Comic Review: Star Wars Legacy #5

What is even going on here!?! I mean that in the best way, actually. With imminent death looming on every page, this issue was a fast read! We have a pissed-off Sith warrior and Ania Solo and her friends on a collision course. That much we all know. There isn’t much I can say about this issue without giving away any spoilers to this epic conclusion of the first story arc.

Star Wars Legacy is written by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman with art by Gabriel Hardman. Anyone writing for Star Wars better know action, and these folks have proved that they do. I can’t wait to see what happens as the series continues. Hold on to your seat until the end of this one folks, because it won’t let you catch a breath until that final page, when we finally find out what happens to Ania and her friends. Will she follow in the great Han Solo’s footsteps, and step up to the plate? Read it and see!

Hardman is a great artist. I like to see art that fits the story it is written for, and other comic fans will know what I mean. Sometimes the art just doesn’t fit the writing, but in this case, it definitely does! I love how the characters were portrayed, and am excited to see what lies in Ania’s future after this issue.

This issue is available for purchase at your local comic shop on July 24th, or you can purchase it at the Dark Horse site.

Go go go! Read read read!

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Comic Review: Star Wars: Legacy #12 – She’s a Solo

By Sarah The Rebel February 26, 2014 ania solo comics corinna bechko dark horse female protagonist gabriel hardman Legacy Review star wars

Star Wars Legacy #12 is perhaps the slowest paced in the series so far, dealing mostly with Ania’s mysterious past and her very current kidnapping. The series finally comes right out and shows Han Solo as her ancestor, although not to Ania, and honestly leaves us with more questions than ever before.

You already know how I feel about the art; it’s lovely and fits the Star Wars universe perfectly. This is by far my favorite comic series currently, and I hope you’ll do yourself a favor and pick it up!

I’m not going to review any of the other single issues, unless something crazy happens. I think it’s very safe to say that 12 issues in, it’s still amazing, and I don’t foresee any change in my positive review!

Check out our other Star Wars: Legacy reviews!

Plot

“A meeting with an old friend lands Ania Solo in handcuffs! Now that she’s a wanted criminal, even her pals Sauk and Imperial Knight Jao are wary of her. Held captive by one bounty hunter and pursued by another, Ania is one blaster shot away from a life sentence—or death!”

The Deets

Writer: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Artist: Gabriel Hardman
Colorist: Jordan Boyd
Cover Artist: Agustin Alessio

Buy Legacy #12 here!

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Comic Review: Star Wars: Legacy #11

By Sarah The Rebel January 22, 2014 ania solo comics corinna bechko dark horse female protagonist gabriel hardman Legacy Review star wars

Oh, hey, look at that cover. Doesn’t it look familiar? I love it (I know, whispers the comic).

Star Wars Legacy #11 continues what has become my all-time favorite Star Wars comic series. The action, the adventure, the daring, the fights, the friends, the snark, and the intrigue are just spot-on.

The art is lovely, as I’ve mentioned before, and particularly so in this issue, filled with dark shadows and interesting tableaus.

As I keep saying: do yourself a favor and get on board with Star Wars: Legacy!

Check out our other Star Wars: Legacy reviews!

Plot

Just who is Ania Solo? Is she a lowly salvage dealer from a backwater planet, as she says, or is she an escaped prisoner and the murderer of an Imperial Knight, as the authorities claim?

The Deets

Writer: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Artist: Gabriel Hardman
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover Artist: Agustin Alessio

Buy Legacy #11 here!

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Comic Review: Star Wars: Legacy #9

By Sarah The Rebel November 26, 2013 ania solo comics corinna bechko dark horse female protagonist gabriel hardman Legacy Review star wars

As I mentioned in my review of SW: Legacy #8, the story of the poisoned waters of Dac always hits a nerve for me. In Star Wars: Legacy #9, the gorgeous art of the panels as the team sinks through the water is disquieting and poignant.

Besides the art, the story is just great. It has all the daring and dashing of any sci-fi adventure movie. Do yourself a favor and get on board with Star Wars: Legacy!

Check out our other Star Wars: Legacy reviews!

Plot

Ania Solo is in over her head—literally! With their escape pod sunk in an ocean of poison, she and Imperial Knight Jao wait for rescue. But even if it comes, they still have to free the slaves in the orbiting docks—with an army of pirates standing in their way!

The Deets

Writer: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Artist: Brian Thies
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover Artist: Augustin Alessio

Buy Legacy #9 here!

