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Star Wars (2020)
Star Wars: Crimson Reign
The story that began with WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS continues in the second chapter of an epic trilogy that will reshape the Star Wars galaxy during the Age of Rebellion! The criminal organization known as the Crimson Dawn has risen — but what is their goal, and how do they plan to achieve it? And how will the Rebel Alliance and the Empire both react to this new galactic power player? Featuring the return of beloved characters, shocking twists, epic feats of the Force and a story that will reach from the darkest underworld all the way to the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, CRIMSON REIGN is a Star Wars saga like no other!
136 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2022
48 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
About the author
Charles Soule
1,520 books1,689 followersCharles Soule is a #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist, comics author, screenwriter, musician, and lapsed attorney. He has written some of the most prominent stories of the last decade for Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm in addition to his own work, such as his comics Curse Words, Letter 44 and Undiscovered Country, and his original novels Light of the Jedi, The Endless Vessel, The Oracle Year and Anyone. He lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
June 20, 2025
Pretty good!
June 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, but I was tempted to take one star off because I think it finished too early. It is one of those cliffhanger endings that just make me shout no, don't stop there.
Lady Qi'ra has put all of the resources of Crimson Dawn into a war. She has uncovered one of the biggest secrets of the Empire. She is making big moves and will do anything to get what and who she wants. From extortion to flattery, many prices will be paid in blood.
This second chapter of this trilogy had Qu'ra and Crimson Dawn make systematic, but big bold moves felt throughout the galaxy. From the way this book has gone, I can't imagine anything short of epic for the next book/chapter.
Lady Qi'ra has put all of the resources of Crimson Dawn into a war. She has uncovered one of the biggest secrets of the Empire. She is making big moves and will do anything to get what and who she wants. From extortion to flattery, many prices will be paid in blood.
This second chapter of this trilogy had Qu'ra and Crimson Dawn make systematic, but big bold moves felt throughout the galaxy. From the way this book has gone, I can't imagine anything short of epic for the next book/chapter.
July 5, 2023
The Star Wars limited-run series “Crimson Reign” was the continuation of another cross-over series started in the series “War of the Bounty Hunters”, which was, in itself, a cross-media series carrying on a storyline that was started in the 2018 Ron Howard film “Solo: A Star Wars Story”. Confused? Don’t be. It just means it’s a lot of Star Wars, which is generally a good thing.
I actually hate cross-over events within comic books. They’re usually confusing, and they are a blatant attempt by the comic book company to sell more comic books. I’m not being cynical, I’m just thinking like a capitalist.
“War of the Bounty Hunters” was okay, but it involved reading the series “Bounty Hunters” which I don’t like. It also carried into another series that is hit or miss for me: “Darth Vader”. The main title series “Star Wars” has been consistently good, and I never pass up an opportunity to read “Doctor Aphra” (another series that has its ups and downs but mostly ups.)
Lady Qi’ra (played by Emilia Clarke in “Solo”) has taken over the criminal organization known as Crimson Dawn. She’s playing a long con that involves many different actors, none of whom has any idea what her ultimate endgame is. It means chaos throughout the Empire and a vast shadow conspiracy she calls The Hidden Empire…
Charles Soule writes and Steven Cummings illustrates an interesting but ultimately unsatisfying series in which there is a lot of set-up but not a lot of pay-off.
I actually hate cross-over events within comic books. They’re usually confusing, and they are a blatant attempt by the comic book company to sell more comic books. I’m not being cynical, I’m just thinking like a capitalist.
“War of the Bounty Hunters” was okay, but it involved reading the series “Bounty Hunters” which I don’t like. It also carried into another series that is hit or miss for me: “Darth Vader”. The main title series “Star Wars” has been consistently good, and I never pass up an opportunity to read “Doctor Aphra” (another series that has its ups and downs but mostly ups.)
Lady Qi’ra (played by Emilia Clarke in “Solo”) has taken over the criminal organization known as Crimson Dawn. She’s playing a long con that involves many different actors, none of whom has any idea what her ultimate endgame is. It means chaos throughout the Empire and a vast shadow conspiracy she calls The Hidden Empire…
Charles Soule writes and Steven Cummings illustrates an interesting but ultimately unsatisfying series in which there is a lot of set-up but not a lot of pay-off.
December 2, 2024
Este volumen cuenta los cómics principales del gran arco CRIMSON REIGN que tiene varias tie-in en otros títulos. Cuenta cómo Qi'ra logró reunir en la nave insignia del Alba Escarlata (El Vermellón) a un grupo enorme de combatientes como Los caballeros de Ren, Ochi de Bestoon, Chanath Cha y los huérfanos, Deathstick, Margo, Trinia, la Archivista y muchos otros. Ella tiene un propósito claro matar a los dos Sith que generan un desbalance de poder en la Galaxia.
