|
|
Grunt Work: A Legacy #4 Review
By JediJef
 The Star Wars: Legacy comic series is among the more brilliant creations of the ever-evolving Expanded Universe. The line, which debuted in June 2006, is written and illustrated by veterans John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, with Duursema also doing cover artwork and occasionally giving way to guest illustrators on individual issues.
Not to be confused with the Legacy of Force novel series, which takes place 100 years prior, the Legacy comics are set in a Star Wars galaxy that may seem unrecognizable to the casual fan. The devout, however, will feel right at home, and be rewarded by the fact that the series is the jewel in the increasingly polished crown of an EU that has taken giant leaps forward in storytelling quality over the past several years. Ironically, as many long-time Star Wars fans were deriding the childish nature of George Lucas? prequel film trilogy, the editors at LucasBooks and Dark Horse comics have quietly been putting together a formidable lineup of adult-oriented storylines, none more enjoyable than Legacy.
The series is composed of several multiple-issue story arcs, primarily focusing on the exploits of Cade Skywalker. To this point, there has been a single stand-alone ?one-shot,? issue #4, titled simply Noob.
The titular newbie is fresh-faced stormtrooper recruit Anson Trask, assigned to the 407th Legion on Yinchorr and recently tasked with the elimination of a rogue stormtrooper brigade that is attempting to defect and join the rebellious forces loyal to the deposed former Emperor Roan Fel.
Trask, like virtually every other battlefield rookie, is appalled by the harsh nature of his squadmates? existence, and Ostrander?s script does an admirable job of localizing the familiar fish-out-of-water grunt archetype to the Star Wars universe, and managing to steer clear of both military and sci-fi genre cliches in the process.
Assisting the 407th, known amongst themselves as Joker Squad, is a frighteningly realized Sith lieutenant named Darth Maleval, a red-hued Quarren dispatched by the Emperor (and Sith Master) Darth Krayt, to make sure that Joker Squad doesn?t have any second thoughts about firing on a group of their own.
Maleval is expertly drawn by guest illustrator Travel Foreman, and, while his style is a bit of a departure from Duursema?s glossy hyper-realism, its very effective in conveying the stark, gritty landscapes of a battlefield, as well as the terrifying Sith lord who seems every bit as scary, and effective, as his more famous brethren such as Darths Maul and Vader.
If you?re new to Star Wars comics in general, and the Legacy series in particular, a great starting point is this spectacular one-shot. You may have trouble finding it at your local comics retailer, given that it was originally released in September of 2006, but copies are plentiful at various online retailers.
|
|
October 7, 2007 
