Book Description

They've been responsible for some of hte most dazzling and awe-inspiring visuals ever put to film, and now the concept artists behind the Star Wars prequels are bringing their considerable talents to comics.Just in time for Star Wars: Episode III, the wildly gifted mind of the Lucasfilm art department and visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light & Magic come together to tell their own Star Wars tales in this compilation of short stories.Given free reign to explore any and every aspect of the Star Wars universe, each artist offers a new twist or a deeper view into that galaxy far, far away.Nowhere else will you find a more pure or more different look at George Lucas' enduring creation than through the eyes of the Star Wars: Visionaries. ... Read more

Book Description

Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... features classic Star Wars stories not seen in over twenty years! Originally printed by Marvel Comics, these stories have been re-colored using today’s computer technology, giving "old" work a fresh face. Volume 2 collects issues of the original Marvel run and contains such riveting classics as "Crucible" and the unforgettable "What Ever Happened to Jabba the Hut?" ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Classic Marvel Star Wars
I read the first volume in this series, "Doomworld," and enjoyed it, but thought it was a bit corny and too cartoonish in places. I was surprised and pleased that the comics got much better with time.

A good portion of this set of 19 comics revolves around the Tagge family, who generally opposes Darth Vader, but also opposes the rebellion. Baron Tagge even hopes to supplant Darth Vader himself, though we know where such schemes end. In "Doom Mission," we find Baron Tagge has created a space station within the stormy atmosphere of the gas giant Yavin where Tie fighters launch attacks against the rebel base on the fourth moon. This story is quite creative with how Baron Tagge created the space station, how it was discovered and how it was eventually attacked.

There are quite a few creative moments in the various stories. In a series of three stories, "The Jawa Express," "Saber Clash," and "Thunder in the Stars," we see the Tagge family test and implement an interesting device that freezes anything between implanted towers. The Tagge family uses this device as a weapon against rebel forces.

In one of the most creative stories, "Riders in the Void," we find Luke and Leia have jumped into the void between galaxies. In one of the emptiest places in the universe Luke and Leia discover a unique, organic space ship with only one inhabitant, who is marginally insane. The ship and its inhabitant have an interesting and unique history, and there are moments when I wondered how Luke and Leia were going to escape.

Creature creation was similarly unique and better than in the first 20 comics of "Doomworld." In "The Long Hunt/A Duel of Eagles" we meet the winged people of Skye. In "Cavern of the Crawling Death" we learn about stone mites that destroy everything they contact as they eat it.

There are a few departures from the Star Wars universe as we know it today that are forgivable given that the second two Star Wars movies had yet to be released. We see a Jabba the Hut very different from the slug-like creature we came to know and loathe. We also see the continuing romance between Luke and Leia, though we also know that they are brother and sister. Yet, the general tone of the stories fits well within the Star Wars universe, and the astute reader can see some of the substantial creativity yet to come.

If you read "Doomworld" and liked it, you'll find that "Dark Encounters" is substantially better and more interesting. The quality of the stories is still lower than the general caliber of the Dark Horse stories, but some of them are very creative and interesting. For those readers that look back fondly on memories of comics from the 60s and 70s, these are the types of stories that you remember well. Enjoy!

Solid Improvement
3.5 stars actually.

The artwork, and the plotting improves dramatically in this second collection of Marvel stories. Unlike most of the first collection, these stories mostly feel like they could take place in the Star Wars universe and are viable adventures that the heroes could have had before The Empire Strikes Back.

Still though, they are not stellar work by any means, merely solid. In retrospect, due to the authors not knowing where George Lucas was going, some of the things you see cause some cognitive dissonance. No fault of the authors, but it is still jarring to see things you know are untrue.

Decent artwork, and stories in a rather large collection make this a worthwhile collection if you'd like to read a sort of slightly altered universe of what the Star Wars characters did between the movies.

Green Rabbits and Cyborg Bounty Hunters...
I've just ordered the reprint trade paperback reprints of these Marvel books. I remember reading and re-reading all of these "beyond the movie" adventures when I was a kid. It was just such an incredible charge to see what Luke, Han, and company were doing between the movies. Water worlds, gambling satellites, Darth Vader learning the name of the Death Star's destroyer(a nice plot device), the blocky artwork and awkward poses of Carmine Infantino artwork, wondering WHY these adventurers NEVER changed their clothes as they NEVER seemed to make their way back to Yavin Base after their Flash Gordon-esque side-adventures... Oh, and we can't forget that Obi-Wan Jedi story with the droid 68RKO (which were the call letters of a radio station if I'm not mistaken)...They really DID capture the imagination. Hopefully, Dark Horse will get around to publishing a VOLUME 3 because therein lie the BEST Marvel STAR WARS tales. But these first two will take you to a Long Time Ago in a Decade Not Far Away Enough--The Seventies. You'll see the pop-cultural impact of the first wave of STAR WARS mania, in many ways as endearingly cheesy as that Thanksgiving Holiday special. If you remember these, you will LOVE them all over again...if you don't, then prepare to be mightily entertained, whether you like comics, STAR WARS, or pop-culture in general. These books definitely belong on your shelf...

Even better than the first collection!
This is the second trade paperback reprinting the original Marvel Star Wars comics from the late 70's/early 80's. It picks up immediately following the first trade paperback, and goes forward (timeline-wise) up to the first issue of Marvel's Empire Strikes Back adaptation.

Now, I've already given the first volume a good review, and this one's not going to be any different. I enjoyed these stories immensely when they first came out, and it still gives me a thrill to glance through my collection every now and then. Some of the covers were amazing!

The stories, for the most part, are the strongest from Marvel's entire line. The very last story in the collection, a fill-in tale where Luke and Leia end up on a large ship that is alive and has emotions, is probably the strongest in the entire batch. But there are other great moments mingled in with the rest. I think the issues featuring bounty hunters (including a cyborg) and the role they play in the Star Wars Universe are particulary interesting reads. And the story where Han and Chewy are trapped in a cavern with metal-eating termites chewing away at the Millenium Falcon (while a very thin Jabba the Hut stands outside the cave waiting for Solo to exit) is a classic.

Of course, not all of the stories work. There are some cheesy moments when Luke returns to Tatooine, and a few other issues that look like the artwork was rushed to meet a deadline, but overall, most of the issues are still fun to read.

