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Star Wars: Legacy #1-3
Star Wars: Legacy, Book 1
The future of Star Wars, the future of the galaxy, and the future of the Skywalkers is told in John Ostrander and Jan Duursema's acclaimed Star Wars: Legacy. A legion of Sith have conquered what was left of the Empire, the Jedi have been purged-or fled into hiding-and the galaxy is divided. Meet Cade Skywalker, a bounty hunter who doesn't want anything to do with the Jedi, his famous name, or his legacy . . . But his legacy is determined to follow him as the good guys and the bad guys begin to search for him-as a savior, and as a threat.
440 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2013
46 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
About the author
John Ostrander
2,087 books170 followersJohn Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.
Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).
Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.
Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).
Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 9, 2024
I bought this first volume of the Star Wars: Legacy digital omnibus as a part of a set with the second volume because of a Comixology sale that offered the second volume as free. It was a sweet deal that i couldn't resist because I've been looking to add any edition of Star Wars: Legacy to my physical or digital library.
The Star Wars: Legacy series is one of the few books that I wouldn't mind double-dipping. The story and art by Ostrander and Duursema in this series was excellent. So good, that I would pony up the cash for the entire three-volume hardcover set from Dark Horse despite its being out-of-print and hard to find.
The Star Wars: Legacy series is one of the few books that I wouldn't mind double-dipping. The story and art by Ostrander and Duursema in this series was excellent. So good, that I would pony up the cash for the entire three-volume hardcover set from Dark Horse despite its being out-of-print and hard to find.
December 10, 2013
I've heard a lot of good things about the Legacy series, many of them comparing it in scope Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy (AKA "the only good" Expanded Universe novels) and Dark Empire (AKA "one of the only good" Expanded Universe comics). I've been out of the Star Wars comics loop for about 10 or so years, minus a couple of dabblings with Darth Vader miniseries, so I was excited to jump back in with a series that was being hailed the way this one was.
Here's the thing about the Star Wars Expanded Universe, though. It's exclusively for fans of the Star Wars films. It doesn't seek to draw in new blood or set itself apart from the movies by really, truly telling well-written, thought-provoking stories. Instead, it seeks to give mega fans (as I once was) more of the same, only revealing a few new overall details that might affect the entire Star Wars universe. Barring a few series (like the ones I mentoined), it's meant to feel like you're reading the movies, played out with similar beats and themes, only with new scenarios. And I am actually fine with that.
That's where my 4-star review of Legacy comes from. This series is as close as you're going to get to a brand new, fully formed, epic-level Star Wars adventure. Setting the series over 100 years after Return of the Jedi gives Ostrander plenty of room to do whatever he wants with the story, without worry of harming any of the continuity of the Original Trilogy or Prequel eras. What we get is a fun, lightsaber-filled blast, with lots of Light vs. Dark (and even a little grey thrown in, for a nice mix-up in the typically manichaen galaxy. There are Skywalkers and Sith and Star Destroyer battles, and if you ever liked the movies, you will enjoy this.
The overt references to the films and previous popular expanded universe titles come left and right, often a little forced for my taste. I also think the fake languages spoken in Star Wars have always sounded a little "stoopa" (the very imaginative word for "stupid" used over and over again in this book). But with the corniness aside, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable, galaxy-hopping story, that even has a couple of completely unforeseen twists and turns. I'm into it, and I'm excited to read the next volume.
Here's the thing about the Star Wars Expanded Universe, though. It's exclusively for fans of the Star Wars films. It doesn't seek to draw in new blood or set itself apart from the movies by really, truly telling well-written, thought-provoking stories. Instead, it seeks to give mega fans (as I once was) more of the same, only revealing a few new overall details that might affect the entire Star Wars universe. Barring a few series (like the ones I mentoined), it's meant to feel like you're reading the movies, played out with similar beats and themes, only with new scenarios. And I am actually fine with that.
That's where my 4-star review of Legacy comes from. This series is as close as you're going to get to a brand new, fully formed, epic-level Star Wars adventure. Setting the series over 100 years after Return of the Jedi gives Ostrander plenty of room to do whatever he wants with the story, without worry of harming any of the continuity of the Original Trilogy or Prequel eras. What we get is a fun, lightsaber-filled blast, with lots of Light vs. Dark (and even a little grey thrown in, for a nice mix-up in the typically manichaen galaxy. There are Skywalkers and Sith and Star Destroyer battles, and if you ever liked the movies, you will enjoy this.
The overt references to the films and previous popular expanded universe titles come left and right, often a little forced for my taste. I also think the fake languages spoken in Star Wars have always sounded a little "stoopa" (the very imaginative word for "stupid" used over and over again in this book). But with the corniness aside, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable, galaxy-hopping story, that even has a couple of completely unforeseen twists and turns. I'm into it, and I'm excited to read the next volume.
April 24, 2023
LOVED this. Was it being the Skywalkers again eye-roll inducing? Yes. Big galaxy, enough with the Skywalkers.
