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Star Wars Omnibus #9
Star Wars Omnibus: Emissaries and Assassins
It is the beginning of the end of the Galactic Republic. The Jedi just don't know it yet...
Across the galaxy, tensions rise and wars threaten as the unseen Sith set in motion their plans for conquest. From the seats of power on Coruscant to the desert wastes of far-off Tatooine, from the podracing tracks on Malastare to the winter forests of Galidraan, the Jedi are drawn into conflict after conflict--each one thinning their numbers and draining their strength.
These are the battles which lead up to the Clone Wars. On one side the heroics of Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and other greats of the Jedi Order, and on the other the villainy of Count Dooku and the bounty hunters turned Jedi killers, Aurra Sing and the notorious Jango Fett.
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
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275 people want to read
About the author
Ryder Windham
277 books172 followersRyder Windham is an American sci-fi author who has written over sixty Star Wars books, including novels, comics, reference books, and so on. He has also written junior novelizations for Indiana Jones movies. Since 1993, he has been working on Star Wars projects either by himself or with other authors. His reference book Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide had been on the New York Times Best Seller list for three weeks in 2005. Although he has written lots of books, accepted interviews, and appeared at several fan-conventions, little is known about his personal life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 18, 2021
První část knihy se věnuje Epizodě I. Tu mám rád, takže jsem se na tuto část obzvláště těšil. Jaké bylo ale moje zklamání, když jsem nedostal komiksovou verzi závodu kluzáků. Část s Epizodu 1 má 4 sešity, kde jeden z nich obsahuje zrychlené vyprávění celé Epizody I z pohledu Obi-Wana a zbývající tři sešity jsou něco jako vystřižené scény, které se všechny odehrávají na Tatooine a ve kterých se ale nic podstatného nestane. Nuda. Docela rušivé bylo, že každý sešit kreslil jiný výtvarník a kvalita je všelijaká. Celkově tato část knihy za moc nestála.
Druhou částí knihy tvoří příběh Cizinec, který se z největší části také odehrává na Tatooine a to mezi pouštními lidmi - Tuskeny. Kmeny pouštních lidí se spojily a vyhlásili válku svým nepřátelům - takže proti všem. Jejich vedení se ujal rytíř Jedi, který je dávno považován za mrtvého. Rada Jediů za ním posílá svého vyslance. Příběh Cizinec mě bavil. Má smysluplný příběh, trochu toho Jediovského splínu a životabolu, a docela pěknou mainstreamovou kresbu, která je konzistentní po celý příběh. To bylo po předchozích sešitech z Epizody I docela příjemné.
Příběh Vyslanci na Malastaru vypráví o jedné nepovedené diplomatické misi. Taková diplomacie ala Hra o trůny. Dojde také na ony dříve postrádané závody kluzáků a příběh nás zavede také na pašerácký měsíc. Je to zábavné a v rámci mainstreamovou také pěkně nakreslené. Zvláště barvy se mi líbily. Tahle povídka mě bavila!
Jako poslední v knize je povídka Jango Fett - Lovecké sezóny. Vypráví o historii Janga a potažmo o historii Mandalorianů, která se odehrála předtím, než byl Jango Fett najatý jako předloha pro armádu klonů. A samozřejmě také o tom, jak jej hrabě Dooku najal. Poměrně důležitý příběh, ale docela nudný. Kresba je tak trošku mangoidní.
Druhou částí knihy tvoří příběh Cizinec, který se z největší části také odehrává na Tatooine a to mezi pouštními lidmi - Tuskeny. Kmeny pouštních lidí se spojily a vyhlásili válku svým nepřátelům - takže proti všem. Jejich vedení se ujal rytíř Jedi, který je dávno považován za mrtvého. Rada Jediů za ním posílá svého vyslance. Příběh Cizinec mě bavil. Má smysluplný příběh, trochu toho Jediovského splínu a životabolu, a docela pěknou mainstreamovou kresbu, která je konzistentní po celý příběh. To bylo po předchozích sešitech z Epizody I docela příjemné.
Příběh Vyslanci na Malastaru vypráví o jedné nepovedené diplomatické misi. Taková diplomacie ala Hra o trůny. Dojde také na ony dříve postrádané závody kluzáků a příběh nás zavede také na pašerácký měsíc. Je to zábavné a v rámci mainstreamovou také pěkně nakreslené. Zvláště barvy se mi líbily. Tahle povídka mě bavila!
Jako poslední v knize je povídka Jango Fett - Lovecké sezóny. Vypráví o historii Janga a potažmo o historii Mandalorianů, která se odehrála předtím, než byl Jango Fett najatý jako předloha pro armádu klonů. A samozřejmě také o tom, jak jej hrabě Dooku najal. Poměrně důležitý příběh, ale docela nudný. Kresba je tak trošku mangoidní.
February 27, 2012
STAR WARS: EMISSARIES & ASSASSINS: A Half-Empty Mixed Bag
Good grief. I realized long ago that the STAR WARS Prequel Trilogy really wasn’t “your father’s STAR WARS story,” and, to a certain extent, I think I’d made my peace with it. George Lucas is plenty of years older than he was when he scratched down the outline for the entirety of the story, so maybe – just maybe – he’d lost much of his original ideas for Episodes I, II, and III. Maybe a Gungan had eaten his notes! I mean, “Who knew? Right?” that an entire legion of STAR WARS fans would hate the second collection of films. I didn’t. I certainly saw them as ‘lesser films’ only in so much that they didn’t make a lot of narrative sense. I figured the big ticket items – the introduction of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the rise of Darth Vader – were handled well enough that I could easily forgive a ten-year-old Anakin, alien-based fart jokes, and a steaming pile of JarJar.
However, what I didn’t so much anticipate was how the intrusion of uninteresting characterization compounded with flat, one-dimensional writing would inhabit the world of Dark Horse Comics. That hadn’t always been the case as Dark Horse – by my own recollection and even my own reviews of several of their trade paperbacks – has created some winning excursions into the STAR WARS Universe. In fact, some of their stories have been so phenomenal that one could almost give Dark Horse a Dewback’s share of the credit for the creation of the Expanded Universe. While I understand that the EU incorporates several STAR WARS properties (games, toys, books, etc.), it’s been my experience that quite a bit of it has been fleshed out in Dark Horse materials, and George Lucas’s world has been richly textured as a result.