Should you buy it? If you're a Star Wars nut, of course! But I think these stories would also be great for a parent looking for some good safe stories set in the Star Wars universe to give to their son/daughter. ... Read more

Book Description

March 6, 2035. Motoko Aramaki is a hyper-advanced cyborg, a counter-terrorist net security expert heading the investigative department of the giant multi-national, Poseidon Industrial. Partly transcending the physical world and existing in a virtual world of networks, Motoko is a fusion of multiple entities and identities, deploying remotely controlled prosthetic humanoid surrogates around the globe to solve a series of bizarre crimes. Meanwhile, Tamaki Tamai, a psychic investigator from the Channeling Agency, has been commissioned to investigate strange changes in the temporal universe,brought about by two forces, one represented by the teachings of a professor named Rahampol, and the other by the complex, evolving Motoko entity. What unfolds will be all in a day's work...a day that will change everything, forever. ... Read more

Book Description

The Sith Empire has rallied its forces for an all-out battle for control of the galaxy. Its goal: Crush the Republic. And with so many Sith Masters among them, the goal is not unachievable. As Naga Sadow readies his fleet to attack, one lone person threatens to undermine the entire campaign -- Jori Daragon. She isn`t a Jedi. She`s an explorer, a mapper of hyperspace who stumbled on the plans of the Sith. And she just may be the savior of the Republic. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Read!
I do not agree with any of the negative past reviews given here. I thought Fall of the Sith Empire was a fitting conclusion to the setup in The Golden Age of the Sith. The information within and its events lead up to other comic and Star Wars storylines. It is told more like a story passed down for generations, a feeling I think the author wanted. In actuallity it is a story told from the events known to a young jedi who is now a master. He is later seen, much older, in the Dark lords of the Sith series (the story of Exar Kun).So there is not great detail in points that do not need more info. You are getting the basic story as to what happened and why, and that is great. No one else has tried to tackle this era in the Star Wars history. Also, i think the art work is justified in its rought style. The setting is in the SW past, and the story is not overly detailed; these characteristics lead to a rough look that was very satisfying. It would not be perfect like the Star Wars present and future time periods. People are entitled to their opinions, but I think some missed the point when actually figuring out why elements of the comic where done in certain ways.

Now we take we back to ancient egypt...
This is the conclusion of the Golden Age of the Sith. The Fall is also set 5,000 years before NEW HOPE. While the art work also improves, yes I said improves, the story seems to disintegrate into itself. Since I like some of KJA's work, I am assuming that he was not the lead writer, just placed first alphabetically. Nothing important happens here so don't feel you need to waste your money buying this book, unless you want to buy mine!

Isn't there supposed to be a point?
Once again, I state that I've never been an Anderson fan. 'Golden Age of the Sith' had some streong points, like a decent plot and beautiful art. Alas, the art quality drops a bit here and the story goes into a nosedive. There's almost no plot, save for a big battle. Granted, it can be pretty visually complex and interesting, drawing back to an old style of combat, but overall its quite lacking.

I've gotten out a fine-toothed comb, but cannot find any cohesive story, unfortunately. Read it only as a conclusion for 'Golden Age', but don't expect a lot.

WoW it is Exar Kun!
This is a cool book that is about the Sith and moast of all Sith Lord Exar Kun.

Action packed conclusion to The Golden Age of the Sith
If you liked The Golden Age of the Sith but wanted much more action, this is the perfect addition for you to read. It concludes the events in its predecessor with great storytelling and it's jam-packed with action. This is one of the best stories in the Star Wars universe, with several conflicts occurring at once. You'll also discover an age where everything was primitive by Star Wars standards and Coruscant looked like a large Egyptian city. This TPB continues Dark Horse's tradition of classic action-packed stories combined with descriptive and entertaining illustrations. A must-have, but make sure you read The Golden Age of the Sith first! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tom Veitch's original comic strip story traces Luke Skywalker's entrance into the Dark Side in the years after the fall of Darth Vader. The Empire is fragmented, and the Rebels seem on the verge of winning their long struggle when the sinister power of World Devastators emerges from the galactic core. These Devastators chew up worlds and manufacture robotic war machines out of the resources they consume. Luke's dark journey seems the only way to halt the massacre. But despite the importance of Luke in Dark Empire, the portrayal of Leia as an emerging Jedi is really the centerpiece of this volume. Married to Han (who goes flat in Veitch's hands) and with two children, Leia is torn between her role as mother and her role as Jedi warrior. While the story sometimes jumps too quickly between major scenes, Veitch does a good job of capturing the epic feel of George Lucas's masterpiece trilogy. Cam Kennedy's artwork is mixed in quality. Some of his drawings of the Millennium Falcon, hunter-killer probes, and robotic TIE-fighters seem to leap directly from the movie screen, while his human figures (especially of Han and Luke) can appear generic. Also, his style of coloring, using washes of similar colors on each page, is good for capturing moods but tends to obscure details. Despite these occasional shortcoming, this comic is recommended for one simple reason: once you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down. The other two parts of the Dark Empire trilogy include: Dark Empire II and Empire's End.--Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Luke becomes the apprentice of a ressurected Emporer.
The opening pages of "Dark Empire" gripped me instantly, and I wasn't disappointed by the storyline. The characters are familiar and the technology and diversity of aliens, planets, and vehicles are worthy of the "Star Wars" name. The only drawback is that the artwork can become a bit confusing and sloppy at times, but a true "Star Wars" fan will be able to look past that. In chronology, it and its sequel "Dark Empire II" take place between "The Last Command" and "Jedi Search". It contains a vital chunk of the "Star Ears" saga, although this is a comic book with no novelization. Definately worth a look.

Hold the phone! Let's look at the facts here!
Ok, this isn't a review of Dark Empire, but rather a counterpoint to the people who are blasting a very good peice of Star Wars expanded literature. Quite frankly, the Dark Empire trilogy is not the shipwreck that many people are making it out to be. Ok, the "Galaxy Gun" wasn't a very good name for a superweapon (cannon would have been better), but for the sake of Starwars fans everywhere, I'll just deal with the two biggest problems people seem to be having, the return of the Emperor and Luke's supposed switch to the Darkside. Considering you scrolled down this far, you already know the basic plot.

Yes, Vader's killing of Palpatine was a great ending to Lucas' saga. But the idea in Dark Empire is Palpatine and his empire were an evil so great that no one person could destroy them. It took Vader and his children, Luke and Leia, to finally put an end to Palpatine reign. Eventhough Han, in typical fashion, blows away the emperor's last (weak and genetically unstable) clone in Empire's End, it was stated that by Palpatine's doctor that he would die forever very soon unless he found a jedi to posses after his defeat and loss of aceptable clones in Dark Empire and Dark Empire II. So technically, it was Luke and Leia who "defeated" Palpatine. Luke also does the impossible by defeating the Emperor himself in physical combat (Which I felt was lacking even in the movie trilogy), something no jedi had ever done, and destroyed Palpatines best clones (with a little help from a revolting warrior or two). All these grafical novels do is expand the confict with Palpatine from Vader, down to the next generation, Luke and Leia, which is quite appropreate if one is familer with the Star Wars universe.

There is also a crystal clear explanation which is stated several times why Luke "turned" to the darkside. It was stated that Luke was trying to learn all of Palpatines dark secrets and then use them to destroy him and his empire once and for all. Come on! If Luke really turned to the darkside immediately why would he give the New Republic the codes to beat the invincible world devastators? Later on though, Luke does go too far into the darkside and Leia has to save him, like Luke did with Vader. Luke also did it to understand his father better, he needed to know why his father became Darth Vader. There's also a dozen pages in the back of Dark Empire which runs through the whole plot again! For crying out loud! Did these critics even read the book! Anyway, don't be put off by a few naysayers, the Dark Empire trilogy is better than bad, its great!

