Story: Welles Hartley
Script: Mick Harrison
Art: Douglas Wheatley
Have I mentioned lately that I love Star Wars? Do you love Star Wars? Yes, and hopefully yes, but if not, at least you might dig Darth Vader a little. Whenever I sit and watch The Movies with people I end up bombarded with questions. What happened to that guy? Did all the Jedi die? How did the Emperor become the emperor? As much fun as it to answer those questions, it’s even more fun when I can say, “Hey, read this and find out!” Now I have yet another tool in my arsenal of conversion, Star Wars: The Dark Times.
What the heck had Vader been up since the end of Episode 3 and the beginning of Episode 4, no good I’ll bet! The Dark Lord of the Sith finds himself cleaning up the remnants of the separatist movement and of course hunting down rogue Jedi. In the Dark Times’ first story arc (The Path to Nowhere) we catch the trail of Dass Jennir, a silver haired Jedi guardian who has found himself allied with the very separatists he was fighting so hard against. After a brutal defeat at the hands of the well disciplined 501st division in the first issue, he and Nosaurian Bomo Greenbark are the only survivors. In order to escape planet Plympto they had to make new alliances and commit some serious acts of daring. The action is intense and the story is as compelling as you would expect.
Ronda Pattison (colors) has to be commended as she makes Wheatley’s art work jump off of the pages. While you’ll find no lightsaber battles here (sniff) the action is still intense as our heroes manage a daring escape that will remind you of scenes from A New Hope. I simply can’t wait to see where this series goes, and with a new video game on the way that also takes place around this time I would say that the spectrum is wide indeed.
Because we know what happens next as far as Star Wars lore goes, we now get to see the how. That is what makes this series (like many others) so great. So, if you loved the movies (and judging by ticket sales, many of you did) then you’ll love this series.
Dante Maddox can’t wait for his own working lightsaber
How to fix the ... 
