I want coffee? Yes, have some.
Do I want coffee? Yes, have some.
March 10, 2019
The series continues to amaze. It captures the spirit and tone of the movies in a way most other EU stuff doesn't. In the main story Princess Leia and Sana take Dr. Aphra to prison which is then taken over. There's also a Obi-Wan flashback tale from when Luke was a kid.
September 4, 2016
Following Vader Down the Rebel Alliance has captured Darth Vader’s accomplice Dr Aphra and Leia and Han’s ex-wife Sana are transporting her to Sunspot Prison - except a blast from Leia’s past is waiting for her there for a surprise reunion!
Jason Aaron’s third Star Wars book is his weakest one yet. As talented as he is, even he can’t make Leia an interesting character - that’s why her solo series was the worst one in the Marvel relaunch - and Sana and Dr Aphra are even less so. Watching them survive in the prison was so boring and predictable. You know nothing’s going to happen to Leia as this is set between A New Hope and Empire and I couldn’t care less what happened to the other two. Leinil Yu’s art is pretty though.
Han and Luke’s storyline was even stupider. Remember Leia’s line in Empire when she calls Han a “scruffy-looking Nerf herder”? This is the story behind that line. WHAT!? I know, it’s ridiculous!
Kieron Gillen unexpectedly writes the best issue in the collection with the opening one-shot annual (his Darth Vader series is very poor). It’s about a Rebel spy called Eneb Ray who infiltrates Imperial-controlled Coruscant and attempts to assassinate the Emperor. Despite my loathing Coruscant for its prequel association, it’s an exciting swashbuckling adventure to read and I loved seeing the Emperor get more involved in the action!
The volume closes out with another addition to Obi-Wan’s story from when Luke was a kid on Tatooine. It’s still dull and the only good thing about it was Mike Mayhew’s beautiful art - please hire him to draw more of your comics, Marvel!
It’s a minor positive too but I loved how Vader Down was self-contained - it crossed over with Aaron’s Star Wars but none of those issues are reprinted here, they only appear in the Vader Down book. I wish Marvel did that with all of their events instead of double-dipping issues for both the collected event book and the titles it crossed over with (DC’s guilty of this greedy behaviour too).
There isn’t much great story here but the artwork is first-rate throughout. Aaron’s Star Wars is still worth reading if you’re a fan but don’t expect much going into Rebel Jail.
Jason Aaron’s third Star Wars book is his weakest one yet. As talented as he is, even he can’t make Leia an interesting character - that’s why her solo series was the worst one in the Marvel relaunch - and Sana and Dr Aphra are even less so. Watching them survive in the prison was so boring and predictable. You know nothing’s going to happen to Leia as this is set between A New Hope and Empire and I couldn’t care less what happened to the other two. Leinil Yu’s art is pretty though.
Han and Luke’s storyline was even stupider. Remember Leia’s line in Empire when she calls Han a “scruffy-looking Nerf herder”? This is the story behind that line. WHAT!? I know, it’s ridiculous!
Kieron Gillen unexpectedly writes the best issue in the collection with the opening one-shot annual (his Darth Vader series is very poor). It’s about a Rebel spy called Eneb Ray who infiltrates Imperial-controlled Coruscant and attempts to assassinate the Emperor. Despite my loathing Coruscant for its prequel association, it’s an exciting swashbuckling adventure to read and I loved seeing the Emperor get more involved in the action!
The volume closes out with another addition to Obi-Wan’s story from when Luke was a kid on Tatooine. It’s still dull and the only good thing about it was Mike Mayhew’s beautiful art - please hire him to draw more of your comics, Marvel!
It’s a minor positive too but I loved how Vader Down was self-contained - it crossed over with Aaron’s Star Wars but none of those issues are reprinted here, they only appear in the Vader Down book. I wish Marvel did that with all of their events instead of double-dipping issues for both the collected event book and the titles it crossed over with (DC’s guilty of this greedy behaviour too).
There isn’t much great story here but the artwork is first-rate throughout. Aaron’s Star Wars is still worth reading if you’re a fan but don’t expect much going into Rebel Jail.
