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Star Wars (2015)
Star Wars, Vol. 13: Rogues and Rebels
Collects Star Wars (2015) #73-75, Star Wars: Empire Ascendant (2019) #1.
It’s the end of the era of hope! Rebels and rogues take center stage as this volume of Marvel’s STAR WARS comes to a close! Who exactly is Dar Champion, and how far can Leia trust him when Han’s life is on the line? What shocking lesson will Luke learn when Warba finally reveals her true self? When faced with his lost past, can C-3PO seize control of his destiny — and be the hero of his own story? And Chewbacca takes on Darth Vader in vicious hand-to-hand combat! Meanwhile, the Rebellion’s search for a new home — a base safe from the reach of the Empire — leads them to the planet Hoth! Doctor Aphra and Beilert Valance lend a hand as the Rebellion’s fate is set - and the Empire ascends!
It’s the end of the era of hope! Rebels and rogues take center stage as this volume of Marvel’s STAR WARS comes to a close! Who exactly is Dar Champion, and how far can Leia trust him when Han’s life is on the line? What shocking lesson will Luke learn when Warba finally reveals her true self? When faced with his lost past, can C-3PO seize control of his destiny — and be the hero of his own story? And Chewbacca takes on Darth Vader in vicious hand-to-hand combat! Meanwhile, the Rebellion’s search for a new home — a base safe from the reach of the Empire — leads them to the planet Hoth! Doctor Aphra and Beilert Valance lend a hand as the Rebellion’s fate is set - and the Empire ascends!
126 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2020
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489 people want to read
About the author
Greg Pak
1,647 books579 followersGreg Pak is an award-winning Korean American comic book writer and filmmaker currently writing "Lawful" for BOOM and "Sam Wilson: Captain America" (with Evan Narcisse) for Marvel. Pak wrote the "Princess Who Saved Herself" children's book and the “Code Monkey Save World” graphic novel based on the songs of Jonathan Coulton and co-wrote (with Fred Van Lente) the acclaimed “Make Comics Like the Pros” how-to book. Pak's other work includes "Planet Hulk," "Darth Vader," "Mech Cadet Yu," "Ronin Island," "Action Comics," and "Magneto Testament."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
June 11, 2023
This is the concluding collection of this long comic run but also leads into another comic run. This collection really belonged with the previous collection as it is really short. It is only three issues and an issue that leads to the next run. In this one our heroes are on separate missions and as per usual things are not going the way they were planned.
I am giving this the same rating as I gave the previous collection as this really read like it belonged there. What I said about the previous collection could be copied and pasted for this collection. It is a fun collection that had its flaws. Some aspects I liked and some I did not. Loved the confrontation between two characters. The resolution to the plot of the rock people not so much as I felt like this did not really belong in this universe. I can say this about the artwork and the connective issue to the new run. Some things I liked and some I did not. But let's face it. If you got this far into reading this comic run you are going to finish it.
This collection is exactly how I feel about the entire run. It had its ups and downs. Somethings worked greatly while others did not. All in all I enjoyed reading this collection and the entire run. I look forward into jumping into the run that will show the next stage in the story arc.
I am giving this the same rating as I gave the previous collection as this really read like it belonged there. What I said about the previous collection could be copied and pasted for this collection. It is a fun collection that had its flaws. Some aspects I liked and some I did not. Loved the confrontation between two characters. The resolution to the plot of the rock people not so much as I felt like this did not really belong in this universe. I can say this about the artwork and the connective issue to the new run. Some things I liked and some I did not. But let's face it. If you got this far into reading this comic run you are going to finish it.
This collection is exactly how I feel about the entire run. It had its ups and downs. Somethings worked greatly while others did not. All in all I enjoyed reading this collection and the entire run. I look forward into jumping into the run that will show the next stage in the story arc.
February 5, 2022
You'd think a 75-issue run of Star Wars set between Episode IV and V would eventually tell the story of how the rebels end up in Hoth, nope, not even a single issue, not even after teasing us with the "Destination Hoth" slogan in the previous issues, you do get a couple of short stories on Hoth, but they're teasers for the upcoming series, nothing else.
In the end, this run was pretty dissapointing for me, it took no risks, with too much focus on the classic characters, barely any new memorable faces or story arcs, it never was more than a mildly entertaining read. Jason Aaron's episodic storytelling was too forgettable for me to care, Kieron Gillen actually did wrote a couple of fun story arcs, but Greg Pak's story was just awful, two volumes too much. In the end I actually think C3-P0 was the star of the show.
Glad it is over, hopefully the next run will be better, already seeing cooler characters in these short stories, Bounty Hunters, nuff said.
In the end, this run was pretty dissapointing for me, it took no risks, with too much focus on the classic characters, barely any new memorable faces or story arcs, it never was more than a mildly entertaining read. Jason Aaron's episodic storytelling was too forgettable for me to care, Kieron Gillen actually did wrote a couple of fun story arcs, but Greg Pak's story was just awful, two volumes too much. In the end I actually think C3-P0 was the star of the show.
Glad it is over, hopefully the next run will be better, already seeing cooler characters in these short stories, Bounty Hunters, nuff said.
November 26, 2025
Not as good as previous volumes.
March 17, 2020
Volumes 12-13 of Star Wars are essentially one long story cut in two, so I've reviewed the lot given that I read them all in one sitting.
Greg Pak takes the reins of the Star Wars franchise as he pens 8 issues and a one-shot to tie up the end of the New Hope era before the title relaunches post-Empire in a few months time.
This is everything wrong with Star Wars stories set in this time period, and that sounds harsh, but it's not entirely. I've said it all the way through this run, and it holds doubly true here - the characters are forced to be stagnant. They can only evolve so far before Empire, and as a result it stunts the storytelling potential of the era because it limits how much they can do and learn.
