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Star Wars: Empire #1
Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 1: Betrayal
In the weeks before the events in Star A New Hope, as the Death Star is readied for its fateful first mission, a power-hungry cabal of Grand Mofs and Imperial Officers embark on a dangerous plan to kill Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader and seize control of the Empire! When word that a "Jedi" has made an appearance on a backwater world lures Vader away from his master, the cabal makes its move. But even the galaxy isn't enough of a prize to sate the ambitions of some of the conspirators, and before long the would-be assassins are turning on one another. Their plans are further complicated by the actions of bounty hunter Boba Fett. And, of course, they may have fatally underestimated the cunning of their primary Emperor Palpatine! This is the first in a new line of graphic novels set during the early days of the Rebellion, when the Empire controlled the galaxy!
Collects Star Wars: Empire #1-4
Collects Star Wars: Empire #1-4
104 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2003
2 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
Scott Allie
235 books21 followersScott Allie is an American comics writer and editor, best known as an editor and executive at Dark Horse Comics from 1994 to 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 11, 2017
Thanks to Sud666 and my family who are finally dragging me back into the Star Wars universe once again. Very low expectations, because, you know, been there, done that, but as it turns out it was fun to read with the fam. A good contribution to the world of the films. This story is "Betrayal", a Sith story, with plenty of action. Senior imperial officers led by Moff Trachta decide the Empire cannot be led by a Sith. They plan to betray Vader and Emperor Palpatine. The resolution has some twists and surprises, and without major reveals, let’s just say Allie’s Vader is really impressive here. My family, a bit more Star Wars lore types than I am, liked this more than me, but I was surprisingly entertained, so will finally proceed through the stack of these volumes here. Has a bit of helping me recall the fun of comics when I was a kid about it.
April 28, 2017
This was a re-read for me, but I sure am glad I did. Empire vol 1 collects the first four issues of Star Wars: Empire. This story arc is called "Betrayal", superbly written by Scott Allie and beautifully illustrated by Brian Benjamin.
The Emperor is in power, but his grip is not yet secure. A cabal of senior Imperial Officers, mostly Moffs and a General or two, decide that perhaps it is time for a change at the top. Led by Moff Trachta they decide the Empire can not be led by Sith. They view it as an archaic religion and want to remove Palpatine and Vader whilst replacing them with a military officer or Moff.
Trachta's plan calls for the use of clone troops that have been trained to be HIS stormtroopers. Knowing how difficult it is to try to kill the Emperor outright, not to mention the superb elite Royal Guardsmen that protect him and the presence of Lord Vader, he devises a complex plan of assassinating them both.
Vader is sent by the Emperor to find out why there are reports of a light-saber wielding killer of Imperial troops on a planet. Trachta's plan calls for Vader to be killed on the planet which is peopled by pirates, mercenaries and bounty hunters. If that fails his "personal" detachment of Stromtroops are Trachta's Clones.
Meanwhile using a fake assassination explosion he kills off half the Royal Guard and then replaces them with his Stormtroops as a "temporary security measure". Once this is done the trap is sprung! Or so says the fool who has never tried to play these games with Sith Lords.
What follows is a great Imperial story. Full of betrayal and violence it not only shows the true nature of the Empire, but the truly astounding abilities of Vader and Palpatine. There are amazing scenes of Vader and Palpatine showing just why it takes Jedi to kill Sith. Perhaps some of the best scenes are Vader in the marketplace versus a score of freelancers and the wickedly satisfying conclusion to the "trap" sprung on the Emperor.
Intelligently written, action packed, beautifully illustrated, complex plot and a satisfying ending make this one of the best Star Wars volumes out there. If you're a fan of the Empire or the Sith (who isn't?) you're doing yourself a disservice by not reading this book. Highly recommend.
The Emperor is in power, but his grip is not yet secure. A cabal of senior Imperial Officers, mostly Moffs and a General or two, decide that perhaps it is time for a change at the top. Led by Moff Trachta they decide the Empire can not be led by Sith. They view it as an archaic religion and want to remove Palpatine and Vader whilst replacing them with a military officer or Moff.
Trachta's plan calls for the use of clone troops that have been trained to be HIS stormtroopers. Knowing how difficult it is to try to kill the Emperor outright, not to mention the superb elite Royal Guardsmen that protect him and the presence of Lord Vader, he devises a complex plan of assassinating them both.