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Comic Review: Star Wars: Legacy #8

By Sarah The Rebel October 23, 2013 ania solo comics corinna bechko dark horse female protagonist gabriel hardman Legacy Review star wars

I’m still loving Star Wars: Legacy. The art is beautiful, and the story has excellent pacing and emotional weight. Following Han Solo’s descendant around the galaxy is quite a fun ride, so if you haven’t already, be sure to hop aboard!

The story of planet Dac always makes me really, really sad. Watching Ania experience the dead planet made me sad all over again…so kudos to the team!

Check out our other Star Wars: Legacy reviews!

Plot

“Ania Solo and Imperial Knight Jao’s search for Sith leads to the poisoned Mon Calamari homeworld of Dac, where their ship is boarded by pirates who have taken over the planet’s orbiting shipyards. Jao senses the dark side at work, especially when he and Ania are marked for death!”

The Deets

Writer: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Artist: Brian Thies
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover Artist: Augustin Alessio

Buy Legacy #8 here!

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Comic Review: Star Wars: Legacy #7

By Sarah The Rebel September 25, 2013 ania solo comics corinna bechko dark horse female protagonist gabriel hardman Legacy Review star wars

Star Wars: Legacy #7 takes place 138 years after the events in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and features a descendant of Han Solo – Ania Solo – and a jedi named Jao on their quest to save the galaxy. Yup, the main characters of this expanded universe Star Wars series are a black man and a female Han Solo. Everything I ever wanted in a comic.

The plot is fast-paced and interesting, with plenty of mysteries, but never so many as to leave the reader frustrated. Ania is a straight-talking, “shoot first” kind of girl with plenty of room for her character to grow.

I also love the art and all the fantastic creatures in the series. The colors and design is dark and lovely, and really fits the Star Wars universe.

I can’t wait to read the next issue! Damn cliffhangers…

Check out our other Star Wars: Legacy reviews!

Plot

After a terrible vision of Empress Fel being struck down by a Sith, Ania Solo and Imperial Knight Jao ignore direct orders and set out in search of the murdering Sith. It’s the right thing to do…but it’s also scratching their itch for adventure!

The Deets

Writer: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Artist: Brian Thies
Cover Artist: Livio Ramondelli

Buy Legacy #7 here!

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Comic Review: Star Wars: Legacy #3

By Sarah The Rebel May 22, 2013 ania solo comics dark horse Female han solo Legacy protagonist Review star wars

Star Wars: Legacy is the second iteration by that name. The first dealt with Cade Skywalker, the bounty hunter. This new series deals with Ania Solo, a descendent of Han and Leia.

A female Han Solo? Yes please.

The art in this issue is great and feels very reminiscent of Star Wars in general. However, this definitely feels like a “middle” issue, with not a lot going on. #3 is clearly meant to set up circumstances for the next issue, rather than sharing any surprises or intriguing battles.

However, don’t let this stop you from giving the series a try! You can buy the digital copies here.

Female Protagonist in Star Wars

Here’s some more info about Ania, from an interview with the two writers, Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman:

Traditionally, Star Wars adventures — heck, any adventures — are driven by a male lead. Why the decision to center this story on a female character, namely Ania Solo?

Hardman: The idea of a female lead was pitched to us, and that was a big, big thing that drew us to this project. It’s fundamentally the opportunity to do something different in the Star Wars universe. It’s a female character driving things, so it gives you a new perspective on the universe, but it’s also a new way to tell classic Star Wars stories – or a classic type of Star Wars story – just from a fresh perspective.

Bechko: Certainly Star Wars has a history of strong female leads, or at least strong female characters. It’s nice to have one actually take the lead in this case. She really doesn’t take a lot of guff. It’s nice to have a character act in that way and yet not be a traditional badass female lead like you sometimes see. She’s not exactly that, but I like her attitude.

Hardman: Obviously, she comes from a lineage of characters who can take care of themselves, and there’s no question that she can do that. But she has flaws and she’s not, as Corinna was saying, she’s not a traditional, two-dimensional character. She’s somebody who has the potential to be an inspiring but very down-to-Earth human sort of character, as well.

Plot

Ania Solo and her friends have been chased, blockaded, and shot at, and now they’re stuck on a world of molten sulfur, all because an Imperial Knight wants them dead. Just when things seem bleakest, another Imperial Knight shows up! Is he here to help them, or help destroy them?