Pak splits the characters into three groups - Han and Leia, Luke and R2, and C3PO and Chewie. Each has their own mission (although why the Rebels get to boss Leia around, I don't know), that manage to dovetail into one explosive confrontation between the Rebels, the Empire, and Darth Vader. There's nothing wrong with it, in premise. But it's been done. Over the 13 volumes of this series, it's happened before, at least twice, and it doesn't get any more fun rehashing the same ground.
The saving grace is that Pak's characters ring true; while Han and Leia's flirty will-they-won't-they gets a little grating, the introduction of Leia's ex Dar Champion (yes, that's his name) keeps that storyline fresh, while Chewie and 3PO end up being the best of the bunch despite one of them talking too much and one of them not saying anything you can understand. Luke's the weak link really, since his new 'friend' is just a watered down Doctor Aphra, but at least he gets to recreate one of the best parts of Rogue One. Oh, and of course Phil Noto's artwork is wonderful. It feels a bit more solid than usual given his colour choices skewing towards oranges and browns rather than his usual whites and blues, but there's no mistaking Noto's artwork anywhere.
Also included in the second volume is the Empire Ascendant one-shot, which essentially acts as a prelude to all of the new Star Wars books launching - there's a Charles Soule penned story featuring Luke and some surprising characters that gives me A New Hope for the state of the franchise going forward (see what I did there), while Greg Pak hops over to Darth Vader to tell a story that barely features Vader at all and yet managed to pique my interest. There's also a Bounty Hunters prelude, but I have no attachment to any of those characters so it kind of fell flat, and the only true epilogue story featuring Doctor Aphra's supporting cast which I've already read before over in her final trade. Empire Ascendant's only really included for space, since the stories could have been split between the first volumes of the new books, but it's a tantalising little teaser of what's to come.
Given that this is where we're ending, I'm kind of glad we're doing the time jump thing. The Post-New Hope Pre-Empire timeline has been mined for all it's worth, and I think we're all glad to be leaving it behind.
Greg Pak takes the reins of the Star Wars franchise as he pens 8 issues and a one-shot to tie up the end of the New Hope era before the title relaunches post-Empire in a few months time.
This is everything wrong with Star Wars stories set in this time period, and that sounds harsh, but it's not entirely. I've said it all the way through this run, and it holds doubly true here - the characters are forced to be stagnant. They can only evolve so far before Empire, and as a result it stunts the storytelling potential of the era because it limits how much they can do and learn.
Pak splits the characters into three groups - Han and Leia, Luke and R2, and C3PO and Chewie. Each has their own mission (although why the Rebels get to boss Leia around, I don't know), that manage to dovetail into one explosive confrontation between the Rebels, the Empire, and Darth Vader. There's nothing wrong with it, in premise. But it's been done. Over the 13 volumes of this series, it's happened before, at least twice, and it doesn't get any more fun rehashing the same ground.
The saving grace is that Pak's characters ring true; while Han and Leia's flirty will-they-won't-they gets a little grating, the introduction of Leia's ex Dar Champion (yes, that's his name) keeps that storyline fresh, while Chewie and 3PO end up being the best of the bunch despite one of them talking too much and one of them not saying anything you can understand. Luke's the weak link really, since his new 'friend' is just a watered down Doctor Aphra, but at least he gets to recreate one of the best parts of Rogue One. Oh, and of course Phil Noto's artwork is wonderful. It feels a bit more solid than usual given his colour choices skewing towards oranges and browns rather than his usual whites and blues, but there's no mistaking Noto's artwork anywhere.
Also included in the second volume is the Empire Ascendant one-shot, which essentially acts as a prelude to all of the new Star Wars books launching - there's a Charles Soule penned story featuring Luke and some surprising characters that gives me A New Hope for the state of the franchise going forward (see what I did there), while Greg Pak hops over to Darth Vader to tell a story that barely features Vader at all and yet managed to pique my interest. There's also a Bounty Hunters prelude, but I have no attachment to any of those characters so it kind of fell flat, and the only true epilogue story featuring Doctor Aphra's supporting cast which I've already read before over in her final trade. Empire Ascendant's only really included for space, since the stories could have been split between the first volumes of the new books, but it's a tantalising little teaser of what's to come.
Given that this is where we're ending, I'm kind of glad we're doing the time jump thing. The Post-New Hope Pre-Empire timeline has been mined for all it's worth, and I think we're all glad to be leaving it behind.
February 7, 2021
"If this is how I die, I'm happy to stand with fellow champions."
I had so much fun with this.
After all of the events of the last book, I knew that things would come to a head in this final volume. And it's not quite as explosive a finale as I think The Scourging of Shu-Torun was, but it still wrapped stuff up very nicely. I'm really glad that the Destiny Path series is coming out; I had such a great time with this series and am glad I get to read more. I'll miss Han in those comics, though.
I will admit: Warba's character in this book was a bit of a done trope from Star Wars. But I didn't care; I still really liked her dynamic with Luke and her personality. She worked, and I really liked seeing Luke's unfailing optimism when it came to her.
I still, from the last volume, really loved Threepio's dynamic with the rock people and the depth given to his character with them. And his dynamic with Chewie was great - it really adds something to their relationship in Empire Strikes Back.
And then there's Leia and Han's plot line with Dar Champion. I think this book dealt with the whole "Leia's ex" situation well - they didn't overdo it, and used it just enough for some drama between Han and Leia - but not too much. Also, given Sana's appearance in volume 1, Leia deserved to have her own flame from the past as well.
