Star Wars: Clone Wars, Volume 1: The Defense of Kamino and Other Tales

Star Wars: Republic #10

by John Ostrander, W. Haden Blackman, Jan Duursema (Artist)

For 25 years, fans have wondered about the Clone Wars. With the release of Episode II, audiences witnessed the events that started that epic conflict. Starting this year, LucasBooks is chronicling these historic events through comics, adult novels, middle grade fiction, audio books, short stories, and more - revealing the all-important events that occur between Episodes II and III in preparation for the latter's release in 2005.
This volume collects the first issues of Dark Horse's ongoing Star Wars: Republic comic book that chronicle the Clone Wars, starting with issue #50.

Genres: Star Wars, Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.

Originally an actor in a Chicago theatre company, Ostrander moved into writing comics in 1983. His first published works were stories about the character "Sargon, Mistress of War", who appeared the First Comics series Warp!, based on a series of plays by that same Chicago theatre company. He is co-creator of the character Grimjack with Timothy Truman, who originally appeared in a back up story in the First Comics title, Starslayer, before going on to appear in his own book, again published by First Comics in the mid 1980s. First Comics ceased publication in 1991, by which time Ostrander was already doing work for other comics companies (his first scripts for DC Comics were published in 1986).

Prior to his career in comic books, Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes himself as an agnostic. His in-depth explorations of morality were later used in his work writing The Spectre, a DC Comics series about the manifestation of the wrath of God. His focus on the character's human aspect, a dead police detective from the 1930s named Jim Corrigan, and his exploration of moral and theological themes brought new life to a character often thought of as impossible to write. He has also worked on Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, and Wasteland for DC.

Reviews

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clone Wars- The Defense of Kamino and Other Tales is a collection of short stories (likely single issues) collected into this one format. The stories take place immediately after the Battle of Geonosis (Episode II).

There are several stories in this TPB. All of them revolve around the Defense of Kamino, where the Republic has the cloning chambers for its Clone Army. The first story shows us what Quinlan Vos has been up to. Our favorite rogue Jedi has discovered Seperatist plans for the assault on Kamino. The rest of the stories cover the actual battle and some of the background events. I don't want to give away any spoilers for those who haven't read or are unfamiliar with the Battle.

These stories cover a wide array of Jedi- from Anakin and Obi-Wan, to Mace Windu and Yoda. Yet, the underlying theme is consistent. The Jedi should NOT be involved in the Clone Wars. From Yoda and Mace having a discussion about the role the Jedi would play (peacekeepers or generals) to the excellent story "Schism" that shows the multitude of conflicts within the Order due to the involvement in the Clone Wars.

The artwork is very good. John Ostrander knows how to write a good Star Wars tale. If you are a fan of Star Wars, then you can't go wrong with this solid collection of stories. From Count Dooku and Asaj Ventress to Yoda and Quinlan Vos-they are all here. This is highly recommended for any fans of this story arc (The Clone Wars).

[DiscoSpacePanther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the recent announcement of a seventh season for the previously cancelled TV show The Clone Wars, I have decided to embark upon a read through of the Dark Horse Clone Wars comic books that were first published from 2003, just over half a year after the release of the movie Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and well before we as an audience knew how the events of the Clone Wars would be concluded in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

So, I'm starting with Star Wars: Clone Wars, Volume 1: The Defense of Kamino and Other Tales which is the first of nine (I think) trade paperbacks published by Dark Horse under the "Clone Wars" title.

Reading this after having experienced so much Star Wars material since, I am impressed at how well it stands up. We get to see Aayla Secura and Quinlan Vos on a mission together; Obi-Wan and Anakin fight together with Shaak-Ti and some freshly reactivated ARC Troopers (including Alpha-17, the prototype from whom Captain Rex was developed for the TV show) to defend Kamino from a Separatist attack; and we see Mace Windu learn the name of Count Dooku's assassin: Asajj Ventress.