Mientras el grupo de las Huérfanas siembran el caos entre los sindicatos de asesinos, los caballeros de Ren van a por el castillo de Vader, Lady Deathstick por Cadeliah, Ochi por los guardias de Palpatine (que resultan ser humanos).
Al ser un volumen con muchos personajes y situaciones es muy entretenido. Me gustó cuando la archivista narra la caída de los Jedi que asocia al miedo y a la envidia que se les tenía. Y que borrar todo rastro de ellos. El final de este volumen todavía se continuará con el arco HIDDEN EMPIRE.
Mientras el grupo de las Huérfanas siembran el caos entre los sindicatos de asesinos, los caballeros de Ren van a por el castillo de Vader, Lady Deathstick por Cadeliah, Ochi por los guardias de Palpatine (que resultan ser humanos).
Al ser un volumen con muchos personajes y situaciones es muy entretenido. Me gustó cuando la archivista narra la caída de los Jedi que asocia al miedo y a la envidia que se les tenía. Y que borrar todo rastro de ellos. El final de este volumen todavía se continuará con el arco HIDDEN EMPIRE.
November 7, 2023
3.5 stars. The Crimson Dawn storyline has really intrigued me throughout this Star Wars run and while this probably wasn’t the best way of explaining their purpose, it does have me excited to see what will be in store for the galaxy with this organization existing. If this one didn’t read so much like a textbook, I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
October 11, 2023
10/10/23 update: Re-read as preparation for Hidden Empire. I can see why I forgot most of this book - it's dense as hell! My previous review noted that Crimson Reign is light on lore, but that's absolutely not true. There's so much lore in here! Ancient Sith crap everywhere. Really dug this one on the second run-through. It keeps the energy and anticipation high even though it mostly deals with new or secondary characters. A fine event, even if it is mostly build-up.
11/7/22 review: As a follow-up to War of the Bounty Hunters, I suppose Crimson Reign is successful: it's more Qi'ra, more Crimson Dawn, more messing around with the Emperor and Darth Vader. As a standalone event, it definitely fails: this book is 100% setup for the next big event.
Crimson Reign's six issues function like character pieces, with each one highlighting the actions of a sub-group within Crimson Dawn. It's all intended to add up to making the Emperor mad, and it does, but it's never quite clear why or what the endgame is. In fact, the endgame appears to have come as a surprise to Qi'ra, as she notes towards the end that her actions have come to fruition too quickly. So, uh, what was the goal then?
If you've been hankering for more Qi'ra and Crimson Dawn, Crimson Reign will satisfy. It's fairly light on lore, though, and the story is just passable, a clear product of brainstorming an "event". I can't imagine how all the other Star Wars series are going to tie in to this. Sigh.
11/7/22 review: As a follow-up to War of the Bounty Hunters, I suppose Crimson Reign is successful: it's more Qi'ra, more Crimson Dawn, more messing around with the Emperor and Darth Vader. As a standalone event, it definitely fails: this book is 100% setup for the next big event.
Crimson Reign's six issues function like character pieces, with each one highlighting the actions of a sub-group within Crimson Dawn. It's all intended to add up to making the Emperor mad, and it does, but it's never quite clear why or what the endgame is. In fact, the endgame appears to have come as a surprise to Qi'ra, as she notes towards the end that her actions have come to fruition too quickly. So, uh, what was the goal then?
If you've been hankering for more Qi'ra and Crimson Dawn, Crimson Reign will satisfy. It's fairly light on lore, though, and the story is just passable, a clear product of brainstorming an "event". I can't imagine how all the other Star Wars series are going to tie in to this. Sigh.
September 19, 2022
This book was very entertaining regardless if there was very little action and was essentially a set up for the final volume. I really enjoyed the Qi'ra character in Solo movie so I'm glad to see her character expanded upon. There are also some great recurring characters like the knights of Ren. The newly added Archivist is a nice pov addition also. I like that we are getting a beefier story with these star wars titles rather than re-hashing/recycling old tales.
I'm not a big fan of the art in this series wonder if they can pull in some talent for future series. I'm surprised artists aren't lining up to work on this
I'm not a big fan of the art in this series wonder if they can pull in some talent for future series. I'm surprised artists aren't lining up to work on this
June 14, 2025
3.5 Stars
This wasn't a bad limited series/crossover, as we see how the rise of the criminal organization of Crimson Dawn has caused ripples throughout the Star Wars Universe. I preferred War of the Bounty Hunters because not only are the Bounty Hunters my favorite Star Wars characters, but the continuity on the crossover was much tighter. These stories did have a common thread, but it did feel like a bunch of separate stories. Overall, still good.
