Comics Han Solo: Imperial Cadet (Marvel 5-issue miniseries)

Is the upcoming TPB collection going to include Beckett #1?

 

The Solo film adaptation TPB will, but the Imperial Cadet TPB won't.

 

After reading 4 of 5, and the comments in the spoiler earlier in this thread, I'm finally understanding why all the hoopla over Marvel #108...

 

yah I'm not sure who the guy is that Han tried to save cuz I've only seen him in here but he made for a good foil. Also I liked in this issue how Han finally has his chance to bail and doesn't do it because he's a good person who will save and be there for the people he's been tossed in with. He could just take the TIE and bolt but he stays on the mission. I also liked how the Imperial commander said that following orders is what keeps the Empire strong, although he's condemning Han's frienemy to die.

 

Spoiler

So, this IS the same Valance from Legends, recanonized with possibly a new backstory, right? hadn't noticed until now!

Kanina also speaks of her friend Weegee... I assume this is not the same character, but still aims be a reference of Kyle Katarn´s droid in Jedi Knight? Because any reference to Jedi Knight makes me happy!

 

That's my guess. Since I'm unfamiliar with Legends I'm as clueless as you are, but with the re-release of Star Wars 108 from back in the day then I'm guessing that for the fans who love the character and now found out more about him.
Concerning Kanina and her friend, I never picked up on that reference, but it could be.

Concerning 5 of 5...

Spoiler

The last panel said "To Be Continued?" I'm guessing they were hoping to tell more stories or is this just a joke / wink by the writers that the story is technically continued in the movie Solo. We don't see the court marshal scene so could he possibly get ANOTHER chance before he's kicked out for good or was this it?

 

The events of this issue weren’t what led to his court martial. The deleted scene from Solo is canon per the novelization.




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I decided to wait until this series was over before reading it. I thought it was good, but I didn't think it was ever great. I didn't like Leonard Kirk's art as much as I normally do, I think it might have been due to the colouring. I was a little confused why Han was covered in dirt all the time, I'd expect the academy would get him to shower once in a while. This was nice to read once but I don't think I'll ever read it again unless something new comes out that makes it more important.

 

I didn't read the novel, so what you're all saying is that there is more story to tell between the end of this mini and where we see him in Solo then? What exactly happens in the novel?

Also, I'd have to watch Solo again, but when he's on Mimban, doesn't he say something about this preparing him for something else? I'm guessing he's still hopeful that if he puts his time in as a grunt he can get back in the Imperial Flight Academy?

 

I wouldn't count on it, The Last Jedi TPB failed to include Storm of Crait or perhaps more surprisingly DJ: Most Wanted. Amazon makes no mention of Beckett being included and Forbidden Planet in the UK solicits just comics 1-7...

 

Here's the excerpt from the novel: https://www.starwars.com/news/solo-a-star-wars-story-exclusive-excerpt
And the deleted scene:

 

Hmm, both Amazon US and Amazon UK list Beckett #1 when I click 'Read more' under the "Learn the full story of the galaxy's..." blurb/summary. DE and FR do too. I can't explain Forbidden Planet though!

 

Ah! Good shout. Missed that tab, I didn't see that on Amazon US.

 

re: Solo comic trade

I'd go by FP's info rather than Amazon as they'll likely be taking it from Previews, which is Diamond and they get that direct from the companies.

Though solicits can change too!

 

I liked this mini because it was Han perpetually trying do undercut his superiors and do the right thing, and even by the end he can't leave behind his Imperial trainees because he's too much of a good guy. The To Be Continued? ending I thought does leave room for more of Han Solo: Imperial Cadet because I would totally go for more hijinks and Han being a good guy in a meat grinder of Imperial callousness. But even the Instructor at least told the cadets to go get medical attention although he wasn't entirely horrible about it but Solo breaking ranks did cause (what the thought) was loss of imperial resources. Probably why they threw the mudtrooper book at him when he crashed the TIE fighter with a history of insubordination but he still has a pretty good achievement track record so they didn't just out and out execute him for treason. Like the Rebels, they see something in Han that just has to be channeled in the right direction.

 

Held off on reading this series until it was finished. I liked it enough, but I wish it were longer. Han spent 3 years in the Imperial Navy and this just feels like a drop in the bucket. There were a couple of great moments though.

Spoiler

Sometimes comic books get bogged down by being too wordy, but I was pleasantly surprised that Imperial Cadet wasn't afraid to let some panels breathe.



It's nothing groundbreaking or anything, but I just wanted to point it out.

I know it's a silly thing to say, but another thing I enjoyed was that the series shared thematic elements and an over-arching narrative with both Most Wanted and Solo. In all of these stories Han is constantly being told by everyone that he's expendable (from his father, to Lady Proxima, to Jenra, to the Empire, to Beckett, to Lando, and the most tragic of all, the one person he absolutely trusts, Q'ira).

I really enjoyed Solo, but these tie-ins have really made me appreciate this version of the character even more. Would love to see more from this time period.

 

yah I did like the art and the samll reflective character moments throughout. Still my favourite piece of comic book-ing in the whole mini was in issue #1 the single page of Han in grunt training montage yelling "How Is This Teaching Us To Fly?!"

This does seem like a lot of potential for even more Han Solo: Imperial Cadet stories. I honestly thought the final few pages would be his crash and expulsion but they didn't get to that. More Cadet Solo hi jinks, please!

 

HAN SOLO: IMPERIAL CADET is a decent enough story following Han as he joins the Imperial Academy on Carida (canonized!) that he hopes will get him back to Corellia. I'm actually not sure what Han's plan is here as he both simultaneously wants to be a pilot as well as get back to his ex-girlfriend. I feel like we could use a explanation of what his goals are. Then again, I'm not sure Han gets what his goals are in the story either.

The Han in the comic book is the same goofball who can't shut up for 5 minutes in the SOLO movie and while this is not necessarily a bad thing (he's certainly consistently entertaining), I'm not sure I buy that he would actually survive basic training. Indeed, one of the elements that I liked about the movie was that Han's passionate hatred of authority means he was busted down to cannon-fodder rather than becoming valedictorian as per Legends.

Still, this isn't a bad comic book series by any stretch of the imagination. Han is likable but frustrating yet it is his classmates I actually came to really like. I could see them all in future editions and I'm pretty sure Valance is the same Valance from the Classic Marvel Comic Book series. My favorite issues are the "Han and company go to Vegas Starship" and the final issue where we find out that the galaxy is a lot more serious place than our protagonist realized.

I recommend picking up the series but it's enjoyable rather than great. The art is wonderful too.

6.5/10

 

I really liked this one, but I had expected it to be boring because I didn't remember hearing anything about it when it came out. It's one of the few Han stories where he's removed from his usual crowd. Even Qi'ra is almost entirely absent. Han is a screw up and you can see why he didn't learn a whole lot during his years at the Academy, but he's still wonderfully Han in his good-natured way. Also kudos to the artist for using Alden Ehrenreich's portrayal and making it work.

Agreed -- the ending is simple but wraps everything up perfectly. Even the guy who married a Theelin Vegas-style in an earlier issue (a detail I thought they'd drop).

heheh I'm glad I'm not the only one whose first thought was Dark Forces 2. Alas, it was not to be, but following Valance it seemed almost possible for a brief few issues.