Review: Star Wars High Republic #6

The best part of Star Wars in 2021 lies in The High Republic and this comic is at the forefront. This issue takes a massive step forward in the battle against the plant-like Drengir. Cavan Scott continues an incredible run of Star Wars story-telling with this beginning of a new arc.

The emotional stakes are massive with one of the greatest characters to come out of High Republic, master Sskeer linked to and in the thrall of the Drengir. He allowed himself to become linked to them in the hopes of finding strategies to defeat the parasitic beings, but instead has become overwhelmed. Keeve Trennis and the other Jedi work to help him even while the battle against the Drengir becomes increasingly desperate. Avar Kriss leads the Jedi along with the Hutt Cartel as they try to save worlds on the outer rim from attack.

Every aspect of the art and the vast scale of the battle is done wonderfully by artist George Jeanty, except the appearance of the Drengir themselves. The battles are detailed and kinetic with lightsabers, Rancor, Jedi and Hutts. Given the plant-like nature of the enemy they tend to look like extras from a bad horror film here. There are a few panels which are markedly worse and more rushed looking than others, distracting from the otherwise stellar art.

The creators do a great job of separating out each character and giving them a defined look and personality. The entire High Republic series would do better with a title page showing all the characters highlighted in each book or issue. At this point we have become very invested in Sskeer, Keeve and Avar, but would love to get to know the smaller characters such as the visually delightful worm-like doctor caring for Sskeer.

When Avar calls in all the Jedi from the Starlight Beacon, Keeve disobeys and stays behind to link with Skeer and the Drengir. Maru discovers the two of them and works with the Archivist to connect with them through the Force. Keeve and Sskeer follow their Drengir connection to their source, the Great Progenitor.

Sskeer gains added determination from Keeve to free them from the grasp of the Drengir and Keeve carved the location of the Great Progenitor, Mulita, into her cuff. This issue shows the deep relationships between our characters. We do need more consistency among the background characters in the larger tapestry of The High Republic. Perhaps a website with a source for who the characters are and where they are found, something to remind us where else we have seen these respective characters so it doesn’t feel like we are meeting new characters every issue. This book shows how much we can care for the characters of the High Republic era, as the emotional stakes are through the roof every moment Sskeer is in danger. This book and the High Republic story continues to shine as an amazing addition to the Star Wars mythos.

Writing: 4.7 of 5 stars
Art: 3.9 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.5 of 5 stars

Overall: 4.4 of 5 stars

Writer: Cavan Scott
Art: George Jeanty
Inker: Karl Story
Colors: Annalisa Leoni
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.