On the Star Destroyer Devastator, Rebel agents Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles have escaped from custody and are secretly making their way to the data core to place a bug in the Imperial communications system. Rebel pilot Prithi waits for them outside in her X-Wing, as her air supply dwindles. Meanwhile, through his own spy, Darth Vader has learned of Skywalker and Antilles’s presence aboard the ship.
On Coruscant, Han Solo and Chewbacca – along with a garbage-pilot named Perla – are the targets of bounty hunters Bossk and Boba Fett.
Priness Leia, out alone in her X-win, stops to observe the ruins of her home planet Alderaan-and is contacted by the Audacity, a derelict ship from the Clone Wars era…
Writer Brian Wood, artist Ryan Kelly, inker Dan Parsons, colourist Gabe Eltaeb, letterer Michael Heisler and cover artist Hugh Fleming bring usthe ninth issue of Star Wars.
The Story
We open with Princess Leia Organa aboard the Clone War era craft Audacity, in the asteroid field created by the destroyed Alderaan.
Under the guise of Bretha, an Alderaanian girl. She meets the Captain of the ship, the Alderaanian Tag Rogdaren. She discovers that he has been salvaging remains of Alderaan and has a library full of relics.. Whilst looking through the relics, Leia discovers a Death Star insignia with a photo of Tag Rogdaren in full Imperial Office outfit with the destroyer of Alderaan, Moff Tarkin. Tag admits to Leia that he was the Chief Weapons System Engineer of the Death Star, and designed and built the Superlaser Array. Tag apologies for his part in the destruction of Alderaan, even if he did not pull the trigger – and identifies Leia as an Alderaan Princess.
On Coruscant, Chewbacca flies the Falcon through the lower levels of the Imperial City. With Bossk in pursuit, it requires some expert piloting from Chewbacca to avoid capture.
On the Star Destroyer Devastator, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles launch their audacious plan of infiltration from within. Using a combination of lightsaber and blaster they fight their way through the attacking Stormtroopers.
In the space above Coruscant, Han Solo and Perla continue their avoidance of Boba Fett Fett and Solo go blaster to blaster, but it is Perla that shoots first! Blasting the crafts controls sending it into freefall and knocking Fett from his feet – but not eliminating the danger.
Across the galaxy in the Endor system, Vader is aboard the Executor receiving a communication from Birra Seah. She has identified the infiltrators of the Devastator as Antilles, the son of a fueling station family, and the other the holder of a moisture farming permit from Tatooine… Vader instantly pronounces Skywalker to Birra’s shock. Birra receives new orders to detain Skywalker, and bring him before Vader.
An angry Vader decries the Empire and its leader Emperor Palpatine, for putting faith in another Battle Station in the form of the Death Star II – when the ultimate power in the galaxy lies elsewhere.
The issue ends with Prithi being awoken by her R5 unit.. Life support is at critical low, as she hides on the bottom of the Devastator in her X-Wing. She instructs her R5 to contact Luke and Wedge, but is unsuccessful. She promises to remain for Wedge and Luke even if putting her own life at risk.
The Review
This issue represents a real high in the series, coming back from a really disappointing episode eight. From the simply stunning Hugh Fleming cover art this issue hits every mark throughout. The angst in Leia’s eyes, the poignancy of the local of the Alderaan debris, the symmetry of her despair and fear conveyed through the floating in space, the depth and vibrancy of the colour. It is a simply beautiful piece of work – and really sets you up for the quality of the issue.
I enjoyed the new character of Tag Rogdaren, I like the setup of the old Alderaan war veteran collecting the relics of his planet, paying off as an Imperial Officer and critical part of the Empire’s team that built the Death Star. I liked the depth of the relics shown, and my one criticism would be they progressed and paid off this reveal too soon. I would have liked a longer journey into Leia’s past on Alderaan with Tag before the shock surprise. That said the connection and journey of this character still feels like early days, and I hope there is a lot more exploration to their story.
Wood progressed the storylines of Han, Chewie, Luke and Wedge fast throughout this issue, with fast shots through Coruscant’s depths and space, and on board the Devastator. The speed with which he moved from plot line to plot line made you desire more of each story – and has set this perfectly for issue 10 and beyond.
Wood has also made an interesting plot swerve in having Birra report back to Vader on the discovery of Skywalker, and whilst timeline purists will be further irritated by the series continuing to walk over established continuity there is an interesting plot move at play here. I also particualry liked Wood’s entry into Vader’s mind about the Empire and Emperor. It does set Vader’s turn in RotJ in a renewed vision.
One plot point that did surprise me towards the end was Prithi’s apparent willingness to sacrifice or certainly put her life in danger for Wedge and Luke… not so much playing the part of the mole anymore.
I felt that the artwork throughout was vivid and strong. Ryan Kelly has really started to come into his own in the series. I particularly enjoyed the way he told Leia’s skepticism surrounding Tag through her facial expressions. There was no need for comment, or scripting from Wood to tell the story here – Kelly told it all through just a few angles of the eye.
The touch of using a photo of Tarkin with Tag was a great symbolic way to reveal his true past. Kelly’s image of Tarkin was superb, and I would love to see some flashbacks of Tag and Tarkin together – that could be something special.
The depths of Coruscant and the Falcon’s escape appeared to me to be wrongly coloured by Eltaeb. It came across as very dull in colour – when you compare this to the prequel Coruscant, which was vibrant and bright something just did not fit. That said, Eltaeb produced his strongest work in the series so far with perfect colouring in the Solo / Fett faceoff.
Solo once again gets the best lines “The most beautiful girl in the galaxy!” as Perla saves him on the crashing Golan platform.
The issue ends with all parts of the team pulling together to produce two perfect comic panels. The close of up of Vader with the construction of the Death Star II relecting in his visor, and the wider shot of his helmet. The scripting is perfect from Wood, Kelly’s art is immaculate and Elteab colour choice with Parsons inks is sublime. In those two panels they convey a perfect image of a Star Wars comic.
I spoke last month of a desire to see the high standards from Dark Horse, Woods, and the whole art team. That they were exceptionally talented people, and capable of so much more – this month they delivered and then some.
In a month where The Star Wars steals all the press, Star Wars 9, delivers the quality that we have come to expect from Dark Horse, long may it continue.
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