With all of these plots, I found that they wove together beautifully well. I really liked the fast-paced nature of this book and its still having a focus on each individual storyline. And even though you knew how the climax would end , it's still really cool. I'll say it again: I had so much fun.
That ending with the rock people and Threepio was also awesome. I was grinning so much the whole time.
5/5 stars. I really can't wait to read more of these comics. It took a while, but they've solidly grown on me.
I had so much fun with this.
After all of the events of the last book, I knew that things would come to a head in this final volume. And it's not quite as explosive a finale as I think The Scourging of Shu-Torun was, but it still wrapped stuff up very nicely. I'm really glad that the Destiny Path series is coming out; I had such a great time with this series and am glad I get to read more. I'll miss Han in those comics, though.
I will admit: Warba's character in this book was a bit of a done trope from Star Wars. But I didn't care; I still really liked her dynamic with Luke and her personality. She worked, and I really liked seeing Luke's unfailing optimism when it came to her.
I still, from the last volume, really loved Threepio's dynamic with the rock people and the depth given to his character with them. And his dynamic with Chewie was great - it really adds something to their relationship in Empire Strikes Back.
And then there's Leia and Han's plot line with Dar Champion. I think this book dealt with the whole "Leia's ex" situation well - they didn't overdo it, and used it just enough for some drama between Han and Leia - but not too much. Also, given Sana's appearance in volume 1, Leia deserved to have her own flame from the past as well.
With all of these plots, I found that they wove together beautifully well. I really liked the fast-paced nature of this book and its still having a focus on each individual storyline. And even though you knew how the climax would end , it's still really cool. I'll say it again: I had so much fun.
That ending with the rock people and Threepio was also awesome. I was grinning so much the whole time.
5/5 stars. I really can't wait to read more of these comics. It took a while, but they've solidly grown on me.
July 25, 2020
Could have bothered to differentiate the volume names there a bit, maybe? "Rebels and Rogues" to "Rogues and Rebels." Blah. Nomenclature aside, this thirteenth volume offers a satisfying conclusion to its excellent predecessor and a neat ending to the main Star Wars series as a whole. I really enjoyed the Rebels/Rogues duology for its emphasis on simple fun. It just feels like a classic Star Wars adventure - a Saturday morning cartoon, essentially. I smiled as I read it.
The latter half of Rogues and Rebels contains "Empire Ascendant" - or "Emprie Ascendant" as my volume's typo'd title indicated. It's a special issue composed of four mini-tales that serve as introductions to the big upcoming Star Wars series. I liked the bite size stories and honestly appreciated the recap of the past series and look ahead at where we're going. It felt a bit like a trailer for future comic books, which is a neat concept I'm oddly fine with, even if it does ring of filler.
The latter half of Rogues and Rebels contains "Empire Ascendant" - or "Emprie Ascendant" as my volume's typo'd title indicated. It's a special issue composed of four mini-tales that serve as introductions to the big upcoming Star Wars series. I liked the bite size stories and honestly appreciated the recap of the past series and look ahead at where we're going. It felt a bit like a trailer for future comic books, which is a neat concept I'm oddly fine with, even if it does ring of filler.
March 15, 2021
"Stop, stop! He's already dead!"
Tak si to pojďme nějak sesumarizovat. Aaronova éra u Star Wars byla fajn, měla své mouchy ale člověk se aspoň bavil. Gillen přinesl perfektní zápletky které někam fakt vedly. Pak sérii na konci zabil definitivně. Hloupé, trapné kde si ani člověk neřekne, že to má fajn akci. Už to prostě bylo moc dlouhé, u posledních 7 sešitů se strašně projevilo, že tahle série víc nesnese a nějak se obávám vstupu do Soulovi éry. Za pevné, Charlese nemám rád, za druhé mi přijdou postavy Hana, Luka a Leii totálně vyčerpané a už snad ani nemají v ongoing sérii co nabídnout. Ve srovnání s Vaderem co dostává menší série nebo rovnou minisérie dost slabý odvar (paradoxně Pak psal Vadera který mi nepřišel vůbec špatný).
Výsledný dojem z celé série - ok, ale pokud se budu někdy vracet tak si vyzobu jen pár částí, představa čtení celé série znovu mě děsí neskutečně.
Určitě stojí za čtení první tři volume od Aarona, pak komplet Gillen a zbytek můžete skipnout.
Tak si to pojďme nějak sesumarizovat. Aaronova éra u Star Wars byla fajn, měla své mouchy ale člověk se aspoň bavil. Gillen přinesl perfektní zápletky které někam fakt vedly. Pak sérii na konci zabil definitivně. Hloupé, trapné kde si ani člověk neřekne, že to má fajn akci. Už to prostě bylo moc dlouhé, u posledních 7 sešitů se strašně projevilo, že tahle série víc nesnese a nějak se obávám vstupu do Soulovi éry. Za pevné, Charlese nemám rád, za druhé mi přijdou postavy Hana, Luka a Leii totálně vyčerpané a už snad ani nemají v ongoing sérii co nabídnout. Ve srovnání s Vaderem co dostává menší série nebo rovnou minisérie dost slabý odvar (paradoxně Pak psal Vadera který mi nepřišel vůbec špatný).
Výsledný dojem z celé série - ok, ale pokud se budu někdy vracet tak si vyzobu jen pár částí, představa čtení celé série znovu mě děsí neskutečně.
Určitě stojí za čtení první tři volume od Aarona, pak komplet Gillen a zbytek můžete skipnout.
December 2, 2024
An interesting sorry to be sure. I’m not sure how I feel about the planet sized sentient rock “grandmother” emerging from the core of a destroyed planet. But seeing Poe Dameron’s parents at Echo Base was neat.
