Review: Marvels The Mandalorian #8 Honors the Season 1 Finale the Best an Adaptation Allows

Someone at Marvel needs a raise for releasing this week's issue of The Mandalorian comic series on the same day as the season 3 premiere on Disney Plus. If you've seen the episode, you'll notice some nice synergy between it and what happened in the season 1 finale, which this issue takes on.



Overall, Scott Barnes' adaptation has done a solid job of remaining faithful to the show's first season. Now with a whole host of iconic moments to play with in Chapter 8, its corresponding issue is set up for an easy home run if these types of comics are your thing. Let's dig in.







Full disclosure, adaptation comics are a hard sell for me. Because I read so many comics that can exert emotion (another shameless plug to what Bounty Hunters is doing right now), it pains me to read something that often doesn't even make an attempt. The story plays out the same, but the bigger sin is they don't easily offer the same pathos and atmosphere granted by stunning cinematography, musical scores, directing, and of course, standout acting.



Giancarlo Esposito is an incredible actor. Water is wet. When his character debuted in Chapter 7 of the show, he immediately signaled that his Moff Gideon would be a Star Wars villain to remember. Chapter 8 only cemented that when we saw him chew up the scenery. That element is sorely missing from this issue.







The great divide in an adaptation comic is that it will never be your first experience with a story. If you are a Star Wars fan and your first dive into The Mandalorian is this niche comic, then you are one in many millions. A direct 1:1 adaptation is fine, but this is my personal hex as they feel lifeless due to the limitations of comics versus a series or movie.



This issue does what it can to bridge those discrepancies, thanks to the fact that it always has something going on. IG-11 saves Grogu from the stormtroopers, and they make their move against Gideon. I love what penciler and artist Georges Jeanty does with Grogu's eyes, as we have to have some cuteness from the guy.







There isn't a whole lot of him in this issue, though. That includes the iconic close-up of him laughing and smiling as he and IG-11 wreck shop across the city. However, if you want a more serious take on the battle in Nevarro City, this might be the version for you. It was the only moment I felt a clear tonal difference from the show. The near-constant action is never dull and conveys that this is what the entire season has been leading to. I am always searching for one moment where the art makes my jaw drop, and seeing Grogu use the Force to neutralize the flametrooper was... wait. Did I just write myself into walking back all of my issues?







No, because this issue completely fumbles the ball in putting over everything between IG and Din. When the time came for the droid to coax Din out of his helmet, arguably the most important moment of the season, it came and went without a whimper. The moment barely registered and might as well not even have happened.







IG's actual sacrifice in the lava river also had very little weight, happening just over two pages to get to the final fight between Gideon and Mando, which also happened over two pages. The emotional climax of the entire season is done by the time you blink. Such is the way in this genre of comics, as there's only so much real estate to work with, even if these issues are mega-sized.



One last disappointing thing to report is that season 1's iconic cliffhanger with the reveal of the Darksaber isn't drawn all that well, looking more like a customized vibroblade than anything else.







So ends this adaptation of The Mandalorian that ultimately was always going to be elevated by good source material. Barnes is a solid writer, but I hope there's a different approach as he goes forward with season 2. Hopefully, Steven Cummings (Hidden Empire) will be able to bring a fresh perspective to the art because it desperately needs repackaging. Jeanty's work isn't bad; it just isn't visually engaging enough to look at any longer than you have to.



At the end of the day, extra points for releasing this issue on the same day as the season 3 premiere. It flies by and is harmless, and if the goal is to make me want to open up Disney Plus, mission accomplished. The Mandalorian is always a breeze to consume, even in a lesser form.


<p style='text-align: center;']RATING: 6/10</p>


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