Many of the themes developed in the TV show are already present: the disposability of clone troops; the corruption of the jedi away from their ideals; the machinations of the Sith - contributing to the sense of coherence with the wide Star Wars universe.

I would strongly recommend this first graphic novel in the series to any fans of the Clone Wars TV show, despite it not having characters like Ahsoka and Rex (who would not be created until several yeas after Revenge of the Sith was released.

I look forward to reading the others in the series.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ ~ This graphic novel is composed of three short stories, with the second story having 3 parts. It covers how the Jedi found out that the separatists were going to attack Kamino, and what happened during and after the battle.

It includes a variety of Jedi, including Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Yoda, Aayla Secura, & Quintin Vos. It also includes Ventress, who in my opinion is underrated, and I love to see her in media.

The theme of these stories was that the Jedi shouldn’t have been involved in the clone wars. It goes against almost everything they stand for. They were once peacekeepers, and now they’re being made into generals.

This really highlights that The Clone Wars are how Darth Sidious starts to destroy the Jedi, by making them stray from their path, and twisting their views, which makes corrupting them and taking over so much easier for him.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 22BBY

A couple of stories with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, going on missions in the midst of the Clone Wars and another adventure with Mace Windu searching for a bunch of Jedi Masters and some Padawan, who left after the war of Geonosis because of the Jedis they lost during, not wanting to serve the Republic anymore.

"I Couldn't talk. My heart was too full. Almost every Jedi who died on Geonosis I had trained at some point. They died to preserve the Republic and I am not sure the Republic is worth that." - Master Bulq


Great artwork too, solid stuff.

Worth the read.

[Iset · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, what I remembered from having read this years ago was that it was a good series that I definitely enjoyed, and we’re off to a solid start here.

This first volume contains five stories, some very short, others with a decent length.

Sacrifice is the first, and it’s this series that I remember liking the character of Quinlan Vos in. Undercover work suits his personality and back story perfectly, and he feels like a relatable person here, not wildly bouncing off the walls as he is in the Quinlan Vos omnibus. It brings together Quinlan and his former apprentice, Aayla in a logical way, and ties their work into the wider universe by making it directly impact on the stories that follow. The inclusion of Khaleen, just a hint at this stage, is a nice addition, acknowledging that the foolish blanket dictat of no love for Jedi is no simple rule and in fact presents dilemmas and struggles for every ordinary Jedi.

The Defence of Kamino follows on from the first offering, and is the payoff, so to speak. This is the showcase piece of this volume, because it contains the most important event, and places Obi-Wan and Anakin front and centre. There’s decent battle action without getting too confusing, with distinct and dramatic twists, and there are even some quiet moments for reflection included, which felt sorely lacking in the prequels. But here we’re afforded time to dwell on pre-battle nerves, Obi-Wan makes a concerted effort to connect with Anakin, and Anakin is almost honest with him. The only thing that holds me back with this one is that it is the standard expected fare, with the set piece battle and the main characters who I’m assuming most of us already know will survive. I find that throughout this comic series I appreciated how they fleshed out some of the other Jedi who are barely more than cameos in the films, and give them some really interesting things to do since they are not limited by the same constraints as the major film characters – so this story suffers just a little by comparison with those exploring little-known characters which I enjoyed more and found to be more inventive.

Jango’s Legacy is a short and sweet one with some quick guest appearances, exploring the chaos of battle, and the role of the clones as both people and war assets, namely through the juvenile, still-growing clones who are placed in peril. There’s not too much to say about it because it is so short, but it’s the many tales like this one, showing the care of the Jedi, that make me question what universe Karen Traviss’ Republic Commandos is from, where apparently no one except her two special Jedi question the humanity and personhood of the clones.

No End in Sight shows a perspective of the battle from the other side, but I found the premise a little odd. We see Mon Calamari with the Separatists and leading this attack. I could’ve sworn that Expanded Universe novels established that the Mon Calamari achieved space flight and joined the galactic community under the Empire, who, being xenophobic, treated them badly and this is why they were such prominent contributors to the Rebellion. So that would mean their appearance here is too early. It’s an alright strip apart from that but I had trouble getting into it because of that weirdness.

