The Road to Episode Infinity

Saturday, March 22, 2014

What If?

Infinities Era

Series: Infinities

Publication Date: 2001 - 2004

# of Issues: 12

What if? It’s a game anyone can play. In fact, many new franchises are based on alternate realities: J.J. Abram’s Star Trek, The new X-Men movie, even Tarentino’s Inglourious Basterds.

Arguably Lucas used this tactic when he re-released his films. What if Han didn’t shoot first? What if Yub Nub never existed? The Infinities era pushes things to the limit.

The Infinities comic series are a series of 3 storylines. Each asks one question. What if? Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope asks What if Luke missed? What if the proton torpedo was a dud? What if the Death Star never blew up?

In this comic Luke’s proton torpedo does not blow up the Death Star but it does damage the weapons system. Luke, Han, and Chewie are forced to flee the battle and the Imperials capture the rebel base. Vader takes Leia as her apprentice. I won’t spoil the conclusion here, but you can imagine that things take off in a whole new direction.

The second Infinities series is Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back. This time the timeline diverges later, on Hoth. Han is not able to save Luke from the cold and Luke freezes to death, but right before he dies Luke tells Han to go to Dagobah and find Yoda. (It’s a real treat to see Han interacting with Yoda)

The final Infinities series is Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi. This time the timeline diverts when C-3PO is knocked over by Jabba the Hutt while translating for the bounty hunter, Boushh. C-3PO is not able to stand back up and without translation the deal goes bad. Boushh/Leia uses the Thermal detonator and Jabba and his minions are killed, although Fett gets away with carbonite Han. I'm not going to spoil this one either but the ending gives us a whole new view of Darth Vader.

These three comic arcs present three possible alternate universes. Yet three is not really enough when considering the infinite possibilities. The real strength of Infinities encourages readers to imagine their own “What If” scenario. What if Leia and Luke weren’t brother and sister? What if the Ewoks were badasses? What if Boba Fett was a Jedi? The possibilities are endless and that's what storytelling is all about (at least before copyrights were invented).

Dark Horse Comics (Link)

Dawn of the Jedi Dawn of the Jedi

Tales of the Jedi Tales of the Jedi

Knights of the Old Republic Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars: Republic Star Wars: Republic
Dark Times Dark Times
Empire & Rebellion Star Wars: Empire & Star Wars: Rebellion
Brian Wood's Star Wars Brian Wood's Star Wars
Dark Empire Dark Empire
Crimson Empire Crimson Empire
Invasion Invasion
Legacy Vol. 1 Star Wars: Legacy
Vector Star Wars: Vector
Legacy Vol. 2 Legacy Volume 2
Infinities Infinities
The Star Wars The Star Wars

Star Wars Tales Star Wars Tales

Marvel Comics

Original Marvel Comics Original Marvel Comics
Star Wars #108 Star Wars #108
Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics

Han Solos Vs. Space Crocodile Han Solo vs. Crocodile in Space

Marvel's New Star Wars Line Catching Up With Comics

Age of Republic Age of Republic
Age of Rebellion Age of Rebellion
Age of Resistance Age of Resistance

Star Wars #1... Again Star Wars #1... Again
Ewoks in Comics Ewoks in Comis
Who is Doctor Aphra Who Is Doctor Aphra

The Last Jedi Expanded Universe The Last Jedi Expanded Universe
Who is Jaxxon Who Is Jaxxon

IDW Comics
Tales from Vader's Castle Tales from Vader's Castle

Return to Vader's Caslte Return to Vader's Castle

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Legacy Volume 2 & The Death of Dark Horse

Series: Legacy Volume 2

Publication Date: 2013 - 2014

# of Issues: 18
Writers: Corinna Bechko & Gabriel Hardman

Era: Legacy Era

Galaxy Date: 138 ABY*

*After Battle of Yavin

So you take your car to get fixed in some Podunk town in upper-Michigan. The mechanic has a nametag that says “John Lincoln”. You think nothing of it, but little do you know that John is the great, great, great, grandson of the 16^th president of the United States, Abraham himself. Mr. “John Lincoln” has a lot in common with Ania Solo.

Ania Solo is the lead character of Star Wars Legacy: Volume 2. Ania works in a junkyard on some backwater planet. She knows of her linage. She is a descendant of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo- but that doesn’t matter now. Those people died a century ago. Ania inherited no riches or Jedi abilities. She is a nobody. Until one day she finds a lightsaber in a pile of junk.

Legacy Volume 2, as you might have guessed, is the sequel to Star Wars: Legacy. Yet the galaxy looks different now. We plunge further into the future than any Star Wars tale has ever shown us. Perhaps further than we will ever explore.

