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Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron
Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 6: In the Empire's Service
Wedge Antilles is the premier X-wing pilot of the Rebel Alliance, and his Rogue Squadron is the most feared fighter wing in the Rebel fleet. But just as the New Republic has its top guns, so does the Empire -- the merciless Imperial 181st Fighter Division led by the Empire's greatest ace, Baron Fel, the man who trained Wedge and many of Rogue Squadron's best pilots. Wedge and the Rogues will get every opportunity to test the mettle of that training when Fel and the 181st are dispatched to square accounts with Rogue Squadron, once and for all
96 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 1999
338 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 30, 2020
Dark Horse Comics: Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron - Issues #21-24. This mission pits the rebels against the empire in a massive planetary battle. The twist of this story is that they focus on building up a few of the empire characters instead of just making them dumb targets for Rogue Squadron to shoot down.
Very much enjoyed the backstory of Baron Fel. He’s a noble enemy to battle. And the empire is fighting itself as generals try to jockey for power within the organization, just like some directors I know in the real corporate world.
Very much enjoyed the backstory of Baron Fel. He’s a noble enemy to battle. And the empire is fighting itself as generals try to jockey for power within the organization, just like some directors I know in the real corporate world.
May 23, 2025
Very well drawn and crafted beautifully, the lengths Stackpole goes to World building never fails to astound me.
Baron Fel is an intriguing character by a clear mile, standing tall amongst many of the other notable "heroes" of the Galactic Empire.
Baron Fel is an intriguing character by a clear mile, standing tall amongst many of the other notable "heroes" of the Galactic Empire.
August 15, 2018
Fun! Did you know that archive.org has books you can check out? Even comic... er, graphic novels?
September 7, 2019
If you like the X-Wing novels, then you will like the comics.
September 5, 2024
Habe die vorherigen nicht gelesen aber Baron Fel war sehr cool
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2022
Star Wars Legends Project #311
Background: In the Empire's Service was released in May of 1999, and it collects issues #21-24 originally published Aug-Nov 1997. It is the sixth Rogue Squadron story arc. It was written by Michael A. Stackpole and drawn by John Nadeau. Stackpole continues as the series regular writer, and Nadeau returns to draw after having been absent from the previous arc.
In the Empire's Service takes place 9 months after the Battle of Endor, nearly 5 years after the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Wedge, Tycho, Wes, and the rest of Rogue Squadron, as well as Baron Soontir Fel, Ysanne Isard, and Sate Pestage. Most of the story takes place on Brentaal IV, with some interludes on Coruscant.
Summary: Everyone knows that Rogue Squadron are the best of the best that the Alliance has to offer, but the Empire has an answer: The 181st Fighter Division led by Baron Fel, himself a legendary pilot who personally trained many of Rogue Squadron's elite before they defected. That defection gravely damaged Fel's career and gave him some personal scores to settle. Now, the Empire has tasked Fel to go toe-to-toe with Rogue Squadron in the skies above Brentaal IV and settle them, permanently. But from the shadows, Imperial leaders are pulling strings that Fel and the Rogues know nothing about, setting up a scenario to consolidate their power, and potentially doom all of the pilots in the system, on both sides!
Review: I am an absolute sucker for anything with the Red-Baron-inspired Fel, so I was very excited to finally (*finally*) read about his origins after enjoying his appearances in various Star Wars novels over the years. In that respect, this story did not disappoint. This is, at long last, an arc that's all about Rogue Squadron getting tasked with a mission that's actually specifically for a fighter squadron operating as a fighter squadron. Most of their other missions involve some kind of aerial battle at some point, but that's the whole point here, and it's great. Particularly with Fel perfectly cast as a sympathetic antagonist/anti-hero. I also appreciated the series-debut of Ysanne Isard, an absolute A-lister villain.
My one complaint is that the scheming that drives the plot feels excessively convoluted in unnecessary ways. All of the elements are here for an amazing story, and some of this is obviously setting up further developments for the series down the line, but it seemed like this could have been accomplished without requiring so much head-scratching over all of the wheels-within-wheels Imperial machinations. Normally I like that kind of thing, but this felt complicated for complications' sake.
Still, this is the best arc in awhile, and it feels like this is where the series has really found its footing. Absolutely recommended!
A-
Background: In the Empire's Service was released in May of 1999, and it collects issues #21-24 originally published Aug-Nov 1997. It is the sixth Rogue Squadron story arc. It was written by Michael A. Stackpole and drawn by John Nadeau. Stackpole continues as the series regular writer, and Nadeau returns to draw after having been absent from the previous arc.
In the Empire's Service takes place 9 months after the Battle of Endor, nearly 5 years after the Battle of Yavin. The main characters are Wedge, Tycho, Wes, and the rest of Rogue Squadron, as well as Baron Soontir Fel, Ysanne Isard, and Sate Pestage. Most of the story takes place on Brentaal IV, with some interludes on Coruscant.
Summary: Everyone knows that Rogue Squadron are the best of the best that the Alliance has to offer, but the Empire has an answer: The 181st Fighter Division led by Baron Fel, himself a legendary pilot who personally trained many of Rogue Squadron's elite before they defected. That defection gravely damaged Fel's career and gave him some personal scores to settle. Now, the Empire has tasked Fel to go toe-to-toe with Rogue Squadron in the skies above Brentaal IV and settle them, permanently. But from the shadows, Imperial leaders are pulling strings that Fel and the Rogues know nothing about, setting up a scenario to consolidate their power, and potentially doom all of the pilots in the system, on both sides!