That said, there was a ton of world building here. This bleak future of the SW universe was engaging and interesting. Darth Krayt getting rid of the Rule of Two was a breath of fresh air to me; as it means more Sith. Love me some Sith. Fun characters, great art, great lore, great book
(Despite what may be the worst Skywalker yet)
That said, there was a ton of world building here. This bleak future of the SW universe was engaging and interesting. Darth Krayt getting rid of the Rule of Two was a breath of fresh air to me; as it means more Sith. Love me some Sith. Fun characters, great art, great lore, great book
(Despite what may be the worst Skywalker yet)
June 10, 2015
I am pretty sure that I should be rooting for Cade and not the Sith. Right?
Pretty sure.
But still I would rather this whole thing focused on any of the female characters mentioned (most are pretty badass, honestly) instead of the actual "focus" in the last Skywalker.
Apart from Cade, the story moves along at a pretty good pace--though there are some slow spots where I was just sort of wondering what the point was and hoping that someone would get to it. (I don't think I should feel like I'm reading endless walls of text in a graphic novel, and when there really isn't an endless wall of text.)
The artwork left a little to be desired -- face front was okay, but sometimes when the characters were looking down, up, or away the proportions looked strange. Then again, I draw stick figures that are lacking in almost every aspect, so it's miles above anything I could create on my own.
In the end, this comes in around the middle of the road for me. I liked it, but I don't know that I will be seeking out the next omnibus in the series. I especially won't be seeking it out for the kindle version. I ended up having to read this on my laptop (touch screen), and it was still pretty small text even expanding the panels. So I definitely would not recommend that format.
Digital edition: 2 stars for tiny text.
Overall: 3 stars
Cade Skywalker: 1 star. This is not the Skywalker you're looking for.
Pretty sure.
But still I would rather this whole thing focused on any of the female characters mentioned (most are pretty badass, honestly) instead of the actual "focus" in the last Skywalker.
Apart from Cade, the story moves along at a pretty good pace--though there are some slow spots where I was just sort of wondering what the point was and hoping that someone would get to it. (I don't think I should feel like I'm reading endless walls of text in a graphic novel, and when there really isn't an endless wall of text.)
The artwork left a little to be desired -- face front was okay, but sometimes when the characters were looking down, up, or away the proportions looked strange. Then again, I draw stick figures that are lacking in almost every aspect, so it's miles above anything I could create on my own.
In the end, this comes in around the middle of the road for me. I liked it, but I don't know that I will be seeking out the next omnibus in the series. I especially won't be seeking it out for the kindle version. I ended up having to read this on my laptop (touch screen), and it was still pretty small text even expanding the panels. So I definitely would not recommend that format.
Digital edition: 2 stars for tiny text.
Overall: 3 stars
Cade Skywalker: 1 star. This is not the Skywalker you're looking for.
November 16, 2021
I like Star Wars as a well-suited platform for space opera stories and not because I have some deep nostalgia for the franchise. In fact, I pretty much despise any media addition which is completely reliant on the nostalgia factor. With that in mind, from all the EU comic books I have read so far from practically all the different eras of the franchise, Legacy is my favorite yet. It's still familiar, but also distant and therefore distinct enough from the canon films, all in an almost perfect blend. It's obvious how much thought they put into the worldbuilding to satisfy hardcore fans but also keep enough wiggling room for stories that would be impossible to tell in the framework of the canon continuity. This volume was overall great, but the emotional high points are so well executed both in terms of writing and art that it's elevated into the outstanding category for me.
February 15, 2023
This story takes a little while to get going (and you're going to be knee-deep in a bunch of hyper-masculinity and barely-clad women along the way), but once you figure out what's happening with the story, it gets interesting. It's weird seeing such a huge jump forward (the events here happen 126 years after Return of the Jedi), which might have been part of the reason it felt slow-going at first, and it raises a lot of questions about what happened in between, but maybe that's covered in some other graphic novel collections and I'm just reading them out of order?
It's hard to say. I guess I'll find out as I keep reading.
It's hard to say. I guess I'll find out as I keep reading.
May 21, 2022
The Jedi, the Sith, and the Empire all want something from Cade Skywalker. But he doesn’t want anything to do with any of them! This kid needs to grow up and make some decisions about his life. An interesting assortment of characters round out the cast in this saga. Character and technology designs are cool and reminiscent of Star Wars but also feel fresh. The lightsaber duels need some work. I understand that action may work best when it’s in motion, but I’ve seen action done well in comics. If you’re gonna feature many lightsaber battles then I feel more should be invested to make them a highlight of the story.
May 8, 2021
Some of the best extended Star Wars universe material I've ever read. It demands you take time to pay attention. Ostrander shines heres.
July 2, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this. Lots to take in but that’s the beauty of creating a story and not just rehashing old tropes. I would have liked a little better flow at times and a full sized book may have helped with the small text (this book is undersized). I have no interest in current Star Wars but I would recommend this.
April 26, 2013
Set several generations after the original trilogy--most of the main characters are descendents of the movie characters and/or expanded universe novel characters. If you're familiar with the EU, this reads like fairly grim, but interesting, fanfic. I wish the art was less driven by the male gaze, though.