March 2, 2018
Flashback first story from Ben Kenobi's journals was very good, but this "The Princess, the Smuggler and the Doctor" volume starring Leia, Sana Starros (that I just can't stand) and Doc Aphra as main characters (with a Luke & Han sub-plot that was intended to be hilarious but it was just really not too much at all) is probably the weakest trade volume of the series.
Luckly the artworks are still excellent ones.
April 17, 2023
Reread: 17/04/2023
I have fond memories of reading this whole run and it doesn't disappoint at all like we have the story of Eneb rey, the spy and what goes wrong on his mission and then in he present with Leia locking Aphra in the sunspot prison after the events of "Vader down", him coming back as the executioner was kinda cool twist with him and makes you think about his character arc overall and can you really blame him for turning to the extreme measure? Whats the point of keeping these empire prisoners alive? And yeah as a reader you feel conflicted which is a sign of a good story and I really liked it seeing Leia and the other 2 working together, it adds something new to the SW lore and shows her being badass again!
And loved the story with Luke and Han, they weren't here for a long time feels like but its fun seeing the banter between these two. Obi-wan story continues to fill in the blanks and I like that ad after seeing that web-series it does fit in nicely. They took great inspiration from here for that series!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We basically pick with a tale of how the Rebel Spy Eneb Ray was sent to Corcuscant on a missiion to save senators until he saw the emperor was coming and he had a plan to take him down and it went sideways and got others killed but that gives him a motivation and how he becomes the villain is so well done here. He is "the executioner". Sana, Leia are in this Sunspot prison, a Jail which has the sun behind it and no one can until the executioner and his IG-RM Droids come in and the motivations are so clear. And he is kinda right like you have to take down the criminals in order to win and how Leia, Sana and Aphra deals with them is the majority of the story and its so well done. you feel for both sides and the cost is heavy. Meanwhile in another tale we have Han and Luke losing a game of sabbac and the rebels money and how they earn it back and its hilarious read. And the last one is a tale from Obi-Wan's past and his attempt to keep Luke safe from all threats until that confrontation with his Uncle Owen. And it does a good job of filling in those gaps!
I have fond memories of reading this whole run and it doesn't disappoint at all like we have the story of Eneb rey, the spy and what goes wrong on his mission and then in he present with Leia locking Aphra in the sunspot prison after the events of "Vader down", him coming back as the executioner was kinda cool twist with him and makes you think about his character arc overall and can you really blame him for turning to the extreme measure? Whats the point of keeping these empire prisoners alive? And yeah as a reader you feel conflicted which is a sign of a good story and I really liked it seeing Leia and the other 2 working together, it adds something new to the SW lore and shows her being badass again!
And loved the story with Luke and Han, they weren't here for a long time feels like but its fun seeing the banter between these two. Obi-wan story continues to fill in the blanks and I like that ad after seeing that web-series it does fit in nicely. They took great inspiration from here for that series!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We basically pick with a tale of how the Rebel Spy Eneb Ray was sent to Corcuscant on a missiion to save senators until he saw the emperor was coming and he had a plan to take him down and it went sideways and got others killed but that gives him a motivation and how he becomes the villain is so well done here. He is "the executioner". Sana, Leia are in this Sunspot prison, a Jail which has the sun behind it and no one can until the executioner and his IG-RM Droids come in and the motivations are so clear. And he is kinda right like you have to take down the criminals in order to win and how Leia, Sana and Aphra deals with them is the majority of the story and its so well done. you feel for both sides and the cost is heavy. Meanwhile in another tale we have Han and Luke losing a game of sabbac and the rebels money and how they earn it back and its hilarious read. And the last one is a tale from Obi-Wan's past and his attempt to keep Luke safe from all threats until that confrontation with his Uncle Owen. And it does a good job of filling in those gaps!
September 6, 2020
Vol 3 of the Star Wars series was a pretty good read. The first story about the Rebel spy trying to infiltrate a secret location to assassinate Palpatine was excellent. it sets up a prelude for the primary villain in this volume. It also shows the level of Palpatine's cunning and how he is not someone easily duped into being assassinated by some human twit.