This wasn't a bad limited series/crossover, as we see how the rise of the criminal organization of Crimson Dawn has caused ripples throughout the Star Wars Universe. I preferred War of the Bounty Hunters because not only are the Bounty Hunters my favorite Star Wars characters, but the continuity on the crossover was much tighter. These stories did have a common thread, but it did feel like a bunch of separate stories. Overall, still good.
September 27, 2022
A comprehensive and entertaining rundown of Q’ira’s plans after the Han Solo Auction with a different member of her inner circle in the spotlight each time.
October 13, 2022
Here we have the second part of the trilogy involving Qi'ra, first being "War of the Bounty Hunters", and followed (according to the end of this VOlume) by "The Hidden Empire". I really love the cunning and the chaos that this underrated character from "Solo" has brought to the Episode 5.5 era.
I'm going to assume that there is TONS more to this story that will be divided over the other Star Wars comics, but this is primarily about the missions and plans set up by Qi'ra and the missions being carried out by the specific people and groups she hired.
- A group called "The Orphans" is hired to do hits and assassinations against other criminal groups, eliminating the competition against Crimson Dawn
- Qi'ra personally hires the Knights of Ren to steal a whispering dagger artifact from Fortress Vader on Mustafar, then take it to a Sith site to obtain an hourglass artifact.
- Ochi of Bestoon procures timed poisons to kill Palpatine's Red Imperial Guards right in front of him.
- A heavily modified cyborg named Deathstick is hired to abduct a girl named Cadeliah from the Rebels base. Other than appearing to learn heavily from Qi'ra, we are not shown exactly what this girl will be used for.
- A woman who simply goes by "The Archivist" is given a very special task. Originally one of the galaxy's greatest librarians and artifact collectors, her career fell after Order 66, when it became illegal to own or study anything of the Jedi, which was her primary focus. Qi'ra tasks her with finding Yoda, and while she actually does make it to Dagobah, an experience in the Dark Side Cave changes her mind about revealing that he is alive.
Very much looking forward to reading the connecting books soon, to get a more complete picture.
But still a great story so far.
Recommend.
I'm going to assume that there is TONS more to this story that will be divided over the other Star Wars comics, but this is primarily about the missions and plans set up by Qi'ra and the missions being carried out by the specific people and groups she hired.
- A group called "The Orphans" is hired to do hits and assassinations against other criminal groups, eliminating the competition against Crimson Dawn
- Qi'ra personally hires the Knights of Ren to steal a whispering dagger artifact from Fortress Vader on Mustafar, then take it to a Sith site to obtain an hourglass artifact.
- Ochi of Bestoon procures timed poisons to kill Palpatine's Red Imperial Guards right in front of him.
- A heavily modified cyborg named Deathstick is hired to abduct a girl named Cadeliah from the Rebels base. Other than appearing to learn heavily from Qi'ra, we are not shown exactly what this girl will be used for.
- A woman who simply goes by "The Archivist" is given a very special task. Originally one of the galaxy's greatest librarians and artifact collectors, her career fell after Order 66, when it became illegal to own or study anything of the Jedi, which was her primary focus. Qi'ra tasks her with finding Yoda, and while she actually does make it to Dagobah, an experience in the Dark Side Cave changes her mind about revealing that he is alive.
Very much looking forward to reading the connecting books soon, to get a more complete picture.
But still a great story so far.
Recommend.
June 4, 2024
Banger jakich mało. Moja lista ulubionych bohaterów z Star Wars jest raczej niezmienna, przy tej ilości książek i komiksów rzadko kiedy nowa postać otrzymuje wystarczającą ilość czasu kartkowego by zapaść w pamięci. I tu nagle wchodzi Thrawn - jako najlepszy książkowy antagonista ever. I Qi'ra - jako najlepsza protago/antagonistka ever. Yo dupia chce więcej. Chce alternatywną rzeczywistość w której Qi'ra pokonuje zarówno Imperium jak i Rebelie i rządzi galaktyką.
January 23, 2023
This was very interesting because it took ancillary characters and created a new side series with them, intertwined with the events post-Empire. Makes me wish they followed up the Solo movie with more of Qi’ra.
September 10, 2022
A bold plan with many moving parts. The book was filled with many maxims.
