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Star Wars: Legacy #1
Star Wars: Legacy, Volume 1: Broken
The Jedi Temple is attacked, an Emperor is betrayed, and the Sith are born anew! A lot can happen in a hundred years, but that's just the beginning of the story! Not since Luke Skywalker first stepped aboard the Millennium Falcon has the galaxy seemed like such a vast, exciting, dangerous place!
Readers will meet a host of new characters, see fleets of new spaceships, and visit scores of exotic locations - some new and some familiar.
This is a perfect jumping-on point for any reader - an epic beginning to an untold chapter of the greatest adventure in the universe!
* Collects issues #1-3 and #5-7 of the Legacy ongoing series.
144 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2007
17 people are currently reading
1261 people want to read
About the author
John Ostrander
2,080 books172 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 114 reviews
February 10, 2018
Over a hundred years have past since Vader met his end. But evil is still going and Skywalkers continue the battle. Whether they want to or not.
The art is well done in this book and the characters are fairly well developed.
I wouldn’t put it at the top of my Star Wars stack, but it definitely deserves to be in the story.
The art is well done in this book and the characters are fairly well developed.
I wouldn’t put it at the top of my Star Wars stack, but it definitely deserves to be in the story.
March 25, 2016
No Longer the Future
1 January 2016
Well, this is my first review of 2016 which happens to be of the last book that I read in 2015 (okay, it is a graphic novel, but it has been sitting on my shelf for ages, but I wanted to read it and give it to a friend before I returned to Melbourne – and it also gives be an excuse to talk about the new movie). Anyway, despite the fact that I have come to see New Years Eve as one of those absurd celebrations that our society seems to want to pursue on an annual basis, even if the celebration involves simply getting drunk and waking up with a hangover the next day. Still, despite the fact that I consider this to be another relatively meaningless celebration (which includes, by the way, my birthday) I still end up spending the night with friends, and then making my way home at 12:01 on the 1st of January. I did the same thing last night, except I was at a mates house talking about The Force Awakens (particularly since I gave one of them this graphic novel).
Anyway, this is the first in a series that is set 125 years after Return of the Jedi. However with the release of the new movie everything that has occurred after Return of the Jedi has ceased to be canon (unless you are a purist with means the canon only consist of the movies, though some even go as far as to exclude The Phantom Menace). Still, despite the fact that this is no longer canon (especially since the galaxy far, far away isn't invaded by the Yuuzhan Vong) it was still quite entertaining.
Basically a new empire has been established, and a new group of Sith, led by Darth Krayt, have started hunting down the Jedi. At the beginning the Jedi and battling the Sith on this planet, but the Sith are winning, so Cade Skywalker is ordered to escape. However, as is typical of a Skywalker, he disobeys and ends up getting killed when his fighter explodes (or so it seems). The Sith, having defeated the Jedi, then go off and kill the emperor and take over the reins of leadership. Thus we suddenly have three groups – the Sith, the Empire in Exile, and the remnants of the Jedi. What I also found interesting is that the empire also seems to have their own Jedi knights (or at least an elite force that use lightsabers). Mind you, we can't have a Skywalker killed off, especially since his father had died (what is this about Jedi having children? I thought they weren't supposed to have children), and it turns out that he is running around the galaxy as a bounty hunter.
As for the new movie, well, it was okay, even if this was the entirety of Luke's lines:
It also seems that some people were rather amused at Rey's form on transport on Jakku:
As for the loveable ex-stormtrooper Finn, he also has a part to play:
As for my thoughts on the movie, well, I've already written a review on IMDB.
1 January 2016
Well, this is my first review of 2016 which happens to be of the last book that I read in 2015 (okay, it is a graphic novel, but it has been sitting on my shelf for ages, but I wanted to read it and give it to a friend before I returned to Melbourne – and it also gives be an excuse to talk about the new movie). Anyway, despite the fact that I have come to see New Years Eve as one of those absurd celebrations that our society seems to want to pursue on an annual basis, even if the celebration involves simply getting drunk and waking up with a hangover the next day. Still, despite the fact that I consider this to be another relatively meaningless celebration (which includes, by the way, my birthday) I still end up spending the night with friends, and then making my way home at 12:01 on the 1st of January. I did the same thing last night, except I was at a mates house talking about The Force Awakens (particularly since I gave one of them this graphic novel).
Anyway, this is the first in a series that is set 125 years after Return of the Jedi. However with the release of the new movie everything that has occurred after Return of the Jedi has ceased to be canon (unless you are a purist with means the canon only consist of the movies, though some even go as far as to exclude The Phantom Menace). Still, despite the fact that this is no longer canon (especially since the galaxy far, far away isn't invaded by the Yuuzhan Vong) it was still quite entertaining.
Basically a new empire has been established, and a new group of Sith, led by Darth Krayt, have started hunting down the Jedi. At the beginning the Jedi and battling the Sith on this planet, but the Sith are winning, so Cade Skywalker is ordered to escape. However, as is typical of a Skywalker, he disobeys and ends up getting killed when his fighter explodes (or so it seems). The Sith, having defeated the Jedi, then go off and kill the emperor and take over the reins of leadership. Thus we suddenly have three groups – the Sith, the Empire in Exile, and the remnants of the Jedi. What I also found interesting is that the empire also seems to have their own Jedi knights (or at least an elite force that use lightsabers). Mind you, we can't have a Skywalker killed off, especially since his father had died (what is this about Jedi having children? I thought they weren't supposed to have children), and it turns out that he is running around the galaxy as a bounty hunter.
As for the new movie, well, it was okay, even if this was the entirety of Luke's lines:
It also seems that some people were rather amused at Rey's form on transport on Jakku:
As for the loveable ex-stormtrooper Finn, he also has a part to play:
As for my thoughts on the movie, well, I've already written a review on IMDB.
August 25, 2015
I like it;I love it; I want some more of it.
January 5, 2016
Around 100 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, a new Sith order has risen with the intent to extinguish the Jedi.
The universe still has Skywalker's to stand against them, Master Kol Skywalker and his son Cade.
Unfortunately the numbers were too great for the might of the Skywalkers and the Jedi Order to stand against. This battle is known as The Massacre of Ossus. The new Sith Order led by Darth Krayt took control of the Empire.
Seven years later hope still remains, even if it's unrecognizable.
Star Wars Legacy Broken is awesome. As a young broke adult just out of college with no money, I would go to the bookstore and read the issues/volumes of this whenever I could. I never read the whole series, but I enjoyed what I did read. Unfortunately having no money I never bought it and after a few years I forgot about it. Recently it came to mind again and I checked Marvel Unlimited to see if they had the series and fortunately they did. I'm very pleased to say that nearly 10 years later the series holds up and is still a ton of fun.
The author came up with some colorful characters and even though he lightly borrowed from the original and prequel trilogies, Star Wars Legacy Broken is fresh and fun. I really like Cade Skywalker because he's really flawed for all his power. After barely surviving the Massacre of Ossus, Cade turns his back on life as a Jedi and has become a bounty hunter. He takes death sticks to keep the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker from bothering him. I just feel the man's pain and love reading about him.
Star Wars Legacy Broken is some great Star Wars comic book fun from the old Expanded Universe.
The universe still has Skywalker's to stand against them, Master Kol Skywalker and his son Cade.
Unfortunately the numbers were too great for the might of the Skywalkers and the Jedi Order to stand against. This battle is known as The Massacre of Ossus. The new Sith Order led by Darth Krayt took control of the Empire.
Seven years later hope still remains, even if it's unrecognizable.
Star Wars Legacy Broken is awesome. As a young broke adult just out of college with no money, I would go to the bookstore and read the issues/volumes of this whenever I could. I never read the whole series, but I enjoyed what I did read. Unfortunately having no money I never bought it and after a few years I forgot about it. Recently it came to mind again and I checked Marvel Unlimited to see if they had the series and fortunately they did. I'm very pleased to say that nearly 10 years later the series holds up and is still a ton of fun.
The author came up with some colorful characters and even though he lightly borrowed from the original and prequel trilogies, Star Wars Legacy Broken is fresh and fun. I really like Cade Skywalker because he's really flawed for all his power. After barely surviving the Massacre of Ossus, Cade turns his back on life as a Jedi and has become a bounty hunter. He takes death sticks to keep the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker from bothering him. I just feel the man's pain and love reading about him.
Star Wars Legacy Broken is some great Star Wars comic book fun from the old Expanded Universe.
December 8, 2015
It’s exciting and entertaining but at some point the story was moving too fast and it was a little difficult to understand what’s happening
April 19, 2013
[Non spoilery review for the full 56 comic run]
The curse of Star Wars. Everybody loves Star Wars, pretty much, but if it's a piece of Star Wars EU media then it's basically been judged and condemned before anyone has opened the cover. Except for the host of fanatic fans who love the words "Star Wars" so much that they'll devour whole anything that is released under that banner. But what do they know, they're just a bunch of obsessed geeks?