However, the STAR WARS OMNIBUS: EMISSARIES & ASSASSINS is – hands down – nearly unbearable for much of its nearly 500 pages. No, no, no … it isn’t awful artwork, per se, though there are some panels that really cry out for greater clarity. Rather, it’s just dreadful stories, with only two notable exceptions. Whoever working for part of Dark Horse’s editorial staff who believed exploring additional material to be set within the framework of events portrayed in STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE really needs to be either (a) drawn and quartered, (b) summarily dismissed from employment, or (c) both.
Here’s a rundown:
ANAKIN SKYWALKER is a 30-page vignette that essentially tries to flesh out “a character” from the horrific mess that was the ten-year-old misfit portrayed by (actor) Jake Lloyd. It’s almost painful to read as the young slave goes about acting like an even younger and more annoying slave than what made it on the big screen. Bonus annoyance: there’s more Watto! Zero stars.
QUEEN AMIDALA is a 30-page vignette that essentially tries to give Padme – in her disguise as the handmaiden while on Tatooine – a bit of a side adventure completely unnecessary to any of the action and events already depicted in the motion picture, THE PHANTOM MENACE. Bonus annoyance: there’s plenty more JarJar! Zero stars.
QUI-GON JINN is a 30-page vignette that’s – thankfully – much less painful than so much else in the previous two vignettes, and, thus far, it’s the only one that mildly adds to the narrative already established in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Basically, the story tries to fill in some additional story between Qui-Gon and Watto and how the two of them went about keeping their agreement to free young Anakin once he won the podrace. Again, it’s an improvement, but, much like the others, it isn’t all that relevant. One star.
OBI-WAN KENOBI is a throwback to the less-than-stellar work of the first two vignettes as it postulates a lengthening of Yoda’s private meeting with Obi-Wan after the young Jedi is named a full Knight. Essentially, it’s a “review” of the entirety of events from THE PHANTOM MENACE – told by Obi-Wan to Yoda – so that Yoda can underscore the “wise teachings” that Qui-Gon provided to Obi-Wan. Great … but didn’t we already know this by seeing the film? It’s a pointless review wasting another 30 pages. Zero stars.
OUTLANDER finally presents a story of substance as the Jedi Master Ki journeys to the planet Tatooine to unravel the mystery of a long-thought-dead Jedi. Artwork is solid, and there’s a story that develops nicely, though a few panels were pretty heavy on speeches (better editing could’ve trimmed them back for brevity). Still, it works to revisit the culture of the Tusken Raiders and to give readers another look at the planet of Skywalker’s birth. Four stars.
EMISSARIES TO MALASTARE, however, grows quite painful quite quickly. It’s a story that bares little relation to anything else here in the trade – one unifying element that threads throughout most (not all) of these works in the planet Tatooine and/or elements associated with THE PHANTOM MENACE or ATTACK OF THE CLONES. A group of Jedi masters go on a mission to … negotiate a peace treaty? There’s a tagged on epilogue story here that involved the Republic’s “relocated species act” or some such nonsense, and it’s all WAY too heavy on speeches and uninteresting characters. One star.
JANGO FETT – OPEN SEASON is, fortunately, a fresh story written and drawn with great care, and it builds upon conventions established within the STAR WARS films. Darth Tyranus and Darth Sidious get together to review how and why Jango Fett was selected to serve as their ‘primary clone,’ and the backstory clearly springs from established characters and events. It works wonderfully and closes out the book on a high note. Five stars.
The sum total of EMISSARIES & ASSASSINS ends up marginally better than it should because, like any good piece of entertainment, it saves the best for last: the Jango Fett kinda/sorta origins story is a high note artistically and creatively, easily fitting in nicely with what little ATTACK OF THE CLONES provides as a personal history. However, if these separate stories had been re-ordered, then I wouldn’t be giving the collection the benefit of the doubt, I wouldn’t be claiming that these writers and artists “really tried hard” to make this visit to the “galaxy far, far away” worthwhile. I’d say that they were, mostly, lazy.
Recommended ONLY for die-hard fans of the Prequel Trilogy
Good grief. I realized long ago that the STAR WARS Prequel Trilogy really wasn’t “your father’s STAR WARS story,” and, to a certain extent, I think I’d made my peace with it. George Lucas is plenty of years older than he was when he scratched down the outline for the entirety of the story, so maybe – just maybe – he’d lost much of his original ideas for Episodes I, II, and III. Maybe a Gungan had eaten his notes! I mean, “Who knew? Right?” that an entire legion of STAR WARS fans would hate the second collection of films. I didn’t. I certainly saw them as ‘lesser films’ only in so much that they didn’t make a lot of narrative sense. I figured the big ticket items – the introduction of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the rise of Darth Vader – were handled well enough that I could easily forgive a ten-year-old Anakin, alien-based fart jokes, and a steaming pile of JarJar.
However, what I didn’t so much anticipate was how the intrusion of uninteresting characterization compounded with flat, one-dimensional writing would inhabit the world of Dark Horse Comics. That hadn’t always been the case as Dark Horse – by my own recollection and even my own reviews of several of their trade paperbacks – has created some winning excursions into the STAR WARS Universe. In fact, some of their stories have been so phenomenal that one could almost give Dark Horse a Dewback’s share of the credit for the creation of the Expanded Universe. While I understand that the EU incorporates several STAR WARS properties (games, toys, books, etc.), it’s been my experience that quite a bit of it has been fleshed out in Dark Horse materials, and George Lucas’s world has been richly textured as a result.
However, the STAR WARS OMNIBUS: EMISSARIES & ASSASSINS is – hands down – nearly unbearable for much of its nearly 500 pages. No, no, no … it isn’t awful artwork, per se, though there are some panels that really cry out for greater clarity. Rather, it’s just dreadful stories, with only two notable exceptions. Whoever working for part of Dark Horse’s editorial staff who believed exploring additional material to be set within the framework of events portrayed in STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE really needs to be either (a) drawn and quartered, (b) summarily dismissed from employment, or (c) both.
