Comic review: Journey to Star Wars- The Force Awakens-Shattered Empire #1- Identity Politics Golem

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Publisher: Marvel (Disney)
Released: 9th September 2015



Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens-Shattered Empire #1 is the most underwhelming ‘Star Wars’ book that I’ve ever read.

The story starts at the end of the final battle in Return of the Jedi, and the main focus is a staple of mainstream comic books today, the pretty, young, empowered, female. The story unfolds from her point of view as she flies around shooting assorted villains before assisting Luke Skywalker in his escape from the soon to be exploding Death Star.

I don't remember that in the movie, but oh well, what can you do? As our society collapses and real freedoms diminish I guess it's all going to be about cultural marxism and identity politics now.

Who wrote this book? Let’s have a look, ha, it’s Mr Greg Rucka, he can always be relied upon to put out a good PC girl-power unit shifter. I’ve read so much of his stuff over the years, and it’s about as memorable as a mid-card WWE story line. (Note: The WWE cannot do stories, at all, they are terrible, really, really bad).

Greg Rucka is one of those names that you remember, but you can never quite recollect what book he wrote. He writes a lot, but what has he ever done that is actually good, or memorable? Was it Punisher? Could be. I stopped reading that one months ago.

Anyway, back to this utterly underwhelming book. This female warrior girl shoots up some villains, kisses her boyfriend, has a brief chat with Luke, and Han Solo, then goes back out on a ‘mop-up’ mission to kill some imperial soldiers that were left over from the main battle. That’s it, that’s all you are getting, thanks for buying the book, suckers.

Why the Darth helmet would I want to buy issue #2 of this series. Come on, somebody give me a reason, because I don’t get it. Am I supposed to like the girl warrior because she is pretty? Come on, there has to be more to it than that, because as far as her personality goes, she’s as generic as you can possibly get. 

I understand what Greg is doing here. I get it. He’s trying to write a ‘strong’ female character, the kind of character that is ten a penny in DC and Marvel comics in 2015.

Want a career in mainstream comic books? You better get writing about strong, independent (i.e. working for the government) pretty young females then. Give your ‘progressive’ character a military uniform or a wacky haircut and nose-ring, show her beating up some random men (preferably white sexist/racists) and you’re flying.

Am I being unfair here? Buy a comic book, any comic book, and judge for yourself. Strong, independent female characters (in other words, women acting like overly masculine men) are as ubiquitous as lies in mainstream television news broadcast these days. Every other comic book features an empowered female. It’s not ‘brave’ or ‘new’ or ‘edgy’ or ‘rebellious.’ It’s easy, boring, predictable and lame. Comic book writers are largely singing from the same song sheet here, and it’s getting really, really boring now.

What you are getting in Star Wars- Shattered Empire #1 is a comic book Golem, a character that is more about being a female than she is about being an interesting or engaging personality in her own right. She moves with purpose, yet has no semblance of life about her, at all. I don’t care about this Golem girl, not because she’s a girl, but because she is a two dimensional, generic character that has no memorable features, quirks or personality attributes. She’s clay, she’s not real, she’s a Rucka inspired Golem.

You can’t just put a girl in a role that men would usually occupy and expect people to care. I’m not obsessed with identity politics, so I need a bit of character, a bit of personality, a bit of life. Oh Greg, you’ve done it again. You’ve produced another unit shifter of a book. I’ve read it, reviewed it, and now I’m starting to forget about it already. Greg, I know you want to write about empowered girls, but please put a bit of personality into the next one that you launch onto the comic book reading public. It’s not enough that she’s a girl, I need a bit more than that.



Rating: 3/10 (Move on, there’s nothing to see here)