Even the most ardent Star Wars fans (including us) may not know the full story of how George Lucas created one of the world's most beloved and enduring stories. In the new graphic novel Lucas Wars, writer Laurent Hopman and artist Renaud Roche delve into the story of George Lucas, recounting his early childhood marred by creative impulses and a devastating accident, his quest as a young director, and the incredible true story of the making of the original Star Wars.
Lucas Wars is surprising in how accessible it is, in a variety of ways. Those new to reading graphic novels will find it an easy and exciting read (one of our colleagues at The HoloFiles, who isn't as familiar with comics and graphic novels, said reading Lucas Wars made him determined to seek out more comics and graphic novels), while veterans of the medium will recognize an exquisite, expertly crafted piece of visual storytelling. Writer Laurent Hopman made sure that the graphic novel retained its accessibility and did not alienate readers who are not as familiar with George Lucas's story. Hopman doesn't challenge readers to have a prior understanding of Lucas or even Star Wars in general. That last point may be one of the highest compliments one can pay to The Lucas Wars: if one can somehow look away from the George Lucas and Star Wars elements of the story, or even if one has no interest in Lucas or Star Wars, by diving into the book, the graphic novel will prove to be a fascinating and moving read about following one's childhood dreams, persevering in the face of adversity, and the almost indescribable drive of artists to create.
Lucas Wars unfolds like a cinematic biopic. Hopman chooses to focus on specific elements of Lucas's upbringing and creative process, sidestepping others, to create a story that isn't overloaded with unnecessary detail but is nonetheless profound.The cinematic quality of "Lucas Wars" stands out from the very beginning: reading Hopman's words, supported by Roach's beautiful visuals, you truly feel as if you are watching a film about the life of George Lucas and the creation of Star Wars. The duo creates a rare reflection on the artist and his work, which is a masterful work of art in its own right.
Renault Roche's visuals are characterized by an intelligent black and white basis. Somewhat similar to Frank Miller's Sin City, Lucas's Wars is primarily black and white, but features splashes of color. Sometimes the inclusion of color has a narrative or emotional purpose, and sometimes it draws the reader's attention to something noteworthy or interesting. Examples include C-3PO's golden armor and, previously, the bright yellow cover of the book "Hero of a Thousand Faces" being read by George Lucas. Roach's visual design also strikes an interesting middle ground in terms of detail. The artist prefers not to overwhelm the reader with unnecessary details, instead often choosing rather sparse environments and minimal facial details. In this way, Roach purposefully draws the reader's attention to certain aspects of the page, such as the clear outline of Lucas' face, which changes throughout the graphic novel with incredible, fine detail.
While "Lucas Wars" is entertaining throughout the story, it really comes to life when Lucas talks about how he created Star Wars. The graphic novel is filled with details about Lucas' creative process that we didn't know before, like how Marcia Lucas suggested he kill Obi-Wan at 4 am. The novel also features many moments dedicated to the Star Wars actors between or before takes, with a particularly interesting powerful exchange between Alec Guinness and Mark Hamill.Sure, we get Lucas's infamous "faster and intenser" line, but Lucas Wars is a much deeper and more intimate exploration of the making of Star Wars than we expected, including a look at Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford's off-screen romance.
It wasn't all smooth sailing for Lucas, as The Lucas Wars doesn't shy away from the personal and professional challenges that the legendary director faced in his life. The graphic novel begins with the story of a near-fatal accident that changed the trajectory of his life, and goes on to chronicle Lucas's struggles, including financial troubles with Fox, problems with the script, and, perhaps most interestingly, Lucas' insecurities and vulnerabilities. We as readers aren't sure how accurate each part of Lucas's Wars is, but if taken as largely true, the graphic novel is a delight in its exploration of Lucas's psychology and personality. He is not depicted as a god-like, invulnerable figure; on the contrary, he is a person driven by desire and creative impulse, but at the same time encountering obstacles in his path, both professional and personal.
Lucas Wars ends with the release of the original Star Wars and Lucas' negotiations to create a sequel after the massive success of his film. Just as Lucas' life didn't end in 1977, we hope this story never ends, because the prospect of Hopman's words and Roach's visuals telling the story of other chapters of Lucas's journey, such as the making of the other five Star Wars films, is exciting.
VERDICT:
Lucas Wars is a moving, visually stunning, insightful and must-read new graphic novel that tells the story of George Lucas and the creation of Star Wars. Accessible to readers new to graphic novels, and even to those with no interest in Star Wars at all, writer Laurent Hopman and artist Renaud Rocher's graphic novel excels in its exploration of perseverance, the pursuit of a childhood dream, and the indescribable impulse to create that many artists have.In both its sweeping plot and stunning visuals, Lucas's Wars has a cinematic quality and unfolds like the greatest biopics in film history. The graphic novel especially comes to life when it details the making of Star Wars, revealing all sorts of information we weren't previously aware of and offering glimpses into the touching interactions between the cast and crew. In an unexpected twist, Hopman and Roach's work is also an excellent exploration of Lucas's psychology and personality and isn't afraid to show his insecurities, anxiety and vulnerability as he faces personal and professional obstacles along the way. Lucas Wars is a rare reflection on the artist and his work that is a masterful work of art in its own right and, given that its story concludes with the release of the original Star Wars in 1977, leaves us eagerly awaiting more chapters in the endlessly fascinating life of George Lucas.
