Comic Review: Inquisitors #3 (of 4)

Usually, I’d be doing this review with my co-pilot Kat, but Kat has gone for a well-earned holiday so I’m flying solo this week (no pun intended). The Inquisitors series has not been what I had expected. It’s far slower, moving at a leisurely pace through a story centred more around a Jedi, than the Inquisitors themselves. It’s something that has worked incredibly well in my opinion. It doesn’t go into too much depth to the Inquisitors, revealing too much about them. Instead, it provides snippets of information while maintaining that mystery that makes them so appealing. This approach is being headed by writer Rodney Barnes, who has perfect control over how this story is being delivered, and artist Ramon Rosanas, who has presented it amazingly well, using the dark tones and shadows so perfectly. The only thing that concerns me with this series is the number of issues left! Being the penultimate issue, Barnes is sure to be setting up the finale, but I’m not ready for this to end! Let’s dive in and see what he and Rosanas have in store for us.

A finale has certainly been set up but that doesn’t mean Barnes is going to push the pace. I can’t say I’m not happy about this. This tale is unfolded at a leisurely pace and I’m enjoying the fact it is not being rushed. There will be some – those who found Andor slow – that will probably not enjoy the pace of this. However, if you enjoyed the pace of that show, this follows a similar path, and I think it works so well. This issue follows the Seventh and Ninth sisters. It’s a fascinating look at the two and how well they work in partnership. They have a very different feel to the Fifth brother from issue two, it’s another aspect of the Inquisitors that I find really interesting. It’s just a shame we won’t be seeing anymore after the next part. The two sisters are very calculating and think of every aspect, mapping out their plan to make sure it won’t fail. In doing this, they are able to solve problems differently to how others would, and Barnes conveys this very well during the issue.

The moment with Darth Vader – and it is just a moment like last issue – works so well because it is so brief. Barnes doesn’t make the mistake of overusing Vader. For that fear of the Dark Lord, you want to see him as little as possible. Here, back in his meditation chamber, the small appearance is full of threats, and you know he means it! It’s precisely how Vader should be used. With the last issue, I’m wondering if Barnes will be able to maintain this use of Vader.

The artwork by Rosanas is fantastic and the Imperial parts with Vader are astounding. There are some wonderful contrasts between the Imperial, clean look and the light, sandy areas that Tensu finds himself. While Rosanas illustrates both well, the scenes on the Devastator with Vader are the best in this comic. The crisp lines, the use of shadow and how Vader is framed feels very Star Wars.

We then come to Tensu Run. There’s not much to say about him, even though he is the catalyst of the story. I think it shows that while the Inquisitors might be hunting him, this is a series about the Inquisitors, not the Jedi. Tensu is trying to rebuild the Jedi in a hidden temple and there was one line that really caught my attention. He says that they need to rebuild in the shadow before they come out into the light. On the surface it makes sense, they need to stay hidden before revealing themselves. But I can’t help feeling that this is exactly what the Sith did. They hid in the shadows until they were ready. Could it be an indication that Tensu is succumbing more and more to the dark side? In previous issues, Barnes has shown how much of a fine line the Jedi is walking. He is trying to do the best he can, but these are exceptional times. Surely the Jedi becoming like the Sith, mimicking the Sith, is only going to send the Jedi one way? With how the issue ends, I have to ask myself what are Tensu’s intentions? Why would anyone want to face against Darth Vader?

Gambling, lightsaber fights, missing limbs. Barnes fits a lot into this issue without making it feeling bloated and without making it feel like the pace is going too fast. This is still the exploration of a side of the galaxy we don’t know. It’d great to explore this, to see new characters and places. While there is action, it’s not as much as some might expect for a series dedicated to the Inquisitors. For some, that will put them off, but for me, Barnes has tapped into something far more than simple lightsaber fights and blasters. This is the sort of Star Wars I want to read.