So, if you're reading this review you've probably already made up your mind to read this because you're a Star Wars comic geek who already knows that Ostrander's writing is the best thing to happen to Star Wars since Lawrence Kasdan or Leigh Brackett (Quinlan Vos? Damn straight!). That is, for my money, this is the first piece of branded Star Wars product I've read that manages to break free from the weight of its antecedents in order to produce something that stands apart as a unique and special Space Opera series that's worth reading whether you're into Star Wars or not. Of course, it nods back to both the original movies, Ostrander's previous comics and other EU novels, but these are merely a jumping off point for creating a whole new visual/storytelling world whilst grounding those frightened to take the leap and jump into it (apparently there were howls of derision when the concept of series was announced). That is, for me, as a comic book series it uses the Star Wars branding in exactly the way that it needs to.
Because gone are the baggage of Luke, Han and Leia (beyond, as I mentioned, the well placed nods) and enter Cade Skywalker, a new hero for a new era of Star Wars that explores a new universe with new characters and situations. Sure, there's still the force, lightsabers, Jedi and Sith but in sweeping away the old Ostrander is able to present all of these elements in such a way as to make them feel like his, and to make the reader feel like they could be reading them for the first time. As a hero Cade is a lot more Han Solo than he is Luke Skywalker, although he's less rogue and more fucked-up psychopath. He's basically your archetypal anti-hero who doesn't much care about the life/death struggles going on around him -or his own - until they start to affect him a little too personally. We first see him taking the Bounty on a Jedi and successfully turning him in. Yeah, he's a major douchebag. The Jedi are not quite extinct again, but the few remaining are in hiding and are just a backdrop to propel Cade through the story, whilst the Sith ... well, they're struggling for control of the galaxy with the Empire whom they've just decided to break free from and overthrow somewhat dramatically. the previous Emperor, naturally, is not happy and plans war, seeking the help of the old Galactic Alliance where he can.
In other words, it's bad against bad vs an anti-hero. All of the villains get a lot of major panel-time. There are good guys too but they're also fighting amist this whole heap of grey and that makes them interesting. Then there are the complete genocidal extinctions of planets with chemical weapons, the holocaust-like enslavement of the Mon Calamari, the torture, the drugs, the .... yeah it's pretty bleak for Star Wars but then the franchise seemed to forget that Moff Tarkin blew up Alderaan quite heartlessly in the Original. That frightening vibe is to be found here and it gives the universe weight and makes the reader feel that there's something to fight for.
And the main villain of the piece? Well, Darth Krayt is fairly described as badass, and ultimately one can pay no higher compliment to a villain. He looks evil, he acts evil, he does the unexpected and he has a majorly brutal, evil Sith army at his command. Yes, finally the stupid rule of two has been vanquished (I never got the point of that...) and all political machinations involve "yeah, I'm gonna side with you so we can blow the fuck out of him" as opposed to the convoluted behind the scenes and very non-badass machinations of a Palpatine. Krayt is the evil man you want him to be. And boy do you want Cade to take some chunks out of him and his minions.
It would be dull to highlight in detail the strengths of the rest of the cast, but in short, as well as handy, sexy sidekicks there are covert Imperial spies, doublecrossing Imperial Emperors, power hungry Moffs, Imperial Knights (bringing peace and justice and confusion everywhere) do-gooding family members, scheming smugglers, Jedi in hiding aaaand the list seems endless. Really, there's so much storytelling packed into 11 graphic novels it's mindboggling to try and unpick it. This series even has room for a multi Star Wars series crossover event and manages to make it be integral and exciting.
And it's also mindboggling that with all this density comes so much fun. A lot of comic series try too hard to pack in a lot of story in a short space. Legacy manages to do that without collapsing under its own weight. At any given moment in the series there are multiple plotlines running and, even though the comic was prematurely cancelled they still manage to come together for a ridiculously dramatic and satisfying conclusion. Ostrander does a superb job of racking up the tension and allowing everything to explode into melodrama every ten or 15 issues; there's never a time throughout reading this that one isn't on the edge of one's seat, biting nails and wondering how things are going to end.
It's still Star Wars so don't come here for depth, come here for entertaining meoldrama and lightsabers. The dialogue is hokey but the plotlines are extraordinary. The characters are cliched but they're beautifully exciting. The art in this thing is incredible. It's a new Star Wars that manages to successfully recreate the excitement that the old Star Wars sparked in me many years ago, and thank you ostrander and Duursema for managing that. Why this series was cancelled at 50 issues (then brought back for a wrap up mini) is beyond me. Maybe it was to avoid outstaying its welcome or losing momentum; to end it on a high. One thing's for sure, it certainly does that and the final story notes whilst obvious were absolutely perfectly delivered. This comic starts on a high, continues on a high and ends on a high. It really is that good.
The curse of Star Wars. Everybody loves Star Wars, pretty much, but if it's a piece of Star Wars EU media then it's basically been judged and condemned before anyone has opened the cover. Except for the host of fanatic fans who love the words "Star Wars" so much that they'll devour whole anything that is released under that banner. But what do they know, they're just a bunch of obsessed geeks?
So, if you're reading this review you've probably already made up your mind to read this because you're a Star Wars comic geek who already knows that Ostrander's writing is the best thing to happen to Star Wars since Lawrence Kasdan or Leigh Brackett (Quinlan Vos? Damn straight!). That is, for my money, this is the first piece of branded Star Wars product I've read that manages to break free from the weight of its antecedents in order to produce something that stands apart as a unique and special Space Opera series that's worth reading whether you're into Star Wars or not. Of course, it nods back to both the original movies, Ostrander's previous comics and other EU novels, but these are merely a jumping off point for creating a whole new visual/storytelling world whilst grounding those frightened to take the leap and jump into it (apparently there were howls of derision when the concept of series was announced). That is, for me, as a comic book series it uses the Star Wars branding in exactly the way that it needs to.
Because gone are the baggage of Luke, Han and Leia (beyond, as I mentioned, the well placed nods) and enter Cade Skywalker, a new hero for a new era of Star Wars that explores a new universe with new characters and situations. Sure, there's still the force, lightsabers, Jedi and Sith but in sweeping away the old Ostrander is able to present all of these elements in such a way as to make them feel like his, and to make the reader feel like they could be reading them for the first time. As a hero Cade is a lot more Han Solo than he is Luke Skywalker, although he's less rogue and more fucked-up psychopath. He's basically your archetypal anti-hero who doesn't much care about the life/death struggles going on around him -or his own - until they start to affect him a little too personally. We first see him taking the Bounty on a Jedi and successfully turning him in. Yeah, he's a major douchebag. The Jedi are not quite extinct again, but the few remaining are in hiding and are just a backdrop to propel Cade through the story, whilst the Sith ... well, they're struggling for control of the galaxy with the Empire whom they've just decided to break free from and overthrow somewhat dramatically. the previous Emperor, naturally, is not happy and plans war, seeking the help of the old Galactic Alliance where he can.
In other words, it's bad against bad vs an anti-hero. All of the villains get a lot of major panel-time. There are good guys too but they're also fighting amist this whole heap of grey and that makes them interesting. Then there are the complete genocidal extinctions of planets with chemical weapons, the holocaust-like enslavement of the Mon Calamari, the torture, the drugs, the .... yeah it's pretty bleak for Star Wars but then the franchise seemed to forget that Moff Tarkin blew up Alderaan quite heartlessly in the Original. That frightening vibe is to be found here and it gives the universe weight and makes the reader feel that there's something to fight for.
And the main villain of the piece? Well, Darth Krayt is fairly described as badass, and ultimately one can pay no higher compliment to a villain. He looks evil, he acts evil, he does the unexpected and he has a majorly brutal, evil Sith army at his command. Yes, finally the stupid rule of two has been vanquished (I never got the point of that...) and all political machinations involve "yeah, I'm gonna side with you so we can blow the fuck out of him" as opposed to the convoluted behind the scenes and very non-badass machinations of a Palpatine. Krayt is the evil man you want him to be. And boy do you want Cade to take some chunks out of him and his minions.
It would be dull to highlight in detail the strengths of the rest of the cast, but in short, as well as handy, sexy sidekicks there are covert Imperial spies, doublecrossing Imperial Emperors, power hungry Moffs, Imperial Knights (bringing peace and justice and confusion everywhere) do-gooding family members, scheming smugglers, Jedi in hiding aaaand the list seems endless. Really, there's so much storytelling packed into 11 graphic novels it's mindboggling to try and unpick it. This series even has room for a multi Star Wars series crossover event and manages to make it be integral and exciting.
And it's also mindboggling that with all this density comes so much fun. A lot of comic series try too hard to pack in a lot of story in a short space. Legacy manages to do that without collapsing under its own weight. At any given moment in the series there are multiple plotlines running and, even though the comic was prematurely cancelled they still manage to come together for a ridiculously dramatic and satisfying conclusion. Ostrander does a superb job of racking up the tension and allowing everything to explode into melodrama every ten or 15 issues; there's never a time throughout reading this that one isn't on the edge of one's seat, biting nails and wondering how things are going to end.