Purists, lighten up...Dark Empire is classic Star Wars....
It is a time of peril for the New Republic. Six years after the Battle of Endor, the destruction of the Empire's second Death Star, and the defeat of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the war for control of the galaxy still rages on.

Despite their victory over the infamous Grand Admiral Thrawn a year before, the former Rebels have been forced to evacuate Coruscant after a successful invasion by resurgent Imperial forces. But when the Empire's "leaders" begin to fight over the right to govern, civil war breaks out and gives Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian and Alliance troops an opening to carry out a daring raid on Coruscant itself. But the mission goes awry and Skywalker and Calrissian crash-land their captured Star Destroyer at the heart of the Imperial City.

But when Han Solo and his wife Leia, accompanied by Chewbacca and C-3PO, attempt to rescue Luke and Lando, they are taken aback by Luke's refusal to go with them back to the secret Alliance base known as Pinnacle. Instead, he allows himself to be whisked off by a dark side storm, leaving his twin sister and her husband to wonder if the burdens of being a Jedi Master are too heavy for Luke to bear alone.

When this new chapter of the Star Wars Expanded Universe was first published as a six-issue comic book series by Dark Horse, I had mixed feelings. The concept was daring...Luke falls to the dark side of the Force (or does he?), the Emperor, thought to be dead at the end of Return of the Jedi, is back, thanks to the power of cloning technology...heck, even Boba Fett is revealed to having not being found "digestible" by the Sarlacc. All very fascinating, but wasn't Tom Veitch pushing things a bit too far? So even though I read my friend Geno's six issues from cover to cover, I thought, "Nawww....I'm not buying this. It doesn't fit into the Star Wars saga...."

Ah. Silly me. When I read Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Search, the first installment of the Jedi Academy Trilogy, I noticed certain references to the reconstruction of both Coruscant and Mon Calamari, which had been subjected to battle and siege in Dark Empire. There were also passing references to the reborn Emperor. Later, when I broke down and bought this one volume collection, I read the introduction by Anderson and realized that the changes Veitch made in the Star Wars storyline were just too big to ignore. Even though as a Star Wars fan I know the only "official" version is the six-Episode film saga as written, produced, and/or directed by George Lucas, I lightened up and came to accept Dark Empire and its two sequels as an integral -- and fun -- part of the Expanded Universe.

The story by Veitch (once you get over the "how dare he?" reaction to it) is so well-written that you wish it had been a pure prose novel. The artwork by Cam Kennedy is innovative and at times almost impressionistic....as far as comics art is concerned I prefer the photo-realistic style of the prequel adaptations, but that doesn't take away from its beauty.

An Empire Reborn...
Since Star Wars creator, George Lucas, stated that his original saga only has six parts, it fell to Dark Horse Comics to further the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, and the rest after the events in Return Of The Jedi and author Tim Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. The story (fully sanctioned by Lucas) in Dark Empire fits into the Star Wars mythos very nicely.

Six years after Jedi, The ruthless Empire is reborn, under the leadership of a mysterious figure, following the defeat of Grand Admiral Thrawn. This, as the Rebel Alliance restablish order throughout the Galaxy. As the new leader of the empire puts his evil plan into motion, Luke Skywalker, and his allies struggle to figure out what's really going on. Meanwhile, henchmen of Jabba The Hutt, have placed a large bounty on the heads of Han Solo and Leia.

Writer Tom Veich crafted a story that has a Star Wars feel to it. He has captured the escence of these very well known characters on these pages. While Admiral Thrawn is no Vader or Palpatine, he does make a worthy adversary, just the same. The action, humor, and wonder of the first trilogy are for the most part, recreated here.

As for the art, I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with Cam Kennedy's renderings of the Star Wars universe. The character likenesses are ok but not as detailed as the book's cover art by Dave Dorman-great stuff. Kennedy makes everything seem just a bit off. For the most part, abstract color combinations, take over most of the panels---this really detracts from book's fine story. The book also contains the story's original outline

Still, Dark Empire, is a must read for Star Wars fans

This one satisfies your curiosity
OK, your reading the novels and you wonder why Wedge is driving a large recycler in the opening of a book. Then you read references to the Clone Emperor or resurrected emperor and that Luke once went to the dark side and came back. Dark Empire is where those things happen.

It is a pretty good story with above average art work. Some of the art is stunning! It was this comic that got me interested in the art of DAVE DORMAN. DAVE IS AMAZING!

Palpatine gets cloned and has a new super weapon. Luke goes to the dark side to stop the Emperor. Coruscant gets blasted (or is it corresaunt now). Leia, undertrained as she is goes to rescue her brother. The two are never more powerful again.

After surviving and defeating the resurrected emperor, Leia and luke go back to their old selves in future novels ie: Leia is only barely competitent, and Luke is distracted almost to the point of incompetitence at times (one of my big grips in some books).

This is the first of 3 comics on this thread. You can skip the other two, but this one is worthwhile. For an additional treat, do a search of "dave dorman art" and check out where-ever he is. You'll like what you find. ... Read more

Book Description

The Jedi are taught to use the Force for good; to avail themselves only to the light side. But the dark side can be a dangerous temptation to even the strongest Jedi. Set against the backdrop of the Clone Wars, this novel-length adventure is filled with espionage, betrayal, and amazing lightsaber battles. It all begins with a dangerous undercover assignment that leads to...well, we dare not reveal the shocking ending! A story that is sure to have Star Wars fans talking - and wondering whether the fate of the Jedi lies in the light, or the dark. ... Read more

Book Description

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... featuring classic Star Wars stories not seen in over twenty years! Originally printed by Marvel Comics, these stories have been recolored and are sure to please Star Wars fans both new and old. Volume 1 contains stories from the original Marvel run like the riveting classics"Eight for Aduba-3," "Star Search," and the smash hit of June 1978 "Doomworld!" ... Read more

Reviews (10)

20 stories all in one hugh book
This is a review of Star Wars - A Long time Ago... Doomworld, also referred to as volume I, which collects issues 1 through 20 of the Marvel comic series Star Wars. This is ISBN 1569717540 published June, 2002; made in China.

First the binding. Because Dark horse has had trouble with the TPB's bindings that are made in China, and because this is 369 pages, my copy has excellent binding. I actually read it without the comic falling apart in my hands!

With the exception of the binding problems, Dark horse has been producing comics that are visually awesome in terms of the inking and reproduction quality. You can still argue about the artwork and pencil work itself, because they use so many people and try different styles. There are those artists whose style I just don't care for. I say that to remind one that these are reproductions of comics that marvel created A LONG TIME AGO... Dark Horse has actually enhanced the original quality.