February 15, 2022
0-1 ABY
This graphic novel contains that last three issues of the Star Wars 2015 run of comics, issues 73-75. These last three issues conclude the schemes from the previous volume (issues 68-72). It isn't a very interesting conclusion, to say the least. Thsi volume also contains "Empire Ascendant" which is a set of side stories or conclusions to the major Marvel series in this run. It contains "An Echo of Victory" which features a lead-in story in Echo Base on Hoth with Poe's parents. "In Service to the Empire" features a side story of the basic life in what it is like to serve the Empire under Darth Vader. "Two Sides to Every Sortie," which is a lead-in to the new Bounty Hunter series reflects on a young Han Solo as featured in "Imperial Cadet" as well as Valance, a featured character to be coming soon. Doctor Aphra has an "Epilogue" which reuses some scenes from the final volume, but somewhat revised and more about those she left behind.
Most of these conclusions tie in to The Empire Strikes Back and establish setup for the next line of comics to take place bewteen Episodes V and VI. I love the set up and while the ending to this particular series felt anti-climactic, there is a lot of promise in what is to come.
This graphic novel contains that last three issues of the Star Wars 2015 run of comics, issues 73-75. These last three issues conclude the schemes from the previous volume (issues 68-72). It isn't a very interesting conclusion, to say the least. Thsi volume also contains "Empire Ascendant" which is a set of side stories or conclusions to the major Marvel series in this run. It contains "An Echo of Victory" which features a lead-in story in Echo Base on Hoth with Poe's parents. "In Service to the Empire" features a side story of the basic life in what it is like to serve the Empire under Darth Vader. "Two Sides to Every Sortie," which is a lead-in to the new Bounty Hunter series reflects on a young Han Solo as featured in "Imperial Cadet" as well as Valance, a featured character to be coming soon. Doctor Aphra has an "Epilogue" which reuses some scenes from the final volume, but somewhat revised and more about those she left behind.
Most of these conclusions tie in to The Empire Strikes Back and establish setup for the next line of comics to take place bewteen Episodes V and VI. I love the set up and while the ending to this particular series felt anti-climactic, there is a lot of promise in what is to come.
October 13, 2024
Trying to find joy in Star Wars again. This story was engaging until the Doctor Aphra side plot 🙃 “You’re the farm boy they bumped up to commander after one lucky shot”. You mean LUKE SKYWALKER who saved all your lives by blowing up the Death Star? Characters like this are insufferable
Poe’s parents helped build the Hoth base?? ❄️
Vader calling C-3PO droid was heartbreaking 😣
“But I’m just in this for the money”
“Yeah I’ve got another friend that talks like that” 🥲
Like Skywalker going back to save R2-D2 is very in character 🥹
These comics always have a moment that breaks my heart and it usually involves Vader…
“Ah, come on. I had a plan.”
“Yeah, show up and hope for the best.”
“Yeah, well maybe sometimes that’s just enough when you’ve got friends”
*cut to Vader all alone looking out to space”
😭💔‼️
Poe’s parents helped build the Hoth base?? ❄️
Vader calling C-3PO droid was heartbreaking 😣
“But I’m just in this for the money”
“Yeah I’ve got another friend that talks like that” 🥲
Like Skywalker going back to save R2-D2 is very in character 🥹
These comics always have a moment that breaks my heart and it usually involves Vader…
“Ah, come on. I had a plan.”
“Yeah, show up and hope for the best.”
“Yeah, well maybe sometimes that’s just enough when you’ve got friends”
*cut to Vader all alone looking out to space”
😭💔‼️
June 22, 2024
And now I’ve finished the first run of Disney canon Star Wars comics set between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. The final comic, Empire Ascendant, is of course the best of these final issues as it finally brings together all the stories they were telling and perfectly sets up the run of comics I’ve been reading set between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I’m hoping these second waves have a wrap up and set up comic like this one. As for the story around this final issue, they were alright. It felt like an unnecessary mission to have before we end up on Hoth. I’ve seen the “Destination Hoth” countdown and have been excited for it and then there was no actual build up to it. They just kinda show up there.
September 18, 2021
This volume capped off what I thought was a great Star Wars series. This volume itself wasn't great, but it was very good. We wrapped up the three story lines from the last volume, as well as preludes to the next series. This series was set right after A New Hope, while the next is supposed to be set right after The Empire Strikes Back, which hopefully will be as good or better than this series.
September 28, 2020
There is exactly one thing that we the audience of The Empire Strikes Back know about that occurred in the three-year period between A New Hope and this film--and that is that a bounty hunter encountered on Ord Mantell made Han Solo realize he'd better leave the Rebellion and go pay off the debt owed to Jabba the Hutt. You'd think that over the course of 80 issues (counting annuals and the Empire Ascendant one-shot) that take the reader right up to the start of the events of that film, they might have bothered to tell that story--but you'd be wrong. And that oversight perfectly exemplifies the complete lack of thought that the writers and editors put into trying to fit these stories in with the films that surround them. I realize this isn't entirely Greg Pak's fault, but he was the last writer on the series, so he had the last opportunity to fill that gap.
Another thing that annoys me is that in the Hope Dies story arc (collected in volume 9), C-3PO gets ripped in half and for some reason his legs get replaced with silver ones. When this happened back in volume 9, I thought to myself "Oh geez, poor Threepio is going to lose his legs again somehow before we get to the end, because he has the golden ones again (but with his usual silver shin) in Empire Strikes Back". But no, he still has the fully silver legs immediately before the film. So I guess someone paints his legs gold again but leaves his one silver shin, because why not? Why bother to replace his legs with silver ones anyway if it's just going to create an inconsistency? If there was no storytelling purpose for this why make them the wrong color?
