Yes, I borrowed the sub-title from DC but what of it? It’s appropriate for about a year ago DHC retooled their Star Wars line. In place of the Empire, Republic and Star Wars Tales plus occasional mini-series and one-shots came Knights of the Old Republic, Rebellion and Legacy. Later a fourth series was announced, Dark Times, which would alternate with Rebellion. At any one time there would be, or should be, 3 monthly titles from DHC.
Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is set 4000 years before the films and has a dual heritage. On the one hand it’s clearly a reference to the very popular video games on the PC and X-Box, but older fans will know DHC did a Tales Of The Jedi series in the nineties that established the era. DHC is clearly hoping to appeal to both audiences with this title, although I’ve seen online complaints that the video games references are more numerous. Well, maybe but as I’ve not played the games, I can’t say but it would be understandable, as the video game audience may be the greater in numbers. In any case I’ve spotted a few references to the older material too.
Indeed John Jackson Miller has a very tricky task in crafting this series. On the one hand he has to link it to the TOTJ series but also to the games and add enough intrigue and difference for the gameplayers to not think they already know the story for the series precedes the games.
The initial arc saw a very dark turn of events with a Padawan being framed for the murder of several other Jedi students by the Jedi masters who did the deed! It turns out that the Masters are attempting to avert a dark future, but such action is rarely wise and it may be by acting on a future vision they have brought about a self-fulfilling prophecy. By focusing on the victim of this plot, Miller gives us a clear underdog to root for. Zayne is not the best of his class either, he’s flawed and interesting. As he attempts to escape Zayne comes into contact with other equally good characters and they end up as a group. Whilst 6-part arcs are common, the space allows Miller to link up the characters naturally, it doesn’t feel forced or artificial.
Subsequent arcs have seen the bunch pay a visit to the front line of the Mandalorian invasion and run a bank scam. The former was a dark war story lightened by small bits of comedy, whereas the latter was more comedy with a dark edge. The variety aids the title greatly, it balances out the dark elements and stops it being dispiriting. Miller has kept track of the other characters too, like the rogue Jedi. One other point to note is that, in an age of spoilage and internet information, Miller is very guarded on future developments. Yet given how the first 12 issues of this series have played out, it’s clear he has a plan and I’m intrigued to see what it is.
Move a few millennia forward and we encounter Rebellion. Set between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, this is centred on the classic characters, or at least initially. Alternating with Dark Times, Rebellion adopts a mini-series approach, with each arc being 5 issues. From the information released about the second arc, it seems Rebellion will build on the arcs but the linkage will be optional. The debut story, “My Brother, My Enemy” sees Luke Skywalker having to deal with an old friend who is now an Imperial officer. Though there is a good deal of action in the story, including a stunningly rendered fleet battle at the finale, the focus is on the characters: of their past relationship and the effects of the present situation on them.
Rebellion,’s plot picked up strands from Empire’s final arc which saw Luke cross paths with Sunbar, an idealistic Imperial that had been the centre of a prior tale. Therefore it is not surprising that people may have expected a more conclusive resolution than what the series delivered. I was not surprised by the open ending, for DHC had spent a lot of time to develop the character of Sunbar, it was unlikely they would throw that away.
Jump forward 100 years and we encounter DHC’s most ambitious undertaking: Legacy. Set in the future with the Empire and Sith running the galaxy, Legacy hits hard from the start. The opening issue has the Jedi attacked, a Skywalker dies and the Sith betray the Emperor to seize the throne for Darth Krayt. 7 years on and the second issue picks up on the characters in what an opening arc of 6 parts. Legacy did have some delays at the start that saw DHC insert a fill-in story for the fourth issue. Due to the care taken, it acted as an intriguing interlude and worked well. DHC have done similar before on its Empire line, in most cases it was successful.
Legacy’s first arc is aptly titled ‘Broken’ for that is both what the galaxy and some of the characters are. Cade Skywalker, who saw his father die in the first, is a bounty hunter who will even go after Jedi if he can. Not only that but he’s hooked on glitterstim, a designer drug and the pawn of a crime lord! Yet it is in turning the Jedi over to the Sith that events are set in motion, for it is something Cade has not done previously. At the same time his former master, Wolf and another Jedi, Shado, have decided to seek him out, for before the attack on the Jedi years before, Cade had been a promising student. Meanwhile, the Sith are pre-occupied with tracking down the former Emperor to avoid a civil war. Darth Krayt despatches his hand, Darth Talon to capture Fel’s daughter so they may find him through her.