The quality of the pencil work varies here by story, but generally it was not bad. You'll have little trouble identifying who is who. Generally the artwork is a D to a C when compared to what DH produces today. However the inking is excellent. I recall no story where the color appeared to be washed out.

As for the stories themselves, I read these with my son, and he likes the ones with lots of action and vibrant drawings. You get both here, because with 20 different stories you do get variety.

This is a 2.5 star rounded up to 3 for the effort that DH put into improving the quality of this comics visual elements.

A Blast From the Past (When Comics weren't Just For Adults!)
I was 6 when Star Wars was first unleashed on the public, and I was lucky enough to have a Mom that supported her young son's comic-book reading habit; The biggest problem of any comic reader in those long-forgotten days was spotty newsstand distribution- It was almost impossible to collect EVERY issue of your favorite comic.....for almost 25 years I've been wondering how Luke and company managed to get off of that Water Planet in Star Wars #14....

THANK GOD FOR DARK HORSE! My wondering days are over! Doomworld collects issues 1-20 of Marvel's original Star Wars series in glorious full-color, on beautiful paper with great production values. The book opens with an incredibly faithful adaptation of the movie, then goes off into some surprising territory: Han and Chewie star in an outer-space "Magnificent Seven", where they team with a giant green Rabbit and an old man named "Don-Wan Kihotay" to face off against "Serji-X Arrogantus", a thinly disguised version of Mad Magazine cartoonist Sergio Aragones; Luke and the Droids crash on a Waterworld years before Kevin Costner made that awful movie; Han squares off against a "Gaily" attired pirate and his man-hating female crony; and everyone ends up in the deep-space Las Vegas for the big cliffhanger. The stories are a bit removed from what the films delivered, but I took a bit of umbrage at the back-cover copy which calls the Marvel stories "Kitschy"; Dark Horse has published a few duds themselves ("Union", anyone...?); At least these stories are entertaining!

As a kid, I hated the artists that worked on these stories. As an adult, I can appreciate the draftsmanship and storytelling ability that they brought to the series. Howard Chaykin, Carmine Infantino, Tom Palmer, Terry Austin, Herb Trimpe, Al Milgrom...They're all legends, and with good reason. (The only gaffe, artwise, is the pairing of Chaykin and Frank Springer in chapter seven. Springer's inks are atrocious!) The art looks better than ever, thanks to the vibrant colors and slick paper. And aside from Roy Thomas' propensity for making Han say (OVER and OVER again!) "WELL then there now!", the characters STAY in character. Lucasfilm may have decided that the stories are no longer canonical, but that doesn't mean they're not fun! And the price just can't be beat! Give Doomworld a try if you're looking for something a little bit different. WELL then there now!

Nostalgic and Corny
Before the days of Dark Horse there was: THIS STUFF. On the one hand, this is what we once had. On the other hand, some of it was really corny. Sometimes the art was pretty awful. Other times it was the story line. Yet, through it all it was a lot like a grade B movie in comic book form; fun to read though you could never take it too seriously.

Some of the ideas were pure corn. How about a giant carnivorous rabbit (Jaxxon). The Don Wan Kioti character was right out of "The Man of La Mancha." There are other examples, but these suffice to give you a rough idea.

In spite of all the corn, these things are fun to read. The stories take me back to the days of yore when comics really were oriented towards young boys rather than adults, and we ate these things up. Of course, these were what we had, and we had no comparison to the quality graphics in todays comics. Many people in the industry are loath to call them comics.

While the book is a bit pricey, on the other hand you do get 20 comics. The book is pretty thick and the reproductions are good. You have to be a hard-core Star Wars fan or nostalgic for original Star Wars comics to want these, but for either of those groups, enjoy!

Weak movie adaptation improves afterward
Howard Chaykin is one of my favorite, if not the favorite comic book artists/writers. That is why it is so disappointing to see his work in this compilation. It is incredulous that the man who produced the gorgeous, crisp, clean art of American Flagg was responsible for the sloppy, hurried art presented in his issues. After Carmine Infantino takes over though, the art improves markedly.

The first six issues are an adaptation of the movie, although it bears much more resemblance to the novelization as it includes such things as Luke seeing his friends on Tatooine, Luke being a part of Blue group rather than Red. The first cover features a red-headed Princess Leia and a green Darth Vader in a mistake of galactic proportions. Also editing errors are rife throughout the adaptation with weapons being called different names throughout and not often matching what they were called in the movie. I can only hope they rushed these out 1 a week the quality was so low.

After we get through the movie adaptation things improve, though for a while we get some really bad editing. Names spelled differently in different panels for one thing. Still though, despite the improvement in plotting there are still some laughably bad ideas such as Don-Wan Kihotay(also spelled Don-Wan Kioti) the Man of La Mancha Jedi ripoff.

There is continual improvement though and we eventually get to see some nice, plausible adventures of what may have happened to our heroes after the destruction of the Death Star. Chewbacca though never really looks much like Chewbacca.

Two stars for the beginning, and the continual improvement brings it up to three stars.

Good writing, goofy art. OK extrapolation from original.
Archie Goodwin's plots were great, but the art that accompanies these stories are sometimes painful to look at. The square-jawed, super-muscled look doesn't really match our on-screen versions of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. The idealized voluptiousness of Leia isn't exactly a dead ringer for Carrie Fisher, either. And if you're looking for Jabba the Hutt, this isn't the place to see him unless you remember him as a yellow, seal-faced humanoid.

Despite the cosmetic differences though, the characters are decently expanded and given interesting things to do. Luke's adventures on a water planet 20 years before Attack of the Clones make us wonder why we didn't see Jango and Obi-Wan riding the serpents in their modern version. The blind, vengeful Baron Tagge provides an interesting side to the Jedi mythology as he seeks to destroy Darth Vader, the man who robbed him of his sight. And assorted background characters like The Starkiller Kid and Valance the Hunter bring some fresh perspective to the events of the galaxy. These were the first looks at Luke and friends from outside the eyes of Rebellion or Empire, decades before the "Tales from the..." anthologies were published. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Fair Book
Golden Age of the Sith is not the best Star Wars comic I have read. I recomend it to any Star Wars fan who wants to learn more about the Sith.

Confusing start for the Old Republic Jedi
On the SW time line this is the first of the OLD REPUBLIC ERA stories released Aug 1997. Written by Kevin j Anderson, author of the JEDI ACADEMY TRILOGY (1994), KJA is one of the more important writers in the SW universe, or at least he was. He wrote the young jedi series, and those kids are now the heart of the jedi in the NJO series of books. He also wrote the Essential chronology with Daniel Wallace released in 2000. These old republic are comics have been criticized as almost unrecognizable from the jedi that luke is training.
It is not my job to defend KJA and his story, but times were different. What I can't explain away is the poor editing. All the ORE comics are confusing as heck. Most of them have no importance to the Skywalker era. The art work that gets a C grade, but Darkhorse has made tremendous strides in later comics. Comics produced in 2002 and 2003 have stunning artwork! I'll give this comic a 3 star review for starting things off.

