A new year, a new arc for Star Wars: Legacy as Issue #11 by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman hits stores today. Just because our heroes escaped danger in the last issue doesn’t mean they’re any closer to stopping Darth Wredd.
This review will contain a few spoilers but no more than you’d learn from reading the solicit.
Leaving the junkyard behind means that Ania Solo abandoned her lease but it’s not just the moon’s owners who are looking for her. Instead, there’s also a masked being who looks quite dangerous and who is apparently only capable of saying ‘Where is Ania Solo?’ Meanwhile, Ania and company have found themselves a good paying job that involves literally flying through a minefield. Somehow, she manages to find a way to put herself in even more harm’s way before Jao finds what appears to be a clue about her past: a wanted poster with her name and picture for the murder of an Imperial Knight!
A new arc means that it’s co-scribe Gabriel Hardman’s turn up at bat again for the book’s artwork. It’s a fairly seamless transition to his work from that of Brian Thies. Their styles really are an excellent fit for the book and change over is the farthest thing from jarring. That said, it is nice to see Hardman’s pencils again. The way he draws action is really quite great.
This is something that I remark on at least every other issue but the way Ania Solo finds trouble is incredible and if she doesn’t run into it by accident, she seems inclined to run straight into it. Definitely a Solo. With Ania, Bechko and Hardman have also perfected the art of being teases. When confronted with the wanted poster, she denies having done the deed and is all prepared to tell us what she was running from when she and Jao are oh so rudely interrupted by a meteor. (Just tell us who she is already!) Regardless of her heritage though, Ania’s become a well-rounded and enjoyable character who’s a really great addition to the Expanded Universe.
The first two-thirds of the issue felt a bit slower than some of the previous ones but that’s not a bad thing. Actually, it makes it feel like there’s more than usual to these 32 pages. Plus, as always, the book ends with a wild cliffhanger that will absolutely leave readers eagerly anticipating more. In this situation, it’s less about the painful cliffhanger than it is setting up the story arc so really, well done all around. I’m also intrigued to see what they do with the new character they introduced especially given how well the writers developed the rest of the cast.
Star Wars: Legacy continues to be a solidly enjoyable read and oh man, is it February and time for the next issue yet?
