Comic Review: Hyperspace Stories - Codebreaker #1 – Poe and BB-8 are Back

Writer: Ethan Sacks
Artist: Marc Yarza
Colors: Nicola Righi

Publisher summary:
Poe Dameron, ace Resistance pilot, and his droid companion BB-8 are sent to investigate a piece of First Order tech used to decode Resistance messages. Standing between them and their objective is an infamous TIE fighter pilot. Can Poe out-fly his enemy, or will the mission go down in flames before it begins?

Dark Horse Comics

Why it matters: Poe Dameron stars in his first comic series since 2018! Codebreaker details an early Resistance mission before the Sequel Trilogy, giving us some much needed backstory for the character.

Key moments:

• Old friends: It’s been almost five years since our last big story featuring Poe Dameron, and it feels good to be back. Poe and BB-8 are obviously the focus here, but we also get to see other Sequel characters like Snap Wexley and General Leia Organa.

• Hidden Resistance: While the issue starts with some exciting X-Wing action, the meat of the story is about Poe going undercover. The stealth mission is a fun contrast to Poe’s bombastic attitude.

• Lingering mysteries: Unsurprisingly, the mission isn’t as straightforward as Poe thinks it will be. The issue ends with a surprising twist about the titular codebreaker and leaves a cliffhanger that will have readers clamoring for the next issue.

Dark Horse Comics

The big picture:
At the risk of implying that the content doesn’t matter, a big part of my Star Wars enjoyment comes from seeing familiar faces. There’s just something comforting about revisiting old friends in new adventures, regardless of how consequential (or not) those stories may be. So it feels good to see Poe Dameron in a comic again; his long running solo series was a high point of early Canon comics. (Hey, Marvel - we’re still waiting for that omnibus!)

Luckily, this comic isn’t just a sight for sore eyes - it’s also good. Ethan Sacks, best known for his run on Bounty Hunters, perfectly captures the voice of Poe Dameron. He’s charming, hard headed, and a bit clumsy - it’s like Oscar Isaac jumped off the screen and onto the page. This first issue opens on a fun action sequence and begins the main spy plot, but the stakes are still relatively low. However the ending reveals a science fiction twist that evokes 2023’s The Creator (by Rogue One director Gareth Edwards) and instantly bumps up the intensity.

Marc Yarza, in his Star Wars debut, creates a fantastic look for this miniseries. The known characters are all instantly recognizable without veering into the uncanny valley. The action is smooth, and the comedy sells its laughs, even without looking at the dialogue.

It’s a shame that this series is only four issues. Hopefully these peeks into the Sequel Era will keep coming. But regardless of what comes next, Codebreaker is off to a strong start.

Our rating: Good

What’s next: There are only three issues left in this new mini! Hyperspace Stories - Codebreaker #2 comes out on June 4th.

For a deeper discussion of this issue, be sure to check out this week’s episode of The Cosmic Force podcast!