Lit Legacy Vol 2. #4: Prisoner of the Floating World, part 4 (of 5)

He is not dead. We saw him on the front of latter covers plus he is mentioned by name.

 

This issue was a step up from the prior. I am torn by the fact that while I love the focus on Ania & Co @ Carreras System that I also am dying to see what is going on in the greater galaxy. I get Randy's point that in the letter section that sometime it is fun to see the other side of things (ie, not Emperors, Admirals, and Jedi), but I do hope that we get a nice balance in this series.

As for my buddy Sauk, I just love the guy! Can't wait to see how he plays into the story in the future!

--Adm. Nick

 

I have a confession to make. I was a huge fan of the original Legacy run. I was eagerly anticipating this one. I don't exactly dislike vol. 2 so far, it's definitely not a bad comic, but...it's just hard for me to get into. I can't even really say why it is. I like the art style (a lot of the ship designs remind me of classic Chris Foss designs), the writing is fine...Maybe it's because it seems like it's taking a while to get somewhere, anywhere.

I do think it's interesting just how different the style of this volume is to the original so far, and I don't just mean characterization or artistically. The original volume had the galactic POV, was well-integrated into the existing EU (especially in use of planets, with every setting coming from a previous source), and so on. So far, this has been almost the polar opposite. I have to assume that's been purposefully done, to take it in a new direction. Not a criticism, just something that struck me reading the past two issues.

 

I really like this series. I like the Dark Empire-esque art, and I love having a ragtag group of characters who seem very "ordinary". It really is a departure from Volume 1, though. It takes me a minute to convince myself--each and every issue--that this is existing in the same era. It's really disconnected from the other stuff, just in terms of what they choose to focus on. So, as far as feeling like it's "Legacy", I'm having a hard time with that. But, for standing on its own, I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

 

Well, isn't that a bit telling? You're more interested in the galactic affairs stuff, which is background stuff here but was the main focus in Vol. 1. You talk about how this series, being on the edge of the EU, is responsible for expanding the universe. I agree, but I also think that "expanding the universe" means more than just having it set on a completely new planet. I think storyline wise, this has been so local so far (and with the actual point of the plot, and what the plot even is, still pretty much vague) that so far, at least to me, this feels more like a side-story to Vol. 1 than it does a proper continuation.

I think that might be part of my problem with it, too. It's just so disconnected - and not just from Legacy Vol. 1, but really from the rest of the Star Wars setting in general. Outside of the (rather few) references to Leg Vol 1, I don't think there's been any references to any of the rest of the EU so far, four issues in. I'd have to check to be sure, but I'm fairly certain there's literally zero.

Which, again, isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it absolutely adds to this strange sense of disconnectedness. Not just that it could be set in really any Star Wars era, but it almost feels like it could just be some generic space opera setting. That could still be forgiven if the plot was engrossing enough to make me forget that (see Nomad, for example) but while the story here has been fine, it's not at that level.

 

Yeah, I can agree with this on a certain level. While no one is saying that Legacy Vol. 2 should simply be a rehash of the first series, there aren't enough connections to make them feel very related yet. The more I think about it, I think a big reason for this disconnect was deciding to start on a world, Carreras, that is brand new in the EU. It felt very alien, doesn't have a lot of the traditional species & trappings we are used to seeing, and thus makes the initial opening into the series feel a bit off.

Honestly, the inclusion in the next arc of some traditional worlds, settings, ships, and aliens will help make the series gel a bit more into the EU.

--Adm. Nick

 

These authors/artists are new to the EU, so they may have wanted to start off with creating their own system, and then use more of the EU as they become more comfortable with it and comfortable they'll be getting it right.

The first few issues do show Coruscant and the Triumvirate. And all the issues seem to be focusing on the Imperial Knights, and have referenced the fate of the Mon Calamari. So it's not like it's completely without the EU.

 

They're also likely aiming for new readers and easing them in.

 

Yeah, but those are all from the original Legacy, and outside of that there's been no EU links at all.

 

Like I said, they probably don't want to use more EU material until they're more comfortable with it... this is their first time doing Star Wars. They probably just want to make sure they have the basics rights first. When Jan and John started writing Legacy, they had already written for Star Wars for years. Let the new team have some time to ease into it, and allow new readers to ease into it too without being overwhelmed.

 

That leads to another point, I'm not really sure exactly how this would as an introduction for new readers, either new to Legacy or new to the EU as a whole, which it's presumably being marketed to. It has a bit of set up at the start of the first issue, but I can't imagine someone coming into that fully blind would be satisfied that they knew the full story and background. Similarly, I think a lot of the "action" (such as it were) and plot has satisfied people here because they know Legacy Volume 1 and are able to use that entire series as the "hook" to justify this continuing low-key story. I can't imagine a completely new reader, coming into this and expecting Star Wars, would really be satisfied with the plot progression/action ratio so far.

I suppose I'm coming across as more cranky than I intended to. But these are all problems that have been in my head reading the first few issues, and I suppose reading other people here with some of the same complaints set me off. Though for what it's worth, it seems to me from the previous so far that the second arc would probably be a better story to begin Vol. 2 with.

