The Star Wars 4 (December 2013)

Mayhew has some fantastic panels this issue. Unfortunately, Rinzler has the single goofiest moment in the history of George Lucas goofy moments to try to pull off and he can’t do it. Mayhew even makes it worse somehow. He goes with this grand panel and then follows it up with a little normal one, like the event is immediately pedestrian.

It’s too bad, because besides forgetting about Leia as a character for almost the entire thing–Rinzler also downgrades Annikin’s presence too much, but not near as bad–it’s a fairly good issue. Rinzler gets a very strange, almost comedic moment out of the last panel, something very non-Star Wars. This issue might be the first where it feels like something other than an adaptation.

There’s also this ambitious–and not entirely successful–juxtaposition of the Imperials torturing prisoners, but at least Mayhew and Rinzler are trying for something.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

The Star Wars 3 (November 2013)

And once more, The Star Wars is interesting again. Rinzler introduces a lot this issue–the original Lucas treatment must have been a disaster, as even the issue is plotted like a movie serial where a new major character is introduced every four minutes.

Except in this comic, the major character relates to the Star Wars movies already made, so one gets to see how things changed. In some ways, this series reads like a good version of the prequel trilogy, like there’s a low ceiling on how far Lucas can go with sci-fi action without a lot of help.

Mayhew’s art is also rather good for the first half of the issue. The droids show up and he does well with them and the desert setting. Later on, he loses track of them and Princess Leia during a lengthy vehicle action sequence. It’s too confusing.

Still, interesting stuff.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editor, Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

The Star Wars 2 (October 2013)

I wonder why George Lucas went ahead and decided not to have a main–heroic–character who tries to force himself on every female character he encounters. If you’ve wanted to see Annikin Starkiller punch out Princess Leia, here’s the comic for you.

That summary is a bit of a low blow but Annikin really is the dumbest part of The Star Wars. Rinzler doesn’t know where to fit him into the story (probably because he just doesn’t fit) and, otherwise, it’s a rather decent comic book.

Once again, it reads like a mix of the original and the prequels, only without the stupid toy stuff. R2D2 and C3P0 show up–with R2 speaking in English, which is funny–and they have their own subplot getting off the Death Star.

Rinzler still can’t figure out how to do a cliffhanger in a comic.

Mayhew’s somewhat static but good.

It’s fine.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

The Star Wars 1 (September 2013)

I went into The Star Wars expecting nothing. It’s Dark Horse’s adaptation of George Lucas’s original Star Wars script, with the sillier character names and less character twists, but it’s also pretty engaging stuff. Some of it’s a curiosity, seeing how things changed, but it works out to be perfectly acceptable sci-fi.

It feels less like the original Star Wars and more like a smarter version of The Phantom Empire–except they kill off the annoying kid early on. Have to make the reader care as soon as possible, after all.

J.W. Rinzler’s sequential adaptation of a film script is surprisingly good. The comic moves right along; there’s a lot of expository dialogue, way too many characters introduced, but it’s digestible enough. Rinzler’s enthusiastic, which helps a lot.

Mike Mayhew’s art style is too static for action, but it’s fine.

I can’t wait for the next one. I’m shocked.

CREDITS

Writer, J.W. Rinzler; artist, Mike Mayhew; colorist, Rain Beredo; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Star Wars 1 (January 2013)

During the first scene, with Luke Skywalker whining, I thought Brian Wood had figured a good way to do Star Wars. It’s a concept book–the comic is just a sequel to the original movie and avoiding the things fans have seen or read since. In other words, it’s the original Marvel Star Wars comic.

It’s also lame.

Luke’s not the worst characterization though. Wood saves that honor for Princess Leia. It’s impossible to imagine Carrie Fisher saying any of the lines. Han Solo’s weak too, but nowhere near as bad as Leia.

The comic might at least move if it weren’t for Wood’s exposition rectangles. He explains not just character’s emotions and motivations, but recounts scenes he’s just shown.

Carlos D’Anda’s art feels vaguely cartoon and manga influenced; neither seem appropriate.

It’s not a terrible comic, just a pointless one without any redeeming moments.

