I’m just going to get right to the point. I enjoyed last month’s issue a lot, but now that I finished this one, I’m starting to sense a pattern. Unless Vader has an appearance, I’m not as interested as I used to be. Also, for a twenty-five page comic, it takes a little long for the content to really grab me. Once it does, however, it’s good, but I find myself waiting longer and longer before I am interested. I’m not trying to say that every page has to be filled with blaster battles or dogfights, but this series is starting to get a little dry. Dark Horse has always been my first stop for weekly quality storytelling, and I’m sure that it still will now that Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel & Faith have both returned to the shelves, but I’ve become a much bigger fan of Star Wars: Legacy in the last few months. I hope that this is just a hump that we readers need to get over. I’m down for that, but I’m ready for this book to start bringing the boom again. It looks like the people of Arrochar aren’t as enthusiastic about joining the alliance of planets as we were originally meant to believe. The prince and his people don’t approve of Leia’s tie to her military background, and Luke just can’t seem to keep it together over the recent news of Leia’s upcoming marriage. Also, he keeps trying to get in touch with Ben, but that is not happening. Lot’s of drama in these pages. I wonder where all of this will end up.
Like I mentioned in the intro, I’m not as big a fan of this script, for at least the first fourteen pages. And then it’s just the stuff that pertains to Luke. From that moment on, though, it’s pretty interesting. I would much rather focus on what’s going on in that part of the story than keep jumping back to all of this boring political stuff. Politics are fine, but isn’t that what ruined the prequel trilogy, aside from the terrible performances? But I will reiterate that Luke’s storyline kept this book interesting. He’s been sent out on a routine mission with the Rangers of Arrochar as a public relations exercise. That won’t get dramatic at all (notice my sarcasm).
Now the artwork feels different. I know that Crety drew issue fifteen too, but it just doesn’t feel consistent this time. Especially the faces. Not really a fan. I think that the characters should at least resemble the actors that made these characters so popular in the first place.
A series like this never deserves a sub-par rating, but I think that this team needs to find some consistency. That sounds harsher than I mean it to, but as I look back on the previous issues, it becomes more apparent that Star Wars isn’t what it used to be. I’m afraid that my standards have actually gotten lower. Anyway, read it… or don’t.
Score: 3/5
Writer: Brian Wood Artist: Stephane Crety Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price $2.99 Release Date: 4/9/14