In the Shadows of Their Fathers: 6 (Star Wars: Empire) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

The sixth graphic novel collection of the Star Wars Empire comic series collects issues 29-34 and is titled In the Shadows of their Fathers. Issue 31 was a standalone story and is presented first in this book; we then roll into the main event with the tale of the Rebels' attempt to sway the planet of Jabiim to their cause. Some readers may recall the planet of Jabiim from the Republic series dealing with the Clone Wars (the original Jabiim arc can be found in the graphic novel Clone Wars Volume Three: Last Stand on Jabiim).

The standalone story that kicks off this book tells the story of Darth Vader "negotiating" a business deal on the planet of Tiss'sharl. The reptilian inhabitants reminded me of the Ssi-ruuk, the race encountered in Kathy Tyers' Truce at Bakura. I believe this was a wholly separate planet and race (since the Ssi-ruuk were from beyond the known galaxy), but I confess, my Expanded Universe knowledge may have a gap here and perhaps we've seen these guys before. Anyway, we get a glimpse at the weight the Empire brings to bear on systems under its thumb and we see the potential hazards in daring to meet with a representative of the Rebellion.

The remainder of the book deals with Luke and Leia's visit to Jabiim. If you've read the Clone Wars Jabiim arc, you know that Anakin Skywalker left the inhabitants who had remained loyal to the Republic in a horrible position. The potential for a story where Luke visits the planet unaware of the sins of his father is strong, but I found this story to be rather predictable. The issues telling Anakin's story were a gripping, extremely well-drawn look at the horrors and chaos of war. I guessed going in that the locals would be pre-disposed against Luke but that he would win their trust in the end.

Unfortunately not too much really happens considering the story spans five issues. My favorite portions dealt with Luke trying to understand who his father was and what he had done. I enjoyed the small touches tying to the prequels, such as the use of old Acclamator-class destroyers as slave ships, and also enjoyed seeing Vader's reaction to being forced to visit one of the planets that brought up so many unpleasant recollections for him.

All in all, these issues were fine but nothing really stands out from them in particular. They're worth reading if you've been following the Empire series or if you're interested in a follow-up to Anakin's adventures on Jabiim.

You needn't have read Clone Wars Volume 3, recounting the First Battle of Jabiim, to enjoy this volume. You will be required, though, to be forgiving of the editors at Dark Horse for handing off the final chapter of this story to a less skilled back-up artist.

Brazilian artist Adriana Melo handles the fist four chapters in journeyman fashion. She seems most skilled at portraits, but also does a good job of framing, mixing up angles and panel sizes and shapes. Her facilities are especially evident when they all but disappear after Canadian artist Michel LaCombe shows up. The framing and angles become fixed and static, and the characters are deadly stiff, exhibiting no sense of motion, quite an irony for a penciler with a background in animation. (For examples of their contrasting styles, please see accompanying images.)

The switch in artists is unfortunately not the only disappointment, though it is by far the biggest. Writer Thomas Andrews keeps things tight and does a good job weaving together the various strands of the story, but the end feels rushed, a major claim is unsupported, and a significant point in the plot is left unresolved.

Fans of the Star Wars Expanded Universe will recall the First Battle of Jabiim was fought during the Clones Wars (chronicled in Clone Wars Volume 3: Last Stand on Jabiim). This Second Battle of Jabiim takes place some 22 years later in the months following the emergence of a new hero in the Rebel Alliance, Tatooine farmboy and slayer of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker.

The young force adept still knows little about his real father, but he's about to learn a horrible truth. It was on this planet that a young Anakin Skywalker gave the order to retreat, to abandon the forces loyal to the Republic, an army that was subsequently and summarily crushed by a separatist droid army supporting a nationalist faction of Jabiimi.

Now two decades later the Alliance is on Jabiim to assist a guerilla resistance active against the Empire. Happy as they might be for whatever help they can get, many of the Jabiimi rebels are not happy that the son of Skywalker is now among them - including one high-ranking leader who wants to sell Luke and Leia to Vader in return for Jabiimi independence.

[SPOILER] In the end, Luke flees to take Imperial pressure off the Jabiimi. Like his father before him, he leaves the resistance in the lurch. Scripter Andrews tries to put a positive twist on Luke's decision by claiming Anakin never cared for the people of Jabiim, an interpretation not born out by events recorded in the first story. But to his credit, at least Andrews makes a stab at resolving this issue (however cheesy it sounds), which is more than can be said for how the tale is concluded, leaving the reader to wonder what happened to Vader's order for his Star Destroyer to scorch the planet surface. You'll have to buy a forthcoming volume to find the answer to that question. [END SPOILER]

Despite some glaring weak spots, In The Footsteps Of Their Fathers is not a horrible graphic novel. What's most frustrating about it is that, like the First Battle of Jabiim, the problems it has could have easily been addressed to make it a better than average book.

My Husband actually likes these books and he is 40. He is a big fan of Star Wars (not to the point of collecting SW items) and likes to read most of the spin offs. He said that these books are written pretty good.