It's still Star Wars so don't come here for depth, come here for entertaining meoldrama and lightsabers. The dialogue is hokey but the plotlines are extraordinary. The characters are cliched but they're beautifully exciting. The art in this thing is incredible. It's a new Star Wars that manages to successfully recreate the excitement that the old Star Wars sparked in me many years ago, and thank you ostrander and Duursema for managing that. Why this series was cancelled at 50 issues (then brought back for a wrap up mini) is beyond me. Maybe it was to avoid outstaying its welcome or losing momentum; to end it on a high. One thing's for sure, it certainly does that and the final story notes whilst obvious were absolutely perfectly delivered. This comic starts on a high, continues on a high and ends on a high. It really is that good.
November 7, 2019
In 2006, Dark Horse Comics---which, at the time, owned the rights to the Star Wars comic book franchise---took the Expanded Universe into a bold and risky territory with its “Star Wars Legacy” line.
Set nearly 140 years after the events of “Episode IV: A New Hope”. “Legacy” posited that after the war with the Yuuzhan Vong (see The New Jedi Order series), a secret group of Sith Lords who had been hiding for centuries, waiting for the right moment, capitalized on the aftermath by starting a new war between the Galactic Alliance and what remained of the Empire. The Empire won.
The Sith, now working with (reluctantly) the Empire, initiated a Second Purge. All of the Jedi in the galaxy were systematically being wiped out. Cade Skywalker, a young Padawan and a distant relative of the famous Luke Skywalker, was presumed dead by his fellow Jedi. In reality, he was rescued by a group of space pirates, unaware of his Jedi training, and raised to become one of their own.
Fast forward a few decades: Cade is a pirate, and a ruthless one at that. Captaining his ship the Mynock with his small crew, Cade has turned his back on his past. Strong with the Force, Cade tries to distance himself from his Jedi training through the use of drugs and bad behavior. He can’t hide who he is for long, though.
When Sith Lord Darth Krayt attempts a coup to take over the Empire, the real Emperor, Roan Fel, falls back to the Imperial planet of Bastion. He knows the truth about the war that brought back the Sith, and he is siding with the remaining Jedi to fight the Sith.
Fel’s daughter, Princess Marasiah, is almost captured and killed by the Sith, were it not for Cade’s intervention. Without meaning to, Cade has now become involved in a war that he has no interest in. Unfortunately, the blasted ghost of his great-grandfather, Luke, keeps insisting that he is the last great hope for the Jedi.
Volume One, “Broken”, compiles issues 1-3 and 5-6 of “Legacy”, which went on to be one of the most popular and longest-running Dark Horse series in the SWEU. It’s understandable why: Writer John Ostrander and artist Jan Duursema perfectly captured the spirit of the original series while simultaneously creating something very different.
“Legacy” is definitely much darker and more violent than the world George Lucas created, but at its heart, it is still the fun space opera that fans love.
“Legacy” went on to run for nearly five years. There are, I think, about ten compendium volumes.
Set nearly 140 years after the events of “Episode IV: A New Hope”. “Legacy” posited that after the war with the Yuuzhan Vong (see The New Jedi Order series), a secret group of Sith Lords who had been hiding for centuries, waiting for the right moment, capitalized on the aftermath by starting a new war between the Galactic Alliance and what remained of the Empire. The Empire won.
The Sith, now working with (reluctantly) the Empire, initiated a Second Purge. All of the Jedi in the galaxy were systematically being wiped out. Cade Skywalker, a young Padawan and a distant relative of the famous Luke Skywalker, was presumed dead by his fellow Jedi. In reality, he was rescued by a group of space pirates, unaware of his Jedi training, and raised to become one of their own.
Fast forward a few decades: Cade is a pirate, and a ruthless one at that. Captaining his ship the Mynock with his small crew, Cade has turned his back on his past. Strong with the Force, Cade tries to distance himself from his Jedi training through the use of drugs and bad behavior. He can’t hide who he is for long, though.
When Sith Lord Darth Krayt attempts a coup to take over the Empire, the real Emperor, Roan Fel, falls back to the Imperial planet of Bastion. He knows the truth about the war that brought back the Sith, and he is siding with the remaining Jedi to fight the Sith.
Fel’s daughter, Princess Marasiah, is almost captured and killed by the Sith, were it not for Cade’s intervention. Without meaning to, Cade has now become involved in a war that he has no interest in. Unfortunately, the blasted ghost of his great-grandfather, Luke, keeps insisting that he is the last great hope for the Jedi.
Volume One, “Broken”, compiles issues 1-3 and 5-6 of “Legacy”, which went on to be one of the most popular and longest-running Dark Horse series in the SWEU. It’s understandable why: Writer John Ostrander and artist Jan Duursema perfectly captured the spirit of the original series while simultaneously creating something very different.
“Legacy” is definitely much darker and more violent than the world George Lucas created, but at its heart, it is still the fun space opera that fans love.
“Legacy” went on to run for nearly five years. There are, I think, about ten compendium volumes.
December 20, 2017
This was pretty boring to be honest.
So the Jedi are attacked and one of them (or more) is killed. This has Skywalker's great great great grandson 100's years from Last Hope fighting the new Sith. However, the story also involves the Emperor getting taken down, more characters dying, and honestly I just kind of zoned out reading this unless it had something to do with Cade.
Good: I liked the fight with the darkside/lightside stuff. I also thought the ending sets up some interesting things which will probably make me read the next few.
Bad: The art is pretty bad tbh. It's hard to tell what's happening in fight scenes, they are pretty awful. Also the designs are terrible. Reminds me of the 80's, but the things you don't want to see from the 80's. I also thought the pacing was all over the place and only couple of issues were interesting.
This was pretty meh. I might try volume 2 to see if it gets better. I'm waiting to read an amazing Star Wars comic! 2 out of 5.
So the Jedi are attacked and one of them (or more) is killed. This has Skywalker's great great great grandson 100's years from Last Hope fighting the new Sith. However, the story also involves the Emperor getting taken down, more characters dying, and honestly I just kind of zoned out reading this unless it had something to do with Cade.
Good: I liked the fight with the darkside/lightside stuff. I also thought the ending sets up some interesting things which will probably make me read the next few.
Bad: The art is pretty bad tbh. It's hard to tell what's happening in fight scenes, they are pretty awful. Also the designs are terrible. Reminds me of the 80's, but the things you don't want to see from the 80's. I also thought the pacing was all over the place and only couple of issues were interesting.
This was pretty meh. I might try volume 2 to see if it gets better. I'm waiting to read an amazing Star Wars comic! 2 out of 5.
November 5, 2012
[7/10]
read the whole cycle, but I'm not going to comment on each TPB: too much effort, and I'm already about a month and a half behind on my reviews after a holiday and a real nasty spell at work.
So, Star Wars Legacy in a few words... I see it as the attempt to update the saga for the tastes of Generation X or whatever it is called now, by doing away with the clear distinction between the good and the bad guys, between the black and the white. the main arc follows Cade Skywalker and his team: they are smugglers and outlaws, concerned not with saving the galaxy from the Evil Sith lords, but with saving their own skin, having fun and making a tidy profit. If they eventually get mixed up in the larger galactic battle, it is mostly accidental or driven by revenge, on a personal level. Instead of the basic two faction, Empire and Rebels, this is a threeway conflict, Imperials having their own Jedi Knights, thee Alliance in disarray after an attack on the Jedi Temple and Academy has destroyed most of their knights, and the Siths controlling Corriban and extending through all the erst of the systems. Add the space pirates, the Mandragorians, another species of aliens specializing in genetic terraforming and you have the ingredients for a complex plot, full of possibilities that the writers in general were successful at developing. The art team led by John Duursema did another good job on the characters and the spectacular backgrounds, that is until they brought in guest artists and the series lost some of its polished look.
Myself, I sort of lost interest about midway but I kept reading because I'm a completist, when I felt:
1 - that the general plot lacked focus and was too fragmented into smaller story arcs
2 - that Cade and his team were more interested in posturing as bad guys and being "hip" with the younger generation than in solving the various puzzles put to them. That the series is more about looks than content, see: recreational drugs, tribal tattoos, extensive piercings, goatees and dreadlocks, ghetto slang and painted on clothes for the female characters
3 - that the series is basically left unfinished, like a TV series that was planned for 10 seasons, but was canceled after six.
4 - that I was missing too much of the background information from other dark Horse comic books, that is referenced pretty often here.
I would still recommend it for fans of the Star Wars universe. I preferred Knights of the Old Republic, but Legacy had its good moments, too.
read the whole cycle, but I'm not going to comment on each TPB: too much effort, and I'm already about a month and a half behind on my reviews after a holiday and a real nasty spell at work.
