Star Wars has an incredibly large universe to juggle. From the Old Republic to the Legacy period of Darth Krayt, writers and fans alike have around 25,000 years to grapple with. Jedi – The Dark Side takes place just before the events of Episode I, with Qui-Gon Jinn mentoring another Padawan, Xanatos, before his time with Obi-wan Kenobi. Sent to investigate and asses a brewing civil war on Telos, the home planet of Xanatos, Jinn and company must deal with rising tensions and distrust among its citizens and its ruler, Xanatos’s father, Crion.
This issue opens moments after the Jedi were attacked upon their arrival. If you haven’t read the first issue, the second does a good job of starting at a neutral point and filling you in naturally as the story progresses. And here is the comic’s biggest strength – its writing. The characters each have a distinct personality, even if they don’t get much page time. The comic version of Qui-Gon basically channels Liam Neeson, and artist Mahmud Asar does a good job at making him resemble the actor, though different enough to separate the character from Neeson.
Besides that, Asar’s art isn’t really my thing. It gets the job done, but that’s about it. Sometimes the characters look mentally challenged, with one eye lazily slipping down their face, or a smirk that curves at a near right angle. The environments look good, but the characters that move within them are stiff and don’t flow.
This comic is shaping up to be a welcomed addition to the already massive Star Wars canon. Though the art isn’t as strong as I’d like, the script definitely makes up for it. In terms of comics that should be on your radar, this is certainly one of them – especially if you’re a fan of the Extended Universe stories.
Overall Score - 7.8/10 *If you like Star Wars and you like comics, this series is definitely worth your time.*
This issue opens moments after the Jedi were attacked upon their arrival. If you haven’t read the first issue, the second does a good job of starting at a neutral point and filling you in naturally as the story progresses. And here is the comic’s biggest strength – its writing. The characters each have a distinct personality, even if they don’t get much page time. The comic version of Qui-Gon basically channels Liam Neeson, and artist Mahmud Asar does a good job at making him resemble the actor, though different enough to separate the character from Neeson.