June 2, 2020
Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 introduces us to the characters of Cade Skywalker, Darth Krayt, Emperor Roan Fel, Princess Marasiah Fel and a host of new characters! :D With the story taking place 126 years after the events of Return of the Jedi things have changed in the Galaxy! :D This jump creates a whole different plethora of characters with backstory and the plot developing all the time! :D This style keeps you guessing from the start and adds tones of intrigue and mystery to the rest of the book! :D
The world building throughout it immense with epic changes having taken place! :D The Jedi have been rebuilt and then scattered again again from the planet of Ossus and the legitimate Empire has raised Imperial Knights trained in the force! :D The Sith have taken over and now rule the Empire while Fel. the legitimate Emperor, from a certain point of view, seeks to take it all back by hit an tactics and alliances and any other allies that he can get! :D This is a Imperial Empire that has has evolved into something that still looks like the Empire but has a conscious! :D These changes makes so different that you will find yourself routing for them! :D
The action comes thick and fast through with the locations and changing from space and planets with different environments and peoples all the time! :D We also get plenty of backstory as well with even Kenobi and Luke dropping in at the same time as the story pushes the plots forward relentlessly! :D This also add to the already established characters and locations as well as developing new ones! :D
The characters are brilliantly three dimensional and Ostrander puts them through the mincer! :D Cade is fond of Knee jerk reactions, Deliah Blue is jealous and Jariah Syn is the classic mercenary but trying not to do good! :D The addition of for example characters like Admiral Gar Stazi, Luke add another tie in to previous books as well as developing these characters and the Yuuzhan Vong also aid in this as well as The Tusken Raiders! :D The Imperials work brilliantly as well with Roan and Marasiah coming across as more concerned for their people which sands in stark contrast to Darth Krayt Sith Empire that wreaks of plots within plots! :D This all blends brilliantly to create an action extravaganza that is full of plot, action and daring do! :D
The art style is dynamic throughout and really matches up brilliantly with script! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 has dramatic angles which really dovetail perfectly with the script giving everything taking place a cinematic feel to it! :D The whole book blends brilliantly really giving the whole book great tones with character and action packed in all over the place! :D It will keep you on your toes from the start and is full of nuggets that the art and script highlight brilliantly! :D
Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 shakes things up and will keep you guessing from the start! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 will keep you up late with this one! :D Make sure you have the next one if you can! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 is full of World Building, Plot Development, Heroics, Three-Dimensional Characters, Family Scheming, Lightsaber Teaching, Jedi, Sith, Lightsaber Battles, Ship Battles, Scheming, Adventure and Action
The world building throughout it immense with epic changes having taken place! :D The Jedi have been rebuilt and then scattered again again from the planet of Ossus and the legitimate Empire has raised Imperial Knights trained in the force! :D The Sith have taken over and now rule the Empire while Fel. the legitimate Emperor, from a certain point of view, seeks to take it all back by hit an tactics and alliances and any other allies that he can get! :D This is a Imperial Empire that has has evolved into something that still looks like the Empire but has a conscious! :D These changes makes so different that you will find yourself routing for them! :D
The action comes thick and fast through with the locations and changing from space and planets with different environments and peoples all the time! :D We also get plenty of backstory as well with even Kenobi and Luke dropping in at the same time as the story pushes the plots forward relentlessly! :D This also add to the already established characters and locations as well as developing new ones! :D
The characters are brilliantly three dimensional and Ostrander puts them through the mincer! :D Cade is fond of Knee jerk reactions, Deliah Blue is jealous and Jariah Syn is the classic mercenary but trying not to do good! :D The addition of for example characters like Admiral Gar Stazi, Luke add another tie in to previous books as well as developing these characters and the Yuuzhan Vong also aid in this as well as The Tusken Raiders! :D The Imperials work brilliantly as well with Roan and Marasiah coming across as more concerned for their people which sands in stark contrast to Darth Krayt Sith Empire that wreaks of plots within plots! :D This all blends brilliantly to create an action extravaganza that is full of plot, action and daring do! :D
The art style is dynamic throughout and really matches up brilliantly with script! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 has dramatic angles which really dovetail perfectly with the script giving everything taking place a cinematic feel to it! :D The whole book blends brilliantly really giving the whole book great tones with character and action packed in all over the place! :D It will keep you on your toes from the start and is full of nuggets that the art and script highlight brilliantly! :D
Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 shakes things up and will keep you guessing from the start! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 will keep you up late with this one! :D Make sure you have the next one if you can! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 1 is full of World Building, Plot Development, Heroics, Three-Dimensional Characters, Family Scheming, Lightsaber Teaching, Jedi, Sith, Lightsaber Battles, Ship Battles, Scheming, Adventure and Action
December 8, 2017
Probably 3.5, but not four.
I always have trouble reading Lucas-era Star Wars Expanded Universe comics, because of my unfounded belief Lucasfilm gave the comic book writers and comic companies, no guidance, except what to stay away from. Second because of the weird green rabbit in the 1970s Marvel, post-A New Hope comics, which kinda scarred me for years from Star Wars comics.
As a story this is a dense story that takes place post-Jedi. It works pretty well. It's a weird jumping on point, because while they work hard to separate their story from the movies and those characters, it made me wonder what I missed previously. There are some familiar Star Wars themes in the book, and in that way it feels like a Star Wars story.