Here’s a rundown:
ANAKIN SKYWALKER is a 30-page vignette that essentially tries to flesh out “a character” from the horrific mess that was the ten-year-old misfit portrayed by (actor) Jake Lloyd. It’s almost painful to read as the young slave goes about acting like an even younger and more annoying slave than what made it on the big screen. Bonus annoyance: there’s more Watto! Zero stars.
QUEEN AMIDALA is a 30-page vignette that essentially tries to give Padme – in her disguise as the handmaiden while on Tatooine – a bit of a side adventure completely unnecessary to any of the action and events already depicted in the motion picture, THE PHANTOM MENACE. Bonus annoyance: there’s plenty more JarJar! Zero stars.
QUI-GON JINN is a 30-page vignette that’s – thankfully – much less painful than so much else in the previous two vignettes, and, thus far, it’s the only one that mildly adds to the narrative already established in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Basically, the story tries to fill in some additional story between Qui-Gon and Watto and how the two of them went about keeping their agreement to free young Anakin once he won the podrace. Again, it’s an improvement, but, much like the others, it isn’t all that relevant. One star.
OBI-WAN KENOBI is a throwback to the less-than-stellar work of the first two vignettes as it postulates a lengthening of Yoda’s private meeting with Obi-Wan after the young Jedi is named a full Knight. Essentially, it’s a “review” of the entirety of events from THE PHANTOM MENACE – told by Obi-Wan to Yoda – so that Yoda can underscore the “wise teachings” that Qui-Gon provided to Obi-Wan. Great … but didn’t we already know this by seeing the film? It’s a pointless review wasting another 30 pages. Zero stars.
OUTLANDER finally presents a story of substance as the Jedi Master Ki journeys to the planet Tatooine to unravel the mystery of a long-thought-dead Jedi. Artwork is solid, and there’s a story that develops nicely, though a few panels were pretty heavy on speeches (better editing could’ve trimmed them back for brevity). Still, it works to revisit the culture of the Tusken Raiders and to give readers another look at the planet of Skywalker’s birth. Four stars.
EMISSARIES TO MALASTARE, however, grows quite painful quite quickly. It’s a story that bares little relation to anything else here in the trade – one unifying element that threads throughout most (not all) of these works in the planet Tatooine and/or elements associated with THE PHANTOM MENACE or ATTACK OF THE CLONES. A group of Jedi masters go on a mission to … negotiate a peace treaty? There’s a tagged on epilogue story here that involved the Republic’s “relocated species act” or some such nonsense, and it’s all WAY too heavy on speeches and uninteresting characters. One star.
JANGO FETT – OPEN SEASON is, fortunately, a fresh story written and drawn with great care, and it builds upon conventions established within the STAR WARS films. Darth Tyranus and Darth Sidious get together to review how and why Jango Fett was selected to serve as their ‘primary clone,’ and the backstory clearly springs from established characters and events. It works wonderfully and closes out the book on a high note. Five stars.
The sum total of EMISSARIES & ASSASSINS ends up marginally better than it should because, like any good piece of entertainment, it saves the best for last: the Jango Fett kinda/sorta origins story is a high note artistically and creatively, easily fitting in nicely with what little ATTACK OF THE CLONES provides as a personal history. However, if these separate stories had been re-ordered, then I wouldn’t be giving the collection the benefit of the doubt, I wouldn’t be claiming that these writers and artists “really tried hard” to make this visit to the “galaxy far, far away” worthwhile. I’d say that they were, mostly, lazy.
Recommended ONLY for die-hard fans of the Prequel Trilogy
March 18, 2020
Excellent action stories to bridge the gap between Episode 1 and 2. The die hard fan is treated with the fleshing out of obscure characters seen in the movies and we get to see more of Mandalorian culture that's far more edible than the Republic Comando series. We're looking at you, Skirata!
March 6, 2011
Much like my review of the Rise of the Sith Omnibus I will say straight off that part of the value and enjoyment of these omnibuses is the value. You got a lot of comics for not that much money and while the stories are older and the quality varies, just like with the Rise of the Sith, ultimately I feel Emissaries and Assassins is well worth picking up. Here are my thoughts on each story.
Phantom Menace One Shots - Each of these single issues focuses on one character around the time of Episode One with a few even taking place in the background or in between scenes of the movie. Of the four, the Anakin and Qui Gonn are the strongest in both art and story. Ultimately, these two were very enjoyable to read.
Outlander - I bought an issue or two of this mini-series when it originally came out and I loved Outlander at the time. Now that many years have passed and I can read the entire story arc, I have to say its a great story. If you like Ki-Adi-Mundi or Aurra Sing or Sand People or the Hutts, then this story will appeal and entertain you. I think it does a great job of adding back story to the Tusken Raiders and explores the background of the Star Wars Universe in interesting ways. The art is done by committee and in general, each issue looked fairly good. With one glaring error (one issue ends with Ki wearing goggles and then begins with him in the same place with only a hat on), the art is great and there are some nice story surprises in this arc.
Emissaries to Malastare - This should be a really interesting story. Podracing, political intrigue, and a glimpse into the planet Malastare and the Dugs! Unfortunately, it is a cliche riddled story with few surprises. The inking is horrendous and has a gaudy and unattractive palette. The one saving point is towards the end where Mace Windu leaves the very stiff and businesslike Jedi council to go to Nar Shadaa. The ending while a sudden change is actually quite entertaining and turns what seemed like a major disappointment into just a disappointment.
Jango Fett: Open Seasons - A story that actually makes Episode Two more interesting? That shouldn't be possible but this gritty story about Jango Fett reveals why he was chosen to be cloned as well as showing how much the character has persevered in his life. Not only that but Count Dooku is pretty sinister in this story as well. If that doesn't hook you, the coloring and inking is absolutely fantastic! Outside of Plunkett and Fabri, this is some of the best art I've seen in a Star Wars book. Highly recommend reading!
Phantom Menace One Shots - Each of these single issues focuses on one character around the time of Episode One with a few even taking place in the background or in between scenes of the movie. Of the four, the Anakin and Qui Gonn are the strongest in both art and story. Ultimately, these two were very enjoyable to read.