November 18, 2024
"It's the myth of pain - that sharing it somehow lessens it. All you really end up with is more hurt people."
4.5!
4.5!
August 9, 2022
This is for sure a 4.5/5 rounded down. I think I liked this more than The War of the Bounty Hunters simply because there was more room to breath. In WotBH the four series crossed over hardcore and the issues had to be read in a very specific order to keep surprises going. Here though, the events take place across the Galaxy rather than converging in one ship and so the reading order is a little more relaxed. But boy oh boy do I love Qi’ra. She is really building herself into one formidable Star Wars character and I need October to get here fast so we can start this Shadow Empire event. I’m excited to see how this all ends. This event reminds me a lot of Secret Invasion from Marvel where everyone is going crazy trying to find the Crimson Dawn moles in their organizations with Qi’ra and the Dawn pulling the strings behind the scenes to so many things. Sadly we don’t ever see Maul but there are so many great references to him making him very crucial to the story. There is a pretty big cliff hanger that m curious to see how they handle considering they have to keep telling forward moving stores for another 2 months outside this event. But this will act as a review for all “Crimson Reign” titled volumes so I don’t have to review them all individually.
October 11, 2022
Imperator Palpatine, Darth Vader und das Imperium zu stürzen ist Qi'ras einziges Ziel. Sie hat die verschiedensten Personen, wie Attentäter, Kopfgeldjäger und Machsensitive auserkoren, um den Plan ins Rollen zu bringen. Chaos bricht innerhalb des Imperiums aus.
Palpatine ist gezwungen festzustellen, dass sich sein mächtiges Imperium in höchster Gefahr befindet...
Meine Meinung:
Crimson Reign gehört zu meinen Lieblingscomics aus diesem Jahr! Mit den "Krieg der Kopfgeldjäger" Comics hat Qi'ra nun endlich die Aufmerksamkeit bekommen, die sie sich verdient hat. Crimson Reign wertet dies weiter auf!
Eine so kalkulierte und undurchschaubare Person wie Qi'ra passt einfach perfekt, um unsere altbekannten Sith-Lords in eine unbekannte Situation zu bringen, indem sie keinen Einfluss haben. Sehr interessant!
Auch die verschiedenen Figuren, die ihr dabei helfen, sind super in die Geschichte integriert worden und spannende Momente erlebt man bis zum Schluss!
Jedes Kapitel zeigt dem Leser wie sehr die Unruhen innerhalb des Imperiums zunehmen.
Die Zeichnungen haben mir sehr gefallen! Ich habe keinerlei negative Punkte und gebe der Geschichte wohlverdiente 5-Sterne!
Fazit:
Crimson Dawn an seinen Höhepunkt der Macht! Spannungen, Intrigen und Geheimnisse in einem Band!
Palpatine ist gezwungen festzustellen, dass sich sein mächtiges Imperium in höchster Gefahr befindet...
Meine Meinung:
Crimson Reign gehört zu meinen Lieblingscomics aus diesem Jahr! Mit den "Krieg der Kopfgeldjäger" Comics hat Qi'ra nun endlich die Aufmerksamkeit bekommen, die sie sich verdient hat. Crimson Reign wertet dies weiter auf!
Eine so kalkulierte und undurchschaubare Person wie Qi'ra passt einfach perfekt, um unsere altbekannten Sith-Lords in eine unbekannte Situation zu bringen, indem sie keinen Einfluss haben. Sehr interessant!
Auch die verschiedenen Figuren, die ihr dabei helfen, sind super in die Geschichte integriert worden und spannende Momente erlebt man bis zum Schluss!
Jedes Kapitel zeigt dem Leser wie sehr die Unruhen innerhalb des Imperiums zunehmen.
Die Zeichnungen haben mir sehr gefallen! Ich habe keinerlei negative Punkte und gebe der Geschichte wohlverdiente 5-Sterne!
Fazit:
Crimson Dawn an seinen Höhepunkt der Macht! Spannungen, Intrigen und Geheimnisse in einem Band!
May 25, 2024
Star Wars: Crimson Reign collects issues 1-5 of the Marvel Comics series written by Charles Soule, art by Steve Cummings, and colors by Guru-eFX.
Set after the events of “The War of the Bounty Hunters,” Lady Qi’ra has successfully outmaneuvered everyone in her path and manipulated the bounty hunter guild, the crime syndicates, the Rebellion, and even The Empire to do her secret biddings. Now Qi’ra will launch a series of missions to establish Crimson Dawn as a force to reckoned with.