So, Star Wars Legacy in a few words... I see it as the attempt to update the saga for the tastes of Generation X or whatever it is called now, by doing away with the clear distinction between the good and the bad guys, between the black and the white. the main arc follows Cade Skywalker and his team: they are smugglers and outlaws, concerned not with saving the galaxy from the Evil Sith lords, but with saving their own skin, having fun and making a tidy profit. If they eventually get mixed up in the larger galactic battle, it is mostly accidental or driven by revenge, on a personal level. Instead of the basic two faction, Empire and Rebels, this is a threeway conflict, Imperials having their own Jedi Knights, thee Alliance in disarray after an attack on the Jedi Temple and Academy has destroyed most of their knights, and the Siths controlling Corriban and extending through all the erst of the systems. Add the space pirates, the Mandragorians, another species of aliens specializing in genetic terraforming and you have the ingredients for a complex plot, full of possibilities that the writers in general were successful at developing. The art team led by John Duursema did another good job on the characters and the spectacular backgrounds, that is until they brought in guest artists and the series lost some of its polished look.
Myself, I sort of lost interest about midway but I kept reading because I'm a completist, when I felt:
1 - that the general plot lacked focus and was too fragmented into smaller story arcs
2 - that Cade and his team were more interested in posturing as bad guys and being "hip" with the younger generation than in solving the various puzzles put to them. That the series is more about looks than content, see: recreational drugs, tribal tattoos, extensive piercings, goatees and dreadlocks, ghetto slang and painted on clothes for the female characters
3 - that the series is basically left unfinished, like a TV series that was planned for 10 seasons, but was canceled after six.
4 - that I was missing too much of the background information from other dark Horse comic books, that is referenced pretty often here.
I would still recommend it for fans of the Star Wars universe. I preferred Knights of the Old Republic, but Legacy had its good moments, too.
July 23, 2009
As a child of the 80’s, the Star Wars trilogy was probably the first pop culture phenomenon to have a tremendous effect on my rational thought processes. Soon after I saw the movies, I was diving headlong into the extended universe as well. In the early stages of what has already been a long and varied career in geekery, Star Wars was the predominant shaping force. I played the Rebel Assault, X-Wing, and TIE Fighter games until I’d mastered them (though I never did beat the Redemption mission). After a brief period cutting our CCG teeth on Magic, my friends and I switched wholesale to Decipher’s newly launched Star Wars card game, a passion which drained my pocket change all through high school. But above all that, perhaps even surpassing the movies themselves, were the books.
I began reading Star Wars books around the sixth grade, at point when I was transitioning away from the juvenile fiction of the public school curriculums, and it proved a perfect fit. The writing was sufficiently complex enough to challenge my developing literary sensibilities, but, being pop fiction, was not so involved as to be altogether beyond my grasp. The quality of the work ranged from extraordinary (I still consider Timothy Zahn’s work to stand at the pinnacle of the genre) to only slightly less puerile than the “young adult” fare I’d quickly learned to scorn (Kevin J. Anderson, anyone?). But good or bad, I devoured all of it, cause it was Star Wars. And, thinking back, I seem to remember most of the books being high quality. For the most part, authors were very careful to respect the continuity of previous work. Old familiar locations and aliens were mixed in with imaginative new ones; beloved characters went toe to toe with those who would become beloved. The endless, sprawling universe was the perfect soil in which to cultivate a fertile imagination and an enduring love of sci-fi/fantasy literature (it was somewhere in here when I first read Tolkien, which was the second, and ultimately larger, tremendous force shaping my geekdom).
Then, the summer of my junior year, came the long-awaited Event. After sixteen-some years, there was a new Star Wars movie. We had followed the production, read all the previews and features. We waited in line for tickets for hours; could barely sleep the night before. We expected nothing less than the sheer joy that this universe had previously delivered. And it took some time for the realization to sink in that it simply wasn’t any good. I’ll not go into a critique of the movie here, or speculate as to why George Lucas couldn’t succeed in capturing the flavor of his own universe in the way that so many relatively unknown authors had been able to. Suffice it to say that around this time my passion for the Star Wars saga began to cool. Probably it has as much to do with the fact that, as I read more real literature (Shakespeare, Faulkner, etc), I began to read more critically, and the excitement and familiarity of the brand couldn’t always overcome the flaws in the writing I was beginning to notice. Wherever the damage originated, it was done, and as the Expanded Universe expanded into both the prequels era and the New Jedi Order timeline, I stopped paying attention. My long obsession was over, and while I would occasionally pull one of my favorites off the shelf for a comfort read, that was the extent of my involvement with the universe. I barely noticed when the second two prequels were released, and though I saw both, they only made me ache with nostalgia for a time when I could lose myself completely in the sublime simplicity of light versus dark, Empire against Rebels, good triumphing over evil.
So when a friend offered to loan me the first four trade paperback collections in the Legacy series, set 125 years after Return of the Jedi, I was, to say the least, skeptical. The story centers around Cade Skywalker, last of that name after his father, and most of the remaining Jedi, are killed by the resurgent Sith, now an angry, drug-addicted bounty hunter barely scraping by while battling his inner Force demons. The self-styled Sith lord, Darth Krayt, who built his order apparently by handing a lightsaber to any Force-sensitive, malevolently inclined alien willing to dye themselves red and obey his every whim, has managed to wrest the Imperial throne from Emperor Fel, himself heir to a conspicuous legacy. And thus the stage is set for swashbuckling adventure and high personal drama. Will Cade conquer his past and continue his family’s heritage, or will the dark side claim him? Who will emerge victorious in the three-way power struggle among the Sith, Empire, and Galactic Alliance? Stay tuned and find out!
So is the book any good? Hard to say. On the one hand, it’s very entertaining; the story moves along briskly without wasting too much time on exposition. The characters are a bit too broadly drawn, perhaps, but they’re at least believable. The art, for the most part, is perfectly serviceable, though on occasion the layout gets a bit confused. But it doesn’t feel like Star Wars, or at least, not the Star Wars I remember. Oh sure, all the familiar parts are there, the aliens, planets, weapons, and terminology we remember, although the author definitely tries to incorporate elements from the entirety of the continuity, so some of the elements others will recognize are lost on me. Part of the problem seems to be the abundance of Force users; between the Sith, the Jedi remnant, and the Imperial Knights, every other character seems to be swinging a lightsaber. In the universe I’m used to, Luke was more or less the only true Jedi, and even when dealing with him, the best authors used a delicate touch. Here though, as in the prequel movies, the Force is everywhere, and in the overuse much of the mystical appeal is diminished.
I’m sure there are probably others who had similar experiences, enjoying the original expanded universe of Star Wars, then falling away from it as it grew beyond their tastes. To them, I can’t say that I’d really recommend this series. There were reasons why I got away from Star Wars, and reading this book reminded me of many of them. Yes, I was reminded of much that I once enjoyed as well, but I’m not sure the good outweighs the annoying. To those that still rabidly devour anything Star Wars, however, and are as steeped in the lore of the prequels and NJO timeline as I was in the original series, go for it. There’s much here you’ll enjoy. And after all, that’s why we were drawn to the Star Wars universe in the first place: the pure joy of letting imagination run wild.
I began reading Star Wars books around the sixth grade, at point when I was transitioning away from the juvenile fiction of the public school curriculums, and it proved a perfect fit. The writing was sufficiently complex enough to challenge my developing literary sensibilities, but, being pop fiction, was not so involved as to be altogether beyond my grasp. The quality of the work ranged from extraordinary (I still consider Timothy Zahn’s work to stand at the pinnacle of the genre) to only slightly less puerile than the “young adult” fare I’d quickly learned to scorn (Kevin J. Anderson, anyone?). But good or bad, I devoured all of it, cause it was Star Wars. And, thinking back, I seem to remember most of the books being high quality. For the most part, authors were very careful to respect the continuity of previous work. Old familiar locations and aliens were mixed in with imaginative new ones; beloved characters went toe to toe with those who would become beloved. The endless, sprawling universe was the perfect soil in which to cultivate a fertile imagination and an enduring love of sci-fi/fantasy literature (it was somewhere in here when I first read Tolkien, which was the second, and ultimately larger, tremendous force shaping my geekdom).
Then, the summer of my junior year, came the long-awaited Event. After sixteen-some years, there was a new Star Wars movie. We had followed the production, read all the previews and features. We waited in line for tickets for hours; could barely sleep the night before. We expected nothing less than the sheer joy that this universe had previously delivered. And it took some time for the realization to sink in that it simply wasn’t any good. I’ll not go into a critique of the movie here, or speculate as to why George Lucas couldn’t succeed in capturing the flavor of his own universe in the way that so many relatively unknown authors had been able to. Suffice it to say that around this time my passion for the Star Wars saga began to cool. Probably it has as much to do with the fact that, as I read more real literature (Shakespeare, Faulkner, etc), I began to read more critically, and the excitement and familiarity of the brand couldn’t always overcome the flaws in the writing I was beginning to notice. Wherever the damage originated, it was done, and as the Expanded Universe expanded into both the prequels era and the New Jedi Order timeline, I stopped paying attention. My long obsession was over, and while I would occasionally pull one of my favorites off the shelf for a comfort read, that was the extent of my involvement with the universe. I barely noticed when the second two prequels were released, and though I saw both, they only made me ache with nostalgia for a time when I could lose myself completely in the sublime simplicity of light versus dark, Empire against Rebels, good triumphing over evil.