Outlander - I bought an issue or two of this mini-series when it originally came out and I loved Outlander at the time. Now that many years have passed and I can read the entire story arc, I have to say its a great story. If you like Ki-Adi-Mundi or Aurra Sing or Sand People or the Hutts, then this story will appeal and entertain you. I think it does a great job of adding back story to the Tusken Raiders and explores the background of the Star Wars Universe in interesting ways. The art is done by committee and in general, each issue looked fairly good. With one glaring error (one issue ends with Ki wearing goggles and then begins with him in the same place with only a hat on), the art is great and there are some nice story surprises in this arc.
Emissaries to Malastare - This should be a really interesting story. Podracing, political intrigue, and a glimpse into the planet Malastare and the Dugs! Unfortunately, it is a cliche riddled story with few surprises. The inking is horrendous and has a gaudy and unattractive palette. The one saving point is towards the end where Mace Windu leaves the very stiff and businesslike Jedi council to go to Nar Shadaa. The ending while a sudden change is actually quite entertaining and turns what seemed like a major disappointment into just a disappointment.
Jango Fett: Open Seasons - A story that actually makes Episode Two more interesting? That shouldn't be possible but this gritty story about Jango Fett reveals why he was chosen to be cloned as well as showing how much the character has persevered in his life. Not only that but Count Dooku is pretty sinister in this story as well. If that doesn't hook you, the coloring and inking is absolutely fantastic! Outside of Plunkett and Fabri, this is some of the best art I've seen in a Star Wars book. Highly recommend reading!
June 27, 2017
The Emissaries and Assassins omnibus of Star Wars stories from Dark Horse collects a variety of star wars comics that place between Episodes 1 and 2 of the prequel trilogy. The comics here mainly come from the Star Wars (eventually called Republic) comics. Some of the individual storylines might have been reviewed previously as Marvel's Star Wars Epic Collections collect some of these same comics.
This collection begins with EPISODE 1 ADVENTURES, a collection of one-shot comics related to the four main heroes of THE PHANTOM MENACE. Anakin's story is probably the best of the bunch because it's the one that takes the least amount of disbelief to fit into the actual movie. It seems like a deleted scene or something, whereas Amidala's and Qui-Gon's are just kind of far fetched "this is what happened between scenes" moments. Amidala's story is okay, but it's borderline unreadable with the presence of Jar-Jar Binks as I find the way his dialogue is written to be nauseating. Qui-Gon's is a way to show how badass he is, I guess, but it really just shows terrible of a Jedi he is (in one scene he says 'violence has terrible consequences' and then next scene and rest of the scenes after it have him being violent without consequence). Obi-Wan's story is literally a rehash of the entire movie, no exaggeration. I don't like these comics because they could have been a lot more creative and interesting. I would have liked for them to be about things we didn't see that took place directly before the movie, but they went another, more boring route here.
The first of two storylines collected here from Dark Horse's Star Wars series is "Outlander". Here we find Ki-Adi-Mundi one first assignment after joining the Jedi Council. It takes him back to Tantooine to find a lost Jedi Master who allegedly is now part of the Sand People tribe. While there he becomes involved in a battle between the Sand People and the Hutts. It's an excellent story that does a good job of fleshing out the Sand People, giving us more context of their role in the Star Wars universe than just savages who attack people on Tantooine. The best story in this collection.
The second storyline is "Emmisaries to Malastare" and it find the Jedi Council traveling to a distant planet to negotiate a peace treaty between two warring factions while a huge podrace is taking place nearby. It's an interesting enough story to get the Council doing something again besides sitting around discussing things. There is some funny moments in this too, but it's nothing that will really stand out when you think about this collection.
The last part of this collection is the miniseries JANGO FETT- OPEN SEASON. It explores Jango Fett's origins from the moment he joined the Mandalore warriors till he signed away the rights for him to be cloned. I need to say here, I have a bias when it comes to Jango Fett because I hate him, probably more than I hate Qui-Gon Jinn. He's a boring, one dimensional character and this four issue series about his life did nothing to make him seem more interesting than that. I don't care about Jango Fett and this miniseries seemed like it was trying too hard to make him seem like this epic, important character, much like they want us to believe his son would be later.
All in all, it's kind of a weak collection. The "Outlander" storyline is awesome, but everything else is really just filler material and not too interesting at that. Read it if you're a completest, otherwise skip it.
This collection begins with EPISODE 1 ADVENTURES, a collection of one-shot comics related to the four main heroes of THE PHANTOM MENACE. Anakin's story is probably the best of the bunch because it's the one that takes the least amount of disbelief to fit into the actual movie. It seems like a deleted scene or something, whereas Amidala's and Qui-Gon's are just kind of far fetched "this is what happened between scenes" moments. Amidala's story is okay, but it's borderline unreadable with the presence of Jar-Jar Binks as I find the way his dialogue is written to be nauseating. Qui-Gon's is a way to show how badass he is, I guess, but it really just shows terrible of a Jedi he is (in one scene he says 'violence has terrible consequences' and then next scene and rest of the scenes after it have him being violent without consequence). Obi-Wan's story is literally a rehash of the entire movie, no exaggeration. I don't like these comics because they could have been a lot more creative and interesting. I would have liked for them to be about things we didn't see that took place directly before the movie, but they went another, more boring route here.
The first of two storylines collected here from Dark Horse's Star Wars series is "Outlander". Here we find Ki-Adi-Mundi one first assignment after joining the Jedi Council. It takes him back to Tantooine to find a lost Jedi Master who allegedly is now part of the Sand People tribe. While there he becomes involved in a battle between the Sand People and the Hutts. It's an excellent story that does a good job of fleshing out the Sand People, giving us more context of their role in the Star Wars universe than just savages who attack people on Tantooine. The best story in this collection.
The second storyline is "Emmisaries to Malastare" and it find the Jedi Council traveling to a distant planet to negotiate a peace treaty between two warring factions while a huge podrace is taking place nearby. It's an interesting enough story to get the Council doing something again besides sitting around discussing things. There is some funny moments in this too, but it's nothing that will really stand out when you think about this collection.
