Why couldn’t they have just done it as a Western? It would have been perfect.

The final issue of Crimson Empire has the best and worst from the series. The woman–her name is Sinn, which is stupid so I probably forced myself to ignore it–declares to the “holy stars” she’ll hunt down the main guy because it turns out he’s kind of a bad guy. Now, “holy stars” (Star Wars was always a little areligious, wasn’t it?) aside, it’s terrible writing from Stradley and Richardson. Sad the series ends on a bad note writing-wise.

Luckily, Gulacy does fine. His art’s really complex this issue. There are these side scenes to an issue long fight scene, so Gulacy’s got to concentrate on supporting cast while fighting goes on in the background. There’s lots to track; the reader has to pay attention.

Except for bad writing, it ends well.

This issue, if I’m adding right, takes place over a couple hours. Maybe the reason Star Wars comics aren’t taken seriously is because in those two hours, not only is a space battle determined, but there’s also time for the woman and her sidekick to fly to an entirely different solar system to save the protagonist.

The protagonist doesn’t get any lines this issue, which is too bad, but does fit in with the Crimson Empire is a Western feel. It’s unfortunate Gulacy and Richardson didn’t cultivate that genre and reign in the story. Seriously, the leaps in logic (I mean, the Star Wars movies establish how long space travel takes) might be what keeps this franchise down.

Russell doesn’t ink Gulacy too harshly; it’s nice to see the Gulacy eyes return this issue. There’s a lot of good art and the battle scenes are all very well-paced visually.

This issue concentrates on the Rebels, specifically the woman. I can’t remember her name though. Stradley and Richardson repeat all the other names so much, she and her lizard-man sidekick are sort of nameless. I’m sure they say it a few times throughout… just didn’t make any impression.

There’s a lot of excellent Gulacy composition here. He might not be spending as much time on his art as he did in the eighties, but the panel design is still there.

Gulacy’s art gets the issue through. There’s really not much going on, just the woman being tortured and giving information in a scene a little too reminiscent of the first Star Wars. Stradley and Richardson might have considered it homage but it’s really quite lazy.

While the issue’s fine, it could have easily been half the length. There’s a lot of padding. Lots of filler for a bridging issue.

From the second panel, it’s clear something off with the art. Either Gulacy hurried through faces and let Russell finish or Russell got eager and got rid of all Gulacy’s rounded lines. The former would just be unfortunate… the latter would just piss me off. This issue doesn’t feel like Gulacy until about halfway, which is too long.

Even though very little happens–there’s a battle scene, some talking among good guys, a flashback, bad guys talking–it’s probably the best issue of Crimson Empire so far. Richardson and Stradley aren’t being coy about their protagonist anymore and, in fact, reveal him to be a rather complex character.

Hopefully some of these complexities will have room to play out. There’s also a lot with the Imperials infighting and politicking, which is amusing enough (but probably the worst scenes as they look so silly).

Art problems aside, it’s getting rather entertaining.

For some of this issue, the Gulacy sci-fi art makes one forget it’s a Star Wars comic and imagine it’s just a Gulacy (with Doug Moench) comic. Then Richardson and Stradley have some awful dialogue from the big villain and the illusion comes crashing down.

It’s like the comic can get away with bad dialogue because Star Wars got away with it. But there’s a lot more of it here, as the bad guys bicker with each other.

Still, the story’s compelling enough the dialogue doesn’t matter. Oddly, the good guys’ dialogue is fine. It’s just the insidious declarative statements.

By the end, when the bad guys attack, Gulacy nicely gives the art a cinematic pace.

The story’s somewhat predictable, save a couple details, but with the action scenes sold it’d be hard to not be enjoying it. It’s a Western set in Star Wars land. Lots of fun.

Crimson Empire answers the burning question… what’s with the guys in red from Return of the Jedi. The ones who had fabric capes on the action figures.

Of course, it’s mostly just backdrop for the story of a fugitive. It probably could fit a Civil War story too. A stranger comes to town, kicks butt, has to hide with possibly duplicitous newfound friends. Meanwhile there’s a big villain out to get him, along with all the little ones.

But the real attraction so far is Paul Gulacy’s art. Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley’s script is fine, it’s just not compelling on its own. But Gulacy always does interesting sci-fi, even when he’s working from existing designs, and Crimson is no different.

The action scenes are a little too static, but the vistas are great. P. Craig Russell inks Gulacy well.

It’s a decent comic, with a lot of possibilities.