Age of Rebellion: Special comic
"Age of Rebellion: Special"
As a whole, these stories were all very good. They were each COMPLETELY different and unique which made for a surprising and interesting reading experience. I would've liked to see what Greg Pak could do with one of these mini-stories but he didn't have a hand in writing any of these three special comics unlike Jody Houser's "Sisters" in the "Age of Republic: Special". We do though get a story by Simon Spurrier!! Which is so exciting--you know him from the Dr. Aphra series. Without further ado, the individual comics:
IG-88 in "The Long Game" written by Simon Spurrier, illustrated by Caspar Wijngaard and Lee Loughridge
What a deep and provocative story! Spurrier digs down into IG-88's psyche to explore what makes him tick and why he does what he does. It supposedly takes place right before A New Hope. To move the narrative along, we get boxes of narration along with the dialogue that dives into IG-88's personality and desires--his hunt for perfection. Apparently he crafted and molded himself over time, trying out new programs and software, all in the quest to become something truly special. The title plays out very nicely in the end of the comic.
We start out with IG-88 working with the Empire in capturing a shuttle thief. It turns out to be somebody (Venga Liss) who he doesn't want to be caught having killed. This apparently is his m.o. for a number of hits--if the knowledge gets out that he was the one who collected the bounty on certain people, then he'd have heavy hitters after his metal hide. So instead, he ends those particular hunts in fire. Also, being a droid, he doesn't really need money so he'll kill just because he likes killing...*shiver*.
Then we skip ahead to five years later and we see (from the back) 4-LOM, Embo, Dengar, Black Krrsantan, and IG-88 all looking at damage done by an unknown jail-breaker on Kalarassi Five. A trooper says it was Venga Liss, but IG-88 knows he killed him five years previous so he smells a rat! All the other bounty hunters run off to find Venga while IG-88 stays behind to confront the trooper. From there, things go haywire, but in the best of ways for old IG-88.
Trivia:
-Kaluub Akjee was a wanted felon.
-The Gillanium Syndicate was a heavy hitter organization.
-Felons that IG-88 has killed and not taken the bounty on include: Prixqip the Mutilator, Oolamalloola, and the Black Ivory Quintuplets.
Yoda in "The Trial of Dagobah" written by Marc Guggenheim, illustrated by Andrea Broccardo and Dono Sanchez-Almara
This was a brilliant story told almost entirely in narrative that leads right up to the moment where Luke meets Yoda on Dagobah. And Guggenheim uses placement of phrases such as "A New Hope" and "The Last Jedi" to really kick you in the feels! I honestly teared up. Seeing how Yoda goes from being lost in a dream of all the bad things that have taken place in the past and potentially in the future to obtaining clarity and hope is beautiful. This beauty plays right into the title.
We start with Yoda hunting for meat. The narrative goes into how he would never disgrace a lightsaber by using it to fill his belly and then goes on to point out the hubris and blindness of the Jedi and the shame Yoda feels over the darkness the galaxy has been left in. It says he is working out his penance over all that transpired and so will never wield a lightsaber again. *tear*
The creatures he hunts have bat noses and ears but hoofs and spots!! They are super cool looking (see above). He uses a bow and arrow for the hunt!
A new code of sorts (similar to the Jedi and Sith codes) is presented in the narrative as Yoda realizes that dwelling on hubris, blindness, and shame has led him to a dark place, one not at peace with the Force. It says, "Failure is the greatest teacher. Forgiveness is the path to strength. Understanding is the path to peace. And in that peace...is the power to move mountains." I actually quite like this one! I've always been partial to the Sith code but this one is really impactful.
Biggs Darklighter and Jek Porkins in "Stolen Valor" written by Jon Adams, illustrated by Jon Adams and Chris O'Halloran
What a bizarre and oddly humored story! It was an enjoyable read but was just weird as heck. The bright colors used in the artwork go right along with the strange contents. It also supposedly takes place right before A New Hope. Not sure I understand where this particular title comes from...
It opens with a fire fight that is "not far from Kashyyyk" as Biggs Darklighter and Jek Porkins battle it out in space with Imperials. Porkins takes down the very last one and as the TIE explodes, a hologram-picture frame of the Imperial pilot's family thunks against his windshield... When they land, Biggs is overly excited and proclaiming how the pilot is now in a million pieces and was screaming for his life. Porkins replies that he needs a vacation to get away from it all. The two of them end up going to what Biggs calls "a vacation planet" with a struggling economy--interesting. It is called Irff and has some quite intriguing flora and fauna (see above and below).
They are off on vacation for twelve days and all goes wonderfully until they attempt to pull a kidnapping and everything falls apart.