So when a friend offered to loan me the first four trade paperback collections in the Legacy series, set 125 years after Return of the Jedi, I was, to say the least, skeptical. The story centers around Cade Skywalker, last of that name after his father, and most of the remaining Jedi, are killed by the resurgent Sith, now an angry, drug-addicted bounty hunter barely scraping by while battling his inner Force demons. The self-styled Sith lord, Darth Krayt, who built his order apparently by handing a lightsaber to any Force-sensitive, malevolently inclined alien willing to dye themselves red and obey his every whim, has managed to wrest the Imperial throne from Emperor Fel, himself heir to a conspicuous legacy. And thus the stage is set for swashbuckling adventure and high personal drama. Will Cade conquer his past and continue his family’s heritage, or will the dark side claim him? Who will emerge victorious in the three-way power struggle among the Sith, Empire, and Galactic Alliance? Stay tuned and find out!
So is the book any good? Hard to say. On the one hand, it’s very entertaining; the story moves along briskly without wasting too much time on exposition. The characters are a bit too broadly drawn, perhaps, but they’re at least believable. The art, for the most part, is perfectly serviceable, though on occasion the layout gets a bit confused. But it doesn’t feel like Star Wars, or at least, not the Star Wars I remember. Oh sure, all the familiar parts are there, the aliens, planets, weapons, and terminology we remember, although the author definitely tries to incorporate elements from the entirety of the continuity, so some of the elements others will recognize are lost on me. Part of the problem seems to be the abundance of Force users; between the Sith, the Jedi remnant, and the Imperial Knights, every other character seems to be swinging a lightsaber. In the universe I’m used to, Luke was more or less the only true Jedi, and even when dealing with him, the best authors used a delicate touch. Here though, as in the prequel movies, the Force is everywhere, and in the overuse much of the mystical appeal is diminished.
I’m sure there are probably others who had similar experiences, enjoying the original expanded universe of Star Wars, then falling away from it as it grew beyond their tastes. To them, I can’t say that I’d really recommend this series. There were reasons why I got away from Star Wars, and reading this book reminded me of many of them. Yes, I was reminded of much that I once enjoyed as well, but I’m not sure the good outweighs the annoying. To those that still rabidly devour anything Star Wars, however, and are as steeped in the lore of the prequels and NJO timeline as I was in the original series, go for it. There’s much here you’ll enjoy. And after all, that’s why we were drawn to the Star Wars universe in the first place: the pure joy of letting imagination run wild.
December 23, 2017
This was definitely a fun ride I liked the pacing and the art style so much. I enjoyed the story that was told and seeing a descendent of Luke Skywalker. It was definitely good enough that I want to continue the series.
March 15, 2020
3.5
Someone get Cade therapy and a puppy. He needs it.
Someone get Cade therapy and a puppy. He needs it.
September 21, 2017
Broken - 4 stars
Legacy is interesting; in some ways it feels closer to the Sequel Trilogy than the Legends post-RotJ EU, with the murder of the Jedi on Ossus and the dark Skywalker struggling with his *Legacy* and the completely reimagined Empire, but also with the whole isolated and claustrophobic tone of the galaxy. On the other hand, it's pretty much the only example we have of written stuff (comics/books) taking a leap into new territory--the post-RotJ covered a lot of new ground but it did so by increments and always with one hand on the OT characters. This leap is clearly intentional, which is why I was a bit surprised at how much the series feels like an outgrowth of the Legends EU. The Vong are kind of sidelined, but they left a major influence on the shape of the galaxy. The Emperor is a descendant not of Palpatine or Vader but of Soontir Fel.
Legacy ends up hitting on a lot of the same ideas as TOR: instead of one Sith, now there's as many as we can make up. And now that the Sith and the Empire are distinct entities, you have opportunities for conflict between them. The Sith even engineer a war. All of these elements are a lot less dumb at first blush than they are in TOR (and I'd much rather have the somewhat novel and quixotic Imperial Knights than the Mandalorians as a third faction). The designs are a heck of a lot better too. I like the ships quite a bit, and while I'm no fan of the way all the Sith are just Maul-skinned, it still feels a bit more aesthetic than the asinine costumes they don in TOR.
So already in the first arc it's clear that while we've leaped forward in time, much of what's here is going to be quite familiar. Cade's edgy brooding (he takes Deathsticks!) is the most unique addition to Star Wars here, but nothing new in genre fic generally. We'll see how it all comes together. This first arc is relatively well written; it introduces a lot of characters with goals and engaging traits, and sets up a complex plot/backstory clearly. The art isn't my favorite but is still pretty good; it manages to make a lot of good use of color despite a general darkness, and the faces are gorgeous.
June 30 2011 - 5 stars [This review represents the entire 50-issue Legacy series and the follow-up mini-series, Legacy: War]
Jumping a hundred years after the Galactic Civil War, Legacy starts with a clean slate. The Old Republic era material has already proven the value that has for creating original material that stays true to the spirit of Star Wars story-telling, and Legacy continues that tradition. Cade Skywalker is one of the most idiosyncratic SW characters I can remember, with a gigantic chip-on-shoulder justified quite deftly by the murder of his father and many other Jedi by the Sith and by the weight of his family heritage (a set of background traits that could easily have been handled quite clumsily). Legacy is really Cade's story, and his halting, angsty steps toward accepting his destiny are meaningful and unique. Well done, with all the great artwork and aliens and new material that seems to mark comics as a great medium for Star Wars.
Legacy is interesting; in some ways it feels closer to the Sequel Trilogy than the Legends post-RotJ EU, with the murder of the Jedi on Ossus and the dark Skywalker struggling with his *Legacy* and the completely reimagined Empire, but also with the whole isolated and claustrophobic tone of the galaxy. On the other hand, it's pretty much the only example we have of written stuff (comics/books) taking a leap into new territory--the post-RotJ covered a lot of new ground but it did so by increments and always with one hand on the OT characters. This leap is clearly intentional, which is why I was a bit surprised at how much the series feels like an outgrowth of the Legends EU. The Vong are kind of sidelined, but they left a major influence on the shape of the galaxy. The Emperor is a descendant not of Palpatine or Vader but of Soontir Fel.
Legacy ends up hitting on a lot of the same ideas as TOR: instead of one Sith, now there's as many as we can make up. And now that the Sith and the Empire are distinct entities, you have opportunities for conflict between them. The Sith even engineer a war. All of these elements are a lot less dumb at first blush than they are in TOR (and I'd much rather have the somewhat novel and quixotic Imperial Knights than the Mandalorians as a third faction). The designs are a heck of a lot better too. I like the ships quite a bit, and while I'm no fan of the way all the Sith are just Maul-skinned, it still feels a bit more aesthetic than the asinine costumes they don in TOR.
So already in the first arc it's clear that while we've leaped forward in time, much of what's here is going to be quite familiar. Cade's edgy brooding (he takes Deathsticks!) is the most unique addition to Star Wars here, but nothing new in genre fic generally. We'll see how it all comes together. This first arc is relatively well written; it introduces a lot of characters with goals and engaging traits, and sets up a complex plot/backstory clearly. The art isn't my favorite but is still pretty good; it manages to make a lot of good use of color despite a general darkness, and the faces are gorgeous.
June 30 2011 - 5 stars [This review represents the entire 50-issue Legacy series and the follow-up mini-series, Legacy: War]
Jumping a hundred years after the Galactic Civil War, Legacy starts with a clean slate. The Old Republic era material has already proven the value that has for creating original material that stays true to the spirit of Star Wars story-telling, and Legacy continues that tradition. Cade Skywalker is one of the most idiosyncratic SW characters I can remember, with a gigantic chip-on-shoulder justified quite deftly by the murder of his father and many other Jedi by the Sith and by the weight of his family heritage (a set of background traits that could easily have been handled quite clumsily). Legacy is really Cade's story, and his halting, angsty steps toward accepting his destiny are meaningful and unique. Well done, with all the great artwork and aliens and new material that seems to mark comics as a great medium for Star Wars.
