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Star Wars: Empire #2
Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 2: Darklighter
Before Luke Skywalker, the Rebel Alliance had another hero: Biggs Darklighter. For the first time, the full story of Luke's boyhood friend is revealed; from his departure from Tatooine to attend the Imperial Academy, to his decision to lead a mutiny against the Empire and join the Rebellion, to the fateful attack on the Death Star.
Writer Paul Chadwick has resurrected scenes that were shot for Star Wars: A New Hope, but which ended up on the cutting room floor, and extrapolated from them the life and times of Luke Skywalker's best friend; and artist Doug Wheatley has produced stunning artwork for one of the most acclaimed Star Wars comics stories ever. An essential companion to A New Hope, and an exciting addition to any Star Wars library!
Also included: "The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell," by Chadwick and artist Tomás Giorello. A revealing look at one of the early leaders of the Rebel Alliance; a man haunted by a dark past and driven to a heroic, but self-destructive fate.
Available worldwide from Dark Horse Comics (available in the UK from Titan)
Writer Paul Chadwick has resurrected scenes that were shot for Star Wars: A New Hope, but which ended up on the cutting room floor, and extrapolated from them the life and times of Luke Skywalker's best friend; and artist Doug Wheatley has produced stunning artwork for one of the most acclaimed Star Wars comics stories ever. An essential companion to A New Hope, and an exciting addition to any Star Wars library!
Also included: "The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell," by Chadwick and artist Tomás Giorello. A revealing look at one of the early leaders of the Rebel Alliance; a man haunted by a dark past and driven to a heroic, but self-destructive fate.
Available worldwide from Dark Horse Comics (available in the UK from Titan)
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
3 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Paul Chadwick
206 books60 followersPaul Chadwick (b.1957) has worked widely as an artist and writer for comic books, with collaborators like Ron Randall, Doug Wheatley, Alan Moore, John Bolton, Harlan Ellison, Jan Strnad, Randy Stradley, Archie Goodwin, Brian K. Vaughan, and others.
He's most noted for his award-winning series Concrete, about a thoughtful man stuck in a brutish, rock-coated body. Born in Seattle, he grew up in its lakeside suburb Medina, then a haven for Boeing engineers and their families, now the site of palaces for Bill Gates and his ilk. His father Stephen F. Chadwick was City Attorney for the small hamlet.
As a teen, he joined Apa-5, the amateur press alliance of comics fans which also provided a creative outlet for future comics luminaries like Frank Miller, Mike Richardson, Randy Stradley, Chris Warner, Randy Emberlin, and others.
He attended Art Center College of Design, majoring in illustration. Around this time Chadwick lived in a courtyard apartment building, The Golden Palm, which teemed with talent. Bryn Barnard, Ron Harris, David Mattingly, James Gurney, Thomas Kinkade, Kurt Cyrus, Mark Verheiden, Andy Su, Terry Robinson all lived there, five of them as Chadwick's roommate (at different times).
Chadwick graduated in 1979, and began storyboarding movies for Disney, Warner Brothers, Lucasfilm and others. Credits include Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Strange Brew, The Big Easy and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Chadwick says the auteurs behind two small films he worked on, Lies (Jim & Ken Wheat) and Miracle Mile (Steve DeJarnatt) were the greatest personal influences on his writing.
Chadwick also freelanced illustration, mainly for movie advertising (Streamers and Galaxy of Terror were the only finished posters among the dozens of preliminary paintings he did) and for SF and Fantasy paperbacks.
Chadwick decided to devote himself to comics, but Concrete didn't sell at first. Chadwick's first comic in print was The Life of St. Norbert, published by an order of Norbertine monks. Going from the sacred to the (mildly) profane, he next drew Steve Perry's strange and silly Salimba, about a jungle girl fighting "wormboys" and a giant three-headed were-dog.
A year on Marvel's Dazzler completed Chadwick's apprentice years, and he sold Concrete in 1985 to Dark Horse comics. It has appeared intermittently ever since.
A Concrete movie has been in development for years. Chadwick has written several screenplays for it, first in collaboration with Larry Wilson, then solo. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh wrote one, as well, which briefly won a green light for the film.
The decision was reversed upon the release of the surprise hit The Blair Witch Project, which caused the sudden mass delusion that Hollywood could dispense with costly visual effects and stars. The fever passed, but Concrete's window had closed, at least until somebody with the clout or energy decides to brave the thousand demons that lay waiting to kill every movie.
