Star Wars

• Title: Star Wars #9
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Wood
• Artist: Carlos D’Anda

Although we get glimpses of Han and Chewie‘s continued escape from Coruscant and Luke and Wedge fighting off barrage of Stormtroopers while searching for answers on-board the Star Destroyer Devastator (which attracts the attention of a certain Dark Lord of the Sith), most of Star Wars #9 focuses on what Leia finds in the shattered remains of her homeworld aboard a ship hidden in the asteroid field of what once was Alderaan.

After realizing just who the collector of the remaining vestiges of Alderaan truly is, and what he’s responsible for, Leia is left at an impasse as to what do with the shell of the man whose expertise allowed the destruction of her world.

Making Tag Ragaren a sympathetic character is a nice twist for the issue, although I could have done with a little less of Leia’s tale and more of an equal focus on Luke slicing through Stormtroopers with his lightsaber and Han and Chewie continuing to try and evade a some very persistent bounty hunters and make it off the Imperial homeworld in one piece. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

• Title: Star Wars #8
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Wood
• Artist: Carlos D’Anda

As Luke and Wedge put themselves in danger by allowing themselves to be taken prisoner aboard the Star Destroyer Devastator (before escaping to go in search of the Empire’s spy inside the Rebel Alliance), Han and Chewie try to get themselves out of danger on Coruscant by separating and dealing with the pair of bounty hunters on their trail.

Aboard the Falcon, Chewie must deal with Bossk, while Han and the friendly local smuggler try to get the most out of their junk freighter and stay one step ahead of the deadliest bounty hunter in the galaxy – Boba Fett. Meanwhile Leia has snuck away from the fleet to fulfill her other objective and find a new home base for the Rebellion which takes her closest enough to stop at the ruins of Alderaan and make a surprising discovery of an old Clone War battleship hiding inside the asteroid field.

Star Wars #8 gives us separate stories involving all three of the big name characters as well offering readers appearances by Bossk, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader. Fans should feel right at home. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

• Title: Star Wars #7
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Brian Wood
• Artist: Carlos D’Anda

With Leia fully recuperated, she and Luke take a trip back to Tatooine where Luke gives his aunt and uncle the proper burial he was unable to offer when fleeing the planet months earlier. It’s here where Leia also confides in Luke the true mission of their squadron to not only find the Rebellion a new home base but ferret out the traitor in their midst.

Hearing how dire the situation has become, Luke suggests a highly risky plan involving getting Wedge and Luke captured by the Star Destroyer Devastator and planting surveillance to help find the source of the leak. Although concerned Luke hasn’t exactly thought out the entire plan, with limited time Leia okays the mission with Prithi as support (a character I’m glad to see has stuck around despite what her exit in the last issue suggested).

Star Wars #7 also gives us Han and Chewie trying to make it out of Coruscant alive while been tracked by Boba Fett and more of Darth Vader‘s quasi-disciple Birra Seah who the Emperor is not pleased to see in command of the second Death Star during a surprise visit. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]