5,000 years before Anakin and Luke
This is actually the first STAR WARS story in the entire chronology. Although be advised that it was published by Dark Horse Comics later in the TALES OF THE JEDI (TOTJ) run, in 1996-1997, as 5 issues and one #0 issue.

If you're going to read the TOTJ series, I recommend you start with this one. It's a great introduction to the Old Republic and the hidden Sith empire.

Kevin J. Anderson does a good job with the story and the characters. Some backstory on the origin of the Sith is provided. It is very cool to see the Sith and their manipulations, the conflict among themselves. The art is very good, with impressive planets and character designs. There is a nice level of detail and the coloring is above average.

I really like TOTJ because it is so far removed from all other incarnations of SW. There is so much to explore, and the history of the Sith is something that has always been of keen interest to me.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SITH is a fast-paced read that entertains all the way through.

This story is concluded in TALES OF THE JEDI: THE FALL OF THE SITH EMPIRE.

Interesting SW history, but hard to like
'Golden Age of the Sith', as the other Tales of the Jedi books, is a bit of a hard sell for fans and non fans. Fans of Star Wars will buy this book to complete their collections, and just might enjoy it for it's historic tale set in the far past of the Star Wars continuity. However, the tale is so bizarre that it bears almost no resemblance to the current Star Wars universe. For some it might be a drawing point, but I think others will be turned off by this. Non fans will turn away, as the story isn't particularly intriguing and the art is sub-par. The rest of the 'Tales of the jedi' stories are much better.

Hardly the best of Star Wars
I found this to be a mixed package. Once again, I state that I've never been a Kevin J. Anderson fan. His earlier novels and comics were pretty good, but after his first few the quality virtually vanished.

The story of Gav and Jori is a bit of a bore, and even though you're supposed to feel sympathetic toward these two, I just didn't feel it. The Sith, meanwhile, turn out to be a bunch of squabling fools. The only character who is really worth a dime is Naga Shadow.

The art by Carrasco was good, though. His art style is well-fitted for the ancient 'Tales of the Jedi' series. (Any attempts to transplant him into 'modern' Star Wars, though, don't prove very fortunate, as 'Leviathan' proved.) The Sith architecture and garb is well-done, with beautiful vistas and the Egyptian-style tombs and architecture. Even the warships have a certain flair to them.

Overall, the art's about as good as the story is lackluster. Insight into the ancient Sith is unfortunately little. Flip through it, take a look at the nice, old-style art, and then I reccomend putting it back on the shelf. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Planetary 3
Solid installment of Ellis' _Planetary_ series. The threads begin to come together even more tightly, but remain loose enough for continued mystery as the series continues.

rare 21st century gem
Beautifully drawn and conceived.Ellis takes us on stunning walks of levity and gravity, fantasy and gritty realism.One cannot help but wonder how much is imagained and how much is based on fact.He's found the line where pop-culture and reality collide ... some of his best work, certainly, and perhaps the first great comic book to define life in te 21st century.

A word to the wise, though ... don't pick this volume up if you haven't read the first two ... you'll be missing out.

Warren Ellis is strange and a terrible writer.
The writings of Warren Ellis, well they promote drugs, paranoia, inmature dialoge between men and women, and commentey by aman who clearly hates himself and the world around him. As this load of garbage shows.DC Comics should have nothing to do with this quack's wriings, and speaking as someone who works in the publishing field as both editor andwriter.I would not give the man's scripts one passing thought, They are not worth it.

Planetary: Leaving the 20th Century
In this 3rd installment of Planetary (collecting issues 13-18), Ellis and Cassaday take their X-Files-on-steroids creation through a familiar landscape of comicbook/literary/pop culture - including take-offs on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Thor, kung fu flick 'Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon', Tarzan, and Jules Verne's sci-fi classic 'From the Earth to the Moon'.


Warren Ellis rivals Alan Moore aned Neil Gaiman as a writer who commands repeated readings as the war between Planetary and the Syndicate(X-Files)-like 'Four' (who are themselves evil send-ups of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four) escalates. John Cassaday's art is consistently breathtaking and more than equalls Ellis' strong writing.


Do read the first 2 Planetary graphic novels first ('All Over the World' and 'The Fourth Man') before continuing here and beyond. The good news is there is more to come.


Also recommended: Planetary:Crossing Worlds (excellent short stories outside of regular continuity); Alan Moore and Kevin O'neil's 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' (both Vol. I & II are great). ... Read more

Book Description

She was the catalyst that helped to turn a rag-tag rebellion into the Rebel Alliance. She provided the impetus for the "Heroes of Yavin" in their attack on the Death Star. And she was the spark that ignited the flames of passion in one of the galaxy's most notorious rogues. "She," of course, is Princess Leia, the leader - and heart - of the Rebellion against Palpatine's galactic Empire. The four stories in this volume follow Leia from the weeks just before the events in A New Hope, to the time just before The Empire Strikes Back - from her first transforming experience with armed rebellion, to facing the ramifications of consequences of the destruction of her home planet, to the beginnings of true love. ... Read more

Book Description

From one of the swamp moons of Naboo, to the war-torn cityscapes of Brentaal IV, the battles of the Clone Wars have thrown the galaxy into turmoil. New Separatist threats, ranging from deadly biological weapons, to dark Jedi, to unkillable alien bounty hunters, have the loyalist Jedi and their clone troops pushed to their limits. This graphic novel collection contains three separate, yet linked stories of heroism and sacrifice set during the time between Episode II and Episode III! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

SUPERB QUALITY CONTROL WORKS.
I have been critical of the occasional lack of quality control by lazy editors at dark horse. But this comic is magnificent! I had tripidations when i realized that two writters, 3 pencilers and 3 inkers were involved. But the editors and everyone else did their jobs and the results are tremendous.

The master plan for the entire PRE-QUEL endeavor has been very satisfying so far, unlike the extremely disappointing NJO. Here the master plan combines excellent novels and comic books with the movies to tell the story.

Excellent followup to volume 1. Great job Lucas films and darkhorse.

The New Face of War
The Clone Wars rage on in this exciting volume.

This book contains the first appearances of the two new villains of the Clone Wars: the bounty hunter Durge, and Asajj Ventress, the female Dark Jedi.

If you saw the CW animated series than you are familiar with these villains. They are great new characters, and are the new face of war. Durge has a very cool look as well as an entertaining personality and dialogue.

The art is handled by three artists, all of them excellent. This features the first time Brian Ching drew an issue (Republic #53), and it's nice detailed work. Jan Duuresma is outstanding, as usual. Tomas Giorello also does a commendable job.

Dark Horse is really doing tremendous work with Star Wars right now. In my opinion, the current SW comics are among the best they've ever published.