Chadwick wrote and drew (inks by Ron Randall) eight issues of The World Below, about a network of vast, mysteriously lit caverns beneath northern Washington State, and the strange beings and technology to be found there. Dark Horse plans to reissue the series as a collection.
The Human Dilemma, the newest Concrete series, won an Eisner Award (best cartoonist) and a Reuben Award (best in comic books division) from the National Cartoonist Society.
Chadwick is currently drawing a miniseries for DC, Seven Against Chaos, written by Harlan Ellison.
He's also working on a (non-Concrete, TBA) graphic novel for Dark Horse, as well as a new Concrete miniseries.
Biography updated 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 29, 2013
There are two different stories in the volume of Empire and so deserve two different ratings.
I liked the Biggs Darklighter backstory, but I didn't like it a lot because I feel like it was rather straightforward. Still, I like seeing what kind of characters Biggs was, what I don't like is the overly cheesy and awkwardly poetic the moments before his death is. It's pretty bad, like if the writers point was to make his death meaningful, then skip how at peace Biggs feels for some reason (maybe it's b/c he knew he was going to die? Somehow?) and emphasize the importance of his sacrifice. SHOW don't TELL. The art work some of the best I've seen from any graphic novel. The characters actually look somewhat like a real life version of themselves as opposed to in most comic books the characters looking like cartoon versions of themselves. Some notes I made while reading it:
*Did Biggs really just blow up a flying Tie fighter with a blaster bolt from his blaster while drifting in space?
*Since when has Uncle Owen acted like a drunken idiot? I get the feeling the writer didn't like him.
*Biggs Darklighter is the only person that says "make it snappy" anymore.
*Hobbie is becoming more and more like Darth Vader at least physically.
*How could Biggs talk about the Rogue Squadron if it came into existence AFTER the Death Star blew up?
*Man I'm so glad Biggs gets with an arbitrary women before he dies. Could you how pathetic he'd be if he died without ever getting some? (sarcasm)
*This cheesy death talk is so awkward.
Now onto the Sweet, Happy Life of Francis Mc- I mean Roons Sewell. This was terrible, like really bad. They teach in creative writing SHOW don't TELL. The writer of this story must have wrote it the other way around in his notes. But what could he do? He set up the whole affair as a flashback/eulogy. If I thought the death scene of Biggs was wish-washy, I was in for a surprise for the LIFE of Roons. Simply put, imagine Anakin from Attack of the clones and you're pretty close to what Roons is like. He's arrogant, vile, and emotionally wrecked. And he became a general of the Rebel Alliance. I'm glad he died, he wasn't a good character. Bad guys can be good characters, but Roons was so engulfed in telling why he was the way he was he couldn't verily show why.
Two very different stories, I give THREE stars for Biggs and ONE for Roons, coming to a grand total of TWO stars.
I liked the Biggs Darklighter backstory, but I didn't like it a lot because I feel like it was rather straightforward. Still, I like seeing what kind of characters Biggs was, what I don't like is the overly cheesy and awkwardly poetic the moments before his death is. It's pretty bad, like if the writers point was to make his death meaningful, then skip how at peace Biggs feels for some reason (maybe it's b/c he knew he was going to die? Somehow?) and emphasize the importance of his sacrifice. SHOW don't TELL. The art work some of the best I've seen from any graphic novel. The characters actually look somewhat like a real life version of themselves as opposed to in most comic books the characters looking like cartoon versions of themselves. Some notes I made while reading it:
*Did Biggs really just blow up a flying Tie fighter with a blaster bolt from his blaster while drifting in space?
*Since when has Uncle Owen acted like a drunken idiot? I get the feeling the writer didn't like him.
*Biggs Darklighter is the only person that says "make it snappy" anymore.
*Hobbie is becoming more and more like Darth Vader at least physically.
*How could Biggs talk about the Rogue Squadron if it came into existence AFTER the Death Star blew up?
*Man I'm so glad Biggs gets with an arbitrary women before he dies. Could you how pathetic he'd be if he died without ever getting some? (sarcasm)
*This cheesy death talk is so awkward.