August 16, 2017
130 ABY
This volume contains issues 1-3 and 5-6 of "Star Wars, Legacy." This story follows the descendant of Luke Skywalker, Cade Skywalker. When the Sith rise once more, they aim to destroy the Jedi similar to events of the past. After reviving his master from death and going out to avenge his the death of his father, Cade's presence vanished from the world, but his master senses he is still alive. Meanwhile, the Sith lord Darth Krayt takes over as the new Emperor, and has a bounty out for the previous Emperor and his daughter. Seven years pass and Cade is a bounty hunter with two others who picked him up from space. Jedi are worth more in their bounties, but when Cade gets mixed up with a princess, his friends find out his Jedi heritage, the Sith make their appearance, and he is reunited with his old Jedi brethren. Now Cade must help bring down the Sith and live up to the legacy of the name Skywalker.
I dove into this series not having read any of the novels after about 20 ABY, so I wasn't sure if I would like this or not without some of the previous Legacy context. On the contrary, I really loved this! Cade (is hot) is an interesting character, and so are his companions. Even the Sith are portrayed in a unique and beautifully artistic way that adds an extra dynamic of enjoyment to this comic. While is appears to repeat some of the same plot from the original Star Wars movies, this has great potential for character development and plot deviation, so I am pretty excited to see where this will go.
November 17, 2016
I'd been looking for this one for ages and was delighted to find it in a local library. Set 130 years ABY, it follows Cade Skywalker after an attack on the Jedi Academy at Ossus causes him to abandon the Jedi path. We catch up with him seven years later, now a bounty hunter and trying to disconnect himself from his heritage. Meanwhile the Empire, under the leadership of Roan Fel, are under attack from Sith who have seized power on Coruscant and naturally want to wipe out any last remaining Jedi - who in turn see Cade as their last hope.
I like the fact that this novel jumps so far into the future as it allows you to see the long-term storyline that the now abandoned timeline would have followed. You instantly understand why Fel and his Imperial Knights are Jedi because you know who that line are descended from. You can see resemblances to their ancestors in the characters themselves - Cade is instantly recognisable as a Skywalker while his father's red hair is pure Mara Jade. And you can understand how having such an illustrious family history would be a burden for Cade. Having the fate of the Jedi Order and potentially the whole galaxy on his shoulders would be overwhelming for anyone. You can sympathise with him in that respect.
I look forward to reading the next installment (assuming I can find it). There are a number of questions that are left open - not least the identity of Darth Krayt.
I like the fact that this novel jumps so far into the future as it allows you to see the long-term storyline that the now abandoned timeline would have followed. You instantly understand why Fel and his Imperial Knights are Jedi because you know who that line are descended from. You can see resemblances to their ancestors in the characters themselves - Cade is instantly recognisable as a Skywalker while his father's red hair is pure Mara Jade. And you can understand how having such an illustrious family history would be a burden for Cade. Having the fate of the Jedi Order and potentially the whole galaxy on his shoulders would be overwhelming for anyone. You can sympathise with him in that respect.
I look forward to reading the next installment (assuming I can find it). There are a number of questions that are left open - not least the identity of Darth Krayt.
January 31, 2017
For me, this one was tiresome. I found the plot largely uninteresting because I didn't like any of the main characters--especially Cade Skywalker, who is another in a long line of brash, rebellious, blonde jerks with no fashion sense populating the Star Wars universe. The Sith increasingly seem like idiots in these stories, given how they love to kill each other and how they are always megalomaniacal or just obsessed with death, and I personally found the designs of the Sith here kind of boring or overly goth. I did like Darth Krayt and his struggle with parasites made him more interesting, and I thought the art was mostly great, even if I didn't like the designs, and there were several hiccups wherein I was confused as to what happened. Overall, I was not impressed.
January 22, 2013
Ahhh... what a nice beginning for a new chapter on the Star Wars saga. I hope Disney picks this up for the upcoming movies, or some tvshow or whatever. I think it'd play nicely beyond the comic book platform. *ducks for cover*
October 16, 2013
Cade Skywalker has a traumatic event that stops him being a Jedi. Meanwhile, the sith are in power and the rebels are struggling. A intriguing start to a series and it has potential. A good read.
April 13, 2014
Hopefully the series creates a greater attachment to the characters as the volumes continue. Still eager to read subsequent volumes.
January 10, 2021
The premise: Some time after literally every other event in the Star Wars Expanded Universe (or Legends) book canon, the galaxy is in a very different yet somehow familiar state. The Jedi fell into disrepute after a failed attempt to cure the Vong virus, and both the Jedi and Galactic Alliance fell after attempts to ally with the non-Sith faction of the Empire remnants collapsed. The non-Sith Empire is still around, there's rumors of Jedi, and the Alliance fleet lives on, but the dominant force in the galaxy is the Sith-run Empire. Amidst all of this is no-good bounty hunter/frequent criminal Kade Skywalker, desperate to put his heritage behind him, and leave the Sith and Jedi to fight it out among themselves.
This is a review of the series as a whole. I read it basically in a week, all 56 issues, and generally enjoyed it greatly. In fact, I'd say it's the most I've enjoyed anything Star Wars related since reading Keiron Gillen's Vader and Doctor Aphra series, which in turn was the first SW thing I had really enjoyed since the Disney purchase. It's one of those cases where the parts are maybe more than the sum of the whole. I really don't like Kade himself, as he seems to be mostly motivated through the principle of "you're not the boss of me" for most of the series. And his closest two friends are pretty one-dimensional, especially after their unease over his Force capabilities are done. The Sith themselves are varied, at least, but rarely are they particularly interesting; they believe in power, which is a motivation that doesn't really interest over time. And a lot of overall plot hinges on the decisions of Kade's mother, who is by and large a cipher whose motivation is never made clear.
That said, what Ostrander absolutely excels in here is the world-building and plate spinning. The best issues of the comic are those that cast the gaze elsewhere, whether it's the struggles of the Mon Calamari to free their planet, or the black comedy humor of an ill-fated Sith Empire squad, or the maneuverings of the Sith Moffs. It's one of the better cases I've seen of the Star Wars canon functioning as an actual galaxy, of many factions and individuals bouncing off one another. (If a very small galaxy that can't go five minutes without someone going "where's Kade?") Also, a part of me is always amused by the fact that Kade's entourage will immediately start flirting with the older crew when the chance arises.
The high point of the series is probably the initial confrontation with the Big Bad, complete with the Celeste Morne arc of a Sith-possessed amulet. The long build to the finale after that is fine, but never quite reaches the same height. That said, it's a very solid B-level comic, and it was just the thing to usher in the new year.
This is a review of the series as a whole. I read it basically in a week, all 56 issues, and generally enjoyed it greatly. In fact, I'd say it's the most I've enjoyed anything Star Wars related since reading Keiron Gillen's Vader and Doctor Aphra series, which in turn was the first SW thing I had really enjoyed since the Disney purchase. It's one of those cases where the parts are maybe more than the sum of the whole. I really don't like Kade himself, as he seems to be mostly motivated through the principle of "you're not the boss of me" for most of the series. And his closest two friends are pretty one-dimensional, especially after their unease over his Force capabilities are done. The Sith themselves are varied, at least, but rarely are they particularly interesting; they believe in power, which is a motivation that doesn't really interest over time. And a lot of overall plot hinges on the decisions of Kade's mother, who is by and large a cipher whose motivation is never made clear.
That said, what Ostrander absolutely excels in here is the world-building and plate spinning. The best issues of the comic are those that cast the gaze elsewhere, whether it's the struggles of the Mon Calamari to free their planet, or the black comedy humor of an ill-fated Sith Empire squad, or the maneuverings of the Sith Moffs. It's one of the better cases I've seen of the Star Wars canon functioning as an actual galaxy, of many factions and individuals bouncing off one another. (If a very small galaxy that can't go five minutes without someone going "where's Kade?") Also, a part of me is always amused by the fact that Kade's entourage will immediately start flirting with the older crew when the chance arises.
The high point of the series is probably the initial confrontation with the Big Bad, complete with the Celeste Morne arc of a Sith-possessed amulet. The long build to the finale after that is fine, but never quite reaches the same height. That said, it's a very solid B-level comic, and it was just the thing to usher in the new year.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2011
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Luke Skywalker; last of the Jedi. Destined to return balance to the Force. That’s a difficult legacy to be a part of.
Son of Anakin Skywalker and twin brother to Leia Skywalker, raised as an Organa, a lot was expected from Luke. You see, the Empire had overthrown the republic some years before and Darth Vader, a Sith Lord, had hunted down all of the Jedi and killed them – including Luke’s own father. One Jedi who survived the purge was Obi Wan Kenobi, ‘Old Ben’ as Luke knew him. He’d fought in the Clone wars, side by side with Luke’s father only to go into hiding when Vader started hunting the Jedi down.
When Luke comes of age, Obi Wan begins his training in the ways of the Force. Before he can finish training young Luke, Obi Wan is killed, murdered by Vader. Luke joins the Rebel Alliance against the Empire and, with the reluctant help of his new friend Han Solo, he manages to destroy the Death Star. But that was only the beginning. He soon found himself being trained by a second Jedi to survive the purge; Yoda. With Yoda, he learns much more about the Force and, with his new power, sees his friends in danger on a city in the clouds. Rushing forth, Luke falls into a trap set by Darth Vader. He is forced to fight Vader only to lose his hand and learn that Vader was, in fact, his father and that his mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi had lied to him.