The Wars continue...
Anyone who has read the first collected comic "Star Wars: Clone Wars; Volume 1" knows that the art work and story lines are excellent!!!

This issue expands on the conflict of the Clone Wars and develops the characters more so you can really get a feel for who they are and how they act, especially the Sith Warriors. Volume 2 contains much more action than Volume 1 and leaves you wanting the next Volume already!

If you have a love for Star Wars and the expanded universe of the comics; or if you just love a few great war stories in a sci-fi setting, this is the comic for you. However it should be said that although this comic can be read without reading the first volume, those that have read the first will enjoy this comic more as they can notice the character development and know the origins of some of the conflicts in this volume.

Happy reading and (Always wanted to say this), May the Force be with you! ... Read more

Book Description

This is where the legend began! A look into the early, pivotal period of the Marvel Universe, when five fledgling heroes - Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk - banded together to fight the foes no single hero could overcome! But how did the public react? How did the U.S. government react? Previously untold secrets surrounding the formation of the Avengers are revealed here. Five individuals must learn to work as a team and forge a legend!Collects Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #1-8. ... Read more

Book Description

A floating city promises hope for humans and mutants alike! But if Cable plans to be Earth's Savior, will Deadpool accept the role of Judas? Plus: the traumatic, tragic, and tantric events of "The Burnt-Offering" have left Cable - well, "regurgitated" - now Deadpool has to save the day! Even if it means confronting his fear of very big-headed villains! And the challenge of finding someone who can fix technology from thousands of years in the future.Collects Cable/Deadpool #7-12. ... Read more

Book Description

The explosive finale to one of graphic fiction's greatest achievements is here! The mad psychic colossus Tetsuo, the world's military, and the remaining psychics of The Project face off -- with the child psychic god, Akira, the wild card -- in what may not only decide the fate of mankind, but may determine the next step in human evolution! This long-awaited volume -- a staggering 440 pages -- features the impossible-to-find final chapters of Akira, never before collected in the U.S., presented as they were intended to be seen in their original, stunning black and white! Featuring a revised translation and top-quality art reproduction, this is the final edition of one of comics' definitive works, a six-volume epic of over two thousand pages. Katsuhiro Otomo's entire masterpiece is finally available -- only from Dark Horse! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The end of THE epic!
Wow! Akira has finally ended. Some twenty years after Otomo got the Akira project started, it still remains as one of the greatest tales of our time.
From the beginning of this 400+ page book to its end it is well written, drawn, and presented. We learn what is to come of Tsteuo, Noe-Tokyo, and the universe. The ending is very unclear and ambiguous, but it really shows the status of the entire story.
Otomo has given us a beautiful masterpiece that needs not to be forgotten. Long live AKIRA!

Wow...
The only other Akira book I have read is Book 2 (though I am attempting to rectify this situation) so when I came to this book, although I knew the basic storyline and the characters, I still had quite a few gaps. It didn't matter. This book was dramatic, powerful and eerie. The drawings are excellent and it's an amazing finale to the story.
Part of the reason I was so impressed with this was that although the story is sci-fi/apocalyptic, Otomo has not (unlike quite a few others writing in this genre) neglected character development and complexity. I don't want to give away the story, but I'll just say a lot of this book made me cry - and not a lot of things do that.
The ending is...ambiguous, and pretty poignant - something about Tokyo rising from the ruins still gives me a lump in my throat. I disagree with those who say it's a cop-out, or too weird - it suited the book, and it was such a contrast to all that had happened.
The only reason I took a star off is that sometimes there's too much violence for my taste, and also I found the expulsion of the soldiers at the end sort of weird. But this may simply be due to my lack of knowledge of the other books.
Overall, I would recommend this book HIGHLY, but do read the others first. It can only enhance your enjoyment of this one.

Compelling
All in all, the book is a satisfying read. It leaves some of the mysteries open, like whatever happens to that mega-psychic boy Akira, and what's with Kaneda, Kei, and their motorbike gang with the ruined Tokyo.
It is both satisfying and saddening to see a good story ends, yet I would rather see it end there than be dragged on and on as in the case of many other comic books.

Non-Stop action!
Akira Volume 6 brings the story to a shattering conclusion, as all of the surviving characters converge to attempt to stop the mad Tetsuo. And what will they do with the Godlike child Akira..?

The great thing about epics, in any medium, is the amount of time they have to develop their characters. I can't imagine the Akira movie being as satisfying as the books. (I'll see soon enough- I loved the books so much I ordered the Akira DVD.) Considering that the final chapter is 400+ pages of non-stop action, it's a good thing Otomo built his characters up heavily in the previous 5 chapters. The art is sensational, and the writing is top-notch; Otomo manages to deliver a satisfying (If somewhat head-scratching...) ending. Maybe the highest compliment I can give is that I was sorry to see it end.

Climax, Conclusion...and Beginning...
Allow me to reiterate:

Amidst the flotsam and jetsam of former pop-culture sensations, there are a few items of media that, through sheer visceral creative force, transcend the 'cool one moment, cliché the next' element of disposable entertainment. The Japanese manga/movie _Akira_ is among these rare and dignified. Although the movie version is cluttered and convoluted, an epic mess--and what can one expect from the effort of reducing 2000 pages into two hours?--there still remains a power and presence to it that is at once unnerving and captivating.

I "got" Akira upon my first viewing, but like many others found the movie unsatisfying on a basic level. Characters and concepts popped up out of nowhere, seemingly important to the overall arc, yet remaining undeveloped. It felt as if an enormous amount of back-story was left untold. Thankfully, Dark Horse has decided to give the manga version of _Akira_ the definitive publishing it deserves, to fill in the gaps and give us a deeper and far more gratifying glimpse into Katsuhiro Otomo's astonishing vision of dystopia.

And now, finally, volume six is here, containing story and art never before seen on these shores. Here Otomo takes the hints and fragments presented by the film--Tetsuo's metamorphosis, the fate of Neo-Tokyo, the showdown of primal force between Akira and his prodigy companions--and ties them together in a way that, as an end result, far overshadows the 16mm attempt. I have to agree with a fellow reviewer who claims that the movie and manga compliment each other...but while the former is interesting and challenging, the latter is far more essential in terms of scope and overall achievement.

The art is, as usual, clean and crisp and amazingly complex; one can simply contemplate the detail of various panels for hours on end. But the story is paced at such an ongoing peak (especially considering the cliffhanger ending to vol. 5) that upon first reading you may do what I did: breeze through the pages, totally involved in the build-up/release of conflict, while using the art as merely a visual representation for the ongoing story. Thus, Akira vol. 1-6 contains immense re-read potential: firstly to glean Otomo's philosophical ponderings on energy and consciousness, secondly to appreciate the amazing artwork.

And the ending...in true Japanese form, the very ambiguity of it hints at a far larger story in progression; the end is the beginning, apparently. Those with concrete story-structure paradigms may find it unsatisfactory, but I personally loved the surreal suggestions.