Schism is my favourite story from this volume. It fills in what I always felt was a huge question mark, and that’s the Jedi involvement in the Clone Wars. The novels explore the misgivings of some of the major figures who nonetheless go along with their new roles of generals, such as Mace Windu in Shatterpoint, and even Yoda himself in Dark Rendezvous, but here it goes deeper to depict what I’d honestly always logically expected – Jedi who don’t want to take up the role at all. Some who believe that the Jedi are independent actors for good but shouldn’t get involved as the agents of any particular government. Some who point out that there are plenty of worlds who have joined the Separatists earnestly and want to be listened to through diplomacy. Some who even consider that the Separatists are better than the corrupt quagmire of the Republic and perhaps the Jedi should be fighting for change in hopes of a better future instead. These varied concerns and thoughts feel individual and give each of the new Jedi characters introduced here distinction and idiosyncrasy. And they actually talk it out with the mainstream Order. And you know what, the Order is prepared to let them go, happily, if they are in earnest. You know, like the actual good-hearted, feeling, sincere devotees of ethics and service that the Jedi are supposed to stand for, instead of the bland monolithic boring white tower they are in the prequel films. I’m honestly cheering. Plus, there is a great twist in this one. Definitely my favourite tale in this volume.

8 out of 10

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

22 BBY

The first of 9 total compiled volumes for the Clone Wars holds the stories "Republic 49: Sacrifice," "Republic 50: The Defense of Kamino," and "Jedi: Mace Windu," in that consecutive order. "Sacrifice" features the Jedi Aayla Secura and Quinlan Vos, who are seeking out information on the Separatist's plans. "The Defense of Kamino" features the events of the title, defending Kamino. on of the last cloning facilities left, Kenobi and Skywalker, among other Jedi and their armies, defend the clone facility through battle in space above the planet, within the facility, and underwater on the planet. The Republic needs to maintain its ability to facilitate a clone army. "Mace Windu" is a "Jedi" special featuring Mace as he travels to a planet where Jedi have been gathering in aims to remove themselves from the fighting. Jedi Sora is among them, and has fallen to the Dark Side, aiming to bring the other Jedi with him. Mace aims to save the Jedi from Sora's influence, but some of the Jedi still do not feel that war is the best option.


If you re wondering what happens in between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, this is a great place to start. While I was a bit disappointed that the stories were all separate, they do come together to form the overarching arc of the Clone Wars. The reader is introduced to some interesting Jedi that we have a very minimal glimpse of in the movies, if we even get that glimpse.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Wars Legends Project #106

Background: The Defense of Kamino, released in June 2003, collects 2 issues of Republic and the first issue of the Jedi series of one-shots. All 3 were written and pencilled by the team of John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, with some additional contributions by others: Republic: Sacrifice (1 issue, January 2003), Republic: The Defense of Kamino (1 double issue, February 2003), and Jedi: Mace Windu (1 issue, February 2003).

The double issue consists of 3 different storylines, with only the first ("Brothers in Arms") done by Ostrander and Duursema. "Jango's Legacy" was written by Haden Blackman and pencilled by Stephen Thompson and "No End in Sight" was written by Scott Allie and drawn by Tomás Giorello. Blackman has written a few dozen other Star Wars comics and was also involved in the development of various Star Wars video games, most notably as the project lead on the MMO Star Wars Galaxies and The Force Unleashed. Thompson is an Irish artist whose other Star Wars work consists of a few issues of a Darth Vader miniseries. Allie has written around half a dozen Star Wars comics, along with various other things for Dark Horse. Giorello has done work on a couple dozen other Star Wars comics in the Republic and Empire series, plus a few X-Wing issues.

Sacrifice is set about a month after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin), and features the Jedi Aayla Secura and Quinlan Vos. The Battle of Kamino takes place about a month later, and features Obi-Wan, Anakin, Aayla Secura, and Shaak Ti (along with several appearances by others). Mace Windu (retitled "Schism" here) is set another month later (3 months after the Battle of Geonosis), and features the first-ever appearance by Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress.