Vader is sent by the Emperor to find out why there are reports of a light-saber wielding killer of Imperial troops on a planet. Trachta's plan calls for Vader to be killed on the planet which is peopled by pirates, mercenaries and bounty hunters. If that fails his "personal" detachment of Stromtroops are Trachta's Clones.
Meanwhile using a fake assassination explosion he kills off half the Royal Guard and then replaces them with his Stormtroops as a "temporary security measure". Once this is done the trap is sprung! Or so says the fool who has never tried to play these games with Sith Lords.
What follows is a great Imperial story. Full of betrayal and violence it not only shows the true nature of the Empire, but the truly astounding abilities of Vader and Palpatine. There are amazing scenes of Vader and Palpatine showing just why it takes Jedi to kill Sith. Perhaps some of the best scenes are Vader in the marketplace versus a score of freelancers and the wickedly satisfying conclusion to the "trap" sprung on the Emperor.
Intelligently written, action packed, beautifully illustrated, complex plot and a satisfying ending make this one of the best Star Wars volumes out there. If you're a fan of the Empire or the Sith (who isn't?) you're doing yourself a disservice by not reading this book. Highly recommend.
May 12, 2009
Expanded universe material can be tricky sometimes. It's one thing when it's stuff that extends a story, like Dark Horse's Buffy comics or the New Jedi Order novels, but stuff that takes place before or during the thing it's based on is difficult; if the story's important enough for me to want to read about it, then why is it something that never gets mentioned by the characters elsewhere?
That's the case with this book. Vader stops a coup attempt within the Empire, with Palpatine killing a lot of the conspirators himself. That's pretty much the entire story; not only are you not really given anyone to cheer for, but you know the conclusion of the story before it begins. There's no real surprises or twists in the plot, and you don't really learn much about the characters within it. I'd have to recommend giving this one a pass unless you're the most hardcore of hardcore SW fans.
That's the case with this book. Vader stops a coup attempt within the Empire, with Palpatine killing a lot of the conspirators himself. That's pretty much the entire story; not only are you not really given anyone to cheer for, but you know the conclusion of the story before it begins. There's no real surprises or twists in the plot, and you don't really learn much about the characters within it. I'd have to recommend giving this one a pass unless you're the most hardcore of hardcore SW fans.
August 2, 2015
Oh look, another story of imperials planning an attempted coup of the Emperor. This type of story has been done a lot, and it always plays out the same. The conspirators in this one aren't memorable at all (and the artwork really doesn't help); nor is their plot. Vader's been sent off on a mission on his own as part of the plot, and spends most of it mooning over his history, which makes little sense for the character. Coupled with an out-of-character cameo by a bounty hunter, this was hardly worth the time it took to read. Confused, incidental, and unoriginal, it adds nothing of value to the old canon. And may actually contradict other pieces, I'm not sure. But it's not worth looking into deeper to find out; better to just forget. Not outright horrible, but inconsequential.
August 3, 2018
Very meh. Forgettable conspirators backstabbing each other in a very confusing plot. Vader kicks ass as usual, but nothing special.
January 14, 2020
George Lucas's Star Wars movies are grounded in a binary struggle between good and evil. On the one side you have the Jedi, the Republic and the Rebellion, and on the other the Sith, Palpatine and the Empire he builds. Both are largely monolithic, with people (most famously Anakin Skywalker) occasionally switching sides but largely respecting the order to which they've aligned. It's straightforward in a way that makes for nice moral contrasts, yet it loses much of the sophistication that can make for great storytelling.
This is why I enjoyed Scott Aille's Betrayal as much as I did. Set in the weeks before the events of the original Star Wars movie, it's centered around a group of top Imperial officials who decide that the Empire would be better served if it was led by them rather than a Sith lord and his apprentice. Well aware of Palpatine's and Vader's powers, the cabal concocts an elaborate plot involving brainwashed stormtroopers, mercenaries, and staged assassination attempts designed to remove them both. It's a great premise, and one that is a natural fit for the Star Wars universe: an Empire run by talented and ambitious military officers is bound to produce a few who are tired of living under the threat of being Force-choked to death for unavoidable reversals and who think they could do a better job were they in charge. Though the outcome is never in doubt, seeing how it plays out makes for entertaining reading, and serves as a great example of the larger narrative possibilities in Lucas's long-ago world.
