Jody Houser

In Star Wars: Thrawn, writer Jody Houser, artist Luke Ross, colorist Nolan Woodard, and letterer Clayton Cowles adapt Timothy Zahn’s 2017 novel of the same name that explored the origins of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a Chiss working with the Empire. The story begins with Imperials finding Thrawn living on a planet in Wild Space. He demonstrates his tactical ability, which persuades them to return him to Coruscant where Thrawn earns the Emperor's endorsement to join the Imperial Navy. Thrawn's story proceeds from the Royal Academy on Coruscant to his advancement to the rank of Grand Admiral. A second story follows Arihnda Pryce from her time working for her family's mining company on Lothal to her appointment as governor of that planet. The two interact as they build toward the events of Star Wars Rebels, enriching the characters and helping to demonstrate why they pose such a threat to the crew of the Ghost.

This graphic novel faithfully adapts Zahn's plot, though it is difficult for a visual medium to fully capture his prose. Despite that, Houser ably translates the text while Ross and Woodard’s art beautifully brings the story to life. They portray Thrawn, Governor Pryce, Grand Moff Tarkin, the Emperor, and Darth Vader as they appeared in Rebels, with Vader’s helmet in particular resembling the Ralph McQuarrie-style helmet from the animated series. Several of Zahn’s previous Star Wars novels from the Expanded Universe received the graphic novel adaptation treatment, including Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, Mara Jade: By the Emperor’s Hand, and more. This is the first of his works in the new canon to receive a comic adaptation and its success has led Marvel to begin adapting the sequel novel, Thrawn: Alliances.… (more)