This lackluster conclusion to a disappointing story arc serves little purpose than to continue to undermine the impact of my favorite Star Wars film. The three separate Rebel missions all converge on the unstable volcanic planet of K43, which is still in danger of complete destruction due to Rebel bombs planted deep beneath the planet's surface. Without getting into too much detail, our heroes go head to head with Darth Vader up close and personal, right before the events of Empire Strikes Back. Han and company all charge Vader at close range while firing blaster shots at him, which he blocks with his hand, making it now seem rather stupid when Han does the same thing on Cloud City (if one accepts this story as canon, which I cannot, due to the fact that it's so stupid that doing so ruins the movies). In fact, Vader force pushes all of our heroes, knocking them down and rendering them completely vulnerable. And then, inexplicably, rather than capturing them or finishing them off when they are down, stormtroopers come and help Vader back to his shuttle. LOL, WUT
This story is just filled with such incredibly stupid things that make no sense. The rock people that live on the planet create an electrical pulse that disrupts and shuts down all electronics. There is a panel where it is shown clearly seeming to affect Vader. The same thing happened to Vader in the final Doctor Aphra story arc, which rendered Vader completely immobilized, as much of his body is mechanical, not to mention his life support. This is the only way that Doctor Aphra was able to escape that encounter with Vader. And yet, here, when the same thing happens, it doesn't slow Vader down at all. It doesn't even affect his lightsaber, though it does affect Luke's, because..."reasons". If the story had given me something to go on, like maybe mentioning that after Doctor Aphra pulled this trick on him, Vader equipped his suit and lightsaber with special protection against such an attack, great--that's all I need! But nope, there is nothing of the sort! So what affects everybody else doesn't affect Vader the same way. Except Vader goes into an Imperial shuttle and electrocutes himself to reactivate his systems (which apparently was unnecessary anyway, because he was in no way slowed down or affected by not having them), thus repowering all of the droids and ships on the planet that had previously been shut down.
As the planet is seconds away from explosion, Luke realizes that he can't just leave Artoo behind in the X-Wing, so he declines Han's offer for a ride and high tails it back to his ship, even though it's been very much established that Artoo is perfectly capable of piloting the ship by himself. He could have just called Artoo on the comm and told him to take off--but no, that wouldn't have worked, because then Vader couldn't have been waiting there to ambush Luke (let's just get yet another encounter in before The Empire Strikes Back to diminish the impact of their fight in that film).
Oh, and also the woman from Jedha that had taught Luke some things about the Force in the previous volume reveals that she was just totally lying and making things up. She was just repeating some of the random nonsense that she would hear the weirdo monks on Jedha say. So thank you Greg Pak for further ruining Luke's Jedi training with Yoda--what you did in the previous volume was quite sufficient, but I appreciate the extra effort here.
And I won't even get into how incredibly stupid it is that the planet that the Rebels blow up turns into Rock Unicron so everything turns out okay for the sentient beings that lived on it, because the explosion didn't really hurt the planet at all, it just woke it up.
I don't know what it is about this Star Wars series that takes writers I have otherwise enjoyed (Planet Hulk by Greg Pak was fantastic) and makes them churn out insufferable garbage, but the curse strikes again here.
The volume finishes with the Empire Ascendant one-shot, full of short stories that are supposed to set up the new rebooted Star Wars titles that follow this. The only one that wasn't a complete waste of time was Charles Soule's story featuring Poe Dameron's parents, who get trapped when a tunnel collapses on Hoth's Echo Base.
I absolutely cannot, do not, and will not recommend this series. The few bits that are actually enjoyable in no way make up for the trash one has to suffer through to experience them. Rather than enhance the films, the notion of treating these stories as canon in any way dramatically diminishes them and the impact of their best dramatic moments.
Another thing that annoys me is that in the Hope Dies story arc (collected in volume 9), C-3PO gets ripped in half and for some reason his legs get replaced with silver ones. When this happened back in volume 9, I thought to myself "Oh geez, poor Threepio is going to lose his legs again somehow before we get to the end, because he has the golden ones again (but with his usual silver shin) in Empire Strikes Back". But no, he still has the fully silver legs immediately before the film. So I guess someone paints his legs gold again but leaves his one silver shin, because why not? Why bother to replace his legs with silver ones anyway if it's just going to create an inconsistency? If there was no storytelling purpose for this why make them the wrong color?
This lackluster conclusion to a disappointing story arc serves little purpose than to continue to undermine the impact of my favorite Star Wars film. The three separate Rebel missions all converge on the unstable volcanic planet of K43, which is still in danger of complete destruction due to Rebel bombs planted deep beneath the planet's surface. Without getting into too much detail, our heroes go head to head with Darth Vader up close and personal, right before the events of Empire Strikes Back. Han and company all charge Vader at close range while firing blaster shots at him, which he blocks with his hand, making it now seem rather stupid when Han does the same thing on Cloud City (if one accepts this story as canon, which I cannot, due to the fact that it's so stupid that doing so ruins the movies). In fact, Vader force pushes all of our heroes, knocking them down and rendering them completely vulnerable. And then, inexplicably, rather than capturing them or finishing them off when they are down, stormtroopers come and help Vader back to his shuttle. LOL, WUT
This story is just filled with such incredibly stupid things that make no sense. The rock people that live on the planet create an electrical pulse that disrupts and shuts down all electronics. There is a panel where it is shown clearly seeming to affect Vader. The same thing happened to Vader in the final Doctor Aphra story arc, which rendered Vader completely immobilized, as much of his body is mechanical, not to mention his life support. This is the only way that Doctor Aphra was able to escape that encounter with Vader. And yet, here, when the same thing happens, it doesn't slow Vader down at all. It doesn't even affect his lightsaber, though it does affect Luke's, because..."reasons". If the story had given me something to go on, like maybe mentioning that after Doctor Aphra pulled this trick on him, Vader equipped his suit and lightsaber with special protection against such an attack, great--that's all I need! But nope, there is nothing of the sort! So what affects everybody else doesn't affect Vader the same way. Except Vader goes into an Imperial shuttle and electrocutes himself to reactivate his systems (which apparently was unnecessary anyway, because he was in no way slowed down or affected by not having them), thus repowering all of the droids and ships on the planet that had previously been shut down.
