Expanded Universe Round-Up #30

Empire series

Vol 1 - ​Betrayal

The artwork isn't so great and it's a typical Empire-era story in that the Emperor and Darth Vader triumph, but I was never bored during my reading of this volume. It was released during an evolving period, since not all prequel movies had come out yet, and it managed to skirt the noticeable gap that ROTS had not yet filled.
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​Vol 2 - Darklighter
(vol 7 of the 30th anniversary collection)

This is volume 2 of the Empire line, but my version is volume 7 of Dark Horse's 30th Anniversary Collection - it's a really nice hardcover edition with thick pages. It honestly deserved the extra special treatment. This collection really does justice to Biggs Darklighter and it makes you care. Here, he's not just Luke's expendable friend. He has adventures and doubts and he's a solid, tangible character. One of my favourite Dark Horse releases.
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Vol 3 - ​The Imperial Perspective

There's some solid stories here, but "To the Last Man" is the real showstopper. It's one of the most memorable stories I've ever read in comic form; this is only my third reading of it (I think), yet it's remained in my thoughts for years. The Empire's flaws are laid bare to the reader and yet you completely understand why Sunber remains in service. He's one of the most interesting Imperial characters from the Legends canon. I look forward to revisiting his other appearances in this line.
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Vol 4 - The Heart of the Rebellion

This volume contains Leia-centric stories, which are for the most part enjoyable or offer some food for thought. But the dialogue is a little off, particularly the banter between Han and Leia (will any comic script writer ever get it right?) and some of the art was ridiculously sexist (female characters forced into silly positions).
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Vol 5 - ​Allies and Adversaries

Average stories mixed in with truly mediocre ones. The only highlight in this volume is the introduction of Able, who I'm quite fond of. His character provides a bridge between two distinct Star Wars eras.
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Vol 6 - In the Shadows of Their Fathers

The Jabiim arc in the Clone Wars era comics is one of my undisputed favourites and I'm delighted that a follow up emerged, showing the consequences of Anakin's actions - it was fascinating to see how they affected Luke many years later. I do think the story could have been a bit tighter, but it's still quite strong and sows the seeds for doubt in Luke because at the end he finds himself wondering what else Ben didn't tell him...
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Vol 7 - The Wrong Side of the War

Sunber/Tank is a complex character and he's used to full effect here. I'm honestly impressed that a character who was briefly mentioned in a 1970s comic can become the focal point of such a compelling story in the 2000s. That's down to the skill of Welles Hartley (this is a pen name used by a dude who actually cofounded Dark Horse Comics - his first foray into writing Star Wars comics was in 1984, interestingly). The gripping interactions between Sunber and Luke really made this TPB.
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Rebellion series

Vol 1 - ​My Brother, My Enemy

I'm not sure why the series' name changed from Empire to Rebellion, since it's still the same storyline. Anyone picking up this TPB and expecting a new series would have been confused and annoyed, I'd wager. But since I like the Sunber storyline, I was pleased to see more of him and his struggle to be both an Imperial and a good man. It's a pity the art was so off-putting at times - that and the fact that everyone was so shouty! - since there is such a solid foundation here.
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Vol 2 - The Ahakista Gambit

I was bored during the entirety of this TPB and did not care about any of these characters, though perhaps in Darca's case that's not fair of me because it's just been too long since I read "Nomad" (and I vaguely recall liking that story). I think my main issue with this volume is that the characters and plot are too similar to what I've encountered in other volumes in other series (Republic/Dark Times, in particular).
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Vol 3 - ​Small Victories

This TPB is on the shorter end, likely because of the Vector crossover and the series' cancellation. Not sure what happened to Luke's face here (did the artist have any kind of reference? lol) and the story was explosive yet still underwhelming somehow. At least Deena finally gets to become a hero in her own eyes.
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