I bought this years ago on Kindle and never finished it, mostly based on the strength of John Ostrander. But now reviewing his Wikipedia article, and the list of his works, even now I'm not sure what of Ostrander's work I have read then or now. (It's a fascinating, perhaps peripatetic career.) Regardless, Ostrander does a nice job, and as I said, despite characters being unfamiliar to readers, there is enough in the work to ground a Star Wars fan: movie adjacent characters, and themes fans will recognize. Perhaps the best compliment I can give the work is I want to read on.
Dates I took to read this are a lie. Took me about two weeks. I read it in chunks, and then put it down for a while.
I always have trouble reading Lucas-era Star Wars Expanded Universe comics, because of my unfounded belief Lucasfilm gave the comic book writers and comic companies, no guidance, except what to stay away from. Second because of the weird green rabbit in the 1970s Marvel, post-A New Hope comics, which kinda scarred me for years from Star Wars comics.
As a story this is a dense story that takes place post-Jedi. It works pretty well. It's a weird jumping on point, because while they work hard to separate their story from the movies and those characters, it made me wonder what I missed previously. There are some familiar Star Wars themes in the book, and in that way it feels like a Star Wars story.
I bought this years ago on Kindle and never finished it, mostly based on the strength of John Ostrander. But now reviewing his Wikipedia article, and the list of his works, even now I'm not sure what of Ostrander's work I have read then or now. (It's a fascinating, perhaps peripatetic career.) Regardless, Ostrander does a nice job, and as I said, despite characters being unfamiliar to readers, there is enough in the work to ground a Star Wars fan: movie adjacent characters, and themes fans will recognize. Perhaps the best compliment I can give the work is I want to read on.
Dates I took to read this are a lie. Took me about two weeks. I read it in chunks, and then put it down for a while.
April 25, 2015
Star Wars: Legacy is one of the few grand experiments in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. A fifty-six issue comic book series with an ongoing sequel series, it was one of the rare attempts to do something original. Set a century and a half after the events of A New Hope, it followed the adventures of antihero Cade Skywalker as a new Sith Empire had risen to take over the galaxy.
The problem is there's already some issues with this premise. The Sith returning after George Lucas made such a very big deal of the "Rule of Two" and their order being extinguished rang false. Likewise, I'm not sure any fans wanted to see a drug-addicted PTSD-suffering bounty hunter and occasional pirate version of Luke Skywalker.
Much like Superman, Luke Skywalker is one of those incorruptible symbols of purity in modern mythology. Seeing Luke's "heir" as such a wreck of a human being while the galaxy was once more under the sway of a tyrannical regime couldn't help but cause me to feel like his quote-unquote legacy was being tarnished.
The issue is further troubled by the fact Cade Skywalker has no interest in being either a Jedi Knight or studying the Force. The refusal of the call is a basic part of Campbellian mythology but it's usually resolved quickly. Watching the entire galaxy suffer while Cade talks about how hard it is to deal with the death of his father is hard to take seriously. Not to diminish his loss but a lot of people are losing their fathers during this time period and the fact Jedi Master Kol Skywalker was killed by the Sith should make Cade more determined to oppose them.
The first third of this three volume collection of omnibuses mostly centers around Cade's series of false stops and starts along his road to (maybe?) getting his act together. Unfortunately, any number of events which would normally convince a hero to take up the fight against the Sith and their Imperial minions gets ignored by Cade. Quite simply, Jon Ostrander and Jan Duursema seem more interested in Cade's angst than I, the reader, am.
Despite this, I maintain the series still has much to go on it. The writers have taken a great deal of time to plot out the backstory of the characters they've created. Darth Krayt is a great villain, even if he's got a bit too many similarities to Anakin Skywalker (and visually resembles Mortal Kombat villain Shao-Khan). Likewise, I love the concept of the Imperial Knights (Jedi who serve the Emperor-in-Exile Roan Fel) and the entire Fel family.
The art is incredible. Every scene is like a painting come to life and while it's a much darker world than the original trilogy, the world is both vibrant and realistic. I love the look of characters like Marasiah Fel, Roan Fel, Rav, and even Cade himself. The action scenes leap off the page and if the One Sith are a bit generic--I never get tired of seeing them sliced up by lightsabers.
Much of this volume exists to set up the extremely complicated universe and its backstory. We find out how the One Sith took over the galaxy, what people are happy with the Sith Emperor, who prefer the "good" Emperor Roan Fel, and why Darth Krayt needs Cade Skywalker so badly. The situation is extremely well set up but I almost feel like the story might be better if it followed some of the supporting characters more than Cade.
One thing I don't like is the attempt to do a more "gritty" version of Star Wars. Cade Skywalker is a drug-addicted bounty-hunter who turns a Jedi over to the Sith due to not wanting to 'out' himself as a Jedi. While he recants of this decision, it doesn't make up for the very negative first impression I have of the character. Luke Skywalker's Jedi spirit attempts to coax him out of his fugue state but even this ends in Cade threatening suicide over trying to do something for the galaxy as a whole. Watching Jedi knights Wolf and Shado talk about how Cade is their last hope is just depressing.
