Category Archives: Comics

Review: Star Wars: Legacy #18

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It is with a heavy heart that I have to write a review of Star Wars: Legacy #18.  The final issue of Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman’s stellar series is released today and while it’s going to be a shame to see this series go, they definitely leave just as strong as they started.

This review contains some spoilers for the entire series.

Imperial Knights versus the Sith on the Floating World!  And just whose side is Darth Wredd on?  It’s an action packed finale as Ania Solo and all of her friends fight not only for their survival but that of the Empress Fel herself.

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Review: Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #4

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The unused Clone Wars storyline comes to an end today ad Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #4 by Jeremy Barlow and Juan Frigeri hits comic book stores today.  But will Darth Maul and Mother Talzin’s plan for revenge against Darth Sidious succeed?

This review contains some spoilers for the issue.

Darth Maul returns to Dathomir with Count Dooku, intent on using the Sith’s very life force to give Mother Talzin a physical body once more.  But Darth Sidious is hardly going to let his former apprentice destroy his carefully laid plans.  That can only mean another facedown between Master and former Apprentice!

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My Hopes and Dreams for Princess Leia

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Leia_Dodson1Or more specifically: My Hopes and Dreams for the Star Wars: Princess Leia comic by Mark Waid.

When Joe Quesada announced the three new Star Wars comic books at San Diego Comic Con the other week, one series in particular thrilled me more than the others.  We were finally going to get a book staring Princess Leia!  Mark Waid was instantly a choice that I approved whole-heartedly of to write my beloved Leia Organa and that was even before I saw his interviews talking about the book. Terry Dodson on art just made it even better.  They are both perfect choices for a Leia story.  Dodson is perhaps the easier to immediately see.  I’ve never found a reason to complain about his art style and judging from the cover we’ve seen?  We’ll get to see some pretty neat outfits on everyone’s favorite princess that are all logical for her to be wearing.  Dodson also draws a killer action scene so we’ll undoubtedly have a few of those to look forward to.

Waid, on the other hand, might be a little tougher to get.  For me, the gut reaction of perfect! came from his work on Indestructible Hulk over the past few years.  Bruce Banner can be a tricky character to get right but it wasn’t his great work with the Hulk that got me.  No, it was how he handled one Maria Hill who is not a character that all writers get right.  They might get the ‘bitches-get-stuff-done’ aspect of her but miss that there’s more to her than that.  Mark Waid, however, nailed writing her hook, line, and sinker.  Factor in his solidly good work on Hulk and Daredevil in recent years and I was sold.

What doubly sold me were his interviews.  In an interview with StarWars.com, he describe Leia as

I think that she is often misunderstood as short-tempered or what have you, and I think that’s unfair. She’s direct. She’s not necessarily impatient, she’s just exasperated easily by people who are not as smart as her. She’s not bossy…well, okay, alright, she’s bossy. But she is a princess, after all, so you have to allow her a little bit of that.

…and I let out a giant sigh of relief.  It’s these aspects of Leia’s personality that are so important to who she is and how she reacts to situations.  Reading what he had to say about what sort of person she is at her core made me even more confident about how he’ll handle writing her.

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Review: Rebel Heist #4

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The final piece falls into place today as Rebel Heist #4 by Matt Kindt and Marco Castiello arrives in comic book stores.  It’s Luke Skywalker’s turn to take the spotlight!

Han’s captured, Leia’s captured, and Chewbacca’s captured.  That leaves Luke Skywalker to save the day and the Bothan Imperial spy to narrate the events.  Can he get all three of his friends out of jail and still pull off the mission?

This review contains some spoilers.

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SDCC 2014: Marvel Takes Back Star Wars

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Just as expected, the Marvel Cup O’Joe Panel at San Diego Comic-Con gave us our first real look at what Marvel will be doing once they take back the Star Wars license in January.

First up, (and to me, the most exciting!) we’ll be getting a miniseries titled Star Wars: Princess Leia with script by Mark Waid and with art by Terry Dodson.  The first issue will be released in March.

Leia_Dodson1

 

We’re also getting two ongoings of which is the first is the expected ‘Star Wars‘.  That will have Jason Aaron on script and John Cassaday on art.  The first issue hits in January and will feature our usual suspects amongst the main cast.