The "main" story is about a group of Rebel extremists who assault a maximum security holding facility that houses Imperial POWs. It's a good story, though the art is not good at all. Shame. But Leia and Dr. Arpha make for a great team in terms of dialogue. Good story about how the simple act of having to deal with Palpatine can drive normal people over the edge.
The final story about the diary of ben Kenobi was excellent. The art and the lore was both top notch. I especially enjoyed seeing Obi-Wan destroy a warband of Tusken raiders with a gaderffii (a gaffi stick) instead of a lightsaber. It shows just how far superior a Jedi Master is in terms of reflexes. great story and beautiful art. Should have gotten this artists to do the Rebel jail story.
A good and entertaining addition to the series so far. The first and last stories really stand out in terms of quality. On to Vol 4 then.
The "main" story is about a group of Rebel extremists who assault a maximum security holding facility that houses Imperial POWs. It's a good story, though the art is not good at all. Shame. But Leia and Dr. Arpha make for a great team in terms of dialogue. Good story about how the simple act of having to deal with Palpatine can drive normal people over the edge.
The final story about the diary of ben Kenobi was excellent. The art and the lore was both top notch. I especially enjoyed seeing Obi-Wan destroy a warband of Tusken raiders with a gaderffii (a gaffi stick) instead of a lightsaber. It shows just how far superior a Jedi Master is in terms of reflexes. great story and beautiful art. Should have gotten this artists to do the Rebel jail story.
A good and entertaining addition to the series so far. The first and last stories really stand out in terms of quality. On to Vol 4 then.
April 16, 2018
This venerable series shows some fatigue with third volume Rebel Jail. While I really liked the two earlier installments this one, though still a satisfactory read, doesn't quite reach its full potential.
Han and Luke are strictly comic relief supporting characters here - there's some adolescent but effective humor in their brief scenes, courtesy of a Han's (lack of) gambling skills and a Nerf herd cargo (?!) - while Leia, Sana, and barely tolerable Dr. Aphra take center stage to function as an intergalactic Charlie's Angels when Empire agents invade a Rebel prison satellite. The short story that opens the volume seems sort of superfluous at first, though its significance later becomes apparent. Things wrap up with another short story about Ben Kenobi's seclusion on Tattooine.
Han and Luke are strictly comic relief supporting characters here - there's some adolescent but effective humor in their brief scenes, courtesy of a Han's (lack of) gambling skills and a Nerf herd cargo (?!) - while Leia, Sana, and barely tolerable Dr. Aphra take center stage to function as an intergalactic Charlie's Angels when Empire agents invade a Rebel prison satellite. The short story that opens the volume seems sort of superfluous at first, though its significance later becomes apparent. Things wrap up with another short story about Ben Kenobi's seclusion on Tattooine.
December 4, 2016
Maybe I'm just being cynical but Marvel's Star Wars comics seem to have settled into quite a mediocre groove, after a really strong start. They seem to just be churning them out to keep the licence front and centre of their product line.
I'm not saying they're terrible; I'm still enjoying them, just... not as much. I've got to the point with the Marvel Star Wars books that I got to years back with the Dark Horse Star Wars comics: they're OK but I'd rather be watching the movies.
I'm not saying they're terrible; I'm still enjoying them, just... not as much. I've got to the point with the Marvel Star Wars books that I got to years back with the Dark Horse Star Wars comics: they're OK but I'd rather be watching the movies.
November 25, 2024
In Marvel “Star Wars” volume 3, “Rebel Jail”: A forgotten and presumed dead Rebel spy comes back to haunt the Rebel Alliance and, specifically, Princess Leia; Doctor Aphra is captured and sent to Sunspot Prison; Luke and Han are on Nar Shadaa to win some sabacc money for the Rebellion, but Han’s sabacc skills are a bit rusty (or his luck is); Leia and Sana are stuck on Sunspot Prison when an unknown invading force breaks in to conduct their own brand of justice against the prisoners; Aphra must finally come to terms with her past regarding Sana; in another excerpt from Obi Wan Kenobi’s journal, he tells the story of how Luke’s Uncle Owen asks Obi Wan to stop interfering in Luke’s life, but, unbeknownst to both men, Jabba the Hutt is making plans that may make it difficult for Obi Wan to make that pledge...