The last part of this collection is the miniseries JANGO FETT- OPEN SEASON. It explores Jango Fett's origins from the moment he joined the Mandalore warriors till he signed away the rights for him to be cloned. I need to say here, I have a bias when it comes to Jango Fett because I hate him, probably more than I hate Qui-Gon Jinn. He's a boring, one dimensional character and this four issue series about his life did nothing to make him seem more interesting than that. I don't care about Jango Fett and this miniseries seemed like it was trying too hard to make him seem like this epic, important character, much like they want us to believe his son would be later.
All in all, it's kind of a weak collection. The "Outlander" storyline is awesome, but everything else is really just filler material and not too interesting at that. Read it if you're a completest, otherwise skip it.
January 27, 2023
Star Wars Omnibus: Emissaries and Assassins collects seven stories that take place in 32 BBY, slightly before, during, and after Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The Jedi now know that the Sith still live and are trying to take steps towards stopping them.
Episode I: Anakin Skywalker, Queen Amidala, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi (1999): 5/5 Four short comics that tell parts of Episode I we didn’t see in the movie or read in the novelization. Anakin’s leads right into his first appearance in Episode I, Queen Amidala’s and Qui-Gon’s take place on Tatooine, while Obi-Wan’s has him relaying to Yoda the events of Episode I while Yoda decides whether Obi-Wan is ready to take on Anakin as his apprentice. All four are really good stories that add more to the events of Episode I. My favorite story was Obi-Wan’s because we got to hear Yoda’s thoughts on Obi-Wan’s actions throughout the movie and how he has progressed as a Jedi. It also showed Obi-Wan actually talking to Anakin and taking him on as an apprentice. While my least favorite was Amidala’s mainly because her adventure takes place with Jar Jar and it was really hard to read his speech and make sense of it in my head. I found myself beginning to skip most of his speech bubbles.
Outlander (1998): 5/5 There’s something amiss with a tribe of Tuskens on Tatooine and it looks like a Jedi might be involved. Ki-Adi-Mundi is tasked with traveling to Tatooine to investigate. Aurra Sing is also involved and we get more of her backstory which is fascinating. I was completely hooked in this story, wanting to know just how a Jedi could be a Tusken Raider and vice versa. Because of its premise, Outlander was great in adding more to the history and back story of the Tusken people.
Emissaries to Malastare (1998): 5/5 Picks up right after Outlander. We get to see some of the training Ki-Adi-Mundi is doing with his new Padawan. Ultimately though, this story focuses on six members of the Jedi Council traveling to Malastare to be arbiters during peace talks between the planet Lannik and the terrorists who they’ve been at war with. Once again, really good to see Jedi doing what they were meant to do: be negotiators of peace and justice, but also posing questions as to whether they’re truly doing the ‘right’ thing. I also liked getting some back story on Mace Windu and his home planet.
Jango Fett: Open Seasons (2002) (32 BBY current day with 58, 52, 44, 42 BBY in flashbacks): 5/5 Ties in with the video game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter which tells the story of how and why Jango Fett became the clone template. A great back story to an important character that we didn’t get to see too much of in Attack of the Clones. This story lets you see how competent and resourceful and deadly Jango can be. This story also involves Count Dooku, before and after he left the Jedi Order. It was really cool to briefly see him as a Jedi and see the event that really started hurtling him towards leaving the Order.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you can get your hands on it. It adds more story and characterization to both Episodes I and II, while also filling in some events that happen between the two movies.
Episode I: Anakin Skywalker, Queen Amidala, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi (1999): 5/5 Four short comics that tell parts of Episode I we didn’t see in the movie or read in the novelization. Anakin’s leads right into his first appearance in Episode I, Queen Amidala’s and Qui-Gon’s take place on Tatooine, while Obi-Wan’s has him relaying to Yoda the events of Episode I while Yoda decides whether Obi-Wan is ready to take on Anakin as his apprentice. All four are really good stories that add more to the events of Episode I. My favorite story was Obi-Wan’s because we got to hear Yoda’s thoughts on Obi-Wan’s actions throughout the movie and how he has progressed as a Jedi. It also showed Obi-Wan actually talking to Anakin and taking him on as an apprentice. While my least favorite was Amidala’s mainly because her adventure takes place with Jar Jar and it was really hard to read his speech and make sense of it in my head. I found myself beginning to skip most of his speech bubbles.
Outlander (1998): 5/5 There’s something amiss with a tribe of Tuskens on Tatooine and it looks like a Jedi might be involved. Ki-Adi-Mundi is tasked with traveling to Tatooine to investigate. Aurra Sing is also involved and we get more of her backstory which is fascinating. I was completely hooked in this story, wanting to know just how a Jedi could be a Tusken Raider and vice versa. Because of its premise, Outlander was great in adding more to the history and back story of the Tusken people.
Emissaries to Malastare (1998): 5/5 Picks up right after Outlander. We get to see some of the training Ki-Adi-Mundi is doing with his new Padawan. Ultimately though, this story focuses on six members of the Jedi Council traveling to Malastare to be arbiters during peace talks between the planet Lannik and the terrorists who they’ve been at war with. Once again, really good to see Jedi doing what they were meant to do: be negotiators of peace and justice, but also posing questions as to whether they’re truly doing the ‘right’ thing. I also liked getting some back story on Mace Windu and his home planet.
Jango Fett: Open Seasons (2002) (32 BBY current day with 58, 52, 44, 42 BBY in flashbacks): 5/5 Ties in with the video game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter which tells the story of how and why Jango Fett became the clone template. A great back story to an important character that we didn’t get to see too much of in Attack of the Clones. This story lets you see how competent and resourceful and deadly Jango can be. This story also involves Count Dooku, before and after he left the Jedi Order. It was really cool to briefly see him as a Jedi and see the event that really started hurtling him towards leaving the Order.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you can get your hands on it. It adds more story and characterization to both Episodes I and II, while also filling in some events that happen between the two movies.
January 18, 2020
3 stars only because of the Jango Fett open season comics at the end. The beginning is just rehashing the Phantom Menace from different perspectives which could have been an interesting idea if it wasn't one of the most boring movies in Star Wars to begin with, and really who needs a buddy adventure with Padme and Jar Jar, seriously who asked for that?
