Rogue One – Cassian Andor #1 Review

From the start of the show’s production, Tony Gilroy was clear on how Andor would end. And when the time came, after 24 episodes of some of the best TV I’d ever seen and certainly some of the best Star Wars Disney had ever, and probably will ever produce, it ended the only way it could. Cassian Andor walks through the Yavin IV base as Brandon Roberts’ version of Nicholas Britells’s incredible theme starts low and slowly swells, we see the lives he touched, those he saved, and those he mournes. We see glimpses of the galaxy at large, of the events he set in motion. We see grim reminders of his fate, the inevitablity of it, and of its cosmic significance. We see Cassian Andor take off from Yavin base on yet another mission only he could do. A mission that will save the Rebellion, the Galaxy, the dream. And we get a final, hopeful look at his legacy and how it lives on. It’s a beautiful send-off to one of the most well developed characters in the Star Wars universe, to an amazing performance by Diego Luna, and an incredibly written show by Tony Gilroy and his writers room. So the decision to interupt this ending, to add extra scenes and try and retcon others, all in service of a comic, Rogue One – Cassian Andor #1, supposedly celebrating the character and Rogue One dooms this issue from the start.

I’m no stranger to the world of Star Wars comics and books, where every second of screentime is mined for potentional side stories that take place just off camera. I’ve loved many of them! But this one-shot takes that to a new level, trying to tell a story within the brief moments between Cassian’s departure from Yavin IV and his meeting with Rebel informer Tivik on the Rings of Kafrene. Even the idea feels like a parody of Star Wars’s worst comic impulses, and the execution is even worse, pitting Cassian against a big purple alien with half of 4-LOM glued to his face, who has Director Krennic on speed dial, while alluding to his impending death so heavy-handily it becomes a punchline. We see so many chapters of Cassian’s life in the show, but we also miss so many especially as we get closer to Rogue One. There were so many stories that could still be told in Cassian’s life, I do not understand why anyone would choose this narrow sliver.

In the worlds of Marvel and DC, I’m happy to give writers a lot of leeway when it comes to continuity, it’s a world filled with thousands of stories, you can’t read them all, and if playing a little loosely with it tells a better story, then its worth it. When it comes to Star Wars, I’ll admit I’m a bit more of a stickler, especially when the story you’re contradicting is Andor. A big part of the issue with this one-shot is it feels like it was written in 2016, one of those tie-ins were it’s clear the writer hadn’t actually seen the movie but got a few notes. The opening of the issue is full of contradictions, as we see a rebel meeting that didn’t quite happen, General Draven interupting Cassians walk to the U-Wing, and a completely different pre-take-off conversation between Cassian and K-2SO. Any of these could be excused if they were well written or compelling additions, but they are not.

Benjamin Percy is a writer whose work I’ve been mixed on in the past. I was a huge fan on his Green Arrow at DC, but struggled to connect with his Wolverine and X-Force work during the Krakoan era. But one aspect I’ve always found to be a real strength of his is capturing the voice of a character. That’s what makes this issue all the more confusing, as Percy seems to have a very loose understanding of every named character involved. The worst offender is of course Cassian himself, introduced by the issues unnamed and infrequent narrator as having a “reputation” of “single-minded stuborness and punishing violence”. While an argument could be made for a form of stubborn, “punishing violence” is not something that matches any portrayal of Cassian Andor, not even the one featured in this issue. Percy frequently portrays Cassian as deeply angry, in contrast with Rogue One‘s disallusioned soldier weary of the fight. He constantly references how he’s not ready to die yet that it becomes a joke. K-2SO, Cassian’s droid and companion, suffers from similair mischaracterisation. While always a comic relief charater, Percys portrayal replaces the dry humour with something more childish, and retreads story beat from Rogue One with the “fake capture” farce in a way that makes Cassian seem like a somewhat incompetant spy. The villain of the issue, a big pink alien called “Barger” who sells fake credentials then sells out his buyers to the ISB, is a nothing character who serves no purpose but to make sure the issue has a fight scene in it.

On a more positive note, this issue sees the return of one of the best Star Wars artists of the Marvel Comics line, Luke Ross. Artists have often struggled in the world of Star Wars to toe the line between likeness and style, but Ross is consistently one of the best at drawing charaters who look exactly like the actors without looking like he’s directly traced specific scenes. While he may have referenced an older Luna a bit more than Rogue One, the older likeness fits with the world-wearied attitude Cassian should have at this point. Paired with a new colourist this time, Michale Atiyeh is still no strange to Star Wars and compliments Ross’ work well, especailly capturing the moody interiors of the Rings of Kafrene. And I can’t not mention that absolutely gorgeous David Marquez cover, the first in a set for this series of Rogue One anniversary issues. While I may not have enjoyed the issue, that cover is going on my wall.

Overall this issue is an easy skip, an unnecessary filling of a tiny gap in Cassian’s story that didn’t need filling, that struggles to fit with the continuity of better stories, and barely feels like it stars the real versions of its main characters. Even solid artwork and a great cover can’t make Rogue One – Cassian Andor #1 even remotely essential.