I'm also not a big fan of the Imperial Remnant and the Imperial Knights being heroes this time around. While a lot of fans are excited about "good" Imperials, they come at the expense of those who might still believe democracy and the Jedi way are worth fighting for. Despite this, I'm quite fond of the characters and hope they'll remain as supporting cast. I just hope the series creators remember there's a reason we liked the Jedi and Rebel Alliance. Darker and edgier does not mean better.
And that's me saying that.
Much of the early story is designed around setting up Cade to confront his demons but the expected "Road to Damacus" moment never happens. Cade becomes a slightly less awful person but he never quite manages to make the turn-around to full hero. The fact Cade is able to defeat Darth Krayt, his chief enforcer, and anything less despite not being a fully-trained Jedi also makes the conflict between them somewhat questionable. It's hard to root for a hero who can easily overpower the villain if they get within a few feet of each other. I would have preferred Darth Krayt to be more powerful than Cade, if only because of experience.
The Sith are visually interested even if they're all rather one-dimensionally evil as many seem to think the Dark Lords should be. Despite the fact they're ostensibly supposed to be loyal to each other, they come off as the same level of scheming backstabbing Sith as before. I would have preferred a bit more camaraderie and love between them as even evil ones can have family. I'm also intrigued by third-side characters like Morlish Veed and Nyna Calixte who seem more on their side than Fel or Emperor Krayt's.
Star Wars: Legacy Volume 1 is a rather small book, larger than a standard paperback but not by much. It is very reasonably priced, being only about twenty-dollars for four-hundred pages of color comics. If you're interested in an epic storyline, albeit one marred by an attempt to be "gritty" in the least gritty setting in fiction outside of My Little Pony, then you might enjoy picking up this volume.
8/10
The problem is there's already some issues with this premise. The Sith returning after George Lucas made such a very big deal of the "Rule of Two" and their order being extinguished rang false. Likewise, I'm not sure any fans wanted to see a drug-addicted PTSD-suffering bounty hunter and occasional pirate version of Luke Skywalker.
Much like Superman, Luke Skywalker is one of those incorruptible symbols of purity in modern mythology. Seeing Luke's "heir" as such a wreck of a human being while the galaxy was once more under the sway of a tyrannical regime couldn't help but cause me to feel like his quote-unquote legacy was being tarnished.
The issue is further troubled by the fact Cade Skywalker has no interest in being either a Jedi Knight or studying the Force. The refusal of the call is a basic part of Campbellian mythology but it's usually resolved quickly. Watching the entire galaxy suffer while Cade talks about how hard it is to deal with the death of his father is hard to take seriously. Not to diminish his loss but a lot of people are losing their fathers during this time period and the fact Jedi Master Kol Skywalker was killed by the Sith should make Cade more determined to oppose them.
The first third of this three volume collection of omnibuses mostly centers around Cade's series of false stops and starts along his road to (maybe?) getting his act together. Unfortunately, any number of events which would normally convince a hero to take up the fight against the Sith and their Imperial minions gets ignored by Cade. Quite simply, Jon Ostrander and Jan Duursema seem more interested in Cade's angst than I, the reader, am.
Despite this, I maintain the series still has much to go on it. The writers have taken a great deal of time to plot out the backstory of the characters they've created. Darth Krayt is a great villain, even if he's got a bit too many similarities to Anakin Skywalker (and visually resembles Mortal Kombat villain Shao-Khan). Likewise, I love the concept of the Imperial Knights (Jedi who serve the Emperor-in-Exile Roan Fel) and the entire Fel family.
The art is incredible. Every scene is like a painting come to life and while it's a much darker world than the original trilogy, the world is both vibrant and realistic. I love the look of characters like Marasiah Fel, Roan Fel, Rav, and even Cade himself. The action scenes leap off the page and if the One Sith are a bit generic--I never get tired of seeing them sliced up by lightsabers.
Much of this volume exists to set up the extremely complicated universe and its backstory. We find out how the One Sith took over the galaxy, what people are happy with the Sith Emperor, who prefer the "good" Emperor Roan Fel, and why Darth Krayt needs Cade Skywalker so badly. The situation is extremely well set up but I almost feel like the story might be better if it followed some of the supporting characters more than Cade.
One thing I don't like is the attempt to do a more "gritty" version of Star Wars. Cade Skywalker is a drug-addicted bounty-hunter who turns a Jedi over to the Sith due to not wanting to 'out' himself as a Jedi. While he recants of this decision, it doesn't make up for the very negative first impression I have of the character. Luke Skywalker's Jedi spirit attempts to coax him out of his fugue state but even this ends in Cade threatening suicide over trying to do something for the galaxy as a whole. Watching Jedi knights Wolf and Shado talk about how Cade is their last hope is just depressing.
I'm also not a big fan of the Imperial Remnant and the Imperial Knights being heroes this time around. While a lot of fans are excited about "good" Imperials, they come at the expense of those who might still believe democracy and the Jedi way are worth fighting for. Despite this, I'm quite fond of the characters and hope they'll remain as supporting cast. I just hope the series creators remember there's a reason we liked the Jedi and Rebel Alliance. Darker and edgier does not mean better.