This is why I enjoyed Scott Aille's Betrayal as much as I did. Set in the weeks before the events of the original Star Wars movie, it's centered around a group of top Imperial officials who decide that the Empire would be better served if it was led by them rather than a Sith lord and his apprentice. Well aware of Palpatine's and Vader's powers, the cabal concocts an elaborate plot involving brainwashed stormtroopers, mercenaries, and staged assassination attempts designed to remove them both. It's a great premise, and one that is a natural fit for the Star Wars universe: an Empire run by talented and ambitious military officers is bound to produce a few who are tired of living under the threat of being Force-choked to death for unavoidable reversals and who think they could do a better job were they in charge. Though the outcome is never in doubt, seeing how it plays out makes for entertaining reading, and serves as a great example of the larger narrative possibilities in Lucas's long-ago world.
July 25, 2024
Después de haber leído ya algunos cómics, este me pareció el más inentendible de todos. Las escenas se cortan muy rápido y no entendía muy bien qué estaba pasando. Sin embargo, creo que muestra lo increíblemente inteligente que es Darth Vader y lo manipulador y vil que es Palpatine. La historia de los conspiradores no me pareció nada épica.
P.D.: Supuestamente esto ya no entra en el canon, pero no creo que afecte a la historia principal.
P.D.: Supuestamente esto ya no entra en el canon, pero no creo que afecte a la historia principal.
August 2, 2011
For the most part, the tales of Star Wars have been presented from the perspective of the Alliance, or the good guys. This comic book/graphic novel tries to do the opposite. This volume starts shortly before the events in Episode IV: A New Hope and is totally focused on characters with ties to the Empire.
Preparations for finalizing construction on the original Death Star are coming to a close. Emperor Palpatine is sure that this new weapon will help bring about the end of the Rebel Alliance. Unfortunately, all is not going as well as the Imperial leadership would hope. There is a small grom of Grand Moffs and other officers who are conspiring to assassinate the Emperor and his Sith supporter, Darth Vader. These leaders are concerned about the fact that these two religious zealots are bringing the Empire in the wrong direction and must be removed.
This small group of conspirators is lead by Grand Moff Trachta, an accomplished military leader who is not too far behind Darth Vader in getting replacement parts. Though the reasons for this are still mysterious to the readers, his cyborg parts do nothing to prevent him from setting things in motion.
Darth Vader is pulled away from Coruscant after the Imperials learn there might be a Jedi hiding out on an Outer Rim world. This would seem to be the perfect plan because it brings Vader away from Palpatine so the two can be attacked separately. If you have seen the movies, then you know that the conspiracy is destined to fail, but it is interesting to see how the events cause Vader to look back on memories from his youth and question his own abilities even as he prevents multiple attempts on his life.
The Imperial Guard would seem to be a major challenge for attacking the Emperor, particularly when he is in residence on the capital planet. That doesn't prevent the conspirators from doing everything in their power
There is a really interesting cameo from everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Bobba Fett.
All-in-all, I thought this was a really great introduction to some new characters and some backstory to a tale that most fans are pretty familiar with. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Thankfully, it is already waiting for me!
Preparations for finalizing construction on the original Death Star are coming to a close. Emperor Palpatine is sure that this new weapon will help bring about the end of the Rebel Alliance. Unfortunately, all is not going as well as the Imperial leadership would hope. There is a small grom of Grand Moffs and other officers who are conspiring to assassinate the Emperor and his Sith supporter, Darth Vader. These leaders are concerned about the fact that these two religious zealots are bringing the Empire in the wrong direction and must be removed.
This small group of conspirators is lead by Grand Moff Trachta, an accomplished military leader who is not too far behind Darth Vader in getting replacement parts. Though the reasons for this are still mysterious to the readers, his cyborg parts do nothing to prevent him from setting things in motion.
Darth Vader is pulled away from Coruscant after the Imperials learn there might be a Jedi hiding out on an Outer Rim world. This would seem to be the perfect plan because it brings Vader away from Palpatine so the two can be attacked separately. If you have seen the movies, then you know that the conspiracy is destined to fail, but it is interesting to see how the events cause Vader to look back on memories from his youth and question his own abilities even as he prevents multiple attempts on his life.