Everything about this volume is perfect, most especially the story involving Obi Wan (Issue #15), written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Mike Mayhew.
Everything about this volume is perfect, most especially the story involving Obi Wan (Issue #15), written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Mike Mayhew.
April 4, 2021
Amazing artwork, gripping stories, clean content...this is how I like my comics! Say what you will about Disney/Marvel's take on Star Wars, but I had a blast with this one!
October 10, 2020
3.5 stars.
This was strangely super intense and panic-inducing and chill and fun which is an interesting contrast, if you ask me.
You see, we have the story divided in two sides - as they usually are - and both of them were the complet opposites to the other. Not a bad thing but it is still the one thing I can't get out of my head when i think about this volume.
Leia's side of the story was serious and very dire. She has to deal with a breach in the most secure of the Rebellion's prisons... not the best situation to find yourself. But, well yeah, it's complicated and the stakes are pretty high because all this dangerous criminals are here making things more complicated and all.
Then we have the other side of the story, Luke and Han just going around being absolutely clueless of what Leia is going through and being total cinnamon-rolls.
It was a nice contrast that made me have tons of fun. I quite enjoyed it.
___________________________
This was... rather funny and, at the same time, more than I expected it to be.
RTC.
__________________________
Not for nothing but, is it just me or this cover art makes Luke and Han look rather... feminine? I don't know, I just find it hilarious.
Anyway, of course, I'm reading more Star Wars comics. That's just gonna be the seal of this year. And, after all, I enjoy them a lot, which is the most important fact, so no harm done and nobody is sad because of it.
I honestly can't wait to see what kind of trouble they find this time around, seeing as they are trouble-magnets 99% of the time.
“They blew up my father’s castle and all of Alderaan with it. But we won’t win this war because of me. We’ll win… because there are more of us than you can count.”
This was strangely super intense and panic-inducing and chill and fun which is an interesting contrast, if you ask me.
You see, we have the story divided in two sides - as they usually are - and both of them were the complet opposites to the other. Not a bad thing but it is still the one thing I can't get out of my head when i think about this volume.
Leia's side of the story was serious and very dire. She has to deal with a breach in the most secure of the Rebellion's prisons... not the best situation to find yourself. But, well yeah, it's complicated and the stakes are pretty high because all this dangerous criminals are here making things more complicated and all.
Then we have the other side of the story, Luke and Han just going around being absolutely clueless of what Leia is going through and being total cinnamon-rolls.
It was a nice contrast that made me have tons of fun. I quite enjoyed it.
“Humanity isn’t the same as weakness.”
___________________________
This was... rather funny and, at the same time, more than I expected it to be.
RTC.
__________________________
Not for nothing but, is it just me or this cover art makes Luke and Han look rather... feminine? I don't know, I just find it hilarious.
Anyway, of course, I'm reading more Star Wars comics. That's just gonna be the seal of this year. And, after all, I enjoy them a lot, which is the most important fact, so no harm done and nobody is sad because of it.
I honestly can't wait to see what kind of trouble they find this time around, seeing as they are trouble-magnets 99% of the time.
January 31, 2024
Oh man, that one was great.
I've been a bit hesitant with this series, as it takes some bold steps in terms of things that supposedly canonically happen, but this one was more tapered and definitely more fun.
Luke and Han are having a bit of a sidequest in this volume, but the real action is with Leia, Sana, and Aphra. And oh my goodness, what a team-up. I definitely preferred Sana's character without Han around, and Aphra is really growing on me. And - wow -
Leia is, as always, freaking amazing. She's Slytherin, but she still has a strong moral compass. Sana's more of a bad-reputation Slytherin, I would say.
5/5 stars. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Watching Leia, Sana, and Aphra work together was the coolest. Onto the next one.
I've been a bit hesitant with this series, as it takes some bold steps in terms of things that supposedly canonically happen, but this one was more tapered and definitely more fun.
Luke and Han are having a bit of a sidequest in this volume, but the real action is with Leia, Sana, and Aphra. And oh my goodness, what a team-up. I definitely preferred Sana's character without Han around, and Aphra is really growing on me. And - wow -
Leia is, as always, freaking amazing. She's Slytherin, but she still has a strong moral compass. Sana's more of a bad-reputation Slytherin, I would say.
5/5 stars. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Watching Leia, Sana, and Aphra work together was the coolest. Onto the next one.
August 26, 2021
I read this book via Kindle Unlimited.
Rebel Jail starts with a rebel spy infiltrating the Empire to try and undercover some of the secrets the emperor is keeping however, he is uncovered and outsmarted by the emperor leading to the senators being killed and the senate closing. A trap. By the ending of Enab's encounter with the emperor, he is battered and broken and then disappears. Change to the current day and Leia and Sana are on board a rebel jail cruiser that is under attack. Much to Sana's dismay, Leia enlists the help of Dr Aphra who has been in a jail cell for a while. They have to get to the bottom of who is attacking the ship as it's not the empire, it doesn't seem to be pirates. So who is it? There's also a side story involving Luke and Han herding nerfs. This was a nice story, hard hitting where it needed to be but it didn't seem to heavy. I loved seeing Luke and Han interact, even seeing Luke drive the Falcon. Overall, I'm really enjoying the series.
Rebel Jail starts with a rebel spy infiltrating the Empire to try and undercover some of the secrets the emperor is keeping however, he is uncovered and outsmarted by the emperor leading to the senators being killed and the senate closing. A trap. By the ending of Enab's encounter with the emperor, he is battered and broken and then disappears. Change to the current day and Leia and Sana are on board a rebel jail cruiser that is under attack. Much to Sana's dismay, Leia enlists the help of Dr Aphra who has been in a jail cell for a while. They have to get to the bottom of who is attacking the ship as it's not the empire, it doesn't seem to be pirates. So who is it? There's also a side story involving Luke and Han herding nerfs. This was a nice story, hard hitting where it needed to be but it didn't seem to heavy. I loved seeing Luke and Han interact, even seeing Luke drive the Falcon. Overall, I'm really enjoying the series.
December 6, 2019
This was actually pretty fun.
Lower rated than volume 1 and 2 by many but I found this to be one of the more fun reads. Have the girls doing a prison break, which is just badass. You have Luke and Han on a mission together which is funny as hell. Then you have a one shot at the start to show the life of a Rebel Spy. All of it eventually connects in the end to give a very fun adventure.
I really enjoyed a lot of this. Let's talk about that one shot. Holy shit! Intense, exciting, and scary. Show's how evil and truly fucked up the empire was. I also loved the internal thoughts of the rebel and the lead into the main storyline. The breakout prison stuff was all really badass too and some great character bonding moments. Though the Han and Luke storyline could have been better even if it was funny.
Overall, this was pretty fun. I think I liked it a bit more than volume 1-2 though still not great. A 3.5 out of 5.
Lower rated than volume 1 and 2 by many but I found this to be one of the more fun reads. Have the girls doing a prison break, which is just badass. You have Luke and Han on a mission together which is funny as hell. Then you have a one shot at the start to show the life of a Rebel Spy. All of it eventually connects in the end to give a very fun adventure.
I really enjoyed a lot of this. Let's talk about that one shot. Holy shit! Intense, exciting, and scary. Show's how evil and truly fucked up the empire was. I also loved the internal thoughts of the rebel and the lead into the main storyline. The breakout prison stuff was all really badass too and some great character bonding moments. Though the Han and Luke storyline could have been better even if it was funny.
Overall, this was pretty fun. I think I liked it a bit more than volume 1-2 though still not great. A 3.5 out of 5.
May 31, 2016
A pretty slow and uneventful volume. Not the best work of Aaron's. Still better than Gillen's Vader, which I finally and completely dropped after Vader Down because I just couldn't be bothered anymore.
September 14, 2016
The weakest volume of this book yet, but still a decent and even fun, at times, read.