Review: I am an absolute sucker for anything with the Red-Baron-inspired Fel, so I was very excited to finally (*finally*) read about his origins after enjoying his appearances in various Star Wars novels over the years. In that respect, this story did not disappoint. This is, at long last, an arc that's all about Rogue Squadron getting tasked with a mission that's actually specifically for a fighter squadron operating as a fighter squadron. Most of their other missions involve some kind of aerial battle at some point, but that's the whole point here, and it's great. Particularly with Fel perfectly cast as a sympathetic antagonist/anti-hero. I also appreciated the series-debut of Ysanne Isard, an absolute A-lister villain.
My one complaint is that the scheming that drives the plot feels excessively convoluted in unnecessary ways. All of the elements are here for an amazing story, and some of this is obviously setting up further developments for the series down the line, but it seemed like this could have been accomplished without requiring so much head-scratching over all of the wheels-within-wheels Imperial machinations. Normally I like that kind of thing, but this felt complicated for complications' sake.
Still, this is the best arc in awhile, and it feels like this is where the series has really found its footing. Absolutely recommended!
A-
February 6, 2020
This story features a lot of political infighting and almost generic space battles as a result. I'm not entirely convinced the two story-lines merged all that well. The way the story was told meant that this was to be revalationary towards the end of the book, but it was pretty obvious early on.
There's some new pilots, some of which are non-human making them easier to identify, which was nice. The characterisation of the pilots was a little skewed, with some getting much more coverage than others. In one pivotal battle one of the Rogues is killed and their name is called out. I had no idea who that was so flipped back through the pages to find out. After being introduced they're just 'there,' and get one spoken line. So there was no emotional weight behind that death.
Because I'd read one of the later books before, I already knew about the big twist at the end, which was a shame but I can't blame this book for that. As a twist, it's quite a good one and in keeping with the Star Wars style twist.
The artwork was okay with it being pretty good for the aliens, locations and vehicles but the human's faces were a little off.
There's some new pilots, some of which are non-human making them easier to identify, which was nice. The characterisation of the pilots was a little skewed, with some getting much more coverage than others. In one pivotal battle one of the Rogues is killed and their name is called out. I had no idea who that was so flipped back through the pages to find out. After being introduced they're just 'there,' and get one spoken line. So there was no emotional weight behind that death.
Because I'd read one of the later books before, I already knew about the big twist at the end, which was a shame but I can't blame this book for that. As a twist, it's quite a good one and in keeping with the Star Wars style twist.
The artwork was okay with it being pretty good for the aliens, locations and vehicles but the human's faces were a little off.
July 1, 2016
This one picks up after Warrior Princess and Requiem for a Rogue. I haven't read the latter, but the opening pages do a good job of filling in what has happened in the previous story (although it should be fairly obvious from the title). I liked the fact that this installment chooses to focus on Imperial politics, showing how the likes of Isard are so busy fighting to gain power that they allow the fledgling New Republic to make further progress and inflict further damage on the Empire. It's great to see Soontir Fel take a central role - he has a lasting impact on the Expanded Universe. The ending "surprise" really only works if you were reading it at the time of publication. Coming to it years later and having read New Jedi Order, I already knew the rest of Fel's family, but it must have been a shock to readers at the time. A good story and I will try to read the rest in order.
February 5, 2023
Although this would be better with better art, it's a solid story. Well, aside from the fact that the Imperial remnant is so caught up in in-fighting it seems rather self defeating. (Also cartoonishly evil. But I'm pretty sure Isard's picture is next to cartoonishly evil in the dictionary.) That aside, getting both sides of the battle for Brentaal IV makes for a bit deeper story, and it ends on a very Star Wars surprise.
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December 23, 2015Another good read from the Star Wars Expanded Universe. An enjoyable character and one to give the Rebels' best pilots a run for their money. Character (Soontir Fel) is written much in the vein of Baron von Richthofen, an honorable enemy. I've enjoyed many of the author's works, both in the Star Wars universe and the Battletech universe. Can't wait to read more of his writing.
April 30, 2016
The artwork is superb in the action scenes however few and far between they may be. The rest is people talking in rooms and dropping some, at times really forced names and references to the Star Wars films.
Other than the artwork and being interesting to follow some minor pilot characters in the films. Not a lot worth mentioning here.
Other than the artwork and being interesting to follow some minor pilot characters in the films. Not a lot worth mentioning here.
July 14, 2012
My favourite Rogue Squadron arc yet! Lots of great action, interesting characters... Really captures the.feeling that I got reading the X-Wing novel series, which remain some of my favourite Star Wars novels.
September 24, 2013
In the Empire's Service was the first Star Wars graphic novel that had read.
Wedge going after Fel and the 181st Imperial Squadron is got to be the dangerous thing to do. I mean, Wedge was trained by Fel, and so Fel would have known Wedge very well.
All in all, good book!
Wedge going after Fel and the 181st Imperial Squadron is got to be the dangerous thing to do. I mean, Wedge was trained by Fel, and so Fel would have known Wedge very well.
All in all, good book!
August 7, 2016
I've not read the others in the series so obviously I'm not getting the full picture but taken as a standalone comic it was average.
August 16, 2021
4 1/2 stars
Still love the Rogue Squadron!😊
Still love the Rogue Squadron!😊
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July 5, 2010SW xwrs
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews