A century after the defeat of Emperor Palpatine and the death of Darth Vader, the Sith - a legion of them, led by Darth Krayt - have retaken the Empire. The galaxy is on the brink of war, and its one hope for breaking the Sith's control lies with ex-Jedi and would-be pirate Cade Skywalker, the last of the Skywalker lineage. Though he tries to avoid his own legacy, Cade is drawn into the conflict by Emperor Krayt himself, who seeks to either turn Cade to his side - or destroy him!
John 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.
The second volume is a lesser book compared to the first volume in that the pacing seemed turned to sluggish molasses. My guess is that the series was slated to end earlier than it should. There's no actual evidence this assertion, it's all conjecture but it's a workable one.
My sole complaint is that Cade seemed to have regressed. The first volume ended with so much promise for him. Just escaped from the Sith, I thought it was all good to go but he sank lower than ever. This however sets up a potential thriller as this digital omnibus series concludes with the third volume. That I can't wait to read. Of course, I'm waiting for a sale. I don't want to blow 25 dollars on a digital item which I effectively leasing.
For Philippine comic fans, there's a treat in this collection for you. Especially if you're a Trese fan. Kajo Baldisimo drew a chapter or an issue included here. I'll leave it up to those interested to track it down.
Really enjoyed this. The modern language can get a bit tedious at times but overall its a great story all contained in one book. I just wish I could get my hands on book 3, it’s extremely rare at this point.
Will Cade Skywalker become Jedi, or fall to the Sith? Dancing the fine line between the Dark and the Light sides, Cade rejects them both! And chooses his own path: The Douche Side.
Yep, Cade continues to be a slimy, sleazy, worthless piece of shit. The power of douchebaggery is strong within this one. Every once in a while I'd start to feel a slight flicker of interest in him but then he swiftly does, says, or even just looks in such a way to shut that right down.
Kudos to John Ostrander and Legacy for getting me back into Star Wars. This is the first EU series I've ever read that really made me feel like there's an entire galaxy out there, with a ton of moving parts, major and minor players, grand plots and small moments, all together as part of the same, huge story. To me, this feels a little like Lord of the Rings, in that it's an epic fantasy playing out across many different battlefields, but all of them tied to the same central themes and plots.
As much as I like the Cade Skywalker storyline (basically the main plot), I have to say I think I enjoy all the short, interstitial plots a lot more. I love the rebellion on Dac as the Mon Calamari rise up against the Empire, I really enjoyed Hondo Karr's origin story, I like anything with Rogue Squadron or the war scheming of Admiral Stazi. That's the stuff that really makes this feel like a war, even though it's all happening thousands of light years from Cade (who hasn't even met most of these people).
I think the difference lies in the fact that a lot of Star Wars EU stuff reads like a history lesson. This Jedi fought this Sith in this year and it caused the Battle of Whatever. It's like reading an entirely fictional textbook account of World War II or something, with less emphasis on characters and motives than on the mere fact that stuff is happening. But not so in Legacy. Ostrander has done a fantastic job keeping the characters interesting (if at times a little one-dimensional, but at least we see them react like human beings), and introducing fresh new plots in a universe where there is seemingly a new massive, universe-changing disaster every 10 minutes.
All in all, if you've ever liked Star Wars, you owe it to yourself to read the only series I've read that really feels like the movies (and kind of surpasses the prequels). I can't wait for the next volume.
A little more convoluted than volume one, but mostly because the story is being built up and expanded for volume three, I think. Since I'm somewhat of a newb to the EU, the increasing number of plots caught me off guard. Especially since I didn't have a character/species/ship guide in the back of this volume. But the main plot is still kick-ass, and getting new viewpoints from some of the new characters (Hondo Karr, Tanquar, Monia, Admiral Stazi) helps span the scope of Cade's story out. Now if only volume three wasn't checked out at the library...
First, a small rant: the cover for this version of Legacy, Book 2 is the exact same as the one for the Marvel Epic Collections version. If I wasn't very particular about keeping tabs on which books I read each year on a separate "Numbers" spreadsheet, it would be extremely easy to become confused and think I had read the same comic twice. There is a plethora of unique cover art contained in this second collection and Marvel should have done a much better job at trying to make it stand out from the previous.
Anyways, with that off my chest...
...Legacy, Book 2 continues the story arc that Ostrander and Duursema set up in the first book, following the fallout from the Sith-Imperial conflict, the Yuzzhan Vong war, and the splintered Imperial army itself. It's still one of the more compelling storylines in the "Legends" line and it's still some of the darkest stuff to come out of the entire Star Wars franchise. And like I said in my review of the first collection, the authors definitely refused to play by the rules and keep it "safe", which made for a much more unique and fun read.
