Comics advice wanted

I'm in the mood to buy a TPB or two, and this is what the local store has available (in the SW department, that is). I figure I'd ask for the general opinion on which one(s) people think would be most desirable. I understand General Greivous is pretty horrible so that's probably out, just thought I'd add it in anyways. And I'm interested in people's opinions on Empire Vol. 4; I was browsing through it and it looked compelling.

Clone Wars Vol. 1: The Defense of Kamino
Clone Wars Vol. 3: Last Stand on Jabiim
Clone Wars Vol. 7: When They Were Brothers
Empire Vol. 1: Betrayal
Empire Vol. 5: Allies and Adversaries
Darth Maul
General Greivous
Tales Vol. 1
Tales Vol. 2
Tales Vol. 4
Tales Vol. 6

 

Clone Wars Vol. 1: The Defense of Kamino
Clone Wars Vol. 3: Last Stand on Jabiim
Clone Wars Vol. 7: When They Were Brothers

Can't really go wrong with any of those three. Fantastic stuff.

 

Goodness...

Okay well, Last Stand on Jabiim is my favorite piece of Clone Wars media, PERIOD. It's just so sad and tragic, but nowhere else do you really get the sense of WAR than that TPB.

I would then say Defense of Kamino, only because it's the beginning of the Clone Wars, and it's still a cool story.

Then When they were Brothers, that's just Obsession basicly, which was awesome. I think it's a better story than Defense of Kamino, but I think it would be better to read if you could possibly find Vol. 6 first.

Empire Vol. 1 is awesome.

Darth Maul and General Grievous are dull, though the art in Maul is OUTSTANDING.

And I've never read any Tales.

 

I wish my local comic shop had HALF those titles. Ugh.

But in defense of General Grievous, well, I liked it. Of course, I'm making it my goal to collect every SW comic (or TPB if they have it) and novel (which I've just completed except for a few YJK) and I rarely ever hate anything Star Wars.

Me, I'd take any of the Clone Wars (Obsession has probably some of the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen). Of course, I love Tales too. You can't go wrong with any of them, although Volumes 4 & 5 are pretty weak. I liked Empire Volume 4 (the Leia one), although it wasn't as good as either Betrayal or The Imperial Perspective. And Darth Maul is always a fun read, just that it's pretty short. Amazing artwork, but you won't get the same out of the story.

 

Obsession's artwork just seems...I don't know, strange to me. It looks like it was done with Crayola colored pencils, I guess is the closest I can describe it.

 

What's Obsession?

 

The comic miniseries that was supposed to be the run-up to ROTS. It introduced Commander Cody (I think), had the battle for Boz Pity, and got rid of Durge, Assaj Ventress, and Alpha.

 

I strongly recommend Clone Wars 5. The individual issues were nothing impressive, but Jedi: Best Blades' art and dialogue is worth the price of them all. The best TPBs are 1, 4, and 5. You should get Clone Wars 2 (Jan's cool Shaak issue, Catspaw), if only to see just why I call Jedi feeble dimwitted peabrains. Once you have those three TPBs, you will understand 6, 7, 8, which I myself have yet to get.


Clone Wars Vol. 1: The Defense of Kamino
Skunks of Kanas, you haven't gotten it yet? Schism is the best Jan art, period.

Clone Wars Vol. 3: Last Stand on Jabiim
The weakest of the Clone War TPBs, the art is messy yet what it should be under miserable storm weather. The storyline is bland, mages are of course feeble, and the A'Sharad vs Anakin issue at the end too abbreviated.

Clone Wars Vol. 7: When They Were Brothers
Previously known as Obsession. Haven't gotten it yet but recommend.

Empire Vol. 1: Betrayal
Waste . . . of . . . money!

Darth Maul
Good art, no story depth. Recommend, but not essential.

General Greivous
Do not buy. Substandard art, covers and story.

 

Dissenting opinion...

Clone Wars Vol. 3: Last Stand on Jabiim


One of the best of the Clone Wars comics. It's a powerfully written and well drawn arc that shows one of the pivotal moments in Anakin Skywalker's fall to the Dark Side (in my opinion) with his admission that he would do the same as he did when he murdered his mother as well as the horrible defeat his forces suffered on Jabiim.

