- "Loyalty is not a virtue given; it is earned."
- ―Opening text
Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales 1, also credited as Star Wars Adventures: Clone Wars 1, is the first issue of the canon comic book miniseries Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales. It was written by Michael Moreci, illustrated by Derek Charm and Arianna Florean, and published on May 20, 2020 by IDW Publishing.
Publisher's summary[]
This exciting weekly series explores a time of great upheaval in the galaxy—the Clone Wars! While Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and other Jedi Knights fight against incredible odds, Commander Cody, Captain Rex, and other clones, pinned down for the duration, swap war stories that feature your favorite characters from The Clone Wars animated series, such as Padmé Amidala, General Grievous, and many more!
Plot summary[]
| WEEK ONE |
|---|
Before the Battle of Christophsis on the planet Hisseen, Captain Rex leads clones and holds a defense against oncoming Separatist droid forces. Just then, Commander Cody jinxes them when he questions about backup, and more droids arrive, however this time in the form of B2 super battle droids. Cody tells Rex and Commander Wolffe that they must protect the Hisseenian people, but can’t take the super battle droids in a frontal assault. When Wolffe suggests that he and his men can flank the enemy for a distraction, Rex tells him to delay that strategy as a super battle droid is suddenly lifted up into the air, and Jedi Generals Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Plo Koon arrive on the battlefield.
With the Jedi in battle, the rallied clones charge forward and are successful in pushing the droids back. With things settled, Plo Koon explains that they’ve received word that Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress have arranged to meet the Hisseenian Premiere in the mountains. However, if the Premiere reveals to Dooku where the parliamentary members are hiding, then the Count could dissolve the government and take control of the planet. While the Jedi go off to pursue Dooku and Ventress, the clone leaders are tasked with holding their position and protecting the people. Once the Jedi have left, Cody mentions to Rex that General Skywalker can be a bit of a loose cannon, but Rex explains that while he may be unconventional at times, he always comes back for his men.
Flashing back earlier in the war to the planet Benglor, Anakin Skywalker walks with fellow clones Rex and Hardcase through a jungle. When he starts to complain about the heat, he asks Rex what their goal is, and he reminds Skywalker that they are investigating Separatist activity on the planet. Willing to give one last search, Anakin has Rex gather his men up to push a little further in hopes of finding evidence. Later, Hardcase comes across some kind of sticky goo, and Bellow discovers scattered pieces of battle droids. While they all love the sight of destroyed battle droids, they admit that it’s odd for them to be broken into clean pieces, and when Anakin points out that it seems like they’re being led somewhere, a quadruped creature emerges from the jungle cover and swallows Bellow after snatching him with its tongue. With this, the clone battalion begins to attack the beast in revenge for eating one of their brothers, but Anakin warns them to fall back since it was a trap all along. However, Hardcase disobeys orders and pushes forward to attack the beast with his Z-6 rotary blaster cannon, but his cockiness gets the best of him as he is swatted aside by the quadruped. Anakin commands Rex to get his men to safety, and when Rex points out that Hardcase needs saving, Anakin states that no one gets left behind, and so he activates his lightsaber as he advances on the creature.
Before the creature can finish off Hardcase, Anakin uses the Force to hold it in place, allowing Hardcase to get himself to safety, but Anakin sternly tells him that when he’s given an order, he is expected to follow it. Now all alone with the beast, Anakin attempts to fight it but is caught off guard by its speed. However, after he’s knocked against a tree, he hurls his lightsaber through the air, causing it to cut down a tree that collapses on the beast. After thinking he’s bested the beast, Anakin begins to walk away and doesn’t notice the beast recovering, however, Captain Rex arrives once again and helps to hold off the quadruped. When Anakin questions why Rex has disobeyed Anakin’s order, Rex explains that he followed it and is now following a different command, which is to never leave a man behind. Working together, Anakin and Rex are successful in taking down the beast, ending it for good. Afterwards, Rex tells Anakin that he could’ve left Hardcase behind since he disobeyed orders, and clones were meant to soldiers that don’t always know if they’ll make it home at the end of a mission. However, Anakin opines that the clones are more than soldiers - they’re men, whose lives are in his hands and he doesn’t take that lightly. Rex is taken aback by this, and Anakin tells him to get used to it since that’s how things are under his command.
Back in the present, Separatist droids attack the defending clones once more, and just then they are contacted by General Plo Koon with a faulty signal. While unable to fully make out his message, Rex and Cody see that one thing is clear, General Skywalker is in trouble as he’s engaged Count Dooku in lightsaber combat, and they need to get this message to Wolffe.
Development[]
Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales 1 was initially solicited for an April 1, 2020 release,[4] but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
Media[]
Editions[]
- UPC 827714019537; May 20, 2020; IDW Publishing; First printing[1]
- 00111; Cover A; Derek Charm
- 00121; Cover B; Derek Charm
- 00131; Cover C; Michael Avon Oeming
- 00141; Cover D; Peach Momoko
- UPC 827714019537; August 5, 2020; IDW Publishing; Second printing[6]
- 00112; Cover E; Derek Charm
Cover gallery[]
 Cover A  Cover A (not final)  Cover A (cover art)  Cover B  Cover C  Cover C, full spread  Cover D  Cover E |
Appearances[]
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
|
Organisms
|
Droid models
Events
|
Locations
|
Organizations and titles
|
Sentient species
|
Vehicles and vessels
Weapons and technology
|
Miscellanea
|
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
Star Wars Adventures: Clone Wars #1 (of 5) on Amazon.com (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales 1 to 22 BBY.
- ↑ Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales 1
- ↑ Michael Moreci (@MichaelMoreci) on Twitter (post): "New Clone Wars today! And, remember, as you're getting hyped for the new episodes, there's even more clone action coming your way with the comic I'm writing: CLONE WARS: BATTLE TALES! Find issue #1 (of 5) April 1, with scenes like this (art by Derek Charm, color Luis Delgado)--" (screenshot) (content now obsolete)
- ↑ IDW Suspends May Releases, Reduces Publishing Line Due to Diamond Hiatus by Johnson, Jim on ComicBookResources (March 23, 2020) (backup link archived on June 2, 2020)
- ↑ Star Wars Adventures Clone Wars Battle Tales #1 on Midtown Comics (backup link archived on August 12, 2020)
External links[]
- STAR WARS ADVENTURES: THE CLONE WARS Break Out Weekly in April 2020 on IDW Publishing's official website (backup link)
- Star Wars Adventures: Clone Wars #1 on IDW Publishing's official website (backup link)
- Star Wars Adventures: Clone Wars #1 – 2nd Printing on IDW Publishing's official website (backup link)
- Star Wars Adventures: Clone Wars #1 (of 5) on Amazon.com (backup link)