The Imperial Guard would seem to be a major challenge for attacking the Emperor, particularly when he is in residence on the capital planet. That doesn't prevent the conspirators from doing everything in their power
There is a really interesting cameo from everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Bobba Fett.
All-in-all, I thought this was a really great introduction to some new characters and some backstory to a tale that most fans are pretty familiar with. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Thankfully, it is already waiting for me!
April 12, 2019
Betrayal is an apt title for this first volume in the Empire series. Pretty much everyone involved is betraying someone else. While that might sound like a fun premise, it's kind of a wreck. Scott Allie sets up too many characters for too much back-stabbing, so by the end I wasn't sure who was doing what to whom or why. It doesn't help that the author often jumps between multiple storylines on the same page. Which white male Imperial is this now?
Of course, Darth Vader stands out, as always, easily the best and most interesting character. Boba Fett too gets a wonderful cameo. Flashbacks to prequel era moments feel extremely odd, although I guess when Betrayal first came out, those prequel movies were hot commodities. Betrayal is a poor start to the Empire series, but at least it features several important Imperial characters and sets a welcome tone: this series will be less about fun adventures and more about vile backstabbers. I'm down with that.
Of course, Darth Vader stands out, as always, easily the best and most interesting character. Boba Fett too gets a wonderful cameo. Flashbacks to prequel era moments feel extremely odd, although I guess when Betrayal first came out, those prequel movies were hot commodities. Betrayal is a poor start to the Empire series, but at least it features several important Imperial characters and sets a welcome tone: this series will be less about fun adventures and more about vile backstabbers. I'm down with that.
July 20, 2020
Please note that this comic series is now part of Legends, and is no longer canon within the Star Wars expanded universe.
Prior to the events portrayed in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, certain persons in power within the Empire conspire to end Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, since Sith are no better than Jedi. Boba Fett shows up to look badass.
I like the premise of this volume but I have already forgotten the names of the conspirators. The art was not my favourite (just a personal preference) but it got the action across. I'm intrigued enough that I'm willing to continue this Legends Star Wars series.
Prior to the events portrayed in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, certain persons in power within the Empire conspire to end Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, since Sith are no better than Jedi. Boba Fett shows up to look badass.
I like the premise of this volume but I have already forgotten the names of the conspirators. The art was not my favourite (just a personal preference) but it got the action across. I'm intrigued enough that I'm willing to continue this Legends Star Wars series.
January 20, 2026
6/10:
It’s tough to really feel attached to a story like this when it introduces so many new characters at once while also serving as the springboard story for a new comic series (which was published and collected in trade paperbacks very strangely). There are some really solid moments with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, but most of the other characters are completely forgettable or feel out of place (sorry Boba Fett). I’m hoping that this run gets better as it goes, but I’ve heard mixed things.
It’s tough to really feel attached to a story like this when it introduces so many new characters at once while also serving as the springboard story for a new comic series (which was published and collected in trade paperbacks very strangely). There are some really solid moments with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, but most of the other characters are completely forgettable or feel out of place (sorry Boba Fett). I’m hoping that this run gets better as it goes, but I’ve heard mixed things.
February 17, 2025
Cool idea but poor execution. It's about a group of moffs and admirals who want to see a change at the top of the Empire. They don't trust the Sith and are looking to take out the Emperor and Darth Vader. This was really hard to follow though. There's too many characters involved and the scenes would flip back and forth between each panel to multiple battles. I couldn't keep any of it straight or keep track of who was on what side.
February 9, 2020
This is yet another random Dark Horse Star Wars volume from a Humble Bundle that I bought back in 2014. The art is pretty good in this one. The story is competent, but forgettable. There's a plot against Palpatine and Vader, and it fails, or course. (You can't hardly kill off Palpatine & Vader in a story that takes place just before A New Hope, can you?)
May 19, 2024
The artwork isn't so great and it's a typical Empire-era story in that the Emperor and Darth Vader triumph, but I was never bored during my reading of this volume. It was released during an evolving period, since not all prequel movies had come out yet, and it managed to skirt the noticeable gap that ROTS had not yet filled.