January 1, 2017
It was interesting. But still I don't see much of a story built up.
September 18, 2021
Some tonal clash but still very good
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May 24, 2025
~4.25 stars
This was so good!! I loved the interpretation of Leia’s character and how she had a more central role in this one. I will forever love her. And her working with Sana and Doctor Aphra AAAAHHHHHHH!! Omg I did not expect Aphra to show up in this but I’m so glad she did (ilyyy). Sana is so cool too Omg.
Han and Luke ate in this too, their conversations felt straight outa the films which I loved. The dynamic was recreated perfectly.
The plot in this hit as always and Obi Wan’s journal was such a nice touch & so fun to read.
This was so good!! I loved the interpretation of Leia’s character and how she had a more central role in this one. I will forever love her. And her working with Sana and Doctor Aphra AAAAHHHHHHH!! Omg I did not expect Aphra to show up in this but I’m so glad she did (ilyyy). Sana is so cool too Omg.
Han and Luke ate in this too, their conversations felt straight outa the films which I loved. The dynamic was recreated perfectly.
The plot in this hit as always and Obi Wan’s journal was such a nice touch & so fun to read.
July 8, 2020
Mám fakt radost, že všemožné Star Wars věci si drží svou kvalitu. Je to vtipný, zábavný, příběh dobře odsýpá a celkově mám příjemný OT feel. Furt je tady ten problém, že ta kresba mi tolik nesedí ale celkově jsem strašně moc spoko.
November 5, 2016
(3.5) a bit of a slower volume and not a lot of story progression but I think its a build up for the next book. Dr. Aphra is being detained to a sun prison by Leia and Shana. Luke and Han are on their own (boring) mission to get supplies. The Annual issue introduces a rebel spy by the name of Eneb Ray, who once infiltrated Coruscant and almost took the Emperor but was set up by the Emperor instead. Ray has a bigger part to play in the volume but I wont spoil it. Like I mentioned there is very little story in this volume and if it wasnt for the nostalgia and the writing from Aaron I would rate it lower. The Obi-Wan Journal story was fun and arguably more interesting than the rest of the book. It was fun watching Obi-wan and uncle Owen have their chat about Luke. The art is awesome, new school digital but still really awesome.
May 24, 2018
Good banter throughout as one has come to expect from these comics, but that rough-edged art-style that was used in the majority of the issues?
Not to my taste, anyway.
Not to my taste, anyway.
May 29, 2016
Not one of the stronger arcs but still lots of cool fun stuff. The Annual paid off more than I thought it would too.
August 23, 2021
So good!! I loved seeing both the Han and Luke and Sana/Leia/Aphra team-ups, and I really liked the Eneb comic included at the beginning.
September 20, 2016
Now that the epic showdown between Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen in Vader Down has concluded, the ongoing canon "Star Wars" comic series continues independently from Kieron Gillen's Darth Vader.
So far, Jason Aaron has done a wonderful job with this series. While the first couple strips of Skywalker Strikes were lackluster, Aaron found his stride by the end of it and Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon turned out to be a fantastic story arc. It was then followed up by the phenomenal one-shot that started Vader Down, and he continued to deliver fast paced action throughout the crossover, which I would consider "volume 2.5" for both Star Wars and Star Wars: Darth Vader.
Now he continues his comic in the 3rd volume, Rebel Jail. I think this is better than Skywalker Strikes, but it is a step down from both Star Wars, Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon and his contributions to Vader Down.
SPECIAL SECTION: THE ANNUAL: The trade paperback for Rebel Jail opens with a one-shot comic strip about a rebel spy on Coruscant named Eneb Ray. The strip follows Ray and a group of other assorted rebel spys who have infiltrated all the way to Coruscant as they attempt to assassinate Emperor Palpatine.
While I didn't find Eneb particularly interesting as a character and the plot is predictable, Angel Unzueta and Paul Mounts deliver some gorgeous artwork that results in some great action scenes and beautiful visuals. I would give this annual 3 stars if it was on its own.
And now, on to Rebel Jail.
