Knights of the Old Republic: War is the latest Star Wars release from Dark Horse that takes place in the era one thousand years before the events seen in the films. If you’re anything like me, you have a fondness for this Old Republic era because of one thing: video games. Again, if you’re anything like me you were obsessed with the Knights of the Old Republic games from Bioware that came out years ago, and are now currently obsessed with The Old Republic MMO. There’s no doubt that the release of this comic is meant to coincide with the games, and even touts itself as being an entry-level book for the Star Wars unfamiliar.
The story stars Jedi Zayne Carrick who seems to be one of the most awkward things you can be during an inter-galactic war—a pacifist. He describes his Jedi past, and of course, he is met with resistance and sarcasm from the military general in charge of the battle against the Mandalorians. Zayne’s personality is not immediately engaging, as writer John Jackson Miller very much gears this towards an introductory story, but in the Star Wars tradition which starts us in the middle of the action. Because of that, there are many dry moments of exposition, probably sooner in the arc than they should be, because the battle seems to completely halt whenever these chatty panels pop up. Overall, the writing is adequate, but this first issue hasn’t spotlighted any new favorites quite yet.
The art is well done, with the action scenes captured with a sense of scope and definition that is difficult to capture from panel to panel. I think the character design is reminiscent of other Dark Horse Star Wars efforts with a more realistic look, rather than something more stylized. I’m intrigued by the capabilities of the Mandalorians, as they fly these very frightening mechanical beasts that look great on the page. While I’m not blown away by the artwork, it does not attempt a stylized aesthetic and does its job.
I’m excited to have new stories in the Old Republic universe, so if you’re a Star Wars fan or even a newcomer to the universe through The Old Republic MMO, then this is a great read. If you prefer the classic Star Wars era, then this probably isn’t for you.
3 out 5. “Fine.”
ed70838c-6f99-4a54-97d6-a93301e40a2c|3|4.7
Tags:
Star Wars, Knights of the Old Republic, Dark Horse