Now onto the Sweet, Happy Life of Francis Mc- I mean Roons Sewell. This was terrible, like really bad. They teach in creative writing SHOW don't TELL. The writer of this story must have wrote it the other way around in his notes. But what could he do? He set up the whole affair as a flashback/eulogy. If I thought the death scene of Biggs was wish-washy, I was in for a surprise for the LIFE of Roons. Simply put, imagine Anakin from Attack of the clones and you're pretty close to what Roons is like. He's arrogant, vile, and emotionally wrecked. And he became a general of the Rebel Alliance. I'm glad he died, he wasn't a good character. Bad guys can be good characters, but Roons was so engulfed in telling why he was the way he was he couldn't verily show why.
Two very different stories, I give THREE stars for Biggs and ONE for Roons, coming to a grand total of TWO stars.
August 4, 2011
With its second volume, the series shifts from imperial characters to one who many have been curious for some time. Biggs Darklighter was a character from the original Star Wars film (now referred to as Episode IV: A New Hope). He was a friend of Luke Skywalker's from Tatooine. Biggs had been able to get off planet by going to the Imperial flight academy.
This volume really explores who he is as a character. In fact, it basically retells the story of that original film from his perspective, starting with his leaving Tatooine and joining him through his time in Imperial service. I guess that is the part that makes this an appropriate story for a series with "Empire" in the title. It is clear that Biggs quickly realizes that his father was right in saying how evil the Empire was and finds his way into the Rebel Alliance.
Along the way, readers join Biggs as he makes friends, and we get a chance to see some of the heroism of other members of the Rebel Alliance. As with other volumes in this series as well as a few others, it really adds a galactic element to the war between the Empire and the Alliance because it is not just focused on the characters with whome we are most familiar.
In some ways, it is a tough story because, like Luke, Biggs has big hopes and dreams, and we are along for the ride, knowing that his ultimate fate is his death during the Battle of Yavin, where the story concludes.
The volume also includes a short story where Generel Dodonna, the leader of the Rebels during the Battle of Yavin, is basically presenting a eulogy for General Roons Sewell, an actor-turned-rebel with a talent for getting things done. To my knowledge, Sewell is a totally original character, and it was interesting to see the motivation for someone who might decide to join the Rebellion.
This really was a fun addition to the series. The illustrations are strong and really capture the feel of familiar faces, and the storytelling is well done. At least for now, the Empire is ruling my reading time, and I think it will for a bit longer as I work my way through the series.
This volume really explores who he is as a character. In fact, it basically retells the story of that original film from his perspective, starting with his leaving Tatooine and joining him through his time in Imperial service. I guess that is the part that makes this an appropriate story for a series with "Empire" in the title. It is clear that Biggs quickly realizes that his father was right in saying how evil the Empire was and finds his way into the Rebel Alliance.
Along the way, readers join Biggs as he makes friends, and we get a chance to see some of the heroism of other members of the Rebel Alliance. As with other volumes in this series as well as a few others, it really adds a galactic element to the war between the Empire and the Alliance because it is not just focused on the characters with whome we are most familiar.
In some ways, it is a tough story because, like Luke, Biggs has big hopes and dreams, and we are along for the ride, knowing that his ultimate fate is his death during the Battle of Yavin, where the story concludes.
The volume also includes a short story where Generel Dodonna, the leader of the Rebels during the Battle of Yavin, is basically presenting a eulogy for General Roons Sewell, an actor-turned-rebel with a talent for getting things done. To my knowledge, Sewell is a totally original character, and it was interesting to see the motivation for someone who might decide to join the Rebellion.
This really was a fun addition to the series. The illustrations are strong and really capture the feel of familiar faces, and the storytelling is well done. At least for now, the Empire is ruling my reading time, and I think it will for a bit longer as I work my way through the series.
August 5, 2009
Another Expanded Universe set. As you can tell by the title, this book tells the story of Biggs Darklighter. Even though you know he dies in A New Hope, his interactions with Luke Skywalker suggest some history. How does he know Luke (if you've seen any of the deleted scenes from A New Hope, you'll have some idea of this)? What did he do before he joined the Rebel Alliance? Does he know anyone else, any of the other main or even bit characters from the original trilogy (yes, and some of their history is also revealed)? All of this is revealed, in words and pictures in glorious full color, in the form a trade paperback collection of comics.
At the end, another Rebel Alliance character's (Roons Sewell, an expanded universe character, no movie part that I know of) life story is told and in the process, a small bit of another character's life is revealed (General Jan Dodonna, seen in A New Hope).