Truly an epic, in all sense of the word. Five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Ten years after the Sith War, the Dark Lord of the Sith`s chief lieutenant, Ulic Qel-Droma has been stripped of his Force powers and has isolated himself in a distant corner of the galaxy, trying to escape from a life he would rather forget. But his past is about to catch up with him as he is tracked down by Vima, the daughter of Nomi Sunrider, the woman who blinded Ulic to the Force. Vima seeks a teacher and Ulic sees in her a chance at redemption. Unfortunately, Vima`s disappearance draws attention, and the search party sent to look for her includes a vicious Jedi seeking revenge upon Ulic for killing her mate. Collecting the four-issue mini-series. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Redemption in the Star Wars universe
Although the universe of Star Wars novels are cluttered with terrible stories, one can always count the talented writers at Dark Horse comics to deliver a redeeming story for fans, and 'Redemption' is a good one.

A sequel to the 'Sith War' and possibly the last of the Tales of the Jedi books, 'Redemption' focuses on Ulic, a Jedi-gone-bad who seeks to find peace from his crimes. Of course, like in all melodrama, this can't be allowed, as the daughter of his former love comes looking for him. Of course, there are those who seek revenge as well, and come looking for it.

'Redemption' is a good story. Not great, but it definately has all the elements for a fun read. There's some action (although not as much as most other Star Wars stories) plenty of angst and drama, and just a touch of romance. A good story and strong characters make this one of the better Star Wars graphic novels out there, and an excellent finale to the 'Tales of the jedi' series.

The end of the Great Jedi - Sith Wars?
Redemption takes place 10 years after the Sith War, or on my Time Line, 3986 before NH. It is a TPB Comic collecting the issues 1 through 5 of STAR WARS: TALES OF THE JEDI REDEMPTION.

It is the continuing story of Ulic Qel-droma including Nomi Sunrider. Exar kun has been destroyed and Ulic stripped of his powers. This is his story of redemption, and his journey back to from the dark side. This is also supposed to be a story that is in the holocrons discovered 4000 years later.

We are still in the old republic Era but this comic released in July, 2001 presents Art and coloring that are a stunning improvement. Dark horse is on it way to arriving at the products that they finally start releasing in 2002.

On the SW timeline this is the first time we get to see the future of art, drawing and coloring that dark horse will be putting out in the future and it is spin chillingly great! Made in singapore, the binding is good and can stand the stess of someone actually opening the beook and reading it. After Dark Horse moves manufacture to China, the binding takes a sharp decline. Any attempt to actually open and read the comic can result in it falling apart in your hands.

This is written by Kevin j Anderson, so the continuity and foreshadowing are all here for those who are actively reading the SW offering of comic and Novels. I know Kevin gets his knocks, but I am a fan. He is one of the two authors I'd love to meet and talk to. Kevin, I hope you are alive and well! I also still argue that his JEDI ACADEMY trilogy is extremely important to the expanded universe.

The story at times appears to be a splice job, but that is not uncommon with dark horse. The cover is one of the worst ever produced, so turn the cover page out of site and enjoy.

Redemption is something Anderson will never find.
I am a person that loved the old Tales of the Jedi Saga. Originally Started by Tom Veitch, It was a Series ripe with Character, heart, action, and the certain charm that the jedi mythology is known for, all writtem magnificently well. In the Beginning tales of the Jedi was Dark Horses Flagship Star Wars Series. It was a Golden Age.

Then Tom Veitch made a horrible mistake. That mistake was Working with Kevin J Anderson, to create a Villan that would Appear in Andersons Novels, and in the TOTJ Series; Exar Kun. The Villan was one of the favorites in Star Wars expanded universe, but working with anderson meant that Veitch would have to allow Anderson to write the later half of the 12 issue series revolving around Exar Kuns rise to power from Jedi student to Sith Lord. From that Point onward, Thanks to Andersons horrid writing and complete dirth of talent, the TOTJ series started a downward spiral. Andersons Assault and the TOTJ series started with the Sith war, a lackluster story compared to the magnificent Dark Lord Of the Sith Prequal that set it up... Then Anderson Continued to obliterate this once grand series with Golden Age Of the Sith, and Fall Of The Sith Empire. This, was Andersons last chance to revive the series, why they didnt just ask Veitch to write it, I dont know. But this is the last TOTJ story that has been, and likely will ever be published. The Breathtaking and grand saga that Tom Veitch Began, was destroyed by a force darker then any Sith Lord or Dark Jedi; Kevin J Anderson has MUCH to answer for.

In all honesty, for most of this story, it seemed as though Anderson was on the right track. Ulic Found that during a near death experiance, in which he was welcoming death, he had a jedi vision from his dead master. Which should have been impossible, seeing as how his jedi powers were supposed to be sealed. This gave Ulic hope, and purpose to continue living, later... The daughter of the woman he once loved, Vima, showed up asking him to train her in the Jedi arts. Why him, well its a contrived plot point, but Nomi was supposedly too busy As a Jedi to train her daughter, and the other 5000 jedi that were around at the time were busy doing stuff to, or so would Anderson have you beleive. But despite the hideous amount of Plot Contrivance, including Andersons most hideous attempt at a romantic pairing yet, he did manage to create some decent story telling for once... Ulic finds peace with the force, forgive for his crimes, a place back amongst his former comrades, and potentially a way to feel the force once again... Until in the last pages he is shot in the back and killed by a smuggler wanting to be known as the man who killed Ulic Qel Droma, and runs back to the bar to tell his friends. *IM NOT KIDDING*

I dont know what Anderson was smoking at the time, but the thought that this is a suitable way to end Ulics tale of Redemption was just plain Idiocy. In the prior Stories, Ulic had been poisoned by Sith Chemicals, been driven mad by the murder of his master, Disowned the jedi and his lover in his madness, fought and murdered his own brother, and had his Jedi powers sealed by the very woman that once loved him. If he was meant to die, there could have been a thousand more suitable deaths then just to be shot in the back by a unnamed piece of Bar Trash. In the Ten years since he was punished by Nomi Sunrider, his life was one of isolation, and dedication. such a death, is as pointless and meaningless as it is contrived, and a slap in the face of the fans that were looking for The Tales of the Jedi Series to return to its former greatness.

Anderson I doubt will ever write for Star Wars Again, as it is a popular rumor that Lucas himself asked anderson not to write any further tales set in his Universe. Unforutnately the damage is done, and one of my favorite series, is no more. The Title of the story is named redemption, But in the eyes of lucas and casual Fans of the Expanded universe such as myself, Redemption is something Anderson has yet to find.

A fitting end to a series
Redemption is the last of the Tales of the Jedi comics, a series that recounted the events during the Great Sith War 4,000yrs ago. Redemption is better read after at least reading Dark Lord of the Sith and The Sith War. The conflicts here are on a personal and emotional level, not another interstellar battle.

