Star Wars: Legacy #17

November 17, 2007

Star Wars: Legacy #17 (Dark Horse Comics)
By John Ostrander & Jan Duursema

In “Claws of the Dragon Part Four,” Cade Skywalker’s mother and friends begin to catch an intricate scheme to rescue him from the clutches of Darth Krayt. At the home of the Sith, however, Cade is learning to use the dark side and to enhance his healing powers, and finds himself growing particularly close to one of the Sith. We also learn just how A’Sharad Hett began his own journey to the Dark Side, even as he plans to use the Skywalker legacy for his own ends. This comic continues to be one of the strongest books Dark Horse is putting out, and perhaps one of the strongest Star Wars titles of all time.
Rating: 8/10

Star Wars: Legacy #16

Star Wars: Legacy #16 (Dark Horse Comics)
By John Ostrander & Jan Duursema

Since the Star Wars relaunch last year, this has consistently been the best title in the line, and it’s just getting better. We were recently shocked by the revelation that the Sith Lord Darth Krayt was really A’Sharad Hett, a prequel-era Jedi Ostrander used in the old Star Wars: Republic series. Now, with Cade Skywalker in his grasp, Hett relates the tale of a final encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi that turned him away from the path of the Jedi. Cade’s friends, meanwhile, unite with an unlikely ally to begin planning his rescue — but when they find him, will rescue still be an option? By placing this series so far in the future of the Star Wars universe, Dark Horse has really succeeded in creating a feeling that anything is possible. When Luke turned to the Dark Side in Dark Empire, nobody really believed it was permanent. But Cade? Yeah — you believe that just may be possible. This freedom is allowing Ostrander to tell stories that wouldn’t have the impact with the more established characters, and as such, telling some of the best Star Wars stories in years.
Rating: 8/10

PVP #7

June 18, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good

When Francis gets fresh with Jade, will she leave PVP forever?

Writer: Scott Kurtz
Art: Scott Kurtz
Cover Art: Mike Wieringo, Jaime Mendoza & Brett Evans
Publisher: Image Comics

This issue of PVP takes three storylines from the daily comic strip, and as always, Scott Kurtz tinkers with and adds to the strips to make sure that fans aren’t just getting the material twice. By adding a few scenes and removing some dated references, he’s created a comic that will work for daily readers for the strip and newcomers alike.

In the first story, when Francis convinces himself he’s gone forward in time to get to the release date of a hot new video game, he finally succeeds in offending Jade so much that she quits the magazine entirely and goes into competition. Kurtz has plenty of targets in this story – rampant fanboyism, game companies that can’t seem to make a shipping date and, in heavy doses, both feminism and machismo. Men and women are clearly equal in his eyes, and both ripe for lampooning – but if you can’t laugh at yourself, don’t even bother.

The second storyline takes Cole Richards to the premiere of the Star Wars Galaxies video game – a fully interactive roleplaying game that allows him to plug into the science fiction world he’s loved his whole life. The problem is, once inside, he doesn’t want to come out, so PC-hater Brent Sienna has to jack in to go after him. This story is memorable mostly for some great one-liners (“They should just call it ‘The Matrix Ver. 1.0’”), but also for something that’s always fun in this series – the chance to see the PVP gang drawn as other characters.

Finally, we get a few short pages where Cole has to confront his arch-nemesis, Max Powers, to save some classic video games his wife put up on eBay. It’s only a few pages long, but it sings to anyone whose wife, girlfriend, mother or otherwise ever got rid of something important to them. (Anyone ever have their mom throw out their comics? Ouch, man…)

Another solid issue with a lot of variety that adds to the online comic and gives it to you in a more permanent form. This is one of the funniest comic books out there today, and may be the best of the “geek lit” that’s all over the racks today.

Rating: 8/10