Summary: In Sacrifice, Aayla Secura and Quinlan Vos find themselves employing questionable methods in questionable company as they engage in espionage to aid the Republic war effort.

In The Battle of Kamino, the Separatists seek to bring the war to a swift end by destroying the Republic's clone army at the source. Unbeknownst to them, the Republic already has their battle plans, but that doesn't mean repelling the attack will be easy, even with the aid of the Jedi.

In Schism, Mace Windu travels to meet with a number of Jedi, conscientious objectors who have refused the Council's call to join the war effort. He hopes to prevent a full-blown break in the Order, but something isn't quite right . . .

Review: Sacrifice is definitely my least favorite of these three, despite the welcome return of Quinlan Vos. I'm not really sure what they're doing with his character at this point, now that his big "finding himself" arc is over. There's some interesting territory to mine here, with a Jedi who operates in the shadows in a very un-Jedi-like way, but he isn't really the main character here and they don't do a lot with it. Instead, there's mostly a not-terribly-interesting double- and triple-cross plot with antagonists that aren't all that interesting.

The Battle of Kamino is an ambitious, action-packed war story that really pays off across its multiple parts. The first segment is the least interesting, and it has a bit that is a little too close to the "journey through the planet core" bit in Episode I, but at least it has some cool space battle stuff. In the second segment, the Jedi team up with an ARC trooper (the elitest of the elite clones) to save the next generation of clones from destruction. The art is spectacular, and this is the most exciting of the three. But it all really comes together in the final segment, which shows the outcome of the battle from the Separatist side, through the eyes of a brilliant Mon Calamari commander. This story lends some weight to the oft-repeated idea that there are "heroes on both sides" of the conflict, and it's one of all too few bits of nuance in these Clone Wars stories.

Mace Windu starts off as a pause to consider the morality of the Clone Wars in a way that none of the Jedi characters in Attack of the Clones seem to have done. It's a conversation that really needed to have happened, and it's no wonder that there are Jedi ready to jump-ship over the idea that they're now expected to lead armies of genetic slaves into battle to protect a corrupt bureaucracy . . . but that conversation turns out to be a red herring covering for an evil plot to split the Jedi by making them question their own sense of moral certitude. Well, that's not totally fair, but that's what it amounts to, and I wasn't a fan. Still, the story more or less redeems itself by introducing Asajj Ventress, a much-needed Force-wielding antagonist who can credibly bring the battle to the Jedi in ways that Dooku can't.

Sacrifice: C
The Battle of Kamino: A-
Mace Windu: B+

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read in 2004, review from 2025)

I remember this being solid Star Wars content my 11 year old self loved. First introduction of the ARC Troopers, in particular Alpha (Captain Rex's more ruthless narrative precursor), some solid action (clone and Jedi). Looking back maybe the best part was the exploration of the Jedi who initially refused to serve as military officers as that goes against what they were raised to be.

[Kyisha Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are very unique and work well together. Although I was not familiar with every character and plot-point I was able to follow easily and liked the art style overall. I of course have gripes, but more with Star Wars overall than with this specific comic. Has a very strong aura and presence. The universe feels very big here.

[Arsh Dhawan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an amazing art
Good story but art is a masterpiece

[Kalle Vilenius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set after the events of Episode II – Attack of the Clones, this book is primarily concerned with depicting the Separatist attack against the cloning facilities of Kamino, an attack that, should it succeed, would end the Clone Wars very quickly by denying the Republic its precious clone soldiers.

It’s no spoiler to say that the attack fails. It’s a difficult task that the Dark Horse era of Star Wars comics had, filling in blanks between Star Wars films, unable to deviate from canon and thereby the fates of all major characters are a foregone conclusion. If Kamino’s facilities cannot be destroyed and Obi-wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker cannot die, where then is the tension?

