|
May 1, 2008
|
|
 Bomo Greenbark is one of the more endearing Expanded Universe characters in recent memory, and the fact that he goes postal near the end of the latest issue of Dark Times does nothing to change that fact.
Given the physical and mental torture visited on his character over the course of the series, its hard not to feel something for the little guy, and its supremely satisfying to see him vent a little (even if its in an extremely violent sequence that seems like something out of an Eastwood western).
Issue #10 finds the crew of the Uhumele imprisoned, and poor Bomo as their only hope. Concurrently, on a wild, unnamed jungle planet, marooned Jedi Master K'kruhk is forced to choose between giving himself over to his darker instincts or suffering the death of the padawan refugees in his care.
Suffice to say that both K'kruhk and Bomo unleash their respective cans of whoop-ass, and the riveting five part Path to Nowhere story arc comes to a resoundingly gratifying conclusion.
 Mick Harrison's script is top notch, providing just enough verbal detail to keep the action honest, as well as capturing the desperation of his lead characters. While the conclusion to Bomo's story may surprise some, given the grim tone of the rest of the series, its balanced nicely by the after effects of K'kruhk's rage, and the heartfelt decision the Jedi master makes for the sake of his impressionable charges.
Dave Ross' pencils are similarly stellar; he draws both lead characters with a ferocity that makes them leap off the page, and his backgrounds are much improved over some of the drab, single color plates used earlier in the series.
Ultimately, Dark Times, like its sibling Rebellion, is one of the highlights of the current Star Wars Expanded Universe. Issue #10 does nothing to dispel that notion, and the only concern is whether or not the book will continue to see the light of day as the publisher makes room for the upcoming Clone Wars series.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