The stories with the Jedi were slightly better as they dealt with the time period between episodes one and two, but really don't add much background or new information other than some cool facts about Tuskens.
I am a harsh critic because I find jedi stories to be some of the least interesting and I am sick and tired of the pre-clone war era comics being obsessed with Ki-Adi Mundi. The jedi annoy me because of their disconnection and arogence, but he is the WORST and he gets to have a family with multiple wives because it is crucial to his species, but he is so enlightened that he can still remain unattached while Anakin is somehow pushed to the dark side because he falls for one girl? I mean sure Anakin is dumb and "decieved or whatever, but the jedi just suck because apparently they break their own rules all the time for other people, but won't for Anakin and basically cause their own downfall (such as some of the council members being well older than Anakin when they were first trained).
Wow that was a long rant to simply say I'm tired of reading lame stories by the most boring/annoying of the jedi.
So to sum up, this would have gotten one star, but cool Tusken stuff and cool Mandalorian stuff which was really the only reason I read it.
The stories with the Jedi were slightly better as they dealt with the time period between episodes one and two, but really don't add much background or new information other than some cool facts about Tuskens.
I am a harsh critic because I find jedi stories to be some of the least interesting and I am sick and tired of the pre-clone war era comics being obsessed with Ki-Adi Mundi. The jedi annoy me because of their disconnection and arogence, but he is the WORST and he gets to have a family with multiple wives because it is crucial to his species, but he is so enlightened that he can still remain unattached while Anakin is somehow pushed to the dark side because he falls for one girl? I mean sure Anakin is dumb and "decieved or whatever, but the jedi just suck because apparently they break their own rules all the time for other people, but won't for Anakin and basically cause their own downfall (such as some of the council members being well older than Anakin when they were first trained).
Wow that was a long rant to simply say I'm tired of reading lame stories by the most boring/annoying of the jedi.
So to sum up, this would have gotten one star, but cool Tusken stuff and cool Mandalorian stuff which was really the only reason I read it.
April 25, 2023
This omnibus starts off with some issues that delve more deeply into the main characters of The Phantom Menace. We get to see some things that happened outside of the movie to Padme, Anakin, Qui-Gonn, and Jar-Jar without altering the events of the movie itself. This can be good or bad, depending on what you thought of the movie itself. I was underwhelmed by them, though the worst of them had to be the Jar-Jar story. I'm not really a Jar-Jar hater, but having to read his pidgin dialogue was painful.
The next two arcs are by Timothy Truman, and really show how good a writer he is. I know him from collaborating with Joe Lansdale's Jonah Hex series, and didn't know he was a writer. The slow burn of the story about Ki-Adi Mundi, Aurra Sing, and the Sand People was a great example of deliberate storytelling, if nothing else. The second arc featured Mace Windu, and I find that stories about him sort of take away from the air that Samuel L. Jackson brought to the character. Maybe that's just Jackson doing his thing, but learning more about his background doesn't add anything to it.
The last arc was about Tyranus and Jango Fett making their deal about the clones, and while the story read just fine, the artwork seemed like ... well, this is going to sound kinda dumb, but it looked like something from a comic book. It wasn't cartoony or juvenile, and it didn't look unrealistic, but it was bright and vivid and very obviously illustration. I know this IS a comic book, but the artwork elsewhere in the series (and throughout the comics, I suppose) has a different feel, and somehow feels more appropriate than this artwork.
The next two arcs are by Timothy Truman, and really show how good a writer he is. I know him from collaborating with Joe Lansdale's Jonah Hex series, and didn't know he was a writer. The slow burn of the story about Ki-Adi Mundi, Aurra Sing, and the Sand People was a great example of deliberate storytelling, if nothing else. The second arc featured Mace Windu, and I find that stories about him sort of take away from the air that Samuel L. Jackson brought to the character. Maybe that's just Jackson doing his thing, but learning more about his background doesn't add anything to it.
The last arc was about Tyranus and Jango Fett making their deal about the clones, and while the story read just fine, the artwork seemed like ... well, this is going to sound kinda dumb, but it looked like something from a comic book. It wasn't cartoony or juvenile, and it didn't look unrealistic, but it was bright and vivid and very obviously illustration. I know this IS a comic book, but the artwork elsewhere in the series (and throughout the comics, I suppose) has a different feel, and somehow feels more appropriate than this artwork.
June 8, 2023
Whew. There was a lot of content in this omnibus. To start with, there were some Episode I-specific tales that I enjoyed, much to my surprise, especially given that one was a summary of events by Obi-Wan.
The bulk of this collection - making the middle section quite beefy - were stories involving the Jedi Council. This is where you'll get introduced to Legends icons A'Sharad Hett and Quinlan Vos (what a boss - and in my opinion, his retconned "appearance" in The Phantom Menace doesn't count as an intro). Unfortunately, while these stories were interesting, they weren't particularly compelling. Ki-Adi-Mundi... I've never seen that poor dude written well in any comic. As for the Dark Woman, I can't say I'm impressed. Maybe I'd actually like her if she was given more of a personality? Something beyond "my training methods are dark but totallllllyyy don't create Dark Jedi and Sith Lords"? lol
The good news is that the omnibus finished on a very strong note; the Jango Fett comic was exceptional and may be one the greatest visual stories I've ever encountered in the Legends canon. So if you were wondering, this is why my rating is still so high.
The bulk of this collection - making the middle section quite beefy - were stories involving the Jedi Council. This is where you'll get introduced to Legends icons A'Sharad Hett and Quinlan Vos (what a boss - and in my opinion, his retconned "appearance" in The Phantom Menace doesn't count as an intro). Unfortunately, while these stories were interesting, they weren't particularly compelling. Ki-Adi-Mundi... I've never seen that poor dude written well in any comic. As for the Dark Woman, I can't say I'm impressed. Maybe I'd actually like her if she was given more of a personality? Something beyond "my training methods are dark but totallllllyyy don't create Dark Jedi and Sith Lords"? lol
The good news is that the omnibus finished on a very strong note; the Jango Fett comic was exceptional and may be one the greatest visual stories I've ever encountered in the Legends canon. So if you were wondering, this is why my rating is still so high.
