Review: ‘The Mandalorian Season 2′ Issue #7 is One of the Series’ Best Issues
I’m happy to report that The Mandalorian comic adaptation is starting to turn things around. Many of us here at Star Wars News Net in the past have been critical of the series — especially me. However, issue #6 of The Mandalorian was a fun turning point that helped me enjoy it more.
For The Mandalorian Season 2 issue #7 Rodney Barnes and Georges Jeanty keep the positive streak going. It plays into the adaptation’s strength, which is turning stunning live-action cinematography into gorgeous artwork. Not only that, but the emotional weight of the dialogue still hits very well with good story pacing and structure. Sure, it helps that the original episode was already as strong as it is, but revisiting the episode in comic form is just as enjoyable as it was watching it.
Issue #7 adapts the episode where Din Djarin and Boba Fett team up with Migs Mayfield to break into an Imperial compound. The original episode brought together strong action and a strong performance from Bill Burr to create a memorable episode.
Starting with the action, I’ve always felt that Georges Jeanty’s art wasn’t great in dialogue sequences, but does look good in combat. For issue #7, the chase sequence on top of the mining transport is realized exceptionally well. I’ve praised Jeanty before for having a good flow in his art, and it’s the same here. The reader’s eye flows naturally as Mando fights off pirates on top of the cargo truck.
And while Bill Burr’s exceptional performance isn’t here for the comic, the great interaction his character has with his former officer is portrayed well here. Oftentimes, in dialogue-heavy moments, writers and artists can end up word-dumping it all on one page. So writers and artists have to work together to ensure there’s a good blend of words with art.
Doing so also helps to replicate the natural rhythm and speed that may be often difficult to convey. So I have to give props to writer Rodney Barnes and penciler Georges Jeanty for doing that here and for imitating and conveying that same level of tension and flow that made the original scene great.
If I were to pick out one area for improvement, I would like to see a bit more variation in the art and paneling. In this issue, the art never crescendoed into any big “hero shot” or one-page spread. But I enjoyed issue #7 because it successfully took the elements that made the original episode fun and translated those elements into comic form. This issue is a great example of the potential of this series, and I hope the team can hit it out of the park with the next issue.
Score: 8/10
Born and raised in Hawaii, Jay Goodearl runs the YouTube Gaming channel “Good Games, Dude” His channel aims to open up video games to beginners and immediate players and help them understand what makes games the art form that it is.
