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February 6, 2008
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 Prior to the advent of Star Wars: Legacy, the Empire comic series was always my favorite. From the classic trilogy setting, to the quality characters both new and old, to the way the story arcs expertly filled in some of the gaps between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, there was much to excite the original trilogy fan.
While the series has been renamed, the arcs and characters live on in Dark Horse's Rebellion, and nostalgic fans would do well to pick up issue #11, as the first part of the ongoing Small Victories mini-series is a high-quality doozy that hearkens back to all that was noble and fresh about the old-school trilogy.
Alliance grunt Deena Shan is mired in a storm of self-doubt as she travels with the Rebellion's best and brightest on board the rickety flagship Rebel One. Having blasted its way out of a trap laid by Darth Vader and the Imperial Starfleet, the ship and its crew are presented with the opportunity to inflict a major set back on the Imperial forces, provided they're willing to undertake a suicide mission.
In addition to the heroic presences of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa, the ship also carries Rebel spymaster Tungo Li, all of whom inadvertently conspire to leave Deena feeling a bit ineffectual in the presence of such esteemed company.
Its rare for a Star Wars product to feature anything other than a Force-sensitive as a protagonist, and writer Jeremy Barlow milks the opportunity for all its worth, painting a vivid portrait of a conflicted young soldier who is having difficulty reconciling the harsh realities of galactic conflict with the romantic notions that led her to leave home. Even more unusual for a product off the Star Wars content factory assembly line is the decision to portray Deena as lacking self-esteem and unsure of her ultimate goals. There's no hidden Jedi parentage here, nor is there uncanny piloting ability or razor-sharp combat skills, and the character is much more interesting as a result.
Its a wonder that a character like Deena Shan escaped the notice of the Lucas Licensing marketing monkeys like Nancy McIntyre and Julio Torres, both of whom would decry her as anything but 'Star Wars-y and iconic.' She is that increasingly endangered species known as the everyman; while other canonical entries are falling all over themselves to give their characters ludicrous Force powers and motivations, Barlow looks to be beginning a rewarding character journey filled with potential (although it is worth noting that the character was originally conceived by Welles Hartley in Empire #22).
Also of note are Colin Wilson's pencils. I hesitate to describe his style as realistic, as it definitely lacks the polished gloss of Jan Duursema's Republic and Legacy artwork. That said, his panels are very emotionally involving, particularly the various poses in which he draws familiar characters. Luke and Leia, in particular, bear only a passing resemblance to Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, but are rendered with such ferocity that they at times seem ready to leap off the page, lending the comic a gritty feel that is entirely appropriate to the original trilogy setting and the weighty narrative.
At the end of the day, Rebellion #11 is a first class comic made all the more enjoyable by its roots in the timeline's genesis. While it may turn off those to whom Star Wars is nothing more than lightsabers and Force lightning, for the rest of us, its a breath of fresh air that I'd love to see turn into a full blown storm.
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