At the end, another Rebel Alliance character's (Roons Sewell, an expanded universe character, no movie part that I know of) life story is told and in the process, a small bit of another character's life is revealed (General Jan Dodonna, seen in A New Hope).
April 3, 2021
I loved this comic installment because it highlights a figure which we have only seen briefly in the movies and it was fun to see Brigg's story.
September 19, 2017
Darklighter - 5 stars
This is where Empire starts being great. Of course, Wheatley's god-tier pencils do a ton to make this arc great. The Starduster is another stunning ship, almost as good as the Uhumele, and all the background ships are given Wheatley's typically devoted detail and imagination--almost every other comic artist look like they're just recycling the same few ships while Wheatley's actually trying to sell the depth of this galaxy. This time, though, it's the faces that really shine. Biggs and his friends are just jaw-droppingly realized, their hair and facial features utterly realistic but still elegantly artful, unlike some of the more realist faces in the Marvel Star Wars line.
The arc here is built around a cut scene from ANH, which is part of but not all of the reason it is the rare EU work that succeeds in circling closely around events from the movies without feeling cheeky or creatively bankrupt. Biggs' story feels vibrant and vital, lit by his suave charm, the fast friendships he forms, and the sense of meaning they bring his daring and desperate feats. We end up seeing almost Biggs' entire life in this series, and the intersections with the story of ANH bring his story into poignant contrast with Luke's story. Luke is charmed but not charming, frustrated where Biggs is effortless, constrained by a demanding family and his own attitude. Yet Biggs is a star that burns fast and bright, and his end comes fast and dramatic. It's low-key one of the more emotional impactful moments of the movies, and the fact that it really doesn't feel that way at the time is the premise that makes this story so worth telling.
The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell - 5 stars
Weaving this story into Biggs' life story provides a third direct parallel Rebel biography. I've noted that these retrospective storytelling devices work well for me before (the Stark Hyperspace War benefits greatly from it); I think it is especially apt in comics, where there simply isn't time for much showing and telling can sometimes bring more clarity and power. We see Sewell's life story as Dodonna narrates it, but with all of his omissions filled in and his editorializing pointed out. It's layered in a way that communicates the hidden sorrows of Sewell's life and his sometimes troubled relationships with other Rebels very efficiently and with a dollop of pathos.
This arc is a very unique story in Star Wars, and it both on its on and in its direct links to the arcs before and after show why Empire is such an inspired and effective project. Of the three, Sewell's rage and grief bring him closest to Anakin Skywalker, which brings a maturity and depth to this trifecta that offsets Luke and Biggs' youthful earnestness really well. This arc also highlights the Rebellion's relative lack of charismatic leaders; Rieekan, Dodonna, and Mon Mothma are iconic by now, but Sewell has a light and an energy, even in just two issues, that make them seem pale and stiff by contrast.
This is where Empire starts being great. Of course, Wheatley's god-tier pencils do a ton to make this arc great. The Starduster is another stunning ship, almost as good as the Uhumele, and all the background ships are given Wheatley's typically devoted detail and imagination--almost every other comic artist look like they're just recycling the same few ships while Wheatley's actually trying to sell the depth of this galaxy. This time, though, it's the faces that really shine. Biggs and his friends are just jaw-droppingly realized, their hair and facial features utterly realistic but still elegantly artful, unlike some of the more realist faces in the Marvel Star Wars line.
The arc here is built around a cut scene from ANH, which is part of but not all of the reason it is the rare EU work that succeeds in circling closely around events from the movies without feeling cheeky or creatively bankrupt. Biggs' story feels vibrant and vital, lit by his suave charm, the fast friendships he forms, and the sense of meaning they bring his daring and desperate feats. We end up seeing almost Biggs' entire life in this series, and the intersections with the story of ANH bring his story into poignant contrast with Luke's story. Luke is charmed but not charming, frustrated where Biggs is effortless, constrained by a demanding family and his own attitude. Yet Biggs is a star that burns fast and bright, and his end comes fast and dramatic. It's low-key one of the more emotional impactful moments of the movies, and the fact that it really doesn't feel that way at the time is the premise that makes this story so worth telling.