April 7, 2024
Confusing plot about this guy back stabbing that guy who is stabbing another... Vader & Emperor scenes were good, rest was kinda forgettable.
Had to remind myself that was written before Episode 3, so there are some things that do not add up if characters knew of those events.
Had to remind myself that was written before Episode 3, so there are some things that do not add up if characters knew of those events.
December 31, 2025
The idea of a coup against Vader and the emperor from within the highest ranks of the empire sounds very appealing - but it's told in such a messy way that I often had trouble telling what was going on. A very unsatisfying read, unfortunately.
December 16, 2020
Different art than what I’m used to for Star Wars, but I really liked it and the plot was good too.
April 25, 2021
I really enjoyed this installment of the Star Wars Comics and to get an insight into Darth Vaders hunt.
July 27, 2021
My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/wLYd-0ME7vQ
Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/wLYd-0ME7vQ
Enjoy!
October 7, 2021
I simply don't like stories that are basically just wanking to how ~all powerful and amazing~ Palpatine and Vader are.
February 8, 2022
One of the lesser efforts of the old EU, no real twists or turns just kinda page fillers.
May 13, 2022
Good illustrations, can hear Darth Vader's voice in my mind.
January 20, 2026
Enjoyed the end dialogue more than I thought I would. Fun to see the Sith play with their minions.
January 15, 2024
Picked this up on a whim based on the cover; I could have stopped there. The plot is hardly more than the premise, and the paneling and art add unnecessary (confusing) complexity to a very linear story. The early issues hint at twists that never arrive, and the characters are either flat or goofy. It’s not horrible, just excruciatingly mediocre.
March 15, 2017
Graphic novel, Star Wars tie-in, you know the drill. No longer canon thanks to the Disney buyout, but that's okay.
Here's where I would ordinarily describe the plot, but I'm not actually sure what it was. The book was pretty confusingly put together. There was some kind of fake Jedi wandering around that Vader was trying to nab, and also a conspiracy of Moffs was trying to take down the Emperor, but that's all I got; I couldn't tell you why anyone was doing these things, or what was up with the fake Jedi, or really anything. Plus the art was weird and difficult to follow with some very strange anatomy.
Would not recommend, and will not be continuing the series.
Here's where I would ordinarily describe the plot, but I'm not actually sure what it was. The book was pretty confusingly put together. There was some kind of fake Jedi wandering around that Vader was trying to nab, and also a conspiracy of Moffs was trying to take down the Emperor, but that's all I got; I couldn't tell you why anyone was doing these things, or what was up with the fake Jedi, or really anything. Plus the art was weird and difficult to follow with some very strange anatomy.
Would not recommend, and will not be continuing the series.
March 7, 2020
Star Wars Legends Project #218
Background: Betrayal, released in August 2003, collects the first four-issue arc of Empire (September 2002-January 2003). They were written by Scott Allie and drawn by Ryan Benjamin. Allie has written a handful of Star Wars comics, including an issue of Republic and Jedi--The Dark Side. Benjamin's only other Star Wars work was the Infinities alternate-history version of Return of the Jedi.
Betrayal is set a few months before the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are the Emperor, Darth Vader, and Grand Moff Trachta, with minor appearances by Boba Fett, plus a host of prequel characters like Qui-Gon Jinn who appear in flashbacks. Most of the action takes place on Coruscant and Dargulli.
Summary: As the Emperor finalizes his plans for the Death Star, a group of Imperial Moffs sense an opportunity to seize control of the Empire with a specially-trained group of clone troopers. With Darth Vader distracted in pursuit of a fugitive Jedi, the Moffs prepare to strike but begin to fear that one of their number cannot be trusted.
Review: This story features the original appearance by Trachta, who is all-around more compelling character in the excellent Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison (published later, but set several years earlier). Here he feels like a great concept who got thrown away in service of plot demands, but it seems clear someone regretted not getting some more mileage out of him. He's definitely the best part of the this story.
The trick here is that we already know how this plot to overthrow the Emperor is going to turn out, so there needs to be some additional wrinkle to make the whole thing interesting. The story doesn't succeed at this as strongly as I would have hoped. The most obvious thing to do would be to at least make the plot by the Moffs feel like a genuine threat, and this story runs in the opposite direction. The plot almost foils itself.