These threads and others all coalesce into a confrontation that spans issues 5 to 7 of Legacy. The Sith pursue Marasiah Fel, Cade decides to give her a lift as she flees from Talon and heads for Vendaxa. The Sith follow. On Vendaxa they try to meet with the missionaries they were told about, who are the Jedi. In the process they end up fighting the local wildlife and the Jedi are forced to reveal themselves. In the fight that follows Cade is forced to use the Force, so disclosing his ability to his shipmates who were unaware. The sixth issue sees the Imperial Knights intervene on Vendaxa at their leader’s order, though Fel has decreed his daughter should not be rescued. Issue 7 concludes the arc and lays down plenty of threads for future issues.
The idea of the Empire having Imperial Knights, or Jedi dedicated to protecting the Emperor is an intriguing one and will hopefully be explored more in the future. One other character has made a brief appearance in Legacy as a Force ghost, Luke Skywalker, who is trying to get his successor to accept his heritage. Cade is reluctant to do so, as the Jedi have been treated like dirt and betrayed repeatedly by the galaxy. Why should he have to be the hero? Cannot someone be so? Ostrander is exploring the themes of good and evil, expectations and history with Legacy. He’s also using a very large cast that is occasionally hard to keep track of. With the Empire split between Fel and Krayt, never mind that future issues will bring other players into the story and delve into the history more, Legacy is clearly a long-term arc.
Finally, there is Dark Times. Beginning after the most recent film, Revenge of the Sith, the series explores the newly Imperial galaxy, with the Empire having to put down numerous insurrections. One of these involves a former Jedi and it is his story that the first series focuses on. With only the first issue out, it’s early days for the title but the indication is, like Rebellion, this will be a character story. A story of adjustment to a radically changed world. With Legacy and KOTOR ongoing, it would be easy to miss a miniseries like Dark Times or Rebellion, but each is worth a look.
So 4 titles spanning 4 different eras, only 2 of which will be immediately accessible to people due to being linked to the films, how to enable people to access the others? Here DHC did something smart, they did issue 0s at a cost of $0.25, one for both Rebellion and KOTOR, one for Legacy. Rebellion’s summarised the last arc or so of Empire, KOTOR was a prelude to the main series, while Legacy was a guidebook to the series laying out information on characters, history and technology. All acted as a good introduction to the respective series.
None of the series take a simple approach, many characters are a mix of good and bad points, though few save for the villains are evil, it’s more dubious traits. So Marn Hiergryph, a dodgy trader who gets caught up with Zayne in KOTOR. Yet this clearly recalls the likes of Han Solo in the films, a far from perfect or utterly heroic character. Such flawed and less than morally perfect creations tend to be more interesting than whiter-than-white characters and it’s certainly the case with KOTOR. I’ll admit to being surprised by the series , it’s only been the last couple of issues or so that it’s really found its feet and got going. Up until then it was engaging but lacking something, a hook, an interest but since issue 10 it’s been blazing.
One weakness for Legacy in comparison to KOTOR is its large cast. The number of characters has reduced the time for each so we don’t know the cast as well as KOTOR, nor is it as easy to care about them. Right now Legacy is succeeding more by virtue of its plot than its characters, while KOTOR has a much better balance of both. Hopefully as Legacy continues to develop it will accomplish this. Cade Skywalker certainly has a point when he explains why he does not wish to be a Jedi, it’s refreshing to see a realistic attitude in a fantastic tale but it makes it hard to care about the character. I’m more interested in the Jedi characters but they’ve played a small role thus far. Such is the way of it with a large cast, but I’m sure Ostrander will give everyone centre stage.
As for Rebellion and Dark Times Both look to be telling smaller, quieter but no less complex stories. They may well be easily overlooked due to the higher-profile ongoing series in progress. For a new reader Rebellion’s story may lack the kind of punch needed to get itself noticed in a very competitive market. Similarly Dark Times has the problem of being dismissed as the Empire is in charge for the next 20 years, so what can anyone do? Of what interest are stories set in this time?
So what’s the verdict? Success? Failure? Given that I’ve become decidedly jaded on Star Wars over the last year or so yet KOTOR and Legacy have both been great reads, I have no option but to say it’s a success overall. Where KOTOR gives us a good band of characters to get behind and an interesting galactic situation as background, Legacy does a wide view of the galaxy with Jedi, Sith and Empire plus smugglers and crime lords and it doesn’t intend to stop there. Legacy plunges us in at speed and demands we keep up, KOTOR is less harsh but more entertaining. While I may think Legacy can get better that doesn’t stop it still being a very good comic.
And for new readers? I would say DHC have done the best they can to make each series as accessible as possible, from well-written introduction and recap pages to introductory guidebooks. The only thing they really do need from readers is a chance. Given DHC’s occasional shipping delays it may well be that readers find these stories as TPBs first, but that may be a better way to read them. Regardless of what format people come across these tales, give them a chance, some may not be to your liking but others may surprise you, after all there’s four to choose from!
Ben Crofts is resident in Essex, works in London and has found comics and philosophy mix surprisingly well.