StarWars_Cassaday1

And finally, there will also be a Star Wars: Darth Vader ongoing series written by Kieron Gillen with art by Salvador Larroca.  (Note that the cover below is by Adi Granov.)  The first issue will be released in February 2015.

Vader_Granov1

The two ongoing series will take place concurrently as they will back up after the Battle of Yavin.  Apparently the Vader series picks up right after Vader’s fighter goes spinning into space while Star Wars picks up two weeks later.  Jordan White will be the editor for all three books.

One of the questions at the panel did ask whether we’d be seeing Expanded Universe characters in the comics and the answer is that it is up to the Lucasfilm Story Group.  Apparently we will also see Boba Fett at some point but it’s a tricky time period.

The Official Site has interviews up with all three writers of the new books.

As for other questions from the panel, someone asked if characters from the old Marvel comics might show up.  The answer was that Jason Aaron will try but Jordan White might stop him.  The Marvel crew found Patton Oswalt’s Star Wars pitch hilarious but don’t think they have the rights to make that into a comic.  Also apparently Axel Alonso is trying to make ‘The Punisher Kills The Star Wars Universe’ a thing that happens.

Review: Star Wars: Legacy #17

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The final arc of Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman’s fantastic Star Wars comic continues as Legacy #17 hits comic store shelves today!  (And this review continues to be sad that we’re in the last few months of this book.)

Ania and company have followed the coordinates from Jao’s transmission to the rogue planet but their mission to rescue the Imperial Knight is far from over.  They no more free Jao from his bonds when a literal army of Sith arrive hell bent on taking out Darth Wredd once and for all!

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Review: Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #3

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Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #3 by Jeremy Barlow and Juan Frigeri hits comic store shelves today and Maul’s vendetta against Darth Sidious continues!

Count Dooku and General Grievous are now captives of Darth Maul after a fierce battle in the last issue. Maul tries to convince Dooku to abandon Darth Sidious and work with him and Mother Talzin instead.  Meanwhile, the Jedi have gotten wind of Maul’s latest victory and spot an opportunity to take out two enemies at the same time…

It’s difficult to discuss this issue without going into the “surprising facts from Maul’s past” that the solicit alluded to so from this point onward, this review will have spoilers despite my usual policy to write spoiler free.

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Marvel’s First Act: Reprinting Their Classic Comics

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Those expecting something a bit more noteworthy might be somewhat underwhelmed by today’s news, but it is something. The official site announced today that Marvel would be reprinting their classic Star Wars comics in an all-new hardcover omnibus.

The comics will be released in a multi-volume set starting with the first omni containing issues #1-44 plus Annual #1. And yes, this will be released under the Legends banner.

Volume one has a list price of $125. Head to the link above for more information.

Review: Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows

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It’s another Vader graphic novel as the collected edition of Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows hits shelves today.  Tim Siedell on script and Gabriel Guzman on art take us on another galactic adventure with the newly named Dark Lord of the Sith… or do they?

Darth Vader’s rampage across the galaxy after the fall of the Republic continues as he seeks out the remaining Jedi and rebels to destroy them.  It’s through the eyes of a deserter clone trooper returned to the fold that we some of this as he comes to serve as one of Vader’s most trusted stormtroopers.

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Review: Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #6

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serenity 6It’s New Comic Book Day, and Dark Horse seems to release everything at once, so naturally, all our reviews come out at once.  Today, the last installment of Serenity: Leaves on the Wind releases and keeping things spoiler-free, here’s what I have to say:

Aw, comic, no.

I’m not going into the substandard art again, but if there’s been one thing I have enjoyed about this series, it’s been the writing–until now.  And I understand that this comic is setting up for whatever the next Serenity comic mini-series is going to be, but the end of this comic very, very quickly took a turn for both 1) a (second) rehash of an old plotline and 2) a WTF spin on the level of Buffy Season Eight.

If you’ve bought the other five comics in the mini-series, buy this one to complete the set.  But if the next mini-series continues off this arc, rather than telling stories like The Shepherd’s Tale or Better Days, I’d be just a little bit wary of investing money in it.