Writer: Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Artist: Gabriel Hardman
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover Artist: Dave Wilkins

[Disclaimer: A review copy was provided for me to review this comic.]

Other Series I’m Reading This Month – 5/27

By Sarah The Rebel May 28, 2014 comics Dragon Age Elfquest female protagonists Legacy Mass Effect Review saga star wars strong female characters

I know, I know, last time I said this would be a weekly thing, but I realized that it makes a lot more sense for me to do this monthly, since I’m not always reading new books or comics on a weekly basis.

Here are the comics and books I’m reading!

Comics

Elfquest: The Final Quest – I’m now on issue #3, and it’s nostalgia city! Although this is a new storyline that wraps up some loose threads from the huge series, it also adds plenty of new danger for newcomers to the series. My one word of warning would be: this isn’t a modern-feeling comic. The art is classic, super-sexy elves and the story is all romance and danger. It’s a throwback to fantasy stories of yore, so if that doesn’t sound appealing, you may want to skip this one.

Saga – I finished volume 3 of Saga this month and boy does this series just keep getting better and better. It’s so hard to force myself to wait for the volumes, but it’s even harder for me to read the single issues and know I have so long to wait between them. Saga is definitely my second-favorite comic book series of all time, full of diversity, awesome female characters, and a space/fantasy setting.

Star Wars: Legacy – I’m now on issue #15, and things just got wonderfully resolved, then really crazy, then seemingly resolved, then even crazier! I’m so hooked. And extremely sad that none of this story will ever be considered canon.

Mass Effect: Foundation – I’m on issue #11, and remember what I said about hit or miss? I’m back with another hit. This story focuses on Zaeed, is told in his voice, and is good, clean space fun. If you are a Zaeed fan or just a fan of old salty mercenaries, grab this issue – you don’t need to read any of the others to get the story.

Books

Malazan Book of the Fallen – I finished The Crippled God. The final chapters of the book had me sobbing one minute and crowing for joy the next – and no, I’m not exaggerating. This was an epic finale to an epic series, and I really recommend it. GAH IT WAS SO GOOD.

The Goblin Emperor – Check out my review, I read a really awesome book called The Goblin Emperor about a half-goblin, half elven boy who, through a series of unfortunate events, becomes emperor of the elves, who are just a tad racist. A tad.

Dragon Age: The Masked Empire – I’ve just started The Masked Empire, the fourth Dragon Age book. Although I found the writing a little simplistic at the start, I was soon sucked into the world of Orlais. I’ve liked the other three books (I thought Asunder was the weakest), so I’m really looking forward to diving into this one!

Other Series I’m Reading This Week – 4/23

By Sarah The Rebel April 24, 2014 comics dark horse female protagonist halo escalation kamala khan malazan book of the fallen mass effect foundation ms. marvel star wars legacy

I’ve decided to try out a new weekly article, wherein I talk about various comic and book series I’m reading this week that I’m not reviewing! Let me know what you think and if I should continue doing these!

Comics

Ms. Marvel – I’m on issue #3 of the new Ms. Marvel, and I think it’s just such an impressive series so far. I’m really getting those Peter Parker and X-Men vibes from Kamala as she struggles not just with her new powers, but also with what those powers mean about her life and identity. This series is just so relatable…I also highly recommend it for any young women you know. Start ’em young.

Star Wars: Legacy – I’m now on issue #14, and my love of this series continues un-abated! If you love Star Wars, adventure, space, Mass Effect, female leads, gorgeous art…any of those things: go grab this series.

Mass Effect: Foundation – I’m on issue #10, and I have to say this series has been unfortunately hit or miss for me. I’d say go back and check out my reviews and just pick up the ones you want. It’s not necessary to read it in order or to read all of the issues, as this is mainly little short stories to fulfill your thirst for Mass Effect.

Halo: Escalation – I’m on issue #5, and I can’t believe it’s been so few issues. This series packs an impressive amount of story and intrigue into each issue, and I’m still enjoying it!

Books

Malazan Book of the Fallen – I’m on The Crippled God, which is the tenth book in the series. Overall, I recommend this series for people who are tired of never seeing people of color in high fantasy worlds. The emperor and the majority of important characters are described as black or middle eastern-looking, and women warriors and leaders are a staple of the series. In the last three books, however, rape has become much more prevelant, and I must say I’m finding it off-putting. He was doing so well!