Product Description: Nearly 4,000 years before the Death Star, fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick's quest to clear his name for the alleged murder of his fellow Jedi-in-training brings him head to head with the galaxy's most feared fighting force - the Mandalorians! Along with a petty crook named Gryph and Elbee the grouchy droid, Zayne is a passenger aboard the Last Resort, a renegade ship piloted by the senile genius Camper and his fierce protector Jarael. Together, this motley crew will face kidnappings, hijackings, maniacal scientists, Mandalorian traitors, bumbling bounty hunting brothers, and a few really big explosions.
An extraordinary tale from the epic saga! Knights of the Old Republic volume 2 is an excellant tale in both adventure and fantasy in the Star Wars expanded universe. The characters, the setting are all one fantastic set piece that holds the torch in what made the Star Wars a phenonmenon. Every page is made up of pure adventure and excitement as the story from a galaxy far, far away. This volumes makes an excellent edition to my trade paper back collection of comics that are part of the pop culture phenonmenon.
Hilarious sophomore effort The first story arc of many comic books tends to be rather lifeless. The authors generally write them not as self-contained stories, but as a writer's guide establishing the major characters, settings, and situations that will carry on for years, if not decades.
The first volume of Dark Horse's KOTOR was as origin stories go fairly entertaining. Despite having the aroma and flavor of Lucas left-overs (a Jedi-centric story featuring a white teenage boy set in the midst of a galaxy-wide war populated with the same old species playing the same old roles), writer John Jackson Miller spiced things up with a couple of clever plot twists and great comic timing.
In this second volume, though, he hits his stride, delivering what has to be the funniest comic book of 2007, and certainly the funniest Star Wars comic ever. Forget Tag and Bink. Check out Del and Dob, the Ithorian brothers who woke up on the wrong side of the species. Assigned to track a likely contact of padawan fugitive Zayne Carrick, the pair set in motion a 2-chapter comedy of errors when they decide to take the initiative and capture their contact instead. Besides creating characters that are sure to be fan favorites, Miller also finds at last a voice for Gryph, a character that previously played only a role (the problem-solver who knows where to go and who to ask), but who comes into his own as a key player and comic sidekick in both stories of Flashpoint.
Miller in addition introduces two Mandalorians that will likely be appearing in future stories. The evil genius Demagol is rather crudely drawn. Outfitted in Mandalorian armor, we never see his face or learn much about him except that he is investigating the source of Jedi force abilities in order to neutralize or replicate such powers. And he enjoys experimenting on live subjects. He's prepared to have his way with Jarael when Zayne and the Mandalorian deserter Rohlan show up on the penal outpost of Flashpoint to launch an expertly crafted jailbreak. Less comic in tone than the story featuring the Ithorian brothers, Miller nevertheless manages to work in some great one-liners, like the farewell between the Jedi known as Squint - "May the Force be with you." - and Zayne - "Yeah, we'll see how that goes..."
And if that weren't enough for one volume, Miller also delivers a chapter of back-story on Lucien Draay, the leader and fixer for the murderous cabal of Jedi seers, those who hired the Ithorians and who want Zayne Carrick's head.
About the only disappointment in this volume, aside from the anemic villain Demagol, is the rotating stable of artists. I have since the Clone Wars been a fan of Brian Ching and enjoyed his work on Commencement, but in Flashpoint he delivers only two chapters out of six. And compared side-by-side with Dustin Weaver and Harvey Tolibao's pencils, I find Ching's work stiffer, less life-like, less animated.
My only other concern has to do with the KOTOR universe as a whole, which is being crafted partly by Miller, but which is also in part dictated by Lucas Arts, publisher of the two popular KOTOR video games. While reading these comics, what becomes increasingly apparent - and annoying - is that time and innovation move at a glacial pace in the SW universe. For over 4000 years Mandalorians wear the same basic armor design, hyperspace travel seems not to have improved, nor has hologram technology. Humans rely on droids that mimic human form in its crudest manufacture; their design, form and function change as little as their nomenclature. The same is true of ship form and function; space battles are waged like chess matches - powerful but unwieldy capital ships supported by smaller, maneuverable craft following set rules of engagement. Perhaps some future writer will take note of these trends and craft a story explaining how the constant wrangling of Jedi and Sith retarded technological and social progress in the Galaxy Far Far Away.
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Nice but no separate arc This is the second trade collection of one of the new Star Wars comics. It delves a bit further into the development and "coming of age" of Zayne, a hopless jedi padwan and fugitive.
Where the first trade feels like a complete arc and a separate part of the story, this volume contains two halves of lesser "weight" - obviously mainly taking the time to develop the main crew a bit, while dropping in some new potential characters.
There are lots of nice moments, good art and an interesting take on the SW universe "way back when" - but the overall flow needs to pick up a notch (or the books need to be thicker for each release) for this to be a top of the line comic.
Lots of potential for the years ahead - here's to hoping they manage to keep the momentum without over-reaching the longevity of the story (next TP is out in January)
Jedi Falling The writers of this series are following closely the stories of the video games. Not in continuety but in spirit. You can clearly see how the old Jedi Masters abandon and virually disown the war-effort against the brutal Mandalorians and thus condemn the younger knights. I felt that it was THIS that created the new wave of Sith Lords later on. The beleagered young Jedi had to suffer too much without guidance. Then they became powerdrunk and despised their old masters, who had sat out most of the war and all their suffering. Of course they would fall for the Dark Side. Why wouldn't they when half of their old masters already REEK of the Dark Side?
Great Collection; Great Art i am really loving this series. its a pretty straightforward storyline without too many mysteries, but with enough intrigue and backstory. the flash-backs are easy to follow--too many times in comics its hard to tell where they start and stop. the art is pretty consistent throughout--both pencils and ink really give the characters, well, more character.
rohlan is a great mandalorian, one i hope hasbro considers making.
zayne is a very believable jedi--probably alot like most jedi out there, instead of the super-hero jedi we're used to.
gryph has to be my favorite. he is just enough comic relief without being over the top (unlike the ithorians, but they're not major players). he has great expressions and is easily likeable, but very shady as well.
the best page is where the mandalorians are landing (when gryph exclaims "the mandalorians are attacking...for real). its a gorgeous spread.
i highly suggest picking this, as well commencement up (which i agree does start slow), but it can't all be rising action/climax, can it?
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