The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell - 5 stars
Weaving this story into Biggs' life story provides a third direct parallel Rebel biography. I've noted that these retrospective storytelling devices work well for me before (the Stark Hyperspace War benefits greatly from it); I think it is especially apt in comics, where there simply isn't time for much showing and telling can sometimes bring more clarity and power. We see Sewell's life story as Dodonna narrates it, but with all of his omissions filled in and his editorializing pointed out. It's layered in a way that communicates the hidden sorrows of Sewell's life and his sometimes troubled relationships with other Rebels very efficiently and with a dollop of pathos.
This arc is a very unique story in Star Wars, and it both on its on and in its direct links to the arcs before and after show why Empire is such an inspired and effective project. Of the three, Sewell's rage and grief bring him closest to Anakin Skywalker, which brings a maturity and depth to this trifecta that offsets Luke and Biggs' youthful earnestness really well. This arc also highlights the Rebellion's relative lack of charismatic leaders; Rieekan, Dodonna, and Mon Mothma are iconic by now, but Sewell has a light and an energy, even in just two issues, that make them seem pale and stiff by contrast.
July 22, 2020
Re-read - pretty sure I read this in the library once upon a time.
Please note that this comic series is now part of Legends, and is no longer canon within the Star Wars expanded universe.
I very quickly realise that this series does not really have an overarching plot, but rather a theme. This is good because it means that even if you feel meh about one volume, you may love the next. This is also bad because it means that even if you love one volume, you may feel meh about the next.
The main story is set roughly around the time of the events in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, this volume follows Biggs Darklighter, best friend of Luke Skywalker. Those keen on the film may be aware of a deleted scene that established their friendship, and that scene makes it into this volume. I really like the art and colouring in this volume, and it's nice to see threads weaving through and enhancing the movie events.
I was less enamoured with the B-story, possibly because I did not care about the titular protagonist, Roons Sewell, and found the described events too melodramatic. In future re-reads I will probably skip the B-story.
Please note that this comic series is now part of Legends, and is no longer canon within the Star Wars expanded universe.
I very quickly realise that this series does not really have an overarching plot, but rather a theme. This is good because it means that even if you feel meh about one volume, you may love the next. This is also bad because it means that even if you love one volume, you may feel meh about the next.
The main story is set roughly around the time of the events in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, this volume follows Biggs Darklighter, best friend of Luke Skywalker. Those keen on the film may be aware of a deleted scene that established their friendship, and that scene makes it into this volume. I really like the art and colouring in this volume, and it's nice to see threads weaving through and enhancing the movie events.
I was less enamoured with the B-story, possibly because I did not care about the titular protagonist, Roons Sewell, and found the described events too melodramatic. In future re-reads I will probably skip the B-story.
April 14, 2019
There's a fair amount to like about Darklighter: it fills in the backstory of a popular side character and features really solid art. Unfortunately, Paul Chadwick is not a very skilled storyteller. He seems to have focused entirely on wordsmithing the copious narration, forgetting to create memorable characters, dialogue, or plots. A lot happens in Darklighter, but it just kinda happens. Meanwhile, Chadwick's narrator waxes nostalgic about the glint of the sun off an X-Wing as it shears through Yavin 4's atmosphere.
The back-up story is even worse, if that's possible. It's the biography of a random Rebel general as monologued by General Dodonna. The guy lived a hard life and went out in a blaze of glory. Meanwhile, Chadwick somehow works the word "pusillanimous" into the narrative. Good god, man, this is Star Wars. Quit trying so hard.
The back-up story is even worse, if that's possible. It's the biography of a random Rebel general as monologued by General Dodonna. The guy lived a hard life and went out in a blaze of glory. Meanwhile, Chadwick somehow works the word "pusillanimous" into the narrative. Good god, man, this is Star Wars. Quit trying so hard.
January 3, 2019
This was an engrossing and loving look at the life of one of the Rebellion’s fallen heroes. If it weren’t for Bigg’s sacrifice, Luke never would have been able to destroy the Death Star. The artwork was done well and Bigg’s story was believable and devastatingly full when it ended. This volume has a bonus story featuring Roons Sewell, which gave a little bit of more about the origins of the Rebel Alliance. It was well illustrated if a somewhat pointless character study on a character we’ve never seen before (and as it’s a eulogy at his funeral, never see subsequently).
