If you judged this book by its cover you’d assume Planet of the Apes was doing a crossover with Star Wars. Not to crush your dreams or anything, but you’d be dead wrong. Cover artist Dave Wilkins went a little overboard with the ape faces and in truth they should only look semi-simian and nothing more. With that out of the way, we got ourselves a story focusing on Han and Leia Solo’s descendant. Giddup!
Star Wars: Legacy Vol. 2 #2 (Dark Horse Comics)
It’s a good thing Dark Horse opens each Star Wars book with a “where are we now” page complete with the exact technical era the story takes place. Super Star Wars nerds can rejoice in knowing where exactly the story takes place and how it may effect the greater universe. That is, until Disney moves the rights to Marvel and all of this is erased, which would be terrible. Mostly it’s important to know the date as it pertains to when the Jedis were strong, the Empire was strong or both were weak. This issue opens 138 years after A New Hope so generally speaking the universe is a bit weak on Jedis, dark or not.
Remember kids. Never return fire unless they are trying to kill you!
The book opens with Ania Solo in in a high speed chase. She’s a professional junk dealer and yes, it’s not lost on me that her dad drove a “piece of junk” and now she deals in it. Of course some junk isn’t worth the trouble, and in attempting to sell a lightsaber she ends up getting in trouble with the law. It seems the lightsaber belongs to a Jedi who has been captured by a Sith who has taken over his identity. Unfortunately the Sith did this in order to manipulate the political machinations in a specific star system.
Beating bad guys by accident since 138 years after A New Hope.
I say unfortunately because politics and Star Wars don’t necessarily work together. Luckily writers Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman don’t indulge us in why he wants to muck around with governments and, in this issue anyway, it’s only important as it allows the Sith to use good guys to attack our protagonist. Frankly it’s kind of scary to think a Sith can walk around acting like a Jedi and nobody can figure it out. I suppose they will soon, but this aspect of the story takes a backseat to action scenes in this issue.
And boy, does it do a good job with them. It’s essentially two chase scenes, first from some cops and then later from the Sith’s men. Both are handled well with good pacing and keep things interesting.
Artist Gabriel Hardman does a good job in the art department. The man needs to draw a lot of mechanical and metallic objects in this issue and they’re all done clearly and articulately. His style adds a grit to the pages that’s necessary in this type of story. That said I’m not too keen on the color palette in the issue. Everything is so dark and monotone which doesn’t necessarily fit the story. Sure our hero is in trouble and such, but it’s not a detective film noir or horror comic. Add some color and this issue would pop! Of course, the color options probably aren’t that great considering a junk yard is the main location in much of this book.
I know what you’re thinking and you’re a racist for being appalled there’s a black Jedi. How dare you!
7.0
- The action is well paced
- The political aspects aren’t developing
- For good or bad the political aspects aren’t developing
This is good action comics. Considering we’re so many years into the future it’s not apparent how Ania is related to Han Solo or even if she knew who he was so its ties to the original characters isn’t much there. That said, it’s always cool to get Sith/Jedi action going and Ania’s junkyard job is a cool aspect in this galaxy far far away.
Is It Good?
Yes. Action scene enthusiasts should have a blast.
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