The focus is no longer on Cade Skywalker or the crew of the Mynock. Darth Krayt and his Sith Empire have been overthrown. A Triviumvirate now rules the galaxy: a combination of the Galactic Alliance Remnant, The New Jedi Order, and the Galactic Empire. Rebels, Imperials, and Jedi ruling together.

Ania Solo is stuck in the middle of it all. She has no great destiny like Anakin or Luke or Cade. She’s just trying to make her way in a run-down universe. She is more like Han or one of the Fett clan.

Legacy Volume 2 will be one of the last Star Wars comics published by Dark Horse. Though Dark Horse has been publishing Star Wars comics for 23 years, the rights are transferring to Marvel in 2015 as part as the Disney acquisition of Star Wars. Also ending will be the long-running “Dark Times” series and “Dawn of the Jedi”.

2015 represents a new era for Star Wars. The release of Episode VII will undoubtedly erase much of the last 25 years of Star Wars canon. How relevant will old comics, video games, novels, and television shows really be once they are replaced with new comics, video games, novels, and television shows?

In the end, a story is preserved by our connection to it. Some Star Wars fans will always feel connected to the Dark Horse comics. Some future fans may also discover them one day. But even if the relevancies of these comics are completely erased- it’s been a good ride. Best get reading before the galaxy changes- forever.

Dark Horse Comics (Link)

Dawn of the Jedi Dawn of the Jedi

Tales of the Jedi Tales of the Jedi

Knights of the Old Republic Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars Tales Star Wars Tales

Marvel Comics

Original Marvel Comics Original Marvel Comics
Star Wars #108 Star Wars #108
Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics

Han Solos Vs. Space Crocodile Han Solo vs. Crocodile in Space

Marvel's New Star Wars Line Catching Up With Comics

Age of Republic Age of Republic
Age of Rebellion Age of Rebellion
Age of Resistance Age of Resistance

Star Wars #1... Again Star Wars #1... Again
Ewoks in Comics Ewoks in Comis
Who is Doctor Aphra Who Is Doctor Aphra

The Last Jedi Expanded Universe The Last Jedi Expanded Universe
Who is Jaxxon Who Is Jaxxon

IDW Comics
Tales from Vader's Castle Tales from Vader's Castle

Return to Vader's Caslte Return to Vader's Castle

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Star Wars: Vector

Series: Vector

Publication Date: 2008
# of Issues: 12

Crossovers can be terrible. When sloppily done, they are probably the worse form of art. However, if a crossover is to be attempted, comics are the platform for which they work best. In fact, "Star Wars: Vector" is one of the best examples of a well-planned crossover that I have ever encountered. The fact that it exists is probably the reason I started a year-long quest to read through the various Star Wars comic series.

Vector is a comic storyline that bridges thousands of years of Star Wars history. It follows, Celeste Morne- a female Jedi, through four Dark Horse titles, namely: Knights of the Old Republic, Dark Times, Rebellion, and Legacy. Our story starts with "Knights of the Old Republic 25-28". Celeste is assigned to recover a dangerous Sith artifact which can turn any being into a mutant Sith engineered creature called a Rakghoul. The Rhakghouls are dangerous and if one bites you, the virus is spread (like galactic-zombies).

What more, the spirit of a Sith Lord named Karness Muur haunts the device and Celeste believes that she is the only one who can control him. The artifact is not only a curse, but a heavy burden as well. Celeste runs into our hero Zayne Carrick and they have many adventures until she is ultimately frozen inside of a Sith Stasis chamber.

The story picks up in "Dark Times 11-12". Thousands of years later Darth Vader, hears rumors of a legendary Sith Stasis chamber. He tracks it down and, low and behold, he finds Celeste Morne inside, who has been frozen for thousands of years. Flash-forward another twenty years and it is Vader’s children, Luke & Leia, who cross paths with Celeste Morne and her Rakghoul Creatures (Rebellion 15 – 16). Our storyline finally concludes with "Legacy 28-31", when Morne meets another Skywalker, Cade.

Even without having read any Star Wars comics, Vector can act as a sample-pack of some of the best Dark Horse titles. Vector represents the Expanded Universe at its best, with multiple artists working together to create a coherent story-line. Vector weaves together characters throughout the galaxies long history and spins a good tale in the process. I'll give this one 4.5 out of 5 Lightsabers.

Throughout the last six months I have explored the history of the galaxy from the birth of the Jedi order to the distant descendants of Luke and Leia Skywalker. I could probably stop reviewing the comics now and be satisfied, but I think I might have a few more titles left in me. Thanks for reading!