January 21, 2026
8/10:
This was a very solid collection of stories centered around heroes of the Rebel Alliance who were once part of the Galactic Empire (or impersonating them): Biggs Darklighter and Roons Sewell. I really liked the inside look we got at the Imperial Flight Academy that Biggs was a student at as well as the fear faced by many who dreaded a station aboard the Death Star with Grand Moff Tarkin. I’m curious to see how the stories of these two men may come back throughout this run (despite the ends to their stories).
This was a very solid collection of stories centered around heroes of the Rebel Alliance who were once part of the Galactic Empire (or impersonating them): Biggs Darklighter and Roons Sewell. I really liked the inside look we got at the Imperial Flight Academy that Biggs was a student at as well as the fear faced by many who dreaded a station aboard the Death Star with Grand Moff Tarkin. I’m curious to see how the stories of these two men may come back throughout this run (despite the ends to their stories).
May 19, 2024
This is volume 2 of the Empire line, but my version is volume 7 of Dark Horse's 30th Anniversary Collection - it's a really nice hardcover edition with thick pages. It honestly deserved the extra special treatment. This collection really does justice to Biggs Darklighter and it makes you care. Here, he's not just Luke's expendable friend. He has adventures and doubts and he's a solid, tangible character. One of my favourite Dark Horse releases.
January 20, 2017
This story works on so many levels. The artwork is excellent and Darklighter is a hero one can easily root for. Of course it also introduces the likes of Hobbs and Skywalker, but make no mistake about it, Darklighter stands out here than the rest.
December 31, 2020
Love the art and the story of how Biggs Darklighter became a hero in the Rebellion. Also, great short story about General Roons Sewell too.
August 22, 2023
Corny, over-dramatic, very "for boys", classic EU
April 14, 2024
The Biggs storyline was ok.
The Sewell storyline was worse.
The Sewell storyline was worse.
July 17, 2025
so incredible, the rogue one before disney
March 14, 2020
Star Wars Legends Project #221
Background: Darklighter, released in May of 2004, collects issues 8-12 and 15 of Empire (May-December 2003). They were written by Paul Chadwick and art on 3 of the issues by Douglas Wheatley and 2 of the issues by Tomás Giorello, with both contributing to the 6th. Chadwick has not written any other Star Wars stories. Wheatley and Giorello each have contributed art to a few dozen issues. Wheatley did most of the Dark Times run among others, and Giorello also did the art for several issues of Republic and a few issues of X-Wing.
Darklighter is largely set in the few weeks before the Battle of Yavin, although an extended flashback in a few issues covers some years beforehand as well. The main character, obviously, is Biggs Darklighter, along with characters like Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, and General Dodonna.
Summary: The lives and times of 2 early heroes (and martyrs) of the Rebellion are revealed. Biggs Darklighter was the older, wiser pilot that Luke Skywalker looked up to, and he blazed a trail that Luke hoped to follow, trained at the Imperial Academy, and then a defector to the Rebel Alliance. General Roons Sewell was another fiery young leader of the Rebellion, a man with a tortured past who played a key role in the early struggle against the Empire. These are their stories.
Review: Everyone who has seen Star Wars knows Biggs Darklighter is a close friend of Luke's from Tatooine, already an established pilot for the Rebellion, who dies in the assualt on the first Death Star. Most long-time fans are also aware of Biggs' much-expanded role in deleted scenes from the movie, in which his relationship with Luke is given more detail and he reveals his plans to join the Rebellion. This series takes those two pieces and attempts to flesh out the rest of his story.
I think all of the deleted scenes from the first Star Wars movie were wise cuts, and this is no exception. These two pieces of Biggs' story just don't seem to connect in a way that makes sense. He's home on Tatooine post-graduation from the Academy, and has a conversation with Luke on the same day Princess Leia is taken prisoner by Vader in the skies overhead, and tells Luke he's planning to jump ship and join the Rebellion. I'm not aware of an exact timeline of how much time passes during the course of the movie, but it seems like it would certainly be less than 2 weeks, and perhaps closer to one. Which is a pretty short timeframe for Biggs to go from "I'll be heading out in an Imperial ship soon but I'm planning to defect to the Rebellion if I can find them" to "I'm an established pilot and hero of the Rebel Alliance."
This series does the best that I could hope for in mapping that out. I've always liked Biggs, and I wish there were more space in-universe for stories about him. The artwork is also fantastic, and the parts of the story that don't appear in the movie (deleted scenes included) are really good. These 4 issues are well worth your time.