This is less an event than a set-up for the ACTUAL event, Hidden Empire. This didn’t even need to be a stand alone series. This could have easily been told in all of the various Star Wars titles, especially in the Darth Vader and Bounty Hunter series, cutting out all the fluff from those tie-ins that didn’t actually seem to establish anything. The coolest part of the whole series saw The Knights of Ren staging a heist at Vader’s Castle which would have made a really awesome arc itself than only being half of one issue. Curious to see how Hidden Empire ties up the biggest crossover event in Marvel’s Star Wars history.
Set after the events of “The War of the Bounty Hunters,” Lady Qi’ra has successfully outmaneuvered everyone in her path and manipulated the bounty hunter guild, the crime syndicates, the Rebellion, and even The Empire to do her secret biddings. Now Qi’ra will launch a series of missions to establish Crimson Dawn as a force to reckoned with.
This is less an event than a set-up for the ACTUAL event, Hidden Empire. This didn’t even need to be a stand alone series. This could have easily been told in all of the various Star Wars titles, especially in the Darth Vader and Bounty Hunter series, cutting out all the fluff from those tie-ins that didn’t actually seem to establish anything. The coolest part of the whole series saw The Knights of Ren staging a heist at Vader’s Castle which would have made a really awesome arc itself than only being half of one issue. Curious to see how Hidden Empire ties up the biggest crossover event in Marvel’s Star Wars history.
September 14, 2022
3-4 ABY
This graphic novel is a mini series that begins the next main Star Wars arc after The War of the Bounty Hunters. It is not part of the other on-going series, such as the main Star Wars story with Luke and the gang, Doctor Aphra, or Darth Vader, but rather a stand-alone bridge between the bounty hunter events and what is to come. It is a great show of what Crimson Dawn is capable of and how manipulative they can be as a crime syndicate with Qi'ra as the leading lady. She aims to pit all the other crime syndicates against each other with an ultimate goal of eliminating the Sith from the galaxy. No Sith means the ultimate freedom for all crime syndicates.
I found this installment to be quite interesting, as we get a little bit more about Qi'ra, where she has been, and some snippet of how she came to lead Crimson Dawn. Her fighting style certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Seeing her cunning and having her further developed with this novel really add to the core of events that take place between Episodes V and IV. A great addition to the Star Wars canon.
This graphic novel is a mini series that begins the next main Star Wars arc after The War of the Bounty Hunters. It is not part of the other on-going series, such as the main Star Wars story with Luke and the gang, Doctor Aphra, or Darth Vader, but rather a stand-alone bridge between the bounty hunter events and what is to come. It is a great show of what Crimson Dawn is capable of and how manipulative they can be as a crime syndicate with Qi'ra as the leading lady. She aims to pit all the other crime syndicates against each other with an ultimate goal of eliminating the Sith from the galaxy. No Sith means the ultimate freedom for all crime syndicates.
I found this installment to be quite interesting, as we get a little bit more about Qi'ra, where she has been, and some snippet of how she came to lead Crimson Dawn. Her fighting style certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Seeing her cunning and having her further developed with this novel really add to the core of events that take place between Episodes V and IV. A great addition to the Star Wars canon.
September 9, 2022
This started off with so much dialogue. Took forever to get going. Then Vader took on the Knights of Ren…that was pretty cool. But seriously I like Vader being a bad %@$ and then pretty much everyone stands up to him. And everyone takes him on…..just not my fav. I appreciate the syndicates coming for them but Qi’ra being this Uber-bad gal just does not work for me… still just odd decisions for where to go with the Star Wars universe….disappointing
June 28, 2022
Buen preambulo de lo que se viene, Empire vs Crimson Dawn. Una lástima que esto está acotado al período entre Empire Strikes Back y Return of the Jedi...
May 26, 2024
Qi'ra 🗿
December 26, 2024
Love a cunning power play
June 3, 2023
Zakończyła się Wojna Łowców Nagród, a nastały Szkarłatne rządy.
Dostajemy kolejny crossover z uniwersum Gwiezdnych Wojen. Tym razem dotyczyć on będzie organizacji znanej jako Szkarłatny Świt.
Czy okaże się równie dobry, co poprzednie? Jak ostatecznie się prezentuje?
Szkarłatny Świt poznajemy już w poprzednim, wielkim wydarzeniu, gdy postanowili uprowadzić Kapitana Solo sprzed nosa Boby Fetta. Organizacja pragnie obalić rządy Imperium Galaktycznego. Nie robi tego jednak otwarcie niczym rebelia. Przywódczyni knuje i sprytnie wprowadza chaos.
Czy zabójstwa na zlecenie, porwania, i dywersja okażą się skuteczniejsze niż otwarta walka?