However, Legacy, Book 2 just isn't quite up to snuff with its predecessor. Ostrander and Duursema have written such a large story with so many characters and moving parts that the saga has begun to grow a bit too large, making it confusing and not nearly as succinct. There's something like 3 or 4 interweaving stories here and while some are still action packed and make for a couple of minutes of entertainment, we're left with a few clunkers that are either fit far too loosely in the grand scheme of things or are just inconsequential and unnecessary (The underwater fight on Dac and the whole Calamari thing, especially). This also presents the introduction of new characters that are sloppily written or, like the stories they're involved in, don't really seem important to furthering the plot.
And speaking of characters, I had hoped that Cade Skywalker and Syn would at least try to redeem themselves, but I was wrong. Another reviewer wrote that Skywalker becomes and even bigger douche than he was in the first 20 or so issues, and I'm inclined to agree. I get that he doesn't want to be attached to the Skywalker name or bear the responsibly and fame that comes with it, and I get why he constantly skirts the line between the light and the dark side, however I don't think he has to be such a big asshole about it. I mean, the guy goes out to a bar just to start a fight and then wonders why everyone hates him. He brags about his "force" powers but won't do anything about them except piss off everyone around him. He's a massive player and he's constantly causing far more trouble than he's worth. Yeah, typical douchebaggery and its finest.
Still though, I've enjoyed the first 2 collections of Legacy. It's different than most standard Star Wars fare and it's story is a lot more concise and well crafted than a lot of the newly approved canon stuff from Marvel. It's well illustrated and does a really good job at keeping the Star Wars saga alive and that's worth the 4 stars alone.
Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 2 continues straight after the previous book with the pace relentless from the start! :D Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 2 is full of gripping battles and world building! The scale of events are epic with character development and plots twists everywhere! The Sith are busily plotting away while the Jedi and the Imperial Knights thanks to Cade's ideas are debating where or not to establish a raid on the Sith in order to deliver a blow to them that will allow the Empire and Galactic Alliance to remove them from power! This makes for a dynamic and fluid plots right from the beginning that at the same time deal with plots from previous books as well as setting up new ones for future books!
Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 2 the power play both on the field of battle and political field are delivered brilliantly with all the characters driven by their own agendas. Cade's cutting through the Jedi's justifications and philosophy, and the support of the Imperial Knights, really brings home the knots the Jedi do like to tie their philosophy up in! This makes for great drama with you not knowing from one the start where things are going to go with the plots and who is will have a target painted on their back! The Sith shenanigans are given their due as well and Darth Wyyrlok is clearly after his own agenda!
The addition of backstory and more insight into the, Jedi, Imperial Knight and what is happening on Bastion also add to the Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 2 tone! The Space battle and ground fights flow thick and fast, full of action and heroics, and have a visceral tone to them. Ostrander puts his characters through the wringer! This makes for brilliantly realised book that is world building and epic from the start the keeps you on your toes from the start with things changing and barrelling forward in ways that you will not see coming!
The art neatly dovetails with the script with events flying off the page! The panes have a cinematic quality that neatly marries up with the script resulting in a book that you will be up late with to see what happens! :D Brilliant Crisp High Five! :D Get it When You Can!
Just like the book 1, this one was very enjoyable. There was a few filler stories (just like book 1) that had different artist that were ok but were the reason why I didn't give it 5 stars. They weren't terrible, but compared to the main story and artists looked terrible and the stories weren't great. Also I hated the way they introduced the names for some of the characters. It went something along the lines of "Great job Cade Skywalker" then in reply "No Problem Deliah Blue" (People don't talk like that) But overall really enjoyed it and can't wait to read book 3. I'm super interested in reading books with these characters in them. I really like the Sith, Cade Skywalker and his companions.
Almost all of this is stuff I’d read before as well. There are side stories showing conflict across the galaxy, but I think they kinda halt the momentum of Cade’s storyline. The love triangle is kind of annoying, but there are questions about whether or not to let someone die and give themselves to the Force. The Legacy portion of the Vector storyline is also included. While that storyline was most meaningful in Legacy, it’s really best experienced in full across the four comic series of the different eras.
This is more like 3.5 stars, but rounded down because the story gets a little overlong and repetitive, and there are some minor inconsistencies with the characters that don't sit well with me. It's still an interesting look at the long future of the EU, even if I still want to know what happened between the end of Crucible and this series.
Looking for entertainment and good stories, then legacy are the right place. Love the stories and the drawing style. Some incoherent stories,but 5 stars from me.
Star Wars: Legacy is no longer canon thanks to the old Expanded Universe being removed from continuity. It's still one of the more coherent and well-crafted stories of the Legends universe, however, which means I heartily recommend it to people who are looking for an enjoyable alternate continuity Star Wars tale. I see no reason why you can't enjoy the Star Wars Legends stories anymore than the Marvel Ultimates series.