February 13, 2024
Still not the strongest offering, this is overall just okay. The issues of Republic are quite good. The Ootman plot was especially intriguing . The issues weaving in and out of The Phantom Menace, however, were occasionally fine, often tedious, and never necessary. I do like Villie, though, and it’s fun seeing his beginnings here knowing what’s to come. The best part of this volume is the Jango Fett-centric mini. That was a great time, and a very fast read (in a good way). There’s nothing bad here, it’s just mostly middle-of-the-road, with a quick blip of “really super cool” at each end. Just barely coming in under 4 stars, but this rating took me quite a while to land on. Call it a 3.5
February 13, 2017
The Dark Horse Star Wars comics were always best the further they strayed from the movies. This book, a collection of stories that occur between Eps 1 & 2, opens with some forgettable one shots that flesh out Ep 1. The middle of the book is the best, following the Jedi, and notably, a young Tusken padawan through a hand full of missions. The book ends with Open Seasons, a mini series showing Jango Fett's backstory.
April 16, 2018
Trade federation, pod races, little Anakin, Qui-Gon Jinn being headstrong, Obi Wan being wise, Darth Maul being awesome, commitee discussions, jedi council discussions: this book captures the feeling of Episode I perfectly well. The question is why would anyone want that?
The writing's often good and the images suit the text quite well, this book could be much worse in other hands - but still, who wants more Phantom Menace?
The writing's often good and the images suit the text quite well, this book could be much worse in other hands - but still, who wants more Phantom Menace?
January 3, 2018
The Phantom Menace stories are hard to get through, but it's a pretty fun read after that.
July 27, 2018
For the most part really good, I loved the one about the Tusken Raiders.
August 26, 2021
Great stories...
January 3, 2026
Jango’s origin goes incredibly hard compared to the other very slow and uneventful arcs. Outlander is the other exception, good introduction to the Hetts and gives Ki-Adi Mundi a sick ronin look
June 22, 2018
I would give higher rating, but these Episode I backstorys are really unnecessary and annoying. Everything else, at lease for lore, was worth a read.
February 21, 2020
Episode 1 - ★.5
Outlander - ★★★.5
Emissaries to Malastare - ★★.5
Jango Fett: Open Seasons - ★★★
avg. 2.68
Outlander - ★★★.5
Emissaries to Malastare - ★★.5
Jango Fett: Open Seasons - ★★★
avg. 2.68
June 16, 2019
Overall, it was okay.
I would have liked more consistency with authors, artists & inkers for the Episode I components. However, I like how they all somewhat wove together and that the side stories all were related to the movie (of course they would be, but I still like it).
Episode I: Anakin Skywalker: The art wasn't the greatest, but the story was interesting. Anakin would always somehow find what he is looking for. Him calling Shmi "mother" though seemed a bit OOC
Episode I: Queen Amidala: The thought of Padmé and Jar Jar going off on a little adventure on Tatooine makes me roll my eyes. It was not a good story. But the art was vibrant and spectacular.
Episode I: Qui-Gon Jinn: This story was better than the last. It gives a bit more of a glimpse in Qui-Gon's mind, as well as Watto's.
Episode I: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The art wasn't so great but the inking was. It was a pretty boring story of just Obi-Wan relaying the events of TPM to Yoda.
Outlander: Again, the art is not that great. Yoda especially is off, and there is a great inconsistency when Ki has his cloak and mask on on one page (one panel) and on the next page (also a complete panel), he has no mask and no hooded cloak.
The colours are very good though, and the story is quite interesting. It gives more on Sharad Hett and Ki-Adi Mundi. This is a story I've only gleaned from Kenobi so I'm glad to finally read it.
I didn't like how Aurra Sing's presence was only explained near the end. It was very confusing before then. Gardulla vs. Jabba was pretty good though.
Emissaries to Malastare: I'm assuming that A'Sharad was allowed to be trained for one of two reasons- 1) He had a Jedi father and some beyond-basic training already, or 2) the Council decided that since rules were bent for Anakin, they could be bent for A'Sharad. The fact that A'Sharad and Anakin gravitated towards each other is no surprise and makes me smile.
The woman helping train A'Sharad was creepy. But who is she? Why was the Council so surprised at her methods? If they didn't know, why allow it to happen? Or is it because Ki sometimes does things his own way?
Again, the art isn't great but I really enjoyed the naming of the Council. And so, Ki, Eeth Koth, Mace, Plo Koon, Adi and Yaddle head to Malastare. Knights in Action :D
I also like the idea that Sebulba podraces on other worlds. It makes sense. Having Fode & Beed was utterly ridiculous though.
Seeing Eeth Koth in action was wonderful. He really shows that while the Jedi aren't warriors, they will fight for what is right. But there are quite a few subplots, and while they blend together well, I was a little confused at times while reading.
Jango Fett: Open Season: Great backstory on Jango and Dooku. I enjoyed learning of how Jango and Jaster Mereel got together. The art and inking were done well.
I would have liked more consistency with authors, artists & inkers for the Episode I components. However, I like how they all somewhat wove together and that the side stories all were related to the movie (of course they would be, but I still like it).
Episode I: Anakin Skywalker: The art wasn't the greatest, but the story was interesting. Anakin would always somehow find what he is looking for. Him calling Shmi "mother" though seemed a bit OOC
Episode I: Queen Amidala: The thought of Padmé and Jar Jar going off on a little adventure on Tatooine makes me roll my eyes. It was not a good story. But the art was vibrant and spectacular.
Episode I: Qui-Gon Jinn: This story was better than the last. It gives a bit more of a glimpse in Qui-Gon's mind, as well as Watto's.
Episode I: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The art wasn't so great but the inking was. It was a pretty boring story of just Obi-Wan relaying the events of TPM to Yoda.
Outlander: Again, the art is not that great. Yoda especially is off, and there is a great inconsistency when Ki has his cloak and mask on on one page (one panel) and on the next page (also a complete panel), he has no mask and no hooded cloak.
The colours are very good though, and the story is quite interesting. It gives more on Sharad Hett and Ki-Adi Mundi. This is a story I've only gleaned from Kenobi so I'm glad to finally read it.