To add insult to injury, Han Solo, his best friend, is captured by the bounty hunter known as Boba Fett and taken off to Jabba the Hutt, a criminal kingpin who rules his organization from Tattoine, Luke’s home planet. Along with his friends, they rescue Han and return to the Alliance only to learn that a new, more powerful Death Star is being built by the Emperor. With Yoda dead, Luke is the only remaining Jedi. He decides to confront Vader and his Emperor while the Alliance deals with the Empire. In the end, he reaches that spark of humanity left in Vader, that little piece of Skywalker still beating deep within his heart. Vader turns from the Dark Side, sacrificing himself to destroy the Emperor and save his son.
…the story doesn’t end there, nor does the Skywalker line. After the Empire falls, Luke meets and falls in love with Mara Jade. They have a son, Ben, who follows Luke into the new Jedi Order. Luke’s sister, Leia, also has children strong in the Force who become Jedi. The Skywalker line continues on until, 125 years after the events on the forest moon of Endor, Cade Skywalker becomes a Padawan…
Star Wars Legacy: Volume One-Broken is a trade paperback / graphic novel that brings together issues one through three and five through six of the comic book Star Wars Legacy originally published by Dark Horse Comics. Apparently issue four was a stand alone that didn’t fit in with this story, which seems silly to me (for them to do in the middle of series) but, oh well.
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Dark Horse (May 2, 2007)
You can’t keep a Jedi down. Wipe them out to near extinction and they come back. So do the Sith. They are two sides of the same coin, Sith and Jedi. Over a hundred years after the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, a new purge is underway and a new Empire is surging forth to seize power.
Darth Krayt has risen to power and, with an army of Sith following him, is striking out against the Jedi to purge them from the galaxy once and for all. He sends his Sith to Ossus to destroy the last Jedi Temple and kill all the Jedi and Padawans.
Kol Skywalker and his son, Cade, are among those fighting to survive. Master’s Skywalker and Sazen order their Padawans, Cade and Shado, to evacuate the younglings while they keep the Sith at bay.
When Master Sazen is cut down by the Sith, Cade rescues him and, enraged and afraid to lose his Master, uses the Force to heal him from the brink of death.
But using the Force this way somehow takes him dangerously close to the Dark Side. Seeing his father cut down by the Sith sends him teetering over the edge.
He hops into a fighter to cover his Master’s escape with the younglings, eager to kill as many Sith as he can manage. The last they see of Cade Skywalker is the destruction of his fighter.
Seven years later. Darth Krayt is now Emperor of a divided Empire.
A second Emperor, Roan Fel, holds together a ‘loyalist’ Empire not sworn to the Sith.
The Jedi are hunted by Imperials, Sith and Bounty Hunters, a massive price on the head of each and everyone of them.
Master Sazen and Shado, two of the few remaining free Jedi, are convinced Cade Skywalker still lives and are determined to find him.
Elsewhere, Princess Marasian, daughter of Emperor Fel, travels the galaxy seeking loyal Imperials to serve her father so they can overthrow the Sith, unaware she is being hunted by Darth Talon.
She falls in with a band of bounty hunters, her only protection from the Sith hunting her. They are good at what they do, but one may be more than he appears…
Well, what can I say about this one?
Tons of action, tons of adventure, tons of, well, everything. You have the developing character of Cade Skywalker; part of a legacy he wants no part of, struggling to become something, but he doesn’t know what. He’s running from his past and his future, haunted by memories and a destiny he refuses to embrace because he’s afraid that path will lead him to the Dark Side.
You have a compelling story of a galaxy in upheaval; the two Empire’s exist on top of each other with one Emperor on Coruscant and another constantly on the move. Each is trying to solidify their position.
You also have tons of Jedi and Sith; the Empire has ‘Imperial Knights’, including the Emperor Roan Fel and his daughter, Marasian.
So even if all the Jedi are hunted down, there are still the Imperial Knights to deal with. Gone is the ‘one master, one apprentice’ Sith rules, thrown out by Darth Krayt who sees strength in numbers as being more important. Plus, it gives him plenty of Sith to throw around and into battle.
You can probably tell by now that I really enjoyed this. The art was fantastic, the storytelling solid and engaging. I’ve already bought the second volume in this series. If you’re looking for a great Star Wars story, this is it. You don’t really need to know any of the expanded universe stuff to get into it.
Star Wars Legacy, Volume One: Broken will run you $18 at your local store sans any discounts you might receive or you can find it online for around $12.
~P
Luke Skywalker; last of the Jedi. Destined to return balance to the Force. That’s a difficult legacy to be a part of.
Son of Anakin Skywalker and twin brother to Leia Skywalker, raised as an Organa, a lot was expected from Luke. You see, the Empire had overthrown the republic some years before and Darth Vader, a Sith Lord, had hunted down all of the Jedi and killed them – including Luke’s own father. One Jedi who survived the purge was Obi Wan Kenobi, ‘Old Ben’ as Luke knew him. He’d fought in the Clone wars, side by side with Luke’s father only to go into hiding when Vader started hunting the Jedi down.
When Luke comes of age, Obi Wan begins his training in the ways of the Force. Before he can finish training young Luke, Obi Wan is killed, murdered by Vader. Luke joins the Rebel Alliance against the Empire and, with the reluctant help of his new friend Han Solo, he manages to destroy the Death Star. But that was only the beginning. He soon found himself being trained by a second Jedi to survive the purge; Yoda. With Yoda, he learns much more about the Force and, with his new power, sees his friends in danger on a city in the clouds. Rushing forth, Luke falls into a trap set by Darth Vader. He is forced to fight Vader only to lose his hand and learn that Vader was, in fact, his father and that his mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi had lied to him.
To add insult to injury, Han Solo, his best friend, is captured by the bounty hunter known as Boba Fett and taken off to Jabba the Hutt, a criminal kingpin who rules his organization from Tattoine, Luke’s home planet. Along with his friends, they rescue Han and return to the Alliance only to learn that a new, more powerful Death Star is being built by the Emperor. With Yoda dead, Luke is the only remaining Jedi. He decides to confront Vader and his Emperor while the Alliance deals with the Empire. In the end, he reaches that spark of humanity left in Vader, that little piece of Skywalker still beating deep within his heart. Vader turns from the Dark Side, sacrificing himself to destroy the Emperor and save his son.
…the story doesn’t end there, nor does the Skywalker line. After the Empire falls, Luke meets and falls in love with Mara Jade. They have a son, Ben, who follows Luke into the new Jedi Order. Luke’s sister, Leia, also has children strong in the Force who become Jedi. The Skywalker line continues on until, 125 years after the events on the forest moon of Endor, Cade Skywalker becomes a Padawan…
Star Wars Legacy: Volume One-Broken is a trade paperback / graphic novel that brings together issues one through three and five through six of the comic book Star Wars Legacy originally published by Dark Horse Comics. Apparently issue four was a stand alone that didn’t fit in with this story, which seems silly to me (for them to do in the middle of series) but, oh well.
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Dark Horse (May 2, 2007)
You can’t keep a Jedi down. Wipe them out to near extinction and they come back. So do the Sith. They are two sides of the same coin, Sith and Jedi. Over a hundred years after the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, a new purge is underway and a new Empire is surging forth to seize power.
Darth Krayt has risen to power and, with an army of Sith following him, is striking out against the Jedi to purge them from the galaxy once and for all. He sends his Sith to Ossus to destroy the last Jedi Temple and kill all the Jedi and Padawans.
Kol Skywalker and his son, Cade, are among those fighting to survive. Master’s Skywalker and Sazen order their Padawans, Cade and Shado, to evacuate the younglings while they keep the Sith at bay.
When Master Sazen is cut down by the Sith, Cade rescues him and, enraged and afraid to lose his Master, uses the Force to heal him from the brink of death.
But using the Force this way somehow takes him dangerously close to the Dark Side. Seeing his father cut down by the Sith sends him teetering over the edge.
He hops into a fighter to cover his Master’s escape with the younglings, eager to kill as many Sith as he can manage. The last they see of Cade Skywalker is the destruction of his fighter.
Seven years later. Darth Krayt is now Emperor of a divided Empire.
A second Emperor, Roan Fel, holds together a ‘loyalist’ Empire not sworn to the Sith.
The Jedi are hunted by Imperials, Sith and Bounty Hunters, a massive price on the head of each and everyone of them.
Master Sazen and Shado, two of the few remaining free Jedi, are convinced Cade Skywalker still lives and are determined to find him.
Elsewhere, Princess Marasian, daughter of Emperor Fel, travels the galaxy seeking loyal Imperials to serve her father so they can overthrow the Sith, unaware she is being hunted by Darth Talon.