There's a somewhat promising subplot involving Vader tracking this mysterious Jedi, which is mostly an excuse to foreground some of the action that I assume was found wanting in the main plot. Still, it's fairly solid and (whether that was the intention) that's exactly the effect. Overall, this could be much better, but it's not bad.
B-
Background: Betrayal, released in August 2003, collects the first four-issue arc of Empire (September 2002-January 2003). They were written by Scott Allie and drawn by Ryan Benjamin. Allie has written a handful of Star Wars comics, including an issue of Republic and Jedi--The Dark Side. Benjamin's only other Star Wars work was the Infinities alternate-history version of Return of the Jedi.
Betrayal is set a few months before the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are the Emperor, Darth Vader, and Grand Moff Trachta, with minor appearances by Boba Fett, plus a host of prequel characters like Qui-Gon Jinn who appear in flashbacks. Most of the action takes place on Coruscant and Dargulli.
Summary: As the Emperor finalizes his plans for the Death Star, a group of Imperial Moffs sense an opportunity to seize control of the Empire with a specially-trained group of clone troopers. With Darth Vader distracted in pursuit of a fugitive Jedi, the Moffs prepare to strike but begin to fear that one of their number cannot be trusted.
Review: This story features the original appearance by Trachta, who is all-around more compelling character in the excellent Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison (published later, but set several years earlier). Here he feels like a great concept who got thrown away in service of plot demands, but it seems clear someone regretted not getting some more mileage out of him. He's definitely the best part of the this story.
The trick here is that we already know how this plot to overthrow the Emperor is going to turn out, so there needs to be some additional wrinkle to make the whole thing interesting. The story doesn't succeed at this as strongly as I would have hoped. The most obvious thing to do would be to at least make the plot by the Moffs feel like a genuine threat, and this story runs in the opposite direction. The plot almost foils itself.
There's a somewhat promising subplot involving Vader tracking this mysterious Jedi, which is mostly an excuse to foreground some of the action that I assume was found wanting in the main plot. Still, it's fairly solid and (whether that was the intention) that's exactly the effect. Overall, this could be much better, but it's not bad.
B-
September 18, 2017
Betrayal - 3 stars
This one gets Empire off to a not-so-great start. Apparently this problem is endemic in Star Wars comics, but no one seems to be able to make a scheme both comprehensible and interesting. This one has way too many characters, poorly introduced to the point that it's hard to tell them apart and follow the connections between scenes. But those connections end up being crucial to the arc. Vader's arc here is not quite as good as Dark Times, of course, and it relies too much on flashbacks to the prequel scenes presented without interpretation.
The art in this one is both good and bad. A lot of the environmental and ship art is dynamic and impressive but I just hate the shading technique they use here, with hard-outlined splotches. They look so ugly compared to the Photoshop textured shading in the newer comics or the painterly soft shading in stuff like Dark Times.
Sacrifice - 2 stars
A one-issue arc divorced from the rest of the series and really the Galactic Civil War in general. This could be a Clone Wars story with only a couple tweaks--a local conflict slotted into the factions of a larger-scale war on the thinnest pretenses and with practically no relevance to broader events, focused on a local leader and his opponent. The hook here is that it shows off Boba Fett, and this is a relatively conservative and laconic picture of Fett. And a characterization of Fett that doesn't add much to the movie portrayal doesn't ultimately have much at all.
There's a really nice view that opens this book but the rest is dark and drab and has a boring color palette. Also really not a fan of the off-brand orc aliens here with their Hellboy-wannabe goggles and shit.
July 21 2011 5 stars [This review represents all 40 issues of Empire and all of its prematurely cancelled successor, Rebellion.]
This one gets Empire off to a not-so-great start. Apparently this problem is endemic in Star Wars comics, but no one seems to be able to make a scheme both comprehensible and interesting. This one has way too many characters, poorly introduced to the point that it's hard to tell them apart and follow the connections between scenes. But those connections end up being crucial to the arc. Vader's arc here is not quite as good as Dark Times, of course, and it relies too much on flashbacks to the prequel scenes presented without interpretation.
The art in this one is both good and bad. A lot of the environmental and ship art is dynamic and impressive but I just hate the shading technique they use here, with hard-outlined splotches. They look so ugly compared to the Photoshop textured shading in the newer comics or the painterly soft shading in stuff like Dark Times.