And that's me saying that.
Much of the early story is designed around setting up Cade to confront his demons but the expected "Road to Damacus" moment never happens. Cade becomes a slightly less awful person but he never quite manages to make the turn-around to full hero. The fact Cade is able to defeat Darth Krayt, his chief enforcer, and anything less despite not being a fully-trained Jedi also makes the conflict between them somewhat questionable. It's hard to root for a hero who can easily overpower the villain if they get within a few feet of each other. I would have preferred Darth Krayt to be more powerful than Cade, if only because of experience.
The Sith are visually interested even if they're all rather one-dimensionally evil as many seem to think the Dark Lords should be. Despite the fact they're ostensibly supposed to be loyal to each other, they come off as the same level of scheming backstabbing Sith as before. I would have preferred a bit more camaraderie and love between them as even evil ones can have family. I'm also intrigued by third-side characters like Morlish Veed and Nyna Calixte who seem more on their side than Fel or Emperor Krayt's.
Star Wars: Legacy Volume 1 is a rather small book, larger than a standard paperback but not by much. It is very reasonably priced, being only about twenty-dollars for four-hundred pages of color comics. If you're interested in an epic storyline, albeit one marred by an attempt to be "gritty" in the least gritty setting in fiction outside of My Little Pony, then you might enjoy picking up this volume.
8/10
September 5, 2021
Here I am again, rereading parts of a series that I still need to finish. But this time, I intend to finish it, dammit. This has been my favorite Star Wars comic story, and possibly my favorite Star Wars storyline overall. It is rewarding for those who have followed stories from various eras of the EU up to this point. This time, I had the hindsight of the Star Wars: Republic comic series, which covered Quinlan Vos and Clone Wars stuff. So I caught a couple references here and there. This really does feel like a culmination of the EU, and the worldbuilding of this future era is incredible. There are so many characters and species who are utilized very well. Legacy has probably been compared to Game of Thrones, but as someone who could not get past the first book and season of that series, I can safely say Legacy is how good I wish GOT could have been. I'm excited to re-read this series and get to the stuff that's unknown to me.
April 20, 2020
So far I think this series is great. Better than I expected. Most of story is great. When they convey the past it remains interesting. Most of the art is great except one chapter called Noob that looked horrible compared to the rest of the book. I really like most of the characters too. Except Cade's mom whom looks like she is younger than Cade and apparently the most badass person in the Galaxy. The Sith were great and I'm super excited to start reading Volume 2.
May 14, 2018
idk. I'm iffy on a lot of it tbh... but relative to vast amount of Legends stuff out there, I really did enjoy following the story. Maybe being older just makes me more cynical re: the handling of the Force & technology in the EU stories particularly. But maybe being older also means I love escaping into lightsabers & deathsticks more than ever.
December 13, 2016
This was surprisingly very cool. far more entertaining than expected plenty of star wars lore, tie-ins and action. Nice touches with stand alone stories of random characters in the universe that give good perspectives from the different factions.
January 26, 2018
Loved it! I won't get into how I wish the new movies had elements of this, but. Brilliant characters, plot, and artwork. A+ all around. Four stars, just because the book was so HEAVY and difficult to maneuver anywhere!
July 12, 2022
Pretty solid and fun run from Skywalker dynasty. Main character Cade is not exactly likeable protagonist, but rest of the cast is just fine. First half was mostly just getting on right foot, but second was quite fast, dynamic and full of action. Looking forward sequels of the story.
April 1, 2023
So much better than the sequel trilogy
Wow. Just wow. Such a great story coming from the Legends Era. I was a huge fan of the Yuuzhan Vong stories and this is a great "sequel" to those. The last frame... just wow. Shocker. Loved all of this
Wow. Just wow. Such a great story coming from the Legends Era. I was a huge fan of the Yuuzhan Vong stories and this is a great "sequel" to those. The last frame... just wow. Shocker. Loved all of this
November 9, 2017
For not being much of a graphic novel person, I loved this graphic novel! The story was interesting (and fairly dark for Star Wars) and the art was great.
May 28, 2020
An incredible story with action, politics, and engaging characters. Cade Skywalker is a fantastic character and this is an exciting beginning to his story.
December 14, 2020
Pues muy interesante conocer esta historia, aunque ya no sea canónica, Cade mola mucho!
June 7, 2021
I liked the art....
August 19, 2025
Perfect this is what star wars should be in the post ros era
March 7, 2017
This review can be taken as one written for the whole series, volumes 1-11:
By far my favorite Star Wars graphic novel series among the ones that I've read. Really the only other that comes close is the Knights of the Old Republic series.
Having been immersed in Star Wars my whole life, it takes quite a bit to find an object of quality within the Expanded Universe these days. The characters and events of Star Wars: Legacy are what it took for Star Wars to sink its claws into me utterly and completely this latest time.
There's something about the nature of this new "Fel Empire" and its dedicated soldiers and protectors, as well as Darth Krayt's Sith Empire that is far more powerful and awe-inspiring than the Galactic Empire of the films and earlier works in the Expanded Universe. The events just seem to matter all the more, with a radical tyrant convinced that he will not make the same mistakes as Palpatine hell bent on drowning the galaxy in a sea of blood.
