Published: September 6, 2023
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Luke Ross
Colourist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Leinel Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
The synopsis;
• The horror continues as THE SCOURGE begins to execute its grand plan, orchestrating its droid minions across the galaxy.
• It learns more with every passing moment, grows stronger…and is selecting the next targets on its path to total dominion over all mechanical intelligence!
• Standing in its way, only the warrior-priest droid AJAX SIGMA and the sentient droids of the SECOND REVELATION.
The review;
Talk about making an entrance. If you follow any of the Star Wars series that Marvel have put out this month, you will not have failed to notice the shift in tone in every single one. The dark tone of impending doom that flows through all of them. Dark Droids is just getting started, yet Charles Soule is promising us something truly special through what we have seen so far. Let’s not forget that it all began in the opening issue of Dark Droids, an issue that has got to be the greatest opening I have ever read for a series: dark, horror filled and just downright spooky. Joining him again this week is Luke Ross, who can encapsulate Soule’s vision wonderfully – well, in a dark, we’re all going to die sort of way! This duo really understands each other, and it shows in their work. The atmosphere translates so well across the page, and I always smile when I know I’m about to see their work; it’s something rather special. Part two already, to see expectations are high would be an understatement, let’s see where they lead.
Although there are interactions with organics, I adore that this entire issue is narratives by Scourge. The other series running with Dark Droids can tell us about those characters, but Dark Droids focuses on the Scourge itself, on the entity that has been released. The comic starts like the first, narration filled with darkness and horror. In a story like this, there’s only one way to go: escalation. We know droids are being infected, that they will start acting differently, something that the Scourge is all too aware of. But we also finally get to have some direction to where this series and event might lead: the Scourge wants to infect an organic. Watching the trapped stormtrooper as they try and do this is gruesome but – like the first issue – really gives the entire comic the atmosphere to make you realise that this isn’t some normal sort of crossover event. There is a darkness here that is been fully embraced and it really helps to mark this series out as something else.
Soule also has a quick catch-up and history lesson to make sure that any reader knows what is happening. The Scourge was stopped by the Sith, a lot of Sith if the artwork of Ross is anything to go by and trapped in the Fermata Cage. This was what readers should have been able to infer from the last crossover event and I still like that there is a link between the two. It was always left a little open-ended, with the contents of the cage left a little to interpretation, we now know why.
Along with the Scourge we also have Ajax, an almost religious-like droid that is leading his own, quieter, peaceful revolt amongst droids. This is fascinating. It has obviously been happening over years, of droids finding their independence. For them, they don’t want organics to find out about them as they know it will bring about their destruction. What is interesting here, they move quietly to avoid detection, the Scourge also knows this but can’t help itself: it must feed. Ajax is trying to completely avoid notice; Scourge knows it is inevitable. There is stark contrast with the two but one that ultimately means they will have to face one another.
The Scourge knows that its time is limited and knows the one thing it needs is an organic but one that can use the force. The force is crucial to its plans, and I love that Soule uses Threepio to ask questions of Luke and his understanding of the force in droids. Luke still has his hopeful outlook, and his answer is rather promising. It leaves it a little open. Do we trust Luke that the force in droids is possible, or is it his youthful optimism that is stopping him from realising the truth? These are the sorts of questions I adore characters asking. They lead to skilled writers like Soule showing us ideas that fit in with our understanding of the galaxy but show us a new and exciting perspective. Scourge’s need for the force, to know that it probably has limitations leads us to know what his focus has to be on, a mix of organic and metal: Vader.
Amongst all of this, from everything we have seen in this comic, in the comics from other series, Scourge is not someone to cross. His ability to assimilate so many knows no bounds. Yet the one droid that he is afraid of, the one droid that makes him pause? Artoo-Detoo! A round of applause please! Soule has always treated the droid well in the regular Star Wars series, but here he really shows us just how special Artoo is. There is a warrior like nature to him that Scourge can sense, putting him on edge. It’s such a nod of the hat to the droid that really does deserve all the credit that can be heaped on him and I thought this was a really nice touch.
Story, story, story. It is so well written and yet it wouldn’t have the impact it does without the incredible artwork by Luke Ross. Once again, he shows us such a darkness to the issue. He captures every character just right. The fear on the stormtroopers fa- well his helmet! you can feel it in his body language. The ships and how well-crafted they are by Ross on the page. All of it just works so well, it captures you into the story and just doesn’t let go. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Ross brings a cinematic quality to Soule’s work, which it rightly deserves.
Escalation and direction. Soule and Ross give us both in this issue, bringing together the last month of comics and giving us some idea where things might be heading. Of course, we know with Soule it’s never that easy, but the foundations have been laid and the true horror and extent of what is happening is starting to be felt. The whole tone of the comic is perfection, and it lives up to the ridiculously high expectations set by the first issue. This is again something special, something that show both Soule and Ross at the absolute top of their craft. I’m just happy I get to enjoy the ride!
Availability;
Dark Droids is a 5-part mini series published by Marvel comics. This issue retails at $4.99 and is available via ComiXology and all good comic book stores.