The premise of Star Wars: Legacy is the Sith have returned one-hundred-and-twenty-years after the death of Emperor Palpatine. Led by the diabolical Darth Krayt, they have managed to seize control over the galaxy and install a ruthless draconian dictatorship over the whole of the universe once more. As before, a Skywalker may be the universe's last hope, but Cade Skywalker is the only one left alive and he's a drug-addicted bounty hunter who wants nothing to do with heroism.
In my review of the first hardcover, I mentioned how I wasn't very fond of Cade Skywalker asa a concept. I've never been a great fan of Chosen Ones in fiction and Cade is kind of an insult to his forebearers. Luke Skywalker wasn't a hero because of his high midiclorian count, he was a hero because he wanted to fight the Empire and make the galaxy a better place. The fact the central premise of Legacy is that Cade Skywalker is the only person capable of defeating Darth Krayt caused me extreme distress.
Thankfully, this volume makes up for it in numerous ways.
Cade Skywalker gets plenty of development, don't get me wrong, but the series takes a moment to step away from him by giving some focus to other characters. Whereas Cade Skywalker wants nothing to do with being the galaxy's savior, there are plenty of other people who do.
My favorite of these characters is Gar Stazi, a Duros Admiral of the fallen Galactic Alliance, who is waging a never-ending campaign of resistance against the Sith-controlled Galactic Empire. Gar Stazi is an unquestionably heroic character and contrasts strongly with morally ambiguous characters like our current protagonist. Another character I liked was Cade's uncle, Nat, another Skywalker who has chosen to abandon the Jedi way. Unlike Cade, he hasn't allowed himself to sink into depravity. A committed family man, he's a far more admirable figure even if he's decided saving the universe isn't for him. Still, I would have been much happier if there were Skywalkers who were interested in saving the universe.
That would defeat the need for Cade, though.
A final edition I came to enjoy was Azlyn Rae, Cade Skywalker's former lover and a Jedi padawan who left their order to become an Imperial Knight. She is a reminder of the better times of Cade's life while also a person who inspires him to be better. The fact she's a strong female character who chooses to do what's right over what's practical also helps cement her place in my fanboy's heart.
Plus she's a ginger and they're a superior species (at least according to my wife).
Hehe.
The moments spent between Cade and his uncle are some of the best in the series, in my humble opinion, and go a long way to humanizing our antihero protagonist. Nat gives him firm but practical advice about his situation as well as directs him away from the Dark Side without being condescending. Cade is never more likable than when dealing with his uncle and we get some hints as to how he became the way he did. Cade, much like Anakin, simply wishes people to live and his struggle to keep his loved ones from leaving is his greatest flaw rather than his drug use. I'm never going to like Cade but, after this volume, I understood him.
We also get the set-up for the central conflict of the Legacy stories in the massacre of the Mon Calamari. Long champions of freedom and democracy, they badly underestimate how deep Darth Krayt's madness goes. When the Mon Calamari population is set for genocide, the rest of the galaxy can only look on in horror at the pure evil on display. As with Alderaan, the event galvanizes Darth Krayt's enemies to unite against him too. Some of my favorite moments from this volume are centered around the Mon Calamari defense, like watching Imperial Knight Treis Sinde choose his loyalty to the Force over his service to Emperor Fel.
In conclusion, Star Wars: Legacy volume 2 is an excellent continuation of a great series. While I don't much care for its lead, the setting is evocative, the art is beautiful, and the characters are fascinating. While the storyline can be a trifle depressing, I think anyone who likes their Star Wars a bit edgy will enjoy this.
Cade continues to be insufferable (you just have to accept it), but I liked this volume a lot because of all the fantastic side-story segments. These are a real delight for me because they give you a nice sense of the galactic scope of the conflict, and they showcase all the great, non-Cade characters. I also really liked the Vector material and the Celeste Morne / Karness Muur plot generally. It's kind of a strange plot, but in a good way. I liked seeing Krayt trying to deal with Muur. I also loved Wyyrlok's role in this volume. Overall a very enjoyable volume for me.
the art times isn't the best, but is mostly solid through. What really stands out is how good the story is and how engaging it still is by the end of this volume. I hadn't read most of what was in this volume and it only left me wanting more.
Really enjoying this EU series. Just wish the eBooks weren't as expensive as they are! Book three will have to wait until next month when I can use my entire $25 book budget on the last omnibus of the trilogy.
I think I liked it just a tad better than book 1, but it still doesn't deserve 4 stars. It is like I liked it, but didn't really like it. Another one of those comics where if you read it OK, if you don't have the time, don't worry about it.