 

Had it on hold at the library for a month or two, only to have it apparently stolen, along with all the other Clone Wars TPBs they had.

 

That may be so, Charlemagne, but you're inferring emotional substance from light depth. It was meant to be emotionally tragic, but it was just too simple enough. At least I understand Guinastasia's icons now.

 

Clone Wars Vol. 7: When They Were Brothers
Previously known as Obsession. Haven't gotten it yet but recommend.

Actually, it's Obsession and the 2005 Free Comic Book Day comic.

 

TFAW will have to half price them sooner or later. And then I'll have my Aussie hands on CW6 and 7, won't I, Precious?

One grin to rule them all.

 

Tales Volume 6 is most excellent. I think there's only two stories in it I didn't care for, and even those weren't so much "bad" as "not my sort of thing". I actually quite like Tales in general, and all the volumes have their gems.

 

Excellence, you haven't got #6 yet? Even at full price you won't be dissapointed, it's a thick, thick TPB, even moreso than #5.

 

I know, I just know, the moment I Amazon order CW 6 and 7 TFAW will list them on their "nicked condition" page. It's kind of a waiting game, the thrill of the hunt: who will crack first. Will he, won't he? The coin tosses at a Targaryen birth, as Barristan tells Danaerys, and the kingdom holds its breath to see how mad the next child will be. Been waiting since midyear, which either makes me stubborn or silly or mad as the Hatter in Alice's Wonderland. Why is a raven like a writing desk? I have the inkling it won't be much longer.

I can wait. Another year, George Martin's artbook will drop in price too!

 

It was nearly as powerful as Redemption to me frankly.

 

For just a SW book, Jagged's predictament in Swarm War was leaping off the page. As did Duiker in Deadhouse Gates. Mallar's thoughts as he hurtled into instellar space on sublight drive. Interestingly, comic wise, I haven't seen anything emotionally powerful.

That monarch in Best Blades, perhaps . . .

I tried to feel sorry for Aubrie, but with two sabers she still gets shot. I just blinked.

 

Clone Wars Vol. 7: When They Were Brothers
dont forget this is the one Adi Gallia dies . I was hoping for another jedi starfighter game set after ROTS but now i dosent look like its going to happen.

 

Crud, the Deena Shan issue is included with all that Leia yawnfest? Might have to crack for that if I can find it cheaply, then, and I wasn't planing to.

 

"Mixed but ok" - worth buying, in your opinion?

 

Clone Wars Vol. 1: The Defense of Kamino
Pretty darn good; shows the start of the transition from AOTC Obi-Wan & Anakin to ROTS Obi-Wan & Anakin. Also has some nice undercover Jedi stuff with Quinlan to it.


Clone Wars Vol. 3: Last Stand on Jabiim
Just um...wow. The high-water mark for all comic EU, IMO. Great story.


Clone Wars Vol. 7: When They Were Brothers
Pretty cool. Finally got rid of pesky old Durge. Grievous had some nice action scenes, Obi-Wan thrashed some Black Sun types, and they finally got Venators into the action.


Empire Vol. 1: Betrayal
Not exactly the greatest comic in the world, but the scene where the Emperor lightnings a few dozen traitorous stormies to death is pretty cool.

Empire Vol. 5: Allies and Adversaries
Haven't had a chance to read this.

Darth Maul
Loved loved it loved it! Not an especially galaxy-altering storyline; but that's ok. You don't need a galactic war for every story. Sometimes just a Sith murdering half of Black Sun is sufficient. Lovely art.

General Greivous
Never read all of it. Have issue 3 somewhere.

Tales

I love Tales. It's just so frickin weird..

 

By Sadow's scowling visage, Empire 1: Betrayal was an absolute insult. Mediocre artwork and horrible dialogue and attrocious page design notwithstanding, the Imperial plotters took issue with just two Sith ruling an entire empire. Their master plan consisted nothing more than marching a squad of troops into the Emperor's throne room. Arresting the Emp---a Sith Lord and all his red guard with a few soldiers.

By Sadow's scowling visage, what self-respecting chap, lad or bloke can possibly buy this?

And I'm not being picky just because Padme's pate was half bald like Sunrider's.