 

I just read it and again great issue! I hope AG and Jao will be fine

 

To be fair, the trade dress for the first arc's collection says Legacy: Volume II at the start, so they are signposting it.

I think this is using the BPRD model - there's 4 big hardbacks for the 1st arc, Plague of Frogs, with individual standard-size TPBs for the Hell on Earth arc.

Legacy will have the 4 hardbacks for the first volume then the Volume II TPBs.

 

Telling new readers "you need to read four hardback collections first to understand this new comic" seems like a terrible way to attract new readers.

 

I think the major thing that's detracting from the series right now (and I use the word detract liberally since I really like the series and already enjoy Ania quite a bit) is that the antagonist isn't really clear. Not in the sense that we don't know who it is. We've known right away and we do get some more time with him in this issue. But we don't really know anything about them. With Legacy I, we had Krayt and Nihl set up really quickly and Talon's chasing our heroes down.

Here? Well, the plot's obviously setting something up but it's hard for me to get as invested when we're four issues in an the bad guy's just sort of "Fake Master Val" and that's about it. Jao and Sauk and AG-37 are all interesting but there's barely been time to learn about them either since the pace is amazingly fast. Jao really pays the price for this. There's been clearer characterization on the system governor, I feel.

It seems like I'm ragging on the series but I really do like it and I'm excited that our rag tag group of heroes is moderately diverse (and I really hope that AG comes back somehow) but I think the series right now just seems unfocused. That can easily change and I expect it's just a slower burn than Legacy I but still, if the story is going to narrowly focus on these characters, we need to get a better handle on them as readers.

Side note: I think the series is self contained enough that you don't necessarily have to read Legacy I to get it. But really, if you haven't read it....what are you doing? It's the best thing to happen to the EU since the NJO kicked off in 1999.

 

Well first, it's not really a new comic. Legacy took a small break, and came back with a different team, but it's the same title continuing.

But even having said that, I don't think a movie-only fan who began their EU experience with #1 of volume 2 would be lost. They'd have questions, sure, but it's not that hard to figure out, nothing necessary for understanding that isn't revealed.
*there's a new government... with the Jedi, Empire, and Alliance working together
*there's Jedi who serve the Empire, called Imperial Knights... Empire is led by a young, good Empress
*Sith are back but not in the open

What else do they need to know?

 

Is having to buy 11 TPBs any better?

This is one of the big bugbears of collecting long-running series. One outlook says consumers are put off when a series enters double digits in its volume numbers, with the exception of manga series where it tends to be expected. Thus DHC have clustered material into big omnibuses where before you'd be looking at far more smaller volumes.

But, quite seriously, I doubt the message is that new readers need to read what came before, invited to? Certainly, that's the point, but need to? No. Just as you may start watching a series at season 2 or 3 or 6, why not with comics?

Plus, if we really want to see a long running SW series, it's either doing it by stealth as has happened with Republic / Dark Times or being upfront about it so people know exactly what they're getting and what the order is.

To me, stating it's Volume II on the trade is a lot more honest than the likes of Marvel and DC where there's series up to Volume 7 and higher! Trying to navigate that set of trades is far harder.

But the way the big, long-running superhero titles have worked is by getting people to read for multiple creative runs, which is what DHC are likely going for here. What's better than a successful long-running creative run on a book? A second one!

 

3 HB Omnibuses $35 each=$105
11 TPB's $20 each=$220
Even with another omnibus the Omnibuses win handily.

I'm thinking about getting into DC and Marvel comics and am a bit overwhelmed and not sure what to do first.........

 

For the sake of your bank balance? DON'T!

More seriously, be aware that that DHC are very competitive on trades and tend to issue comparatively quickly compared to the Big Two. You know how it's rare for a DHC series to be any more than a few issues ahead relative to TPB? Not the case for the Big Two - the gap between issues and TPB is in the region of 12-18 issues before the paperbacks come out, as they prefer to try to get people to buy pricy hardbacks. And that's without considering DHC's Omnibus/Hardback programme.

Second, both companies operate on the basis of a very deep continuity and interwoven storylines so as to better suck you in and keep you in. From the inside? Can be very well-done indeed, but from the outside? Utterly impenetrable.

 

Thanks for the heads up Jedi Ben! I will keep that in mind. I have a long way to go to catch up to the current stuff coming out so I won't have to worry about that just yet. For DC I'll probably just stick with the Batman family of characters, Justice League, Teen Titans and the main cross-overs and might look into Green Lantern. For Marvel I will be sticking with Spiderman for the meanwhile. I will start with what interests me and not worry about cannon for right now. I'm doomed. I admit it.

 

Again my local comic shop thought it would be funny to order only one copy of this comic...what's with that!?? Looked at B and N today and they still have last months issues! I guess I'll have to go back to waiting for Legacy TPB's!!

 

I'm not someone who usually buys from actual comic shops. There's a...strangeness there that I don't quite get. But I'm pretty sure that if you need to, you can ask them to get a copy and they'll probably do it. Might take a little bit of time but it's what I had to do to get issue one.