She falls in with a band of bounty hunters, her only protection from the Sith hunting her. They are good at what they do, but one may be more than he appears…
Well, what can I say about this one?
Tons of action, tons of adventure, tons of, well, everything. You have the developing character of Cade Skywalker; part of a legacy he wants no part of, struggling to become something, but he doesn’t know what. He’s running from his past and his future, haunted by memories and a destiny he refuses to embrace because he’s afraid that path will lead him to the Dark Side.
You have a compelling story of a galaxy in upheaval; the two Empire’s exist on top of each other with one Emperor on Coruscant and another constantly on the move. Each is trying to solidify their position.
You also have tons of Jedi and Sith; the Empire has ‘Imperial Knights’, including the Emperor Roan Fel and his daughter, Marasian.
So even if all the Jedi are hunted down, there are still the Imperial Knights to deal with. Gone is the ‘one master, one apprentice’ Sith rules, thrown out by Darth Krayt who sees strength in numbers as being more important. Plus, it gives him plenty of Sith to throw around and into battle.
You can probably tell by now that I really enjoyed this. The art was fantastic, the storytelling solid and engaging. I’ve already bought the second volume in this series. If you’re looking for a great Star Wars story, this is it. You don’t really need to know any of the expanded universe stuff to get into it.
Star Wars Legacy, Volume One: Broken will run you $18 at your local store sans any discounts you might receive or you can find it online for around $12.
~P
January 3, 2018
"-Vengefulness is not a Jedi trait, boy.
-Yeah, well, I'm a pretty nasty Jedi"
Reading this I kinda get why Ostrander is such a respected SW author. It's not perfect, but it's galaxies better than anything in the "Dawn of the Jedi" series. Despite still needing the #0 issue to understand some things (I hate that) and the fact that the perennial Skywalker saga still continues 100 years later... well, I saw little to no stuff that I didn't like. The art is cool, new concepts (such as the Grey Jedi Imperial Knights) enrichen the plot, and the characters are really appealing.
More than that, the comic stands out by diverting itself from the traditional good vs. evil SW narrative. Yes, the Sith are still bad and the Jedi still good, with the Empire somewhere in between them, but the two main characters have great motivations that leave them in more of a no man's land: Darth Krayt wants power not for power itself, but as a mean to achieve a "better" Empire (and thus, ancient Sith lords such as Darth Bane consider him a traitor); and Cade Skywalker is a former Jedi full of hate and a desire for revenge, that toys with the Dark Side, earns a life as a bounty hunter and has no trouble selling Jedi to their enemies. So, yeah, basically way more interesting than his (young) ancestors. Besides that, the artwork (of both Cade and Krayt, as well as the rest of the Sith Order) is simply amazing.
Oh, please, let the Force turn this into a good TV/film series someday.
-Yeah, well, I'm a pretty nasty Jedi"
Reading this I kinda get why Ostrander is such a respected SW author. It's not perfect, but it's galaxies better than anything in the "Dawn of the Jedi" series. Despite still needing the #0 issue to understand some things (I hate that) and the fact that the perennial Skywalker saga still continues 100 years later... well, I saw little to no stuff that I didn't like. The art is cool, new concepts (such as the Grey Jedi Imperial Knights) enrichen the plot, and the characters are really appealing.
More than that, the comic stands out by diverting itself from the traditional good vs. evil SW narrative. Yes, the Sith are still bad and the Jedi still good, with the Empire somewhere in between them, but the two main characters have great motivations that leave them in more of a no man's land: Darth Krayt wants power not for power itself, but as a mean to achieve a "better" Empire (and thus, ancient Sith lords such as Darth Bane consider him a traitor); and Cade Skywalker is a former Jedi full of hate and a desire for revenge, that toys with the Dark Side, earns a life as a bounty hunter and has no trouble selling Jedi to their enemies. So, yeah, basically way more interesting than his (young) ancestors. Besides that, the artwork (of both Cade and Krayt, as well as the rest of the Sith Order) is simply amazing.
Oh, please, let the Force turn this into a good TV/film series someday.
March 26, 2018
I'm kind of split on this book. On one hand, Ostrander does a good job creating some complex characters and political circumstances, where nobody seems to really be the good guy. I found it mostly engaging and intelligent.
On the other hand, I just watched Empire Strikes Back (original version, first time in years) last week and was reminded what makes Star Wars so awesome, and Legacy missed a lot of the magic. Despite the dangers faced, the movies are fun, and funny, and even the roguish anti-heroes have hearts of gold and always choose to do right no matter how much they bellyache. Cade Skywalker is a jerk, and Legacy is mostly dour and dark.
If I hadn't just watched Empire, I might not've felt this way, but I was really aching for something closer to Star Wars "comfort food" when I picked this book up. It's good, but I'd love if Ostrander had a little more fun with it.
Duursema's art is mostly very good. She's got a great sense of character and ship design, which is perfect for Star Wars. I don't like her lightsaber duels though. The large panels and extreme angles often make the ensuing parry feel off-balance or less impactful, and I think she'd do better to use smaller panels and more balanced figures.
On the other hand, I just watched Empire Strikes Back (original version, first time in years) last week and was reminded what makes Star Wars so awesome, and Legacy missed a lot of the magic. Despite the dangers faced, the movies are fun, and funny, and even the roguish anti-heroes have hearts of gold and always choose to do right no matter how much they bellyache. Cade Skywalker is a jerk, and Legacy is mostly dour and dark.
If I hadn't just watched Empire, I might not've felt this way, but I was really aching for something closer to Star Wars "comfort food" when I picked this book up. It's good, but I'd love if Ostrander had a little more fun with it.
Duursema's art is mostly very good. She's got a great sense of character and ship design, which is perfect for Star Wars. I don't like her lightsaber duels though. The large panels and extreme angles often make the ensuing parry feel off-balance or less impactful, and I think she'd do better to use smaller panels and more balanced figures.
November 14, 2021
This is one of the better Star Wars books from the Dark Horse era. I'm a big fan of John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, so it's cool to see them working together on a Star Wars book. This one is set in the "future" of the Star Wars universe, and features a descendant of Luke Skywalker. There's a lot of action and a lot of the political stuff that's typical of this era of Star Wars storytelling. But there's also good character development.
I'm reading this from an old Star Wars Humble Bundle. It's one of the only things in that bundle that's good enough that I'm interested in buying and reading the rest of the series.
I'm reading this from an old Star Wars Humble Bundle. It's one of the only things in that bundle that's good enough that I'm interested in buying and reading the rest of the series.
September 26, 2018
Enter a galaxy far, far away 125 years after the evnts in Return of the Jedi. The Sith & what is left of the Imperial forces are making a come back. The first of the book shows a battle that the Jedi are losing badly.
Kol Skywalker and his son, Cade are amomg the Jedi that are being attacked. Kol and other masters will lose while Cade, Shado, Master Sazen & the younglings escape.
We later meet an older Cade who is now a bouny hunter.
Kol Skywalker and his son, Cade are amomg the Jedi that are being attacked. Kol and other masters will lose while Cade, Shado, Master Sazen & the younglings escape.
We later meet an older Cade who is now a bouny hunter.
September 28, 2025
4.5 stars!
You know, this is much better than I expected; Cade is such a complex character (surprising, I know) - his conflict with the dark side is so intriguing, and he twists the traditional understanding of light/dark side.
And yes - I'm reading the comics before the actual legacy series...I'll get there soon, though!
Marasiah my loveeee...star wars always eats up their women characters.
Also nice to see some melanin in SW - (this is a headcannon for marasiah but just look at her tf)
You know, this is much better than I expected; Cade is such a complex character (surprising, I know) - his conflict with the dark side is so intriguing, and he twists the traditional understanding of light/dark side.
And yes - I'm reading the comics before the actual legacy series...I'll get there soon, though!
Marasiah my loveeee...star wars always eats up their women characters.
Also nice to see some melanin in SW - (this is a headcannon for marasiah but just look at her tf)
January 8, 2026
133 years after Return of the Jedi, all your favorite characters have died of old age! (Except for Chewbacca. Cenobites dropped a planet on him.) What follows is the adventures of Luke Skywalker's great-grandson, Cade, as he ekes out a living as a bounty hunter with his best friends Jariah Syn and Deliah Blue. Little does he know that both Emperor Darth Krayt and Emperor-in-exile Roan Fel have plans for him!
July 14, 2017
125 years after ROTJ there's a new Sith order and they've set up camp in the Jedi temple. Their objective to destroy the Jedi. It looks like there's only one man who can stop it, yep you guessed it he's a Skywalker. Cade Skywalker former Jedi padawan turned bounty hunter must save the Jedi.
June 29, 2023
Incredible comic. This comic presents very good characters and an era that has a lot of potential. The comic is addictive and has a very entertaining and fast story. I will continue reading this series. It's a shame that Disney didn't develop it anymore.
July 5, 2018
Establishes a good post-Jedi context with faithful adherence to canonical concepts about the Force and balance but the characters lack depth
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