As the planet is seconds away from explosion, Luke realizes that he can't just leave Artoo behind in the X-Wing, so he declines Han's offer for a ride and high tails it back to his ship, even though it's been very much established that Artoo is perfectly capable of piloting the ship by himself. He could have just called Artoo on the comm and told him to take off--but no, that wouldn't have worked, because then Vader couldn't have been waiting there to ambush Luke (let's just get yet another encounter in before The Empire Strikes Back to diminish the impact of their fight in that film).
Oh, and also the woman from Jedha that had taught Luke some things about the Force in the previous volume reveals that she was just totally lying and making things up. She was just repeating some of the random nonsense that she would hear the weirdo monks on Jedha say. So thank you Greg Pak for further ruining Luke's Jedi training with Yoda--what you did in the previous volume was quite sufficient, but I appreciate the extra effort here.
And I won't even get into how incredibly stupid it is that the planet that the Rebels blow up turns into Rock Unicron so everything turns out okay for the sentient beings that lived on it, because the explosion didn't really hurt the planet at all, it just woke it up.
I don't know what it is about this Star Wars series that takes writers I have otherwise enjoyed (Planet Hulk by Greg Pak was fantastic) and makes them churn out insufferable garbage, but the curse strikes again here.
The volume finishes with the Empire Ascendant one-shot, full of short stories that are supposed to set up the new rebooted Star Wars titles that follow this. The only one that wasn't a complete waste of time was Charles Soule's story featuring Poe Dameron's parents, who get trapped when a tunnel collapses on Hoth's Echo Base.
I absolutely cannot, do not, and will not recommend this series. The few bits that are actually enjoyable in no way make up for the trash one has to suffer through to experience them. Rather than enhance the films, the notion of treating these stories as canon in any way dramatically diminishes them and the impact of their best dramatic moments.
April 20, 2020
It's a fairly fun story, the characters mostly seem true to the films.
But Marvel Star Wars just constantly feels like wheel-spinning to me these days and I am not sure how much longer I will keep buying them.
(To be honest, I don't know how much this feeling has to do with how disappointed I was in The Rise Of Skywalker and how I have felt about star wars in general since but I feel like my boredom with these series has been growing for quite some time. There are only so many stories you can tell about the same characters in the same timeframe before the whole thing becomes a bit absurd. I just don't understand Marvel's lack of desire to branch out from these main characters. Vader in particular has become beyond stale...)
But Marvel Star Wars just constantly feels like wheel-spinning to me these days and I am not sure how much longer I will keep buying them.
(To be honest, I don't know how much this feeling has to do with how disappointed I was in The Rise Of Skywalker and how I have felt about star wars in general since but I feel like my boredom with these series has been growing for quite some time. There are only so many stories you can tell about the same characters in the same timeframe before the whole thing becomes a bit absurd. I just don't understand Marvel's lack of desire to branch out from these main characters. Vader in particular has become beyond stale...)
January 21, 2021
It’s official - I’ve finished the previous SW run. The closing to this arc was short followed by some one-shots. Enjoyed the Dameron + Aphra shorts the best, naturally.
February 27, 2023
I enjoyed most of this run by Aaron and Gillen, but this last volume to wrap-up the series by Pak was just underwhelming and rushed. Bummer.
January 10, 2023
The last issue has four one shots featuring Poe Dameron's parents, death troopers, bounty hunter Valance and Aphra's family. They introduce four new series in the Star Wars universe. I guess I have more reading to do.
August 22, 2020
This is the final Volume of this run of Star Wars. It has taken us from IV all the way to V, and the completionist and nerd in me loves that.
The three stories from the last Volume continue and finish up here (Chewie and C3PO on a sentient planet with Vader arriving, Luke dealing with Warba and her theft of his lightsaber, and Han and Leia trying to take down a crime lord) and we get to see some pretty epic stuff...
- Chewie vs Vader (This is worth it. Trust me.)
- All three plans coming together in one epic battle. The obvious focus here is to show the growing tension between Luke and Vader, but I thought it was done very well.
- The awakening of a planet sized being... who punches a Star Destroyer!
A wonderful 75 issues.
But... that's not all!
This Volume includes a one-shot called Empire Ascendant which is also excellent. These brief tales set up the new line of Star Wars comics.
Star Wars - the main title gets an epilogue, taking place before the events of Empire. Shara Bey and Kes Dameron (From Shattered Empire) are helping with the construction of Hoth Base. They get trapped in a cave-in and before being saved by Luke, they record a final message for their son Poe.
Darth Vader - Vader's new title picks up right after Empire and it appears as if he is creating a squad of Death Troopers to help him.
Bounty Hunters - A new Star Wars title, continues the adventures of Beilert Valance (from Target Vader) and how he and other bounty hunters play into their role in the post-ESB universe.
Doctor Aphra - While she isn't directly in this, some of the characters in her title are and they get an epilogue (starring Luke) at Echo Base. Aphra will be back to cause more mayhem. (Maybe I'll try her title again next time around. It got really annoying to me the first go around.)
This Volume was everything I needed to fill in the last gap between ANH and ESB. I strongly recommend almost anything Star Wars and will continue to do so.