For whatever reason, right in the middle of the Darklighter story, they've dropped in the 2-issue story "The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell." The title is weird, and I didn't particularly love the character. His life story is related through the framing device of General Dodonna giving his eulogy in an attempt to inspire flagging morale among the troops at the Yavin base. A lot of this narration is wooden and cheesy. Those caveats aside, the story itself isn't too bad. It's not boring, it just feels weirdly irrelevant.
I don't know what possessed them to shove this into the middle of the Darklighter issues like this, and I don't know what purpose this story serves. But I definitely like the idea of expanding the story and the cast of characters beyond just what we see in the films. The execution here isn't amazing, but it's not terrible and I applaud the effort.
B
Background: Darklighter, released in May of 2004, collects issues 8-12 and 15 of Empire (May-December 2003). They were written by Paul Chadwick and art on 3 of the issues by Douglas Wheatley and 2 of the issues by Tomás Giorello, with both contributing to the 6th. Chadwick has not written any other Star Wars stories. Wheatley and Giorello each have contributed art to a few dozen issues. Wheatley did most of the Dark Times run among others, and Giorello also did the art for several issues of Republic and a few issues of X-Wing.
Darklighter is largely set in the few weeks before the Battle of Yavin, although an extended flashback in a few issues covers some years beforehand as well. The main character, obviously, is Biggs Darklighter, along with characters like Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, and General Dodonna.
Summary: The lives and times of 2 early heroes (and martyrs) of the Rebellion are revealed. Biggs Darklighter was the older, wiser pilot that Luke Skywalker looked up to, and he blazed a trail that Luke hoped to follow, trained at the Imperial Academy, and then a defector to the Rebel Alliance. General Roons Sewell was another fiery young leader of the Rebellion, a man with a tortured past who played a key role in the early struggle against the Empire. These are their stories.
Review: Everyone who has seen Star Wars knows Biggs Darklighter is a close friend of Luke's from Tatooine, already an established pilot for the Rebellion, who dies in the assualt on the first Death Star. Most long-time fans are also aware of Biggs' much-expanded role in deleted scenes from the movie, in which his relationship with Luke is given more detail and he reveals his plans to join the Rebellion. This series takes those two pieces and attempts to flesh out the rest of his story.
I think all of the deleted scenes from the first Star Wars movie were wise cuts, and this is no exception. These two pieces of Biggs' story just don't seem to connect in a way that makes sense. He's home on Tatooine post-graduation from the Academy, and has a conversation with Luke on the same day Princess Leia is taken prisoner by Vader in the skies overhead, and tells Luke he's planning to jump ship and join the Rebellion. I'm not aware of an exact timeline of how much time passes during the course of the movie, but it seems like it would certainly be less than 2 weeks, and perhaps closer to one. Which is a pretty short timeframe for Biggs to go from "I'll be heading out in an Imperial ship soon but I'm planning to defect to the Rebellion if I can find them" to "I'm an established pilot and hero of the Rebel Alliance."
This series does the best that I could hope for in mapping that out. I've always liked Biggs, and I wish there were more space in-universe for stories about him. The artwork is also fantastic, and the parts of the story that don't appear in the movie (deleted scenes included) are really good. These 4 issues are well worth your time.
For whatever reason, right in the middle of the Darklighter story, they've dropped in the 2-issue story "The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell." The title is weird, and I didn't particularly love the character. His life story is related through the framing device of General Dodonna giving his eulogy in an attempt to inspire flagging morale among the troops at the Yavin base. A lot of this narration is wooden and cheesy. Those caveats aside, the story itself isn't too bad. It's not boring, it just feels weirdly irrelevant.
I don't know what possessed them to shove this into the middle of the Darklighter issues like this, and I don't know what purpose this story serves. But I definitely like the idea of expanding the story and the cast of characters beyond just what we see in the films. The execution here isn't amazing, but it's not terrible and I applaud the effort.
