Review – ‘Thrawn: Alliances’ #3 Introduces the Grysks in the Penultimate Chapter
Marvel’s adaptation of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn: Alliances novel is already nearing its conclusion with this week’s issue #3. The grand admiral’s mind is put to work, piecing together the puzzle of what is happening on Batuu in its dual storylines. All roads lead to the reveal of Thrawn and Vader’s newest adversary: the Grysk.
Zahn and Jody Houser have done a commendable job trimming the fat of the novel to make this comic flow like it has. The result is a wholly new way to experience the story. You may not get the full nuance a novel offers, but the duo has shown just how versatile the comic medium can be. They have found a way to have dynamic pacing and stay true to the spirit of the novel it’s based on. That being said, issue #3 slows things down to get set for next month’s final chapter to mixed results.
In the past, Thrawn and Anakin’s search for the hidden Separatist base heats up as they confront a group of smugglers who might be behind the disappearance of Padmé. As Thrawn relays what he knows, my brain glossed over what he was saying in favor of the panels of Anakin glowering at the group, looking for any sign of deception. Angry Clone Wars Anakin was always my favorite version of the character, and the artists capture that vibe.
Meanwhile, in the present, Thrawn deduces that the Grysks are behind the disturbance in the Force and are up to no good on Batuu. For those not in the know, the Grysks are essentially Thrawn’s worst nightmare. He knows of them from his studies in the Unknown Regions (and from his conflict with them in the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, but those books didn’t exist in 2018). They are a particularly challenging foe due to their ferocity, Force-sensitivity, and mystery.
While the comic doesn’t give us the best look at them, there is a sense of their threat. If Marvel continues these adaptations of Zahn’s canon novels, I look forward to seeing them explored further as they become a major nuisance.
The one downside to slowing things down for expositional reasons is that, in a comic, there’s a limited amount of real estate. You only have so many pages to tell your story, and this adaptation has struggled with breaking up its issues. It knows how to balance its storylines, but it’s hit-and-miss in the department of having a satisfying beginning, middle, and end for each particular issue. It’s as if Zahn and Houser just randomly picked story beats and added a “to be continued” text box. The best comics have great cliffhangers and Thrawn: Alliances hasn’t had one yet.
Issue #3 is the closest thing to a Zahn novel you can get, but unfortunately Thrawn: Alliances‘ second act didn’t connect with me back in the day, and once again, it failed to hook me. Nitpicks aside, the characters carry this issue across the finish line. The third act of the novel is next-level and I’m looking forward to seeing how Zahn, Houser, and this stellar art team tackle it.
RATING: 6.5/10
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he's not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