W zasadzie ten komiks jest o początku końca.
Zaczyna się od znalezienia holokronu. Kto go znalazł? Nie wiadomo. Pracownica Szkarłatnego Świtu opowiada o jego działaniach, które w ostatecznie doprowadzą do upadku ówczesnego porządku i prezentuje nam wszystkich członków organizacji. Można powiedzieć, że to taki wstęp do crossoveru. Uważam, iż całość zapowiadała się naprawdę dobrze.
Jeśli chodzi o postacie, to tu również się nie zawiodłam.
Grupa zwana Sierotami, może nie została szczegółowo opisana, jednak jej wkład w sianie zamętu w galaktyce jest ogromny. Rozpoczęli wojnę między syndykatami, wmawiając im, że Imperator szuka nowego sojusznika po zdradzie Huttów. Wystarczył jeden atak, do którego nikt się nie przyznał, aby każdy oskarżał każdego.
Poznajemy również zabójców.
Ochi z Bestoona to niezwykle skuteczny sprzymierzeniec Świtu. Jednak przez dawne okaleczenia trochę postradał zmysły. Zabija, by samemu nie zostać zabitym. Naprawdę ciekawa postać, choć coś czuję, że strach może zaważyć na jego losie.
Deathstick natomiast to kobieta o jeszcze bardziej tragicznej przeszłości. Odbiera życie z zimną krwią. Chce, żeby każdy poczuł to, co ona, gdy umierały jej siostry. Siostry Nocy. Niezastąpiona, nie odrzuca żadnego zlecenia. Podejmie się wszystkiego.
Z pewnością interesującą postacią okazała się także Archiwistka. Przed rozkazem 66 była badaczką Mocy. Po wielkim upadku Jedi upadła i ona. Gdy Imperator wprowadził zakaz robienia czegokolwiek związanego z Zakonem i Mocą, nie pozostało jej nic. Przyłączając się do Szkarłatnego Świtu, zyskała nowe życie. Zadanie, jakie jej wyznaczono to odnalezienie Wielkiego Mistrza Yody. Czy jej się udało? Z pewnością mądrość kobiety mocno przyczyniła się do rozwoju organizacji.
Więcej na: CzasoStrefa
Dostajemy kolejny crossover z uniwersum Gwiezdnych Wojen. Tym razem dotyczyć on będzie organizacji znanej jako Szkarłatny Świt.
Czy okaże się równie dobry, co poprzednie? Jak ostatecznie się prezentuje?
Szkarłatny Świt poznajemy już w poprzednim, wielkim wydarzeniu, gdy postanowili uprowadzić Kapitana Solo sprzed nosa Boby Fetta. Organizacja pragnie obalić rządy Imperium Galaktycznego. Nie robi tego jednak otwarcie niczym rebelia. Przywódczyni knuje i sprytnie wprowadza chaos.
Czy zabójstwa na zlecenie, porwania, i dywersja okażą się skuteczniejsze niż otwarta walka?
W zasadzie ten komiks jest o początku końca.
Zaczyna się od znalezienia holokronu. Kto go znalazł? Nie wiadomo. Pracownica Szkarłatnego Świtu opowiada o jego działaniach, które w ostatecznie doprowadzą do upadku ówczesnego porządku i prezentuje nam wszystkich członków organizacji. Można powiedzieć, że to taki wstęp do crossoveru. Uważam, iż całość zapowiadała się naprawdę dobrze.
Jeśli chodzi o postacie, to tu również się nie zawiodłam.
Grupa zwana Sierotami, może nie została szczegółowo opisana, jednak jej wkład w sianie zamętu w galaktyce jest ogromny. Rozpoczęli wojnę między syndykatami, wmawiając im, że Imperator szuka nowego sojusznika po zdradzie Huttów. Wystarczył jeden atak, do którego nikt się nie przyznał, aby każdy oskarżał każdego.
Poznajemy również zabójców.
Ochi z Bestoona to niezwykle skuteczny sprzymierzeniec Świtu. Jednak przez dawne okaleczenia trochę postradał zmysły. Zabija, by samemu nie zostać zabitym. Naprawdę ciekawa postać, choć coś czuję, że strach może zaważyć na jego losie.
Deathstick natomiast to kobieta o jeszcze bardziej tragicznej przeszłości. Odbiera życie z zimną krwią. Chce, żeby każdy poczuł to, co ona, gdy umierały jej siostry. Siostry Nocy. Niezastąpiona, nie odrzuca żadnego zlecenia. Podejmie się wszystkiego.