The three stories from the last Volume continue and finish up here (Chewie and C3PO on a sentient planet with Vader arriving, Luke dealing with Warba and her theft of his lightsaber, and Han and Leia trying to take down a crime lord) and we get to see some pretty epic stuff...
- Chewie vs Vader (This is worth it. Trust me.)
- All three plans coming together in one epic battle. The obvious focus here is to show the growing tension between Luke and Vader, but I thought it was done very well.
- The awakening of a planet sized being... who punches a Star Destroyer!
A wonderful 75 issues.
But... that's not all!
This Volume includes a one-shot called Empire Ascendant which is also excellent. These brief tales set up the new line of Star Wars comics.
Star Wars - the main title gets an epilogue, taking place before the events of Empire. Shara Bey and Kes Dameron (From Shattered Empire) are helping with the construction of Hoth Base. They get trapped in a cave-in and before being saved by Luke, they record a final message for their son Poe.
Darth Vader - Vader's new title picks up right after Empire and it appears as if he is creating a squad of Death Troopers to help him.
Bounty Hunters - A new Star Wars title, continues the adventures of Beilert Valance (from Target Vader) and how he and other bounty hunters play into their role in the post-ESB universe.
Doctor Aphra - While she isn't directly in this, some of the characters in her title are and they get an epilogue (starring Luke) at Echo Base. Aphra will be back to cause more mayhem. (Maybe I'll try her title again next time around. It got really annoying to me the first go around.)
This Volume was everything I needed to fill in the last gap between ANH and ESB. I strongly recommend almost anything Star Wars and will continue to do so.
October 3, 2020
El último volumen de esta etapa, y concluye con la historia que Pak inició en el tomo anterior, las cosas no se ven bien para la rebelión, pero se les ocurre juntar las misiones de todos en una.
Lo mejor de este tomo es la tensión y emoción que produce, mientras lo leía sentí que estaba presenciando una película de estos personajes. Definitivamente la trama del tomo es mucho mejor que el episodio IX.
Las conclusiones de la historia de Leia y Solo y la de Luke no me fascinaron. La que sentí mejor realizada desde su planteamiento y hasta el final fue la de Chewbacca y c3Po. La decisión que tiene que tomar el droide y las revelaciones con el planeta de seres de piedra me pareció muy buena. Incluso el final de la historia presenta varias acciones y decisiones morales difíciles para los protagonistas. Además que el proverbial enfrentamiento entre Chewie y Vader fue una belleza.
Este tomo también incluye unas historias cortas, la de los papás de Dameron que habíamos visto en shattered empire regresan para mostrarnos como construyeron la base de hoth. Una historia sobre un equipo de elite que Vader comienza a crear y la historia de un personaje que no había visto: Valance; y que se ve muy interesante, es un cyborg que servía al imperio pero después de una mala experiencia se vuelve un mercenario. Creo que tiene una serie y me gustaría que la trajeran a México.
Como conclusión de una historia de 13 volúmenes, este tomo es tibio. Concluye maravillosamente la historia que Pak inició en el tomo anterior, pero cerrar los 13 tomos y establecer el comienzo de la quinta película, no lo logra para nada. No se siente específicamente como un final y creo que eso es triste. Pak debería de haber aventado todo al asador y establecer líneas para que la historia se conecte con las películas. Pero es muy entretenida y creo que tanto el tomo 12 como el 13 son de las mejores historias que vimos en esta etapa de la serie.
Lo mejor de este tomo es la tensión y emoción que produce, mientras lo leía sentí que estaba presenciando una película de estos personajes. Definitivamente la trama del tomo es mucho mejor que el episodio IX.
Las conclusiones de la historia de Leia y Solo y la de Luke no me fascinaron. La que sentí mejor realizada desde su planteamiento y hasta el final fue la de Chewbacca y c3Po. La decisión que tiene que tomar el droide y las revelaciones con el planeta de seres de piedra me pareció muy buena. Incluso el final de la historia presenta varias acciones y decisiones morales difíciles para los protagonistas. Además que el proverbial enfrentamiento entre Chewie y Vader fue una belleza.
Este tomo también incluye unas historias cortas, la de los papás de Dameron que habíamos visto en shattered empire regresan para mostrarnos como construyeron la base de hoth. Una historia sobre un equipo de elite que Vader comienza a crear y la historia de un personaje que no había visto: Valance; y que se ve muy interesante, es un cyborg que servía al imperio pero después de una mala experiencia se vuelve un mercenario. Creo que tiene una serie y me gustaría que la trajeran a México.
Como conclusión de una historia de 13 volúmenes, este tomo es tibio. Concluye maravillosamente la historia que Pak inició en el tomo anterior, pero cerrar los 13 tomos y establecer el comienzo de la quinta película, no lo logra para nada. No se siente específicamente como un final y creo que eso es triste. Pak debería de haber aventado todo al asador y establecer líneas para que la historia se conecte con las películas. Pero es muy entretenida y creo que tanto el tomo 12 como el 13 son de las mejores historias que vimos en esta etapa de la serie.
January 18, 2021
Ahh we've come to the end, I suppose these comics would take place in between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back so a good place to add a few storylines in. Overall I found them both beautiful and entertaining to read, a lot of these comics moved the story along and there thankfully wasn't too much filler so that was a welcome addition. The last comics is a nice cap off for the next movie so I could easily see these as having been a little mini show if they had created the movies now as opposed to back when TV shows didn't have the guts to go full alien (unless you count Star Trek which let's be real was for old white men like my grandfather).