I didn't like how Aurra Sing's presence was only explained near the end. It was very confusing before then. Gardulla vs. Jabba was pretty good though.
Emissaries to Malastare: I'm assuming that A'Sharad was allowed to be trained for one of two reasons- 1) He had a Jedi father and some beyond-basic training already, or 2) the Council decided that since rules were bent for Anakin, they could be bent for A'Sharad. The fact that A'Sharad and Anakin gravitated towards each other is no surprise and makes me smile.
The woman helping train A'Sharad was creepy. But who is she? Why was the Council so surprised at her methods? If they didn't know, why allow it to happen? Or is it because Ki sometimes does things his own way?
Again, the art isn't great but I really enjoyed the naming of the Council. And so, Ki, Eeth Koth, Mace, Plo Koon, Adi and Yaddle head to Malastare. Knights in Action :D
I also like the idea that Sebulba podraces on other worlds. It makes sense. Having Fode & Beed was utterly ridiculous though.
Seeing Eeth Koth in action was wonderful. He really shows that while the Jedi aren't warriors, they will fight for what is right. But there are quite a few subplots, and while they blend together well, I was a little confused at times while reading.
Jango Fett: Open Season: Great backstory on Jango and Dooku. I enjoyed learning of how Jango and Jaster Mereel got together. The art and inking were done well.
September 26, 2016
I think it was a Good book for star wars fans who like the clone wars and maybe want a little more into the lore of the time between episodes 1 and 2. Also it has a tusken jedi and also contains the backstory behind jango fett. Even though Disney made the EU non cannon, Jango's backstory is still technically cannon and the prequels were good movies, Though I don't like jarjar I Still love the prequels especially Episode #3 Revenge of the sith. WHat I didnt like about the comic is that it felt way too short
June 25, 2014
This collection wasn't that great. The back story on A'Sharrad Hett was pretty interesting. However, I didn't care for the Emissaries to Malastare story. The attitudes of the Jedi seemed to conflict with everything else available on them. Jedi are always presented, especially pre-clone wars, as a bit more serene and thoughtful. However, in that story, they were pretty much jerks and openly antagonistic. It wasn't just one of them (such as Master Piell which would make sense because of his personal connection) but all of them. Adi Gallia, Mace Windu, Mundi. Everybody was openly trying to start a fight and be a jerk. Considering they were meant to be a peaceful force to come in and aid in negotiations, this seemed counterproductive as it looked like it would make things worse. The back story on Jango Fett was the best piece. The Phantom Menace pieces were ok but Padme's was a bit over the top and unbelievable.
April 25, 2015
Quite a few stories in here, all taking place around the time of Phantom Menace. The standouts include "Republic: Outlander", and "Jango Fett: Open Seasons". "Outlander' takes place on Tatooine and is notable because it contains the characters Sharad Hett and his son A'sharad Hett. Hett is a Jedi who has been missing for sometime and is discovered to be leading a tribe of Tusken Raiders. His son, A'sharad is notable because besides being a famous Jedi during the Clone Wars, he spends a large amount of time in stasis and is next seen as Darth Krayt. Krayt is a Sith Lord and one of the main characters of the Star Wars: Legacy series, which takes place 100+ years after Return of the Jedi.
The Jango Fett story is cool because it tells his origin. How he became a Mandalorian, and how he worked with Count Dooku to become the template for the clones.
The Jango Fett story is cool because it tells his origin. How he became a Mandalorian, and how he worked with Count Dooku to become the template for the clones.
December 18, 2023
Upgrading this re-read from 2 to 3 stars for the nostalgias. The art in this collection still leaves much to be desired, though.
The first bit, which re-hashed TPM, was pretty much unreadable for me.
Outlander was a great story, even if the art was disappointing. A'Sharad Hett! I didn't know I needed his origins story until I read this.
Emissaries to Malastare was OK - I was interested until Windu went to Nar Shadda. Mostly that was boring, even though I loved seeing Villie again. Art was still not so great.
Jango Fett: Open Seasons is why I really was interested in this compilation and... the opportunity felt squandered. The artwork couldn't carry the visual story telling, and I was extremely disappointed in the cartoony style. If I'm reading a comic about Jango Fett, I would like the title character to resemble same. The writing was only passable.
The first bit, which re-hashed TPM, was pretty much unreadable for me.
Outlander was a great story, even if the art was disappointing. A'Sharad Hett! I didn't know I needed his origins story until I read this.
Emissaries to Malastare was OK - I was interested until Windu went to Nar Shadda. Mostly that was boring, even though I loved seeing Villie again. Art was still not so great.
Jango Fett: Open Seasons is why I really was interested in this compilation and... the opportunity felt squandered. The artwork couldn't carry the visual story telling, and I was extremely disappointed in the cartoony style. If I'm reading a comic about Jango Fett, I would like the title character to resemble same. The writing was only passable.
May 30, 2011
it was alright the first few storys were pretty pointless expecially obi-wan's cause it just basically just recaps the movie the phantom menace.outlander and open season were the high points of the book as they had perpose to in thw star wars universe.
September 15, 2013
Lots of good background on many key characters throughout other series. A'sharad Hett, Jango Fett. I am glad I have read the Legacy Comics and now had the chance to come back and read some of these Early Republic Comics as it provides hints to big Reveals in Legacy.
June 11, 2016
Můj první SW komiks - pro mě osobně zajímavé příběhy dokreslující filmy, vyhovuje mi i výtvarná podoba, takže celkový dojem velmi dobrý, ač měly příběhy kapánek kolísavou kvalitu. Nejlepší Cizinec, nejslabší asi Jango Fett.
May 7, 2009
I didn't realize this was a comic book until it came. Big disappointment.
October 10, 2010
I liked how this book had a variety of stories and characters so that it wasn't focused solely on just one character the whole time like some other Star Wars books sometimes do.
May 17, 2011
This book shows the origion of Aurra Sing: The jedi killer, Jango Fett: The Notorious Mandorolan. How Anakin Skywalker became a jedi. This story is really amazing, I loved it.
June 1, 2016
Some good tales all-around, exploring characters barely seen onscreen and then introducing some new ones. Including, perhaps, one of the coolest Jedi ever -- Quinlan Vos.
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