THE STORY: Following the capture of Dr. Aphra on Vrogas Vas, Princess Leia teams up with Sana Starros to transport Aphra to Sunspot Prison, a secret space station orbiting uncomfortably close to a star that serves as a jail. But when somebody breaks in, all hell breaks lose as Leia and Sana must fight for survival.
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo end up on some misadventures when trying to buy some supplies for the Rebel Alliance.
The last issue in the collection, which is considered part of the series but does not follow the primary story, is another entry of "From the Journals of Ben Kenobi", following Obi Wan's years in Exile on Tatooine while he was keeping an eye on Luke while he was still a child.
THE BAD: While Jason Aaron didn't fail by any means with this comic, it is a bit of a slump in the series as a whole.
The subplot with Luke and Han really doesn't go anywhere. Aside from giving merit to the scene in The Empire Strikes Back when Leia calls Han a "stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, nerfherder", Han doesn't get any character development. Luke doesn't either, as his quest to become a jedi is put on hold.
The other problem is the art. It's not bad- the character designs look good and the backgrounds look fine. But Leinl Yu, in my opinion, is not very good at drawing action scenes. If this art style was used in a comic like Lando where the action was not the focus, I think it would have been fine. But here, the main plot that focuses on Leia, Dr. Aphra, and Sana is supposed to be an action packed suspense-ride, and the action scenes are not that exciting.
THE GOOD: Even if the story arc was so far the weakest of the three volumes in this series, it still was fun to read and I am excited for Vol. 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger.
Where the art is lacking, Aaron's dialogue really pulls it through. This series showcases the best portrayals of the classic characters of Luke, Han, and Leia that Jason Aaron has pulled off yet. They are quite dynamic and I laughed quite a bit at the witty banter they had to offer. And it really is alot of fun to see the female kickassery of Princess Leia's main part as they argue with each other and shoot up the bad guys.
I was also impressed with how entertaining Aaron made Dr. Aphra, and I think the way he portrayed the character is even better than how it was done by her creator, Kieron Gillen.
Even Luke and Han a pretty comedic dynamic because of well written lines, and it made up for the fact that their plot went nowhere.
The final issue centering on Obi Wan was also really good. It had a good story and character development for both Owen Lars and Obi Wan. Most importantly, Mike Mayhew did a fantastic job with the art and the action scenes were rendered very well.
THE CONCLUSION: Rebel Jail could have been better if Leinl Yu's artwork was better, but Jason Aaron's dialogue was top notch. I'm looking forward to volume 4, and if you enjoyed the previous entries for this comic series, you will enjoy this one too. my final rating is 3.5 stars, but I'm going to set it to 4 for goodreads because I had so much fun with the dialogue.
So far, Jason Aaron has done a wonderful job with this series. While the first couple strips of Skywalker Strikes were lackluster, Aaron found his stride by the end of it and Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon turned out to be a fantastic story arc. It was then followed up by the phenomenal one-shot that started Vader Down, and he continued to deliver fast paced action throughout the crossover, which I would consider "volume 2.5" for both Star Wars and Star Wars: Darth Vader.
Now he continues his comic in the 3rd volume, Rebel Jail. I think this is better than Skywalker Strikes, but it is a step down from both Star Wars, Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon and his contributions to Vader Down.
SPECIAL SECTION: THE ANNUAL: The trade paperback for Rebel Jail opens with a one-shot comic strip about a rebel spy on Coruscant named Eneb Ray. The strip follows Ray and a group of other assorted rebel spys who have infiltrated all the way to Coruscant as they attempt to assassinate Emperor Palpatine.
While I didn't find Eneb particularly interesting as a character and the plot is predictable, Angel Unzueta and Paul Mounts deliver some gorgeous artwork that results in some great action scenes and beautiful visuals. I would give this annual 3 stars if it was on its own.
And now, on to Rebel Jail.
THE STORY: Following the capture of Dr. Aphra on Vrogas Vas, Princess Leia teams up with Sana Starros to transport Aphra to Sunspot Prison, a secret space station orbiting uncomfortably close to a star that serves as a jail. But when somebody breaks in, all hell breaks lose as Leia and Sana must fight for survival.