B
February 20, 2016
I've always loved the relationship Luke had with his old Tatooine friend Biggs Darklighter so I was pretty excited to see him fleshed out in this comic. It does him justice so well. His somber, serious mind, that same quiet passion we felt from him in those too-short deleted scenes… and towards the end the lifting of the narrative from the mere everyday into the larger-than-life issues at stake, a reflective, intuitive distance because we all know what happens to Biggs in the end. One of my favorite panels was the spread that illustrated the moment Luke and Biggs met on Yavin 4, the montage of images between them showing Luke's adventures with Bigg's... proving to us that although he'll soon be gone, Biggs had his share of incredible experiences just as Luke had. And he'd lived life to its fullest. As a pilot, a friend, a hero. Beautifully realized drawings and some pretty gorgeous writing here too. Great Star Wars comic.
June 12, 2010
A great story, and good art work. A vast improvement over the sloppily organized Volume 1 of this series. It tells a story that is apart from, and adds to what we already know from ANH, and best of all, it assumes we've already seen the movie, using only a few selected tidbits to help us place the precise time line relative to the film. An entertaining read.
The second story, about some Alliance General I'd never heard of previously, was a bit wordier than most comics stories, but the style of the story telling was a bit unique and worthwhile. It also ended up being poignant despite the fact that I didn't ever end up caring much about the main character.
The second story, about some Alliance General I'd never heard of previously, was a bit wordier than most comics stories, but the style of the story telling was a bit unique and worthwhile. It also ended up being poignant despite the fact that I didn't ever end up caring much about the main character.
April 16, 2015
What happened? No, seriously, what happened? How did we go from such a well-done story about a plot against the Emperor, to these overdone, long, dull, melodramatic drones of Biggs Darklighter and the founder of the Rebellion. I wouldn't mind a story about these two, if it wasn't written so dull. There is so much constant, unnecessary narrating, it was incredibly annoying. And both try to make it seem like this grand fate that these two have followed down, and make these moments so much larger than they are, you can't help but just roll your eyes. It's not crap, but I certainly did not enjoy this volume of Empire.
January 18, 2013
After being disappointed by the first volume in this series, I was very pleased with the second. I would recommend this to all Star Wars fans, especially if they want to see how 'lesser' heroes fight against The Empire. The first story in this collection is great because it is about Biggs Darklighter, who is briefly seen in A New Hope, and is even better because it is about how an officer in the Imperial Navy turns against the Empire. The second story is about how another person develops a hated for the empire. Both stories end well.
July 24, 2011
Great look into part of the life of Biggs Darklighter. All about how he came to be involved in the Rebellion. Great illustrations and an exciting storyline. I liked seeing the Rebellion from a perspective other than the main OT characters. Makes it even more sad that he dies because you really get to know his character. I especially liked how he was so protective of Luke.
August 16, 2011
Biggs Darklighter died during the attack on the first Death Star. The end? No. We are given a sad and honey story about Biggsy boy who grew up with Luke Skywalker, became Tie Fighter pilot, had issues in academy and among other pilots not because of his believes but because his jerkiness, he defect to Rebels to meet his glory end.
June 1, 2016
One of the most enjoyable of the graphic stories I've read so far. Darklighter is an interesting, heroic character -- he and the other characters are vividly portrayed by the artist for this run of issues. It's fascinating to see the backstory of a character that played a minor role in the films fleshed out in another medium and given life, such as Darklighter is here.
April 6, 2020
A created back story for Luke Skywalker's best friend when he was growing up. Or the guy that was killed along with Porkins on that first Death Star run. It's a pretty good story for what it was and the art was fairly good. Nothing amazing but they didn't seem to screw up the vibe and it fit in with the rest of the bigger Star Wars story well enough.
September 17, 2012
Biggs' story has gorgeous art work which is not something I can often find in Star Wars comics.
I also like the tidbits of Star Wars trivia materials hidden in the story. For example, why the Empire does not install hyperdrive in TIE fighter and why they pick TIE over X-Wing.
I also like the tidbits of Star Wars trivia materials hidden in the story. For example, why the Empire does not install hyperdrive in TIE fighter and why they pick TIE over X-Wing.
August 10, 2015
there was no reason for this series to exist. The early rebellion era and up to post-New Hope is not all that interesting. There were a couple decent storylines, but overall it's covering ground that we really don't need covered.
Out the airlock with you!
Out the airlock with you!
May 19, 2010
The story of Biggs Darklighter is finally told and it is quite enjoyable along with a story of a Rebel general.
Read
July 5, 2010SW empire v.2
June 1, 2012
Slogging. Writing not near as adept as others in the series. Too much tell, not enough show.
July 1, 2015
Imprescindible.
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