The locations are fantastically drawn and suitably diversified. Really everything is incredibly well drawn, but something else must be said for the novelty of the new designs for iconic Star Wars vehicles and other miscellany. In part this comes from the necessity of making visual changes to a story set 137 years after the Battle of Yavin, and the series benefits greatly from the makeover.
By far my favorite Star Wars graphic novel series among the ones that I've read. Really the only other that comes close is the Knights of the Old Republic series.
Having been immersed in Star Wars my whole life, it takes quite a bit to find an object of quality within the Expanded Universe these days. The characters and events of Star Wars: Legacy are what it took for Star Wars to sink its claws into me utterly and completely this latest time.
There's something about the nature of this new "Fel Empire" and its dedicated soldiers and protectors, as well as Darth Krayt's Sith Empire that is far more powerful and awe-inspiring than the Galactic Empire of the films and earlier works in the Expanded Universe. The events just seem to matter all the more, with a radical tyrant convinced that he will not make the same mistakes as Palpatine hell bent on drowning the galaxy in a sea of blood.
The locations are fantastically drawn and suitably diversified. Really everything is incredibly well drawn, but something else must be said for the novelty of the new designs for iconic Star Wars vehicles and other miscellany. In part this comes from the necessity of making visual changes to a story set 137 years after the Battle of Yavin, and the series benefits greatly from the makeover.
March 28, 2020
It’s over 100 years since Return of the Jedi, and...a lot has happened. Heir to the name Cade Skywalker is a bounty hunter and doesn’t want to be a Jedi no matter how much force ghost Luke bugs him to be. Which is bad because the Sith are back, revamped with no “Rule of 2” to hold their numbers back, and have seized control of a resurgent Empire from the not actually so bad Emperor (who I think is actually a descendent of Han and Leia). This is part of “Legends” aka the Star Wars EU aka the stuff written before the Disney sequels (meaning this book is no longer ‘canon’)
I don’t know what else to say about this comic except:
1. I had fun, wouldn’t mind continuing it.
2. I like that the distance from the original trilogy lets them try some really unique things
3. Cade...honestly might be the weakest part of the story.
4. It gets a bit ridiculous to me at times but...not always in a bad way. Also it definitely tries to be darker and more mature (Cade is addicted to Deathsticks, for instance) than typical Star Wars flair, which may be up some people’s alley. It sometimes works for me, other times has that ‘edgy to show how mature I am’ feel that just betrays how juvenile you actually are.
I don’t know what else to say about this comic except:
1. I had fun, wouldn’t mind continuing it.
2. I like that the distance from the original trilogy lets them try some really unique things
3. Cade...honestly might be the weakest part of the story.
4. It gets a bit ridiculous to me at times but...not always in a bad way. Also it definitely tries to be darker and more mature (Cade is addicted to Deathsticks, for instance) than typical Star Wars flair, which may be up some people’s alley. It sometimes works for me, other times has that ‘edgy to show how mature I am’ feel that just betrays how juvenile you actually are.
February 17, 2017
Star Wars Legacy Book 1!!! This is set in 40 ABY. Well, this was supposed to what have happened if Episode 7 was not made, but it's still an awesome story. Luke Skywalker revived the Jedi but conflict is still present in the galaxy. An alien invasion and civil war happened, and it led to the empire once again joining forces with the Sith. This time the Sith had Darth Krayt as the leader, with a new policy, the Rule of One. The Sith now have lots of followers, but are all under 1 leadership. So, what happened to the Jedi, specifically the line of Skywalker, in all of this? We'll they were hunted down by the Sith, and scattered through the galaxy. Cade Skywalker, descendant of Luke, became resentful of using the Force altogether, despite being so attuned with it, that he could revive those on the brink of death. He, instead, became a bounty hunter. However, a Skywalker does not escape their destiny easily, even with the help of death sticks. Cade became intangled in a plot to gather the Jedi and overthrow the Sith, but first, he must learn the ways of the Jedi... And the Sith!
June 9, 2014
I usually don't like counting graphic novels as part of my "Read" list because it feels like cheating since they're so short. This one is different. Clocking in at more than 470 pages, it's pretty substantial both in terms of story and as a physical object. It would be a handy workout weight and a superior doorstop, rated to a Category 4 hurricane. Seriously, this thing is a brick.
Okay, hang on, I'm watching the Tonys.
What? I'm large, I contain multitudes. Have you seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch? You should, it's awesome. Neil Patrick Harris is amazing in it. The movie version is genuinely superb and often overlooked. Cool, Lena Hall just won a Tony.
...where was I?
Right, Star Wars. This book is kind of all over the place. Some parts are really terrific, while some parts are just clunky. Not unlike the original Star Wars. (I'm old, none of this "Episode IV" crap for me.)
The quick plot is this: 136 years after the end of the original movie trilogy, Cade Skywalker rejects his Jedi heritage after his father is murdered during an ambush and he brings his mentor back from the dead... a power neither Jedi nor Sith have. Because he must use the power of the Dark Side to use his healing power, he is dressed down by the very man he saved. Disillusioned, Cade becomes a bounty hunter, using drugs to dull his sensitivity to the Force and get the visions of Luke Skywalker out of his head. Because nag, nag, nag, that's all Luke does.