A decade after the Jedi defeated the Sith reemergence, a fallen Jedi wonders the galaxy for solitude, blind to the Force and searching for absolution for past crimes. But when a young girl decides he's the ideal candidate to tutor the Force to her, and a bitter Jedi wants to hand justice to an unpunsihed war criminal, they find they all have much to learn from each other on a frozen world.

The quality of art is much better than the horrible fare Tales of the Jedi is renoun for. While the superb art and vibrant colours inherent in current Star Wars comcis was not available at the time of the TOTJ series, that Redemption was clearly better could have said more for its earlier siblings. Here, you won't find salivating mouths, half-rendered illustrations, or simplistic dialogue. The primary characters have defined roles, where age and events have changed appearances, and an ending that will touch your heart.

However, at times there are just too many single, even double, page shots. This flows the pages to the end way too fast. Some panels and scenes were a bit absurd, but the overall quality of this story balances things up. Qel-Droma genuinely looks grey, as though the price of his actions have drained all colour from his features; while young Vima is bright and chirpy, the vengeful Silvar predatory and relentless.

I'll never understand why Nomi is half bald for a human woman.

Overall, if you've suffered through the earlier comics, this one is a fitting end to the series. And even if further fault is found within, solace can be taken in the fact that we are shown places we rarely have seen, and not yet another Tatooine visit for the twentieth time.

Kevin Anderson WROTE a good story? Judgement day is here...
This takes place some 10 years after The Sith War. All the characters have changed, grown old, morphed (the tiger female looks way cooler) and grown up. Nomi Sunrider's daughter is a teenager now and wants to learn to be a Jedi. Ulic Qel-Droma is hiding on some ice world and wants to die. She seeks him out to learn the ways of the Jedi. The reason I took away a star was because how she found him. Some random guy (who looks exactly like the guys at the start of the original Star Wars) took Ulic to the snow planet and she just randomly picks a ship to stall on and guess who's ship it is? 10 billion people in the universe and she picks the guy who saw Ulic a day earlier. Wow, ironic, eh? There really is no bad guy in this story, it just shows Ulic teaching the girl. The closest thing to a bad guy has to be the good Jedi tiger girl, Silvar. Anyhoo its a good book to end the series with. ... Read more

Book Description

General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker find themselves in command of a regiment of Clone Troopers on the muddy battlefields of the rain world of Jabiim. With their supply lines stretched thin and reinforcements unable to land due to the perpetual storms, the Jedi and their army have become easy targets for the rebel Alto Stratus and his elite Nimbus warriors. The situation goes from bad to worse when General Kenobi is listed missing in action, and Anakin is teamed with a group of other masterless young Jedi on a doomed mission to hold the last line in the Republic's defense! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Brutal war story
This trade paperback collects issues of Star Wars: Republic #54-59.

Republic #54-58 is the four-part "Battle of Jabiim" arc by Haden Blackman (writer) and Brian Ching (artist). This is a dark, drenched, brutal storyline about a Republic/Separatist battlefield on the planet Jabiim. Anakin is the main character, and fans of the darker side of SW will surely appreciate this. A version of the AT-AT makes its first appearance here. The drawings of the vehicles and ships are done in awesome detail.

Republic #59 is one-issue story written by John Ostrander and drawn by Jan Duursema. Again Anakin is the main character, and it focuses on his interaction with an older Republic character, A'Sharad Hett, who is a Tusken Raider. Certainly the events of Attack of the Clones lead to an interesting confrontation.

Another very good Clone Wars TPB by Dark Horse. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

The book that ruined my favorite comic
This book (originally a 12-issue monthly limited series)is interesting in its effort to cram 60 years of D.C. Comics characters & history into one storyline. "Crisis" was an effort to 'streamline' the D.C. Universe by disposing of alternate Earths & unloved silly characters (like Krypto the Superdog). The story had some heat by killing off some major characters, but the worst thing about Crisis is it ruined the continuity of my favorite super-hero group. The Legion of Super-heroes was my favorite since childhood & I loved all the characters & follow the stories religiously. Then "Crisis" came along & destroyed much of established storylines. The Legion then shifted gears to a darker version with 'new' characters who we were now supposed to believe "had always been there due to the Crisis." After that failed attempt, they 're-booted' the whole Legion concept & started over from scratch. But they lost this long-time fan. I gave up on D.C. because they ruined the Legion & it's never been the same since. The Legion of Super-heroes had a long-term loyal following that was basically jettisoned after the crisis. Long Live the Original Legion!

Crisis On Infinite Earths
One of the most important maxi-series ever produced by a major comics publisher. The story is always gripping and touching, and this is Marv Wolfman at his finest. Even though there were so many characters and so much happening, Wolfman keeps it entertaining and exciting. George Perez produces some stunning artwork rendering so many hundreds of different characters and keeping the story flowing. This is Perez's crowning achievment of his career.

This maxi-series attempts to scale down the DC Multiverse down to a single comics universe. Many characters met their end, including some major ones, some characters were changed, and some characters originated from this series. This was a pivotal series in DC continuity setting the stage for reboots of all of the major characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Justice League. This version is beautifully restored looking better than its original comics release. This is graphic novel is most highly recommended and belongs on your comics bookshelf.

Depends, A LOT, on what you are looking for....
First things first - if you are looking for comics with real literary merit, you can find them but not here. This is not "The Dark Knight Returns", or "Watchmen". In fact, it's sort of the ulitmate expression of the way comics were before those works - full of overly earnest guys and gals with stupid titles and silly costumes, doing their level best to save the universe.

And if you are a comic reader of today without much interest in how the books got to where they are now, move along - this is a complicated story, and not really that great on its own, self-contained merits.

But, if you have a real love of the DC Universe, both where it was in the past and where it is today, this book is pretty much essential, since it chages so much about the fundamentals of that universe. Not necessarily for the better - it seems to me that DC traded a multiverse concept that looked complicated, but was logical if you understood it, for a single universe that seemed simpler, but only got more confusing the closer you looked. Those issues, though, are somewhat beyond the scope of the book.

At its heart, this book is something of an ode to the rich history of the DC Universe, full of characters with decades of history, many of them long forgotten. Sure, a lot of them get destroyed in the processs, but I think it's done with an appreciation for all that was.

In the long run, this story is a bit of a mess, but it's an important mess, and quite a good looking one. There are better books you can get in the genre, and you should get those first. But if you are interested in comics history, you really ought to read this one eventually.

Lot's the drawings and no story....
So why did DC do this story? According to Marv Wolfman, it was an effort to make the books easier for readers to follow. Destroy all the various DC universes and just create one where all the characters live. Great idea right? Nope. From day one, this series was plauged with trying to cramp too many stories into one book and wrap up as many unfinished stories as they could. It gave me a headage just trying to keep up with the 12 different sub-plots going on each book. There were several characters like Supergirl who died in action....and many of the surviving characters had their names, orig