Dark Horse Comics (Link)

Dawn of the Jedi Dawn of the Jedi

Tales of the Jedi Tales of the Jedi

Knights of the Old Republic Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars Tales Star Wars Tales

Marvel Comics

Original Marvel Comics Original Marvel Comics
Star Wars #108 Star Wars #108
Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics

Han Solos Vs. Space Crocodile Han Solo vs. Crocodile in Space

Marvel's New Star Wars Line Catching Up With Comics

Age of Republic Age of Republic
Age of Rebellion Age of Rebellion
Age of Resistance Age of Resistance

Star Wars #1... Again Star Wars #1... Again
Ewoks in Comics Ewoks in Comis
Who is Doctor Aphra Who Is Doctor Aphra

The Last Jedi Expanded Universe The Last Jedi Expanded Universe
Who is Jaxxon Who Is Jaxxon

IDW Comics
Tales from Vader's Castle Tales from Vader's Castle

Return to Vader's Caslte Return to Vader's Castle

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Star Wars Legacy

Series: Legacy

Publication Date: 2006 - 2011

# of Issues: 56
Writers: John Ostrander

Era: Legacy Era

Galaxy Date: 137 ABY*

*After Battle of Yavin

Legacy is one of the most daring works of the Expanded Universe because it takes the reader far into the future. Legacy focuses on a time period about 100 years after the life and death of Luke Skywalker. The galaxy is quite different from the one we once knew. It is a time when Sith rule the galaxy. The Jedi, once more, have been driven to near extinction.

The comic's main anti-hero is Cade Skywalker a drug-addicted ex-jedi bounty hunter who has some major emotional issues. Cade flies around the galaxy in his ship “Mynock”. His crew includes his co-pilot, Jariah Syn, and his mechanic Delilah Blue. Cade is not a very nice being and seems beyond redemption. Cade does, however, have a destiny and the force ghosts of his long dead ancestors Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker keep pestering him about it.

The Galaxy that Cade lives in is a broken one. A being named Darth Krayt has taken over and established “The One Sith”. In this order there can be only one Dark Lord of the Sith, but many Sith followers that all pledge blind-obedience to their master. The mystery of who Darth Krayt is and where he comes from is resolved early in the series and connects back to earlier Star Wars comics. Other notable Sith include a female Twi’lek named Darth Talon and Darth Nihl who uses a long-handled lightsaber.

Also prevalent in this new galaxy is the Galactic Empire or The Empire in Exile. Readers of the Star Wars novels will know that Luke Skywalker made peace with the Imperial Moffs after the Second Galactic Civil War and assigned Jagged Fel to be its Emperor. Now, one-hundred-years later Jagged’s grandson, Roan Fel, rules the Empire and opposes the rule of The One Sith.

Roan Fel was also the leader of the Imperial Knights. These were force users who rejected the dark side of the force, but did not strictly follow the light side either. They were identifiable by their red armor and white lightsabers. They were to protect the Emperor at all cost, but their ultimate allegiance was to “The Force”. Therefore is the Emperor went over to the dark side, they were to remove him from power.

Still prevalent in the galaxy, though in hiding, are the Jedi Order. Curiously, in charge of this order is Jedi Master K’Kruhk. K’Kruhk is an old being and a survivor. He has been a Jedi since the Old Republic and appeared in other comics that I have reviewed including Star Wars: Republic and Dark Times.

The fourth, important branch, in this comic is the Galactic Alliance Rembrant (the successor to the Rebel Alliance). This galactic force is ruled by a Duros named Admiral Gar Stazi. Stazi’s tactical genius may rival only Grand Admiral Thrawn’s. Stazi will stop at nothing to take down the One Sith rule, even if it means teaming up with the Empire.

Legacy does a great job brining to light all the forces of the Star Wars Universe: Jedi, Sith, Alliance, Empire, Bounty Hunters, Rogues, even the Yuuzhan Vong make a few appearances. Legacy pushes the Star Wars saga generations into the future and reminds us that the story never ends. This series earns a rare score of 5 out of 5 lightsabers.

Dark Horse Comics (Link)

Dawn of the Jedi Dawn of the Jedi

Tales of the Jedi Tales of the Jedi

Knights of the Old Republic Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars Tales Star Wars Tales

Marvel Comics

Original Marvel Comics Original Marvel Comics
Star Wars #108 Star Wars #108
Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics

Han Solos Vs. Space Crocodile Han Solo vs. Crocodile in Space

Marvel's New Star Wars Line Catching Up With Comics

Age of Republic Age of Republic
Age of Rebellion Age of Rebellion
Age of Resistance Age of Resistance

Star Wars #1... Again Star Wars #1... Again
Ewoks in Comics Ewoks in Comis
Who is Doctor Aphra Who Is Doctor Aphra

The Last Jedi Expanded Universe The Last Jedi Expanded Universe
Who is Jaxxon Who Is Jaxxon

IDW Comics
Tales from Vader's Castle Tales from Vader's Castle

Return to Vader's Caslte Return to Vader's Castle