A New Hope (Star Wars: Infinities)
Adult/High School-Remaining faithful to the themes and sensibilities of classic Star Wars, this episode pits good against evil in the persons of a Luke so young that he is not in full possession of the discipline he needs to effect the ends he believes to be right and Darth Vader's forces of trickery and destruction. Princess Leia is kidnapped and Luke is desperate to find the truth of her fate, but Artoo has been put out of commission and that, too, requires more focused attention than the young hero can muster. He conflicts with Han over the proper approach to resolving these emotional and ethical issues but, eventually, learns to gain control of himself before taking on the dark forces. The beautiful coloring of these action-packed panels gives a cinematic fullness to the page, and the pacing carries the story forward with smooth speed. This is an excellent addition to science-fiction collections, as well as to graphic novel offerings.Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.