Z pewnością interesującą postacią okazała się także Archiwistka. Przed rozkazem 66 była badaczką Mocy. Po wielkim upadku Jedi upadła i ona. Gdy Imperator wprowadził zakaz robienia czegokolwiek związanego z Zakonem i Mocą, nie pozostało jej nic. Przyłączając się do Szkarłatnego Świtu, zyskała nowe życie. Zadanie, jakie jej wyznaczono to odnalezienie Wielkiego Mistrza Yody. Czy jej się udało? Z pewnością mądrość kobiety mocno przyczyniła się do rozwoju organizacji.
Więcej na: CzasoStrefa
October 19, 2022
The core book of the Crimson Reign crossover arc and the second part of a trilogy which began in 'War of the Bounty Hunters', set between Episodes V and VI.
Qi'ra and Crimson Dawn finally reveal their true purpose; the destruction of the Sith who hold the galaxy prisoner. To achieve her ends, Qi'ra unleashes spies, saboteurs, assassins and the Knights of Ren on missions with the intent of destabilising the Empire and dethroning Emperor Palpatine himself.
I was pretty underwhelmed by 'War of the Bounty Hunters', but it has to be said that this book is far, far better. I liked the idea of taking disparate characters and elements who hadn't been created when the classic trilogy came out and pitting them directly against the Empire. This book doesn't have to hold to established lore about where Luke, Leia and company are and what they're up to because all of the core characters are from more recent stories. It means there's some genuinely new ground to be explored in a period of the Star Wars timeline that's been the subject of stories for forty years.
And where 'War of the Bounty Hunters' felt like an ill-fitting lump of a story dropped clumsily between ESB and RotJ, this one actually feels much more natural. In fact, the campaign launched by Crimson Dawn actually helps to make it more believable that the Rebellion went from total defeat at Hoth to total victory at Endor and Jakku in just a couple of years, because we see that the Empire is already reeling from other threats.
For perhaps the very first time since Marvel reclaimed Star Wars comics from Dark Horse (who were great), I'm genuinely excited to see where the next part of this story ('The Hidden Empire' - but not Rebel Assault II...) goes.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
Qi'ra and Crimson Dawn finally reveal their true purpose; the destruction of the Sith who hold the galaxy prisoner. To achieve her ends, Qi'ra unleashes spies, saboteurs, assassins and the Knights of Ren on missions with the intent of destabilising the Empire and dethroning Emperor Palpatine himself.
I was pretty underwhelmed by 'War of the Bounty Hunters', but it has to be said that this book is far, far better. I liked the idea of taking disparate characters and elements who hadn't been created when the classic trilogy came out and pitting them directly against the Empire. This book doesn't have to hold to established lore about where Luke, Leia and company are and what they're up to because all of the core characters are from more recent stories. It means there's some genuinely new ground to be explored in a period of the Star Wars timeline that's been the subject of stories for forty years.
And where 'War of the Bounty Hunters' felt like an ill-fitting lump of a story dropped clumsily between ESB and RotJ, this one actually feels much more natural. In fact, the campaign launched by Crimson Dawn actually helps to make it more believable that the Rebellion went from total defeat at Hoth to total victory at Endor and Jakku in just a couple of years, because we see that the Empire is already reeling from other threats.
For perhaps the very first time since Marvel reclaimed Star Wars comics from Dark Horse (who were great), I'm genuinely excited to see where the next part of this story ('The Hidden Empire' - but not Rebel Assault II...) goes.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
July 1, 2022
A mixed bag, as many of the Star Wars comics are. I like a lot of the ideas Soule is juggling here, and seeing Qi’ra again and more powerful than ever is genuinely exciting, especially because she’s such an unknown player. Soule just has the unfortunate tendency to tell stories in painfully obvious ways and with a loose grasp of tone or intent. It feels less like a story and more like a mechanical slideshow of plot points, which isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it’s not exactly compelling, either. All of the concepts Soule is lassoing together here are cool, my investment just isn’t there. So many of the major characters outside of Qi’ra don’t work for me—the Knights of Ren and Ochi the assassin continue to be more obnoxious than anything, for example.
The artwork doesn’t help thing, either, as it’s only ever fine at best. None of the Star Wars series’ have managed to find a consistent visual identity, and I’ve yet to stop being disappointed by how bland the visuals are. You’re working with some of the most iconic and creative ideas out there, so why do these books all look the same? There’s moments that stand out, but even those are only memorable because of the ideas behind them.