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo end up on some misadventures when trying to buy some supplies for the Rebel Alliance.
The last issue in the collection, which is considered part of the series but does not follow the primary story, is another entry of "From the Journals of Ben Kenobi", following Obi Wan's years in Exile on Tatooine while he was keeping an eye on Luke while he was still a child.
THE BAD: While Jason Aaron didn't fail by any means with this comic, it is a bit of a slump in the series as a whole.
The subplot with Luke and Han really doesn't go anywhere. Aside from giving merit to the scene in The Empire Strikes Back when Leia calls Han a "stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, nerfherder", Han doesn't get any character development. Luke doesn't either, as his quest to become a jedi is put on hold.
The other problem is the art. It's not bad- the character designs look good and the backgrounds look fine. But Leinl Yu, in my opinion, is not very good at drawing action scenes. If this art style was used in a comic like Lando where the action was not the focus, I think it would have been fine. But here, the main plot that focuses on Leia, Dr. Aphra, and Sana is supposed to be an action packed suspense-ride, and the action scenes are not that exciting.
THE GOOD: Even if the story arc was so far the weakest of the three volumes in this series, it still was fun to read and I am excited for Vol. 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger.
Where the art is lacking, Aaron's dialogue really pulls it through. This series showcases the best portrayals of the classic characters of Luke, Han, and Leia that Jason Aaron has pulled off yet. They are quite dynamic and I laughed quite a bit at the witty banter they had to offer. And it really is alot of fun to see the female kickassery of Princess Leia's main part as they argue with each other and shoot up the bad guys.
I was also impressed with how entertaining Aaron made Dr. Aphra, and I think the way he portrayed the character is even better than how it was done by her creator, Kieron Gillen.
Even Luke and Han a pretty comedic dynamic because of well written lines, and it made up for the fact that their plot went nowhere.
The final issue centering on Obi Wan was also really good. It had a good story and character development for both Owen Lars and Obi Wan. Most importantly, Mike Mayhew did a fantastic job with the art and the action scenes were rendered very well.
THE CONCLUSION: Rebel Jail could have been better if Leinl Yu's artwork was better, but Jason Aaron's dialogue was top notch. I'm looking forward to volume 4, and if you enjoyed the previous entries for this comic series, you will enjoy this one too. my final rating is 3.5 stars, but I'm going to set it to 4 for goodreads because I had so much fun with the dialogue.
March 22, 2021
(4,5 of 5 for superb SW Die Hard-like story)
I really like the new SW run, which is as important for the SW universe as movies for me. And I like those stories maybe even more. The Rebel jail is a great example. There is a single story about an undercover Alliance agent with an event pinpointing in his destiny and an important piece in the "Rebel Jail" story arc. This SW story is well balanced between fun-simplicity and clever-complexity, bringing both action/adventure fun and life to the SW world. Aaron is doing a great job even he holds back on his grittiness writing here for Marvel, he still brings the long-needed seasoning to the SW stories.
Concerning art, I like how Marvel uses artists who bring consistent non-disturbing art, which is decent but good looking, enchanting the atmosphere, helping me to immerse into the story.
I really like the new SW run, which is as important for the SW universe as movies for me. And I like those stories maybe even more. The Rebel jail is a great example. There is a single story about an undercover Alliance agent with an event pinpointing in his destiny and an important piece in the "Rebel Jail" story arc. This SW story is well balanced between fun-simplicity and clever-complexity, bringing both action/adventure fun and life to the SW world. Aaron is doing a great job even he holds back on his grittiness writing here for Marvel, he still brings the long-needed seasoning to the SW stories.
Concerning art, I like how Marvel uses artists who bring consistent non-disturbing art, which is decent but good looking, enchanting the atmosphere, helping me to immerse into the story.
August 13, 2020
Tremendously entertaining, with excellent action bits, genuinely funny humor, and terrific character work. The story, dialogue and art all work seamlessly together. Great stuff.
Read
August 30, 2021I have not a single clue what the fuck even happened in this one, there was just a lot of everything
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