(Spoilers to follow)

One option is to create new characters, whose fates will be unknown to the reader, and with a ready supply of expendable clone troopers fighting in a war, that’s easily done, and of course there’s the surprisingly compelling heroic sacrifice performed by Merai, a Mon Calamari (Admiral Ackbar’s race), whose cleverness in battle and compassion for those who serve with him make him stand out as the rare unambiguously good character on the other, “evil” side of the Clone Wars. Merai is a figure whose loss is lamented by both Mace Windu and Count Dooku, perhaps making a point on how wars waste lives on both sides. The other option is to focus on building up existing tension, as is the case with Anakin’s increasing volatility and attraction to the Dark Side of the Force, his uncertainty in the face of his emotions, now in turmoil unbefitting of a Jedi. Both these troopers and that struggle are given focus during the defence of Kamino.

Despite being named after this defence, it feels like the real meat of the book is before and after that battle, beginning with how Quinlan Vos helps in the discovery of the Separatist’s plan to attack Kamino. This story is set firmly in the seedier, grimier parts of the Star Wars universe, and in those parts the morality of even a Jedi can come into question.

Quinlan Vos is a character whose struggles continue to be compelling. Here he finds himself facing a difficult decision, where a life needs to be sacrificed for the sake of the greater good. Vos and his former apprentice Aayla Secura are both willing to sacrifice their own lives for such a cause, but can they bear the burden of having someone else do it? Vos, having spent a long time away from the other Jedi while building his spy network is starting to slip away from the compassion that Jedi are called to, seems convinced that he is willing and able to see another go to their death.

One might note in the pages of this collection that the events of Attack of the Clones have left both Quinlan Vos and Anakin Skywalker in a similar place mentally, brooding, bitter and anxious to take action, any action. We see even more of Vos’ struggles in the final storyline, Schism, where a brief practice session with Mace Windu reveals how out of balance he is, how quickly he turns to anger as a source of strength in the heat of battle, even a friendly sparring match. With this similarity so clearly crafted, the reader will begin to doubt Quinlan Vos, and his ruthlessness in sending someone to certain death as a strategic manoeuvre does him no favours. Is he doomed to the same fall as Anakin?

And yet, there is hope for him, for his pawn’s would-be killer is from a race that can control other people via pheromones and seeks to have her commit suicide through this near-hypnotic suggestion. The use of pheromones to control another’s will is no more sinister than Jedi mind tricks, yet the intimacy of it, the physicality of it, makes it feel more like a violation, and overriding not just of will and thought but of emotion as well, defiling that which should be kept sacred. The Jedi sees his own tactics employed, hears his enemy speak of sacrifices and the greater good even as he has himself, and all this to justify an action he sees as repugnant, though it is the same exact course of action he has been pursuing. And what choice does Quinlan Vos make when faced with this dark mirror?

“No. No sacrifices today.”

Seeing his own attitudes reflected back at him in the enemy was the push Vos needed to get back on track. The contrast of his enemy having convictions as strong as his own is surely not lost on Vos any more than on the reader, and this mirroring of both sides in the conflict having legitimate positions is explored even further in the final story of this collection, which focuses on Mace Windu (he’s not on the cover just because of Samuel L. Jackson’s star power!), a Jedi master of great experience and prowess, but still fallible. His confidence, born from all that experience and prowess, is his weakness rather than his strength. Remember: Mace Windu in the films was quite confident in his view that the Sith were gone and was ready to dismiss all reports to the contrary. This attitude of rigidity remains a major handicap, one that a figure as powerful in the force as Windu needs to keep him from being able to hammer his way through every problem, rendering the stories involving him boring. John Ostrander has always had a knack for finding these handicaps for overpowered characters, especially in his work for DC, when he dealt with night omnipotent figures like Firestorm, Martian Manhunter and The Spectre.