Inane’s probably the appropriate word.

CREDITS

In the Shadow of Yavin, Part One of Three; writer, Brian Wood; artist, Carlos D’Anda; colorist, Gabe Eltaeb; letterer, Michael Heisler; editors, Freddye Lins and Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Star Wars: Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood 6 (April 1999)

The series ends with some undeniable problems–the Romeo and Juliet aspect is idiotic–but Richardson and Stradley manage to reign in their big conspiracy storyline.

They don’t resolve some of their threads, which is both a good and bad decision. It’s good because there’s not enough room for the resolution, but bad because they sort of promised it for the first half of the series.

There’s a lot of content to this issue–it’s not just a wrap-up. The wrap-up is saved for the last three pages or so… and it isn’t enough. This issue’s problems with pacing sort of reveal the series’s problems with it in general.

Gulacy is rushed here. He can’t make it all fit. It’s the least impressive art on the entire series, though there are some good space battles at the open.

The series nearly succeeds, overcoming a few major story problems.

Star Wars: Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood 5 (March 1999)

It’s a romance now? Seriously? Wow.

After a solid first half, Richardson and Stradley are running off the rails. They set up a convoluted set of schemes and subterfuges and are now rapidly resolving them. And what solves them all? Sworn enemies kissing.

But the issue has a bunch of great Gulacy sci-fi action so it’s impossible not to enjoy it. There’s spaceship battles, there’s blaster fights, it goes on and on. Even the talking heads stuff is great; Gulacy’s got lots of Star Wars technology around to draw.

But the writing has just gone off the deep end. The writers introduce a major new character this issue (more important than any other new character in Council of Blood actually) and reveal he’s been working behind the scenes the whole series.

It’s a complete mess. It’s like Richardson and Stradley changed their minds about the series’s plot halfway through.

Star Wars: Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood 4 (February 1999)

I’m not sure it’s possible this issue could have a softer cliffhanger. Soft as it may be, it does signal a change in Council of Blood… it’s finally a sequel to Crimson Empire.

Until this issue, Richardson and Stradley have been avoiding what they promised at the finish of the first series. While the previous issues touched on it, they more concentrated on the overall Dark Horse Star Wars universe. This issue brings Sinn (I finally remember her dumb name) and the Imperial Guard together.

And it does so on a strange planet with stranger aliens and Gulacy has a great time with all of it. There’s a lot of action this issue; Gulacy has to condense approximately twelve action panels to one page.

It’s a packed issue.

Sadly, bringing back the first series’s character relationship, the writers start to stumble. It’s an okay comic, but the characters are nonsensical.

Star Wars: Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood 3 (January 1999)

Interesting. The series is now half done and Richardson and Stradley haven’t shown much of their hand yet, as far as future events go. Instead, they’re still raveling the narrative. The reader gets to be a little ahead of the characters, but since there’s still no protagonist, it doesn’t hurt the comic.

This issue spends most of its time going over the business practices of the Hutt character. They’re sensational, which makes them engaging, and the writers hint just enough at how everything connects to make it intriguing.

There’s also some more business with the Imperials, with the writers identifying the villains among the villains.

It’s effective. It even makes one (stupidly) consider reading more Star Wars comics.

Nice art from Gulacy and Emberlin. Gulacy’s got some great page compositions to mix action and dramatics. He also takes the time to indulge his humorous side.

It’s a very strong issue.

Star Wars: Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood 2 (December 1998)

Once again, there’s the item you can tell Gulacy just went gloriously overboard with. This time, it’s one of the squid faced aliens–but as a Hutt dancing girl. Emberlin inks are especially good; there are some great alien worlds panels in the first few pages.

Richardson and Stradley are slowly developing the overall story. The dialogue is good, the characters are all good. The issue passes without many hiccups, but it also passes without a real character. Crimson Empire II is apparently a licensed Star Wars comic first and a narrative second.

In fact, this issue is still setup for whatever’s going to come, big and small. The previous issue introduced two general story lines. This one expands it out to three or more. The writers are enthusiastic about whatever they have planned and it helps.

It’s still too soon to decide on the series, but the issue’s good.