Sacrifice - 2 stars
A one-issue arc divorced from the rest of the series and really the Galactic Civil War in general. This could be a Clone Wars story with only a couple tweaks--a local conflict slotted into the factions of a larger-scale war on the thinnest pretenses and with practically no relevance to broader events, focused on a local leader and his opponent. The hook here is that it shows off Boba Fett, and this is a relatively conservative and laconic picture of Fett. And a characterization of Fett that doesn't add much to the movie portrayal doesn't ultimately have much at all.
There's a really nice view that opens this book but the rest is dark and drab and has a boring color palette. Also really not a fan of the off-brand orc aliens here with their Hellboy-wannabe goggles and shit.
July 21 2011 5 stars [This review represents all 40 issues of Empire and all of its prematurely cancelled successor, Rebellion.]
May 16, 2011
Expanded Universe material is generally pretty hit or miss. I tend to stick to established characters from the film, because I would much rather read about the further exploits of characters I already like. Although this book has some familiar faces, I found it to be disappointing. The plot centers around an assassination attempt on Vader and Palpatine, which can be viewed two ways. On one hand, they're both alive in the movies, so the attempt clearly failed--what's the point of reading about a failed attempt? On the other hand, it might be interesting to read about why the attempt failed and what happened to the conspirators. Unfortunately, the story doesn't really deliver on this angle. Basically, the scheme is somehow uncovered, and the would-be assassins are all killed. Oh, and Boba Fett drops in for a cameo. Overall, it does not make a very compelling story.
The layout and art are particularly bad in this book. The central characters are mostly Imperial officers, who all look the same--white guys in grey uniforms with brown hair. It's really hard to tell them apart, which seems essential to this story. They perspective is also really skewed in the book. In one panel you'll see an Imperial officer from the front, but in the very next panel, you'll see him from behind, and now he's wearing a hat. And apparently he's been shot. Assuming, of course, that it's the same guy. It's very hard to tell, which also makes this story hard to follow.
I'm really interesting in Expanded Universe material that takes place around the time of the original trilogy, either before Episode IV or between IV and V. Because of that, I was really hoping that the EMPIRE series would deliver some interesting new tales. Unfortunately, it falls pretty flat.
The layout and art are particularly bad in this book. The central characters are mostly Imperial officers, who all look the same--white guys in grey uniforms with brown hair. It's really hard to tell them apart, which seems essential to this story. They perspective is also really skewed in the book. In one panel you'll see an Imperial officer from the front, but in the very next panel, you'll see him from behind, and now he's wearing a hat. And apparently he's been shot. Assuming, of course, that it's the same guy. It's very hard to tell, which also makes this story hard to follow.
I'm really interesting in Expanded Universe material that takes place around the time of the original trilogy, either before Episode IV or between IV and V. Because of that, I was really hoping that the EMPIRE series would deliver some interesting new tales. Unfortunately, it falls pretty flat.
April 9, 2017
It was easy pick. Star Wars Empire series were supposed to be about the baddies point of view and sometimes it succeeded, but sometimes it was full of rebel "scum".
Emperor Palpatine had really stressful life...not only rebels wanted him to be one with Force, but also some of his underlings had thought that good Palpatine was dead Palpatine. Grand Moff Trachta (who had addiction to cyborg replacement or simply needed them we will never learn) was plotting to get ultimate jack pot aka made Palpatine and Vader history. But...plot in the plot made life and reading thrilling. Grand Moff Kadir was not so prone to polish Trachta´s cyborg ass. The Death Star is about to be build and war between Empire and Rebels was raging.
Palpatine proved once again that he had sense of humor and knows that flashing point of his speech is always in his hands.
Emperor Palpatine had really stressful life...not only rebels wanted him to be one with Force, but also some of his underlings had thought that good Palpatine was dead Palpatine. Grand Moff Trachta (who had addiction to cyborg replacement or simply needed them we will never learn) was plotting to get ultimate jack pot aka made Palpatine and Vader history. But...plot in the plot made life and reading thrilling. Grand Moff Kadir was not so prone to polish Trachta´s cyborg ass. The Death Star is about to be build and war between Empire and Rebels was raging.
Palpatine proved once again that he had sense of humor and knows that flashing point of his speech is always in his hands.
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