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Top Marvel Comics of 2017 #3: Captain Phasma #1 by Kelly Thompson and Marco Checchetto

So, this was the first 10/10 I gave to a single issue of a comic on this site (The Magneto Testament was the actual first).

That's because Captain Phasma #1 by Kelly Thompson and Marco Checchetto blew me away from page one.

Top Marvel Comics of 2017 #3: Captain Phasma #1 by Kelly Thompson and Marco Checchetto

Captain Phasma #1 cover by Paul Renaud
Captain Phasma #1 cover by Paul Renaud

A character that was given little expansion in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and, disappointingly, even less in Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Captain Phasma was a character that excited me from the first time she appeared in a trailer for The Force Awakens. Unfortunately, she seems to be like Boba Fett before her in that all her best stories will be told in Expanded Universe stories.

Captain Phasma #1 picks up during the destruction of Starkiller Base from Episode VII and tells of how Phasma escaped the exploding base and covered up the fact that she lowered the shields for the Resistance.

The story plays out in a brutal and conniving fashion, cementing Captain Phasma as a delightfully vicious and evil Star Wars rogue. She backstabs, manipulates, and tosses away everyone she comes across down this path.

However, Captain Phasma #1 stands out for me in just how surprising it was and how quickly it characterizes this individual who barely got 20 minutes, if that, in her debut film. Writer Kelly Thompson clearly had a specific vision of who Captain Phasma was meant to be, and it was executed perfectly.

That's before we even get to the absolutely gorgeous art of Marco Checchetto and Andres Mossa. The form and colors of this comic are easily among the best I've seen this year. The world depicted is vibrant, moving, and definitely feels like Star Wars.

This is a comic that fires on all cylinders and achieves a perfect vision of what it was meant to be. It's an exciting and high-energy character study of a badass villain who deserves more than she gets out of the films in which she appears. Captain Phasma #1 easily makes this list.


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Joshua DavisonAbout Joshua Davison

Josh is a longtime super hero comic fan and an aspiring comic book and fiction writer himself. He also trades in videogames, Star Wars, and Magic: The Gathering, and he is also a budding film buff. He's always been a huge nerd, and he hopes to contribute something of worth to the wider geek culture conversation. He is also happy to announce that he is the new Reviews Editor for Bleeding Cool. Follow on Twitter @joshdavisonbolt.
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