Comics Commentary: Kanan: The Last Padawan #4

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Caleb and Kasmir: the dynamic duo?

This review and commentary contains general spoilers for issue #4 of Kanan: The Last Padawan.

Kanan: The Last Padawan #4

Writer: Greg Weisman | Artist: Pepe Larraz | Colors: David Curiel | Cover: Mark Brooks | Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga

I’ll be filling in for Dennis this time, while he is on special assignment. Look for him back in the captain’s chair of “Comics Commentary” for Star Wars #7. -JT

Picking up where the cliffhanger left off last issue, Kanan #4 does a fair amount of storytelling in a small amount of time. As it turned out, Kasmir wasn’t all bad, as many had suspected, and came back in short time for the former padawan Caleb Dume. The despair of the supposed betrayal, the hopelessness with which Dume finds himself in the opening pages oft his book, it plays out in an almost cinematic way.

The dramatic tension of his situation is palpable, and yet, at the same time, all Caleb can seem to focus on is that he is knowingly turning away from the only path he had ever known–the Jedi path–and it haunts him. Throughout this issue, we find his former master staring down at Caleb, albeit in his imagination, judging him for his perceived wrongs and his dalliance as he strays farther and farther from the Force.

This conflict within young Caleb is one of the engines that make the drama of this time move forward. How frustrating–how hopeless–must it feel to know that the entire Universe is connected, bathed in a luminous ever-present connecting Force that you can tap into by the grace of being born gifted, and yet to do so would spell certain annihilation from forces hellbent on eradicating you. It’s a conundrum that is nothing short of poetic at times, and it makes Caleb entirely relatable as he tries to survive as a traitor and fugitive from the Empire.

Dontcha love the “lifesaver” reference? I haven’t heard that since the early 80s.

Returning to Kasmir: he quickly became quite the likable rogue! While I didn’t trust him last issue, Larraz did much to make him endearing as he came back to rescue Caleb from his captivity. His smirks, gestures, and postures all did a great deal to tell the story of who Kasmir is at heart, and what we could expect from him here on out. After all, he became Caleb’s only friend at this period of his life.

And speaking of the art in this issue, this frame is just beautiful. The contrast between crisp, focused characters and the small, distorted figures in the background is striking and creates an amazing shield effect, as well as creates a fantastic sense of place.

So, in a few frames we get a montage of Kanan and Kasmir working their cons, running jobs, and becoming quite the team. Kanan had finally found a tenuous balance to his life, and even managed to have a little fun in the process. However, it all would come crashing down on the planet Lahn–a beautiful, new addition to the Star Wars universe. It’s here where Caleb runs into an old face from the past: General Kleeve (from Issue #1), last seen being ousted from planet Kaller, now an anonymous dealer trying to escape the long arm of the law since the former CIS military officer is now an Imperial fugitive.

Kleeve makes an impression on Caleb, and the two forge an alliance (“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” logic). He says something that resonates with Dume: “My life as Jondo…it diminishes me.” It’s easy to see how Caleb could relate, for he is literally diminished in the Force at this time! This is a point tied into many characters in Star Wars who are held down planetside: they are always craving a greater life “out there.” The mere lack of adventure and excitement makes the characters feel withered and unused–something I’m sure many surviving Jedi would feel as they undertook their exile.

As the story progresses, we see clone troopers Styles and Grey nipping at the heels of Kasmir and Caleb at every turn, and they finally catch up to them on Lahn. Taking Kasmir captive, Caleb is  tragically forced to abandon his only friend in hopes of saving his life, and in doing so, managed to scoff up a ship that Kasmir had made arrangements to buy. And, it looked as if Caleb would be getting away, until we find the devious (!) clones find Caleb and Kleeve.

It looks as if all will be concluded next ‘ish, as the first storyline wraps up for this book. So, what is in store for our hero? For starters, it looks as it Caleb will finally become Kanan Jarrus, and stray farther and farther from the Force in doing so. Will the loner become more lonesome? Will this book start planting the seeds to lead into A New Dawn? It’s hard to say, but the duo of Weisman and Larraz make one of the best books in comics today; new creators should take heed of how they weave commonplace comic tropes (such as expository voiceovers) into brand new ideas. The end result is a vibrant, exciting comic that reads particularly well, with story and artwork merge seamlessly to tell this untold story with an imbued vitality no other medium could achieve.

Favorite Panel

There were so many–how could I just pick one??

Ok, for starters, my favorite panel of this issue could be overlooked easily, but it does so much to convey the story that I had to point it out. Ina  very postmodern fashion, we get a glimpse of Caleb’s thoughts, Caleb’s reactions, and the path he literally took mentally and physically. The sudden moment of epiphany is realized so well that it almost didn’t need words. That’s narrative art in a nutshell, and it’s a small moment that I’ll always remember when I think of comics in 2015.

JT