Windu finds himself on a diplomatic mission, trying to make contact and hopefully reason with some Jedi who are refusing to heed the call to join the Republic’s army. These Jedi have no desire to participate in the Clone Wars at all, and for good reason. Rather than having been seduced to the Dark Side, they merely view the duties of the Jedi differently from how the Council does. Some doubt that leading soldiers to their deaths fits with the Jedi’s goals of preserving life, others recognize the Republic for the corrupt, unwieldy behemoth of bureaucracy it is.

They make valid points. Windu is quick to appeal to authority: “do you think your wisdom greater than, say, master Yoda’s?” as if merely evoking Yoda’s name would make these complaints and reservations go away. They don’t, of course. But before any progress on these difficult topics can be made beyond raising the issues and leaving them for the reader to mull over, Count Dooku’s trained assassin shows up to interrupt everything.

Asajj Ventress is formidable enough, but she can’t be allowed to kill a movie character like Windu. She can kill others though. It’s a war, people die. Good people, undoubtedly. This is once again the tragedy of the Clone Wars as a whole: both sides believe they are doing the right thing, both sides are (from a certain point of view, as Obi-wan would say) correct in what they are doing, and yet they are all wrong, because both sides are puppets to a single puppet master, every life lost completely wasted as Palpatine continues his rise to power and inches ever closer to his victory.

The book strikes a nice balance between all these compelling topics it seeks to explore and the action many of the readers probably bought it for. I really wish it could linger longer on these talky bits, but it is Star Wars after all, so there have to be lightsaber battles, blaster shots, monsters, spaceships... it's a full course meal, but the portions are all tiny. Jan Duursema and the other artists continue to capture the look and feel of the movies impeccably.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I am a star wars fan (along with many others) so if these stories are not for you then sadly I suggest you move on and look else where normal reviews will resume shortly -
that said I will admit that I have long since wondered what really happened in the clone wars - yes there was the animated film and the subsequent tv series but there were so many question raised and left unanswered between the films - I always felt that the first 3 films (episodes VI to IV) were tighter and hard their story lines more closely knit where in the second trilogy the story seemed to expand and in so doing became less coherent - from this first book (there are 9 in total) I can see that some of the vague hints will now be fully explained.
In addition to this the artwork is clear and well inked and lends itself to the cinematic feel to the story lines - For the first in the series I must say I enjoyed it - so lets see where number two takes us

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short Star Wars Clone Wars era stories doesn't really have a consistent theme or through story, but it does paint several pictures of the Jedi and the toll of battle. The highlight is a story with Mace Windu reaching out to a splintered faction of Jedi who refuse to fight in the Clone Wars, which leads to some interesting philosophical questions. There's also some decent action (although the shorts in the other issues are more exciting, capturing the Star Wars feel in both saber and space ship combat), and a little conspiracy, with a popular character from the series making what amounts to a cameo appearance. It's a nice standalone collection of stories from the Clone Wars era.

[MarcMiccia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sacrificio ⭐⭐⭐
Fratelli d'armi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
L'eredità di Jango ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Senza vedere la fine ⭐⭐⭐
Scisma ⭐⭐��⭐
Il nuovo volto della guerra pt.1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Il nuovo volto della guerra pt.2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Il raggio dell'esplosione ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always fascinated when other Jedi are included in the Clone Wars era stories instead of the usual few we are used to (although if you want to throw Obi-Wan adventures at me hey I'm here for that) so to see not only either lesser known Jedi or ones we haven't heard of if ever was really interesting. The other thing I loved was seeing that some Jedi did disagree with the war and for various reasons, each one had a valid reason that not only we as fans have brought up but also main characters themselves have brought up over other books. The corruption of the Republic and eventually the Jedi Order, the fact that the Republic and thus slowly the Jedi don't seem to care about planets outside their territory (slavery is still legal on some planets, how is that even a thing?!), the idea that Jedi are peacekeepers who shouldn't be leading armies of men who weren't given a choice whether they wanted to fight in a war or not. All of these are great points raised in one of the later minisodes that I thought was really well written and I'm sad the actual movies never went into this (although they could give us other really boring shit so I'm sorry but they had options).