I like that the series always showed Vader as this plodding, ever looming monster that just hacked and clawed towards Luke and his friends with this mindless determination, you really get the sense that he's a one-minded individual whose been waiting since the end of his Jedi hunting phase for something new to come along. I love seeing Luke learn tiny tidbits of things he needs to become both a Jedi and a fighter, it also shows how hard it was to learn anything about the Jedi and how well the Empire had gone to erase all of their teachings.
Leia and Han were their usual shit-starting selves the whole series, you can really feel the tension in every picture of how they had feelings for each other and yet neither were going to make themselves vulnerable enough to admit it to the other. R2D2, C-3PO, and Chewbacca were their usual ass kicking selves the whole time, if it wasn't R2 wrecking people with his upgraded shocker it was C3PO just talking people into a coma and then toddling off like "People are so rude!" as carnage follows in his wake.
All in all, I recommend this series for the ones who love Star Wars and want that little extra bit of here's where we were in between and what we were doing that I think we all love.
I like that the series always showed Vader as this plodding, ever looming monster that just hacked and clawed towards Luke and his friends with this mindless determination, you really get the sense that he's a one-minded individual whose been waiting since the end of his Jedi hunting phase for something new to come along. I love seeing Luke learn tiny tidbits of things he needs to become both a Jedi and a fighter, it also shows how hard it was to learn anything about the Jedi and how well the Empire had gone to erase all of their teachings.
Leia and Han were their usual shit-starting selves the whole series, you can really feel the tension in every picture of how they had feelings for each other and yet neither were going to make themselves vulnerable enough to admit it to the other. R2D2, C-3PO, and Chewbacca were their usual ass kicking selves the whole time, if it wasn't R2 wrecking people with his upgraded shocker it was C3PO just talking people into a coma and then toddling off like "People are so rude!" as carnage follows in his wake.
All in all, I recommend this series for the ones who love Star Wars and want that little extra bit of here's where we were in between and what we were doing that I think we all love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2022
This book is at the end of a series of graphic novels. I just saw it on my library shelf and was interested. Many different storylines are at play here, and, ultimately, this leads the Rebellion to finding their new base on Hoth.
Overall, it wasn't a bad storyline. The characters were well drawn, those we knew from the films were familiar and the new characters had a lot of depth to them. Warba was a really interesting lady. She had so many layers and secrets. Dar was wisecracking, he had an interesting personality.
What made me dislike this book was the dialogue. So much of it was just verbalizations of sounds. There were so many two page spreads where the dialogue bubbles above the characters, and the individual blocks themselves did not contain actual words, just written out sounds. It got really annoying, really quickly. I think books like this should contain actual text and not just pages and pages of written out sound effects.
The art was really good, I did like that. It was vibrant and detailed. The book just needed more actual text.
Overall, it wasn't a bad storyline. The characters were well drawn, those we knew from the films were familiar and the new characters had a lot of depth to them. Warba was a really interesting lady. She had so many layers and secrets. Dar was wisecracking, he had an interesting personality.
What made me dislike this book was the dialogue. So much of it was just verbalizations of sounds. There were so many two page spreads where the dialogue bubbles above the characters, and the individual blocks themselves did not contain actual words, just written out sounds. It got really annoying, really quickly. I think books like this should contain actual text and not just pages and pages of written out sound effects.
The art was really good, I did like that. It was vibrant and detailed. The book just needed more actual text.
January 14, 2021
Story has a big banner on it that says DESTINATION: HOTH and the only time we see Hoth is in a tiny anthology story at the very end, that's disappointing.
Funny that C3pO becomes the hero, and most interesting character, of this arc though. That's neat. I like the cast of characters and the way Greg Pak voices them, he even gets to draw some cool aliens and get Phil Noto to draw some hella cool rock aliens. But this whole thing boils down to a filler to get them to Episode V.
Funny that C3pO becomes the hero, and most interesting character, of this arc though. That's neat. I like the cast of characters and the way Greg Pak voices them, he even gets to draw some cool aliens and get Phil Noto to draw some hella cool rock aliens. But this whole thing boils down to a filler to get them to Episode V.
May 3, 2020
Pak does another good job on the writing side and Noto puts out some great work on the artistic side. The only thing I didn’t care for is that Vader was involved. I get that they were trying to make the stakes feel higher but him and Luke meeting in the comics before Empire always seems cheap to me. Otherwise, this is a really enjoyable volume. 4 out of 5.
May 23, 2020
It’s fine. A mild conclusion to an incredible run that kind of peaked with Gillen’s EPIC run. The art is very disjointed and a little sloppy. The dialogue is a little hokey. And the preview stories at end go too long. But Chewie fights Vader so that’s cool...
July 4, 2020
leia looked SO GOOD in this one....thank u phil noto. he also has the talent of making luke look SO soulful.
i also really liked the lil story with poe's parents, that was adorable.
WHAT DO I READ NOW THO @ DISNEY
i also really liked the lil story with poe's parents, that was adorable.
WHAT DO I READ NOW THO @ DISNEY
July 12, 2021
This volume was actually really short, which made it more digestible than many of the others. This has a lot of well-rounded characters and morals that I like, but it definitely shouldn't have run for 70-something issues.
August 9, 2021
Really only three issues of story here and the rest is filler. The story isn't bad--I liked the sentient rock people--but it's kind of "meh." The art is too pretty for the most part. Hopefully the next reboot pumps a bit more life back into things.
January 28, 2020
Nice conclusion to the 2015 run. The numbering will start over for the 2020 series.
July 3, 2020
Public library copy.
Excellent Phil Not art but a rather forgettable story
Excellent Phil Not art but a rather forgettable story
April 7, 2021
These newest Star Wars series have been fun, giving us more adventures of the old crew, introducing new characters into the galaxy faraway. It’s in good hands.
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