This book showed up on a list of books one should read if you want more stories like Firefly/Serenity. And for a large portion of the book there are some of those elements, as Cade flies around the galaxy with his crew of two in their spaceship The Mynock. Considering that mynocks are parasites who live inside the belly of a giant beast, it works as an excellent metaphor for Cade's attitude.
There are twists and turns, some are kind of cool, come pretty lame. R2D2 shows up for literally no reason beyond fan service. Ostrander then forgets about the robot entirely, so it's a bit weird. But overall this would make for a pretty enjoyable Star Wars movie. I don't know if they're going to raid the novels and comics for stories, but this has enough of the classic elements to work well as part of the film series.
Okay, hang on, I'm watching the Tonys.
What? I'm large, I contain multitudes. Have you seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch? You should, it's awesome. Neil Patrick Harris is amazing in it. The movie version is genuinely superb and often overlooked. Cool, Lena Hall just won a Tony.
...where was I?
Right, Star Wars. This book is kind of all over the place. Some parts are really terrific, while some parts are just clunky. Not unlike the original Star Wars. (I'm old, none of this "Episode IV" crap for me.)
The quick plot is this: 136 years after the end of the original movie trilogy, Cade Skywalker rejects his Jedi heritage after his father is murdered during an ambush and he brings his mentor back from the dead... a power neither Jedi nor Sith have. Because he must use the power of the Dark Side to use his healing power, he is dressed down by the very man he saved. Disillusioned, Cade becomes a bounty hunter, using drugs to dull his sensitivity to the Force and get the visions of Luke Skywalker out of his head. Because nag, nag, nag, that's all Luke does.
This book showed up on a list of books one should read if you want more stories like Firefly/Serenity. And for a large portion of the book there are some of those elements, as Cade flies around the galaxy with his crew of two in their spaceship The Mynock. Considering that mynocks are parasites who live inside the belly of a giant beast, it works as an excellent metaphor for Cade's attitude.
There are twists and turns, some are kind of cool, come pretty lame. R2D2 shows up for literally no reason beyond fan service. Ostrander then forgets about the robot entirely, so it's a bit weird. But overall this would make for a pretty enjoyable Star Wars movie. I don't know if they're going to raid the novels and comics for stories, but this has enough of the classic elements to work well as part of the film series.
March 16, 2014
4.5 !
This was probably the best graphic novel I've ever read. It read like a true book but had the amazing added bonus of pictures :P
The is set after the events of the movies, with a future generation of Skywalkers. This is a gritty novel though, with everything you love about Star Wars (the atmosphere, all the different creatures, the pretty women, bounty hunters, Sith, Jedi.. even R2 makes an appearance :D)
What this graphic novel has working for it that really sets it apart is a real, driven plot. It was so incredibly well written, with some off shoots that tied back into it. There were side stories that ended up just coming full circle. And even though the novel did break off into these, they were all super intriguing and thus kept your attention more then if it was just solely about Cade. The whole thing was superbly done.
The only reason I knocked off 1/2 star is because I did get somewhat bored at some of the meatier military strategy scenes. I did almost give this 5 stars though. Also, no Blue/Cade lovin! I was so hoping for that.
I really seriously enjoyed this. Only a couple times did my attention waver (this is a behemoth of a graphic novel too!)
I highly recommend this to any Star Wars fans. You don't have to have read every other book that's out there on this (because writers have been churning them out for awhile now). I slipped in very easily just having seen the movies. A non Star Wars fan may not be able to get into it because of all the lore though, but maybe try because this is an awesome graphic novel! And the artwork is SUPERB.
So happy I found this on a whim @ the library.
This was probably the best graphic novel I've ever read. It read like a true book but had the amazing added bonus of pictures :P
The is set after the events of the movies, with a future generation of Skywalkers. This is a gritty novel though, with everything you love about Star Wars (the atmosphere, all the different creatures, the pretty women, bounty hunters, Sith, Jedi.. even R2 makes an appearance :D)
What this graphic novel has working for it that really sets it apart is a real, driven plot. It was so incredibly well written, with some off shoots that tied back into it. There were side stories that ended up just coming full circle. And even though the novel did break off into these, they were all super intriguing and thus kept your attention more then if it was just solely about Cade. The whole thing was superbly done.
The only reason I knocked off 1/2 star is because I did get somewhat bored at some of the meatier military strategy scenes. I did almost give this 5 stars though. Also, no Blue/Cade lovin! I was so hoping for that.
I really seriously enjoyed this. Only a couple times did my attention waver (this is a behemoth of a graphic novel too!)
I highly recommend this to any Star Wars fans. You don't have to have read every other book that's out there on this (because writers have been churning them out for awhile now). I slipped in very easily just having seen the movies. A non Star Wars fan may not be able to get into it because of all the lore though, but maybe try because this is an awesome graphic novel! And the artwork is SUPERB.
So happy I found this on a whim @ the library.
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