Another story had Quinlan Vos being his usual broody badass self; unlike the kid's show would have you believe Quinlan wasn't just some surfer dude who liked to annoy the hell out of the straight laced Jedi (Obi-Wan springs to mind, cannot fathom why....*cracks up*) he was able to move through the very bowels of the underworld without giving himself away for YEARS. He's one of the Jedi I wished had gotten more than one Padawan, I like Aayla but I wanted more Jedi like those two, those who had seen the worst in people and were able to play outside the rules now and again. The fact that he's not in more books/movies/etc is a damned shame because his character is so full of interesting plots.

The middle and thick of the comic is dedicated to our usual Jedi, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and tons more defending Kamino because of course that's the first place the Seps want to hit (because duh). We see another example of Anakin's ability to see the future and not see the whole thing which is a great way to play in his future eff ups and we see a little more of that nice relationship Anakin and Obi-Wan have that I think we don't see enough of. These two were together for 10 years plus the entire Clone Wars as well, they knew each other like very few people can know each other and yet everyone always assumes that their ending was eventual. If you can read between the less than awesome prequel movies you can see they had a deep connection which made the fight between them in the end that much more heartbreaking, for me it wasn't just two friends ending a long friendship in the worst way possible, it was like losing a part of your heart and every story that shows us just how close they really were enforces that pain and gives the reader that tiny tidbit more of "Wow this is a really painful ending". Was Anakin's fall inevitable? No it wasn't. But then again that's my opinion and we've strayed away from the book here....

All in all the artwork wasn't my favorite, I love flowing designs and less noir vibes to these comics and was really spoiled by the Vader series comics so this more gritty version wasn't my favorite. It got the job done and the characters were recognizable but it just takes me out of the story when it looks more like a rock person than an actual Mace Windu or Obi-Wan. The plot itself was amazing, they all blended together really well and each story could be told separately but made sense together as well.

[Terry Mulcahy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was indeed curious about the clone wars. This satisfied my curiosity. Other than that, it was too simplistic, as indeed the plots of the Star Wars franchise usually are. Despite the intrigues and treachery, it's clear that the Jedi are not united in their cause, and never were. The Force itself, like our own religions, serves many masters, and has been used all along by those who desire power. If that is the message of the Clone Wars, OK. But, presented in this way, as spectacle, as entertainment only, dilutes whatever the underlying message could be. I found nothing in the story that interested me enough to want to read/see more. George Lucus conceded that, in his own words, he wrote a story for children. This doesn't depart from that. Children need better training, yes, training in how to think, to process, to weigh all sides of the difficult questions that now face us, including the principal ones of our very survival as a species, and how to live together.
I enjoy a good melodrama myself, but I'd rather not continue sitting on a sinking ship watching cheesy entertainment until we all go under.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sacrifice - 2 stars

This one takes a big step for Quin's character and sets up him to be in an interesting position for the Clone Wars. The art has a shinier feel than previous arcs, but it's all in service to this very dark, sweaty aesthetic that doesn't do much for me. Lots of male gaze, which so far hadn't been as bad with Aayla as I feared it would be. And the whole criminal underworld theme here is pretty meh too.

Battle for Kamino - 3 stars

A fun multi-perspective arc with some good art (there's a great image of Shaak Ti's face that is both gorgeous and melancholy, very nice). It introduces an interesting clone character, Alpha, extremely hard-bitten and terse, a nice change of pace from the quipping of the animated series. And the Mon Cal story here at least shows some diversity of motivations and backgrounds on the CIS side; it feels much more satisfying than most Clone Wars stories, which undermine the sense of manipulation by making the CIS villains as well as dupes.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this arc of the Republic series run getting into the real meat of The Clone Wars, especially with the introduction of Alpha, The Battle of Kamino, and getting a new start to Quinlan Vos' story.