If I was a smarter man, I’d stop reading all of the comics Star Wars puts out, because they haven’t done anything notable in quite some time. These comics might be empty calories, but hey, I’m a well-documented sucker, and I am interested enough in where Qi’ra ends up, so I’m in it for the long haul, as always.
The artwork doesn’t help thing, either, as it’s only ever fine at best. None of the Star Wars series’ have managed to find a consistent visual identity, and I’ve yet to stop being disappointed by how bland the visuals are. You’re working with some of the most iconic and creative ideas out there, so why do these books all look the same? There’s moments that stand out, but even those are only memorable because of the ideas behind them.
If I was a smarter man, I’d stop reading all of the comics Star Wars puts out, because they haven’t done anything notable in quite some time. These comics might be empty calories, but hey, I’m a well-documented sucker, and I am interested enough in where Qi’ra ends up, so I’m in it for the long haul, as always.
August 25, 2024
This one had a really rocky and boring start for me, but it picked up a lot in the second half. This graphic novel is a sequel to Soule’s “War of the Bounty Hunters” which is still my favorite Star Wars graphic novel. In this one, Q’ira finally implements her plan to go to war with the Sith. Using tactics, information, and artifacts that she learned from Darth Maul as her mentor, as well as utilizing her diverse and far-reaching members of Crimson Dawn, Q’ira becomes a force to be reckoned with in her hidden empire. There are some really cool events in this novel: a character known as The Archivist who was a professor of the force is recruited by Q’ira to search for any surviving Jedi to recruit to Crimson Dawn. The Archivist actually discovers the location of Yoda on Dagobah. Another chapter sees the Knights of Ren performing a heist in Darth Vader’s castle on Mustafar. In their search for a key in the vault of the castle, the Knights are discovered and have a face-off with Vader. Ochi of Bestoon also has a pretty cool moment in this comic. This novel seems to have taken characters who had little to do in the new Disney movies and bring them together to make them very compelling characters. I loved the depiction of the Knights of Ren in this novel and in The Rise of Kylo Ren. Most compelling of all is the characterization of Q’ira. She is so well written and I wish we could see more of her in the movies or shows now. Her plan for taking on Palpatine is very elaborate and entertaining to read. I now can’t wait to read the final graphic novel in this trilogy.
October 23, 2022
I read this 'crossover' first, but I think it stands on its own pretty well. After the War of the Bounty Hunters brought Qi'ra and the Crimson Reign into prominence again, this book focuses on her crew and their activities, which are driving major changes in the galaxy. I appreciate that she has multiple balls in the air, each running through a different team, and the book does a good job of giving each one an issue of focus, while still pushing the overall story forward. It's a challenging balance, and it works well. Qi'ra is the mastermind, but she necessarily takes a back seat as the individual aspects take the focus. I was surprised to see the Knights of Ren in her cadre; that was a connection to the Sequel trilogy I hadn't expected, but her use of them is effective (and they get the most action packed story).
Ultimately, this is a 'bridge' event, setting things up for the next major event. That's a challenging place to be, keeping momentum up while driving the story forward too. Soule does an admirable job here. I'm looking forward to seeing how the side stories in the continuing stories add to the plot, if at all.
Ultimately, this is a 'bridge' event, setting things up for the next major event. That's a challenging place to be, keeping momentum up while driving the story forward too. Soule does an admirable job here. I'm looking forward to seeing how the side stories in the continuing stories add to the plot, if at all.
November 5, 2022
Continuing on from the War of the Bounty Hunters event, we get Crimson Reign. Whereas War of the Bounty Hunters was a bit confusing if you didn't get all the pieces (read: trade paperbacks) at the same time, this mini-series feels much more stand-alone. The story revolves around Qi'ra (from the film Solo) and her plot to eliminate the Sith and free the galaxy. The story is told in five chapters as Qi'ra moves her pieces around the chessboard. These include assassins, a force-sensitive archivist, Cadeliah (a young teen who's the heir to two warring crime syndicates and a key part of the Bounty Hunters series), a war between the syndicates to replace the Hutts as the Empire's choice in the underworld, and the Knights of Ren. It's really engaging and having not read the other ongoing series tie-ins to this, I don't feel I have to. The only downside is that it ends on a cliffhanger leading into The Hidden Empire that doesn't start releasing until later this month (November 2022) and that doesn't drop the trade paperback until July 2023. That said, this was a really good story with great art and is a worthy entry into Star Wars canon.
May 14, 2023
Qi'Ra has brought around her many loyal and skilled people. The goal for Crimson Dawn is to return to the galactic stage and enact something better. Qi'Ra has a detailed plan to do just that. She first needs to get her competitors out of the way.
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