When they arrive back with the Rebels, they find out that the following people died while they were gone: Zlarko, Fafifeth, Jezri, Voov, Neithi, Shir-Lax, and L'ry Ap'lton. The being relaying this information is a pure white alien with four tiny little eyes, 6 super long and thin fingers, and what looks like a white sheet for hair.
In the end, Porkins is left wondering what in the world he will do once the fight is over.
Such a wonderful collection of uniquely different stories, this one was absolutely a winner! But I have to say, I'm super excited about getting back to seeing what Greg Pak can pull off for the remainder of the "Age of Rebellion" series!!
IG-88 in "The Long Game" written by Simon Spurrier, illustrated by Caspar Wijngaard and Lee Loughridge
What a deep and provocative story! Spurrier digs down into IG-88's psyche to explore what makes him tick and why he does what he does. It supposedly takes place right before A New Hope. To move the narrative along, we get boxes of narration along with the dialogue that dives into IG-88's personality and desires--his hunt for perfection. Apparently he crafted and molded himself over time, trying out new programs and software, all in the quest to become something truly special. The title plays out very nicely in the end of the comic.
We start out with IG-88 working with the Empire in capturing a shuttle thief. It turns out to be somebody (Venga Liss) who he doesn't want to be caught having killed. This apparently is his m.o. for a number of hits--if the knowledge gets out that he was the one who collected the bounty on certain people, then he'd have heavy hitters after his metal hide. So instead, he ends those particular hunts in fire. Also, being a droid, he doesn't really need money so he'll kill just because he likes killing...*shiver*.
Then we skip ahead to five years later and we see (from the back) 4-LOM, Embo, Dengar, Black Krrsantan, and IG-88 all looking at damage done by an unknown jail-breaker on Kalarassi Five. A trooper says it was Venga Liss, but IG-88 knows he killed him five years previous so he smells a rat! All the other bounty hunters run off to find Venga while IG-88 stays behind to confront the trooper. From there, things go haywire, but in the best of ways for old IG-88.
Trivia:
-Kaluub Akjee was a wanted felon.
-The Gillanium Syndicate was a heavy hitter organization.
-Felons that IG-88 has killed and not taken the bounty on include: Prixqip the Mutilator, Oolamalloola, and the Black Ivory Quintuplets.
Yoda in "The Trial of Dagobah" written by Marc Guggenheim, illustrated by Andrea Broccardo and Dono Sanchez-Almara
We start with Yoda hunting for meat. The narrative goes into how he would never disgrace a lightsaber by using it to fill his belly and then goes on to point out the hubris and blindness of the Jedi and the shame Yoda feels over the darkness the galaxy has been left in. It says he is working out his penance over all that transpired and so will never wield a lightsaber again. *tear*
The creatures he hunts have bat noses and ears but hoofs and spots!! They are super cool looking (see above). He uses a bow and arrow for the hunt!
A new code of sorts (similar to the Jedi and Sith codes) is presented in the narrative as Yoda realizes that dwelling on hubris, blindness, and shame has led him to a dark place, one not at peace with the Force. It says, "Failure is the greatest teacher. Forgiveness is the path to strength. Understanding is the path to peace. And in that peace...is the power to move mountains." I actually quite like this one! I've always been partial to the Sith code but this one is really impactful.
Biggs Darklighter and Jek Porkins in "Stolen Valor" written by Jon Adams, illustrated by Jon Adams and Chris O'Halloran
It opens with a fire fight that is "not far from Kashyyyk" as Biggs Darklighter and Jek Porkins battle it out in space with Imperials. Porkins takes down the very last one and as the TIE explodes, a hologram-picture frame of the Imperial pilot's family thunks against his windshield... When they land, Biggs is overly excited and proclaiming how the pilot is now in a million pieces and was screaming for his life. Porkins replies that he needs a vacation to get away from it all. The two of them end up going to what Biggs calls "a vacation planet" with a struggling economy--interesting. It is called Irff and has some quite intriguing flora and fauna (see above and below).
When they arrive back with the Rebels, they find out that the following people died while they were gone: Zlarko, Fafifeth, Jezri, Voov, Neithi, Shir-Lax, and L'ry Ap'lton. The being relaying this information is a pure white alien with four tiny little eyes, 6 super long and thin fingers, and what looks like a white sheet for hair.
In the end, Porkins is left wondering what in the world he will do once the fight is over.
Such a wonderful collection of uniquely different stories, this one was absolutely a winner! But I have to say, I'm super excited about getting back to seeing what Greg Pak can pull off for the remainder of the "Age of Rebellion" series!!
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