While the battle of Kamino is something that gets touched upon in the Clone Wars show, something about this rendition of it, much earlier in the War, feels all the more tense as such an early blow against the Republic would undoubtedly compromise every plan laid. Seeing also the ends some such as Alpha will go to in order to prevent the cloning information from falling into the wrong hands, even to the point of allowing the deaths of thousands to tens of thousands of his brothers, really sets him out as a character.

Seeing also the early setup of Vos and the plan to infiltrate Dooku's inner circle also was great, even if the silly way to build hype for his character is by screaming "Jedi with a gun" on the cover.

[Leia Skywalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first volume of the clone wars comics .

The first story had Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura going undercover to get sepratist plans. Fun story . The Falleen's love phermone thing is somewhat dumb . Also I hate Chadra fans.

The second story is the defense of Kamino. I notice that rhe clone wars somewhat copied that story but there are several differences. The arc troopers are cool and I love Alpha 17 and first apperance. The Seperatist Mon Calmari general was intresting . I like Palpatine and Dooku's plan .

The third story is about of Group of Jedi who refused to be Generals . The group of Jedi all had different reasons for their decisions. The fight scenes were good and Ventress was a badass threat . Mace Windu had some depth while being a dick.

[Jacob Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book to a stellar run of clone wars comics. Before 2005-2008, AOTC, Tartakovsky series & these books were all we had of clone wars content. And let me tell you, this book is so much fun.

I loved the idea of defending Kamino. Wouldn’t it make sense for the droids to attack the place where their enemies are being bred? It’s essentially the same plot as EP2 when the republic investigated the droid factory on Geonosis. This was a great story and had some key standouts with Mace windu (who has always been awesome) & Alpha 17 debut as a badass clone troopers. I love how blunt and brutal he is. And those reasons alone make this a great story.

[Evey Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todas las historias que conforman este primer volumen son tan interesantes como apasionantes: la búsqueda y hallazgo de Quinlan Vos, la preocupación de Obi por el descentramiento de Anakin y los pensamientos que rondan a este. Como los Jedi se resienten ante la batalla de Geonosis sin saber muy bien cual es su papel. Buen colofón con la última historia "Cisma" con Windu al frente y el reencuentro de una de las sith más peligrosas que hayan existido.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading this in German as I love the Clone wars and it seemed like good practice. To start with this did seem quite a bit beyond my reading level as I was looking up a lot of words. But after the first issue it got much easier. I did like all the new alien characters but the space battles seemed a bit dull.

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's some really good stuff here, especially the last story which featured Jedi who did not wish to involve themselves in the Clone Wars. And hey, I'm always happy to see Quinlan Vos. The Mon Calamari-centric story was by far the weakest inside this volume and it was so jarring since it was surrounded by markedly better comics.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein weiterer (bzw. der erste Comic) in dem Obi-Wan und Alpha-17 zusammenarbeiten. Diesmal auch ein wenig zu kurz geraten, aber trotzdem sehr spannend. Die ganze Story ist ebenso spannend wie der nachfolgende Teil "Das letzte Gefecht um Jabiim", da Ventress auch hier wieder mit Durge ein Duo gibt, das einfach mega gut ist.

[Daphne Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a graphic novel. It was basically what I expected. My daughter has been reading these on her own. I wanted to read them because I am enough of a Star Wars nerd that I like filling in some of the back stories that these provide. It was worth the short amount of time it took to read it.

[j · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book.
It was hard to pay attention to at some times, and it was a little boring, but it was mostly good.
Some of the character's proportions were a little off, and there were a lot of grammar mistakes, which I found pretty weird.

[Ben Kimsal · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this year marking the 20 year anniversary of Revenge of the Sith, I've started going through a lot of the tie in media released at the time, beginning with the original Dark Horse run of Clone Wars comics. First volume didn't disappoint.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has most of the same information the Marvel Epic Collection has, which I actually read. This is a Dark Horse trade paperback, which I bought in Kindle. (Dark Horse had the Star Wars license prior to Disney buying the Star Wars franchise.)

[Shawn]

Q

[Aidan Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great comic. A bit confusing at first but a good time.