Lit Books Cynically Reliving the X-Wing Series

B5 did fleet battles on a shoestring budget near 20 years ago - it should be well within LFL's skills and resources.

 

Both versions of BSG did well as fighter squadron TV series with appropriate VFX budgets. Also, Space: Above and Beyond. For more RL focused examples, look at Black Sheep Squadron and 12 O'clock High. Rogue Squadron as a TV series is no pipe dream, all it requires is the will to make it happen.

 

So, good news that the Rogue Squadron movie is still currently a project of importance for Patty Jenkins! That makes me quite happy! Hopefully it will continue to keep the X-Wing books around and being published as Essential Editions!

 

Additionally, I honestly impressed by how well old cartoons could do some pretty impressive space battles on small budgets - like the episode Armada in Galaxy Rangers, the final battle of Maccross, or multiple battles in the Exosquad series - that honestly really makes me want a 2d star wars series again, as cool as the 3d ones have been.

 

Have to say even back then I thought Isard Revenge was an unesscessary book. I didn't think it was outright bad just very forgettable.
I loved the TIE Defenders though even that felt like an excuse to show off Corrans Mad Skillz .
Bringing not 1 but 2 Isards back seemed a bit pointless too imo

 

I think it feels less pointless if you've read the comics and really wanted to see the end of that plotline.

 

Do you have a link for the comic ?

 

It's Epic Collections The New Republic vol 2 and 3.
Warning: The Rogue Leader comics are awful, and the first arc of the series, The Rebel Opposition, is pretty bad, but the second arc, The Phantom Affair, is magnificent, and the series just keeps getting better from there. If you ONLY want the stuff relevant to Isard's Revenge, the 3rd volume is what you want, but I strongly recommend the whole X-Wing Rogue Squadron run, as the character development is quite good throughout. (Vol 1 is also fun, as it's got the Mara Jade comics by Stackpole and Zahn, and contains some more Isard stuff!)

 

I admit the first two story arcs aren't very good, but I do have a soft spot for The Rebel Opposition for introducing Elscol Loro, who we don't get nearly enough of. I was happy when they brought her back for The Bacta War, another reason that's my favorite book.

 

Remember there's an Omnibus edition due July 2022 coming.

 

I like my Dark Horse omnibuses. No Legends tag.

 

Thank you

 

I love Elscol, but she's got a much better story in The Phantom Affair (which recaps her origin anyway), and of course Battleground Tatooine. I do think it's hilarious reading the comics and the books together, because you can see where Stackpole was working on the same things at the same time.

Oooh, really? Is there a preorder link or something?

I sadly don't like those as much - they're much smaller, and the binding is truly awful.

You are most welcome! If you get them, I hope you'll post about what you think!

 

You can probably preorder it from Sith Incorporated (Amazon) now.

Nearer the time better deals will become available. Although the July 2022 date is not set. A lot of of these editions have been bumped forward, with likely impact on future items to be confirmed.

It'll come out but might be later, depending on both the pandemic and global supply issues continuing or not.

It won't be cheap - RRP is $125. A good online UK price to buy this level of price at is £57-62.

 

Hmm. I have all three books collecting what is in that one already...unless it has serious bonus content (which I seriously doubt), I don't know if it's worth it to buy again. Since I've already bought most of the X-Wing series at least twice.

 

The only incentives for you would be the hardback binding and slightly larger page size - that's it.

Roughly - standard trade = 26cm tall, OHC / Omnibus = 28cm tall.

 

It's pretty clear that some character and plotting issues needed to be straightened for The Rebel Opposition, but there's still a lot I enjoy about it, which I can't say for Rogue Leader.
Whenever I see discussion of the XWRS comics, The Phantom Affair and the Isard/Fel stories get plenty of deserved praise, but Battleground Tatooine seems to get overlooked. It has some of the strongest of the novel connective tissue the series was so good at, although it's a shame nothing ever really came of Bib Fortuna's new status quo.
I really like John Nadeau's art, too, especially his ship work, and his Wedge really captures his personality.

 

Battleground Tatooine is awesome! And John Nadeau's my favorite of the artist who worked on the X-Wing comics, though I also liked Steve Crespo. The problem with Battleground Tatooine, Warrior Princess, and Requiem for a Rogue is that they're standalones, while Phantom Affair is an origin story for Wedge, and the Isard/Fel stuff is a long mytharc that pleases those who like to have a longer form story.

 

Damn shame he only did a few issues, that splash page of Krennic's wrecked Star Destroyer...

 

Yeah, that's true. When I bought the omnibuses again about a year ago, I found that I'd forgotten most of the stuff in them, even in Phantom Affair. But I sure as hell remembered Loka Hask and Gus Treta Station.

I will say Warrior Princess is also good for some backstory on Leonia Tavira, although the Isard/Fel story arc gives us that as well. It doesn't go so far as to be an origin story, and it doesn't really explain anything about her that those of us who liked I, Jedi didn't already know, but it shows her early years in the business.

 

I'm reading the first Omnibus now. It's set just after RTJ. Its OK but the whole Vance was the spy seemed a bit obvious. While the artwork is a little bit of 90's cheese with the later jawed all American hero's that make up Rogue Squadron
Enjoyable with the Nostalgia factor I admit

 

Very nice. I think the art and writing get a LOT better with the next arc.

 

Randomly saw this on the Wook's new uploaded images today and was like .......................

 

^ That cover does nothing to make me want to read the book. The original cover art was vibrant, colorful, and action-packed. That is just dull.

 

Isard looks too young, too. It's this weird mix of minimalism on the right and not quite enough detail on the left.

It's not even really in keeping with this style of cover art.


That's too bad.