Legacy #14: Claws of the Dragon, part 1 (of 6)

Amazing issue.

* So, Chak put on a bit more mass after he hit puberty, then. Filled out a bit, as they say. Jiminy Xmas, he's huge.

* I love the whole bit with the Vongforming victims living in the Coruscant underbelly.

* The art was off the hook. Jan is kicking butt. Coruscant looks amazing.

* Queen Jool is awesome. I know Hutts are hermaphrodites, but Jools makes a great drag queen. And Cade was flirting with her. That's something to make your head spin.

* Ha, "ball bearings." It's funny because he's a droid. <=== Dork.

* For once, I was really sympathizing with Cade telling someone to ST(kriff)U. Hello, Hosk, you're trying to escape the underbelly of Sith central. Maybe you can hold off on psychoanalying Cade until you're somewhere a little less dangerous? Chop, chop. Clock's ticking.

 

In Ghosts, part 1, Blue mentioned how she and Syn were using the Wookiee's ship. It's how they managed to get from Bastion to Socorro. Now Chak's pissed cuz he hasn't heard from them.

 

What was this of and who was the artist?

 

Same artist as last time, I think, Sean Cooke, though this time, its an Imperial scene. To be specific, an Imperial Hangar during the Star Wars: Legacy time period, with several rows of TIE Predators hanging from the ceiling, a squad of stormtroopers, and a few officers. And the whole thing is basically black and white, but its still a very good picture.

So, as I said, I like the GA fleet scene last issue more, but this was also very nice, and hope more future issues have this.

And whoops, forgot that Syn and Blue had borrowed Chak's ship. I've got to reread those issus more often.

 

Feels kinda silly to have to spoiler this whole thing when we're in the thread on the comic itself, but...

I've been looking forward to this arc, and I'm glad that from the very beginning it doesn't disappoint. Hell, from the cover; the moody lighting creates a wonderfully seedy atmosphere, which the comic doesn't relent on for the rest of the issue. This issue is almost all set in the dregs, from the Vongspawn of the undercity to Rik's to the dianoga-filled processing area (or whatever that place is). The coloring somehow manages to be both appropriately dreary and very evocative, and when more vivid color does appear (Wyyrlok and his speech bubbles, Cade's blaster shot), it stands out a lot. Wonderful shot of the Mynock and its Predator pursuit (although having their wings out while in atmosphere kind of highlights how impractical the design is ). The fog reminds me a bit of the beginning of AOTC, and was a great visual then and now.

Plot/writing-wise, it's a fine trip too. Largely setup, but it's good setup. I mentioned how much I liked the pilot interaction in the preview, and while we don't get a lot more in this issue, I'm looking forward to seeing these guys again. For the people mentioning Nihl's power play, I just noticed that he calls Cade "our prize". Nice little touch there.

Very interesting information on the Wyyrloks. We've had the idea of hereditary Jedi families explored, but hereditary Sith is a new one as far as I know (eh, maybe Dark Empire, kinda). I guess when Talon was called a "third-generation Sith" that didn't necessarily mean in the master/apprentice sense. And it's neat to make Wyyrlok II (and the potential IV) a woman.

Best moment? "I got a friend." Great use of timing there, with that little pause before he actually pulls the trigger.

And, why not, another line I really liked: "I was dead! Out of the whole karkin' thing! Then everyone starts dragging me back into it!" Poor guy.

Oh, and the color of the board's text is navy, not black, so the text is showing right through everyone's black bars. Take a moment and add some [color] tags too.

 

So, just one question for Jan or Randy (maybe John, maybe)

I'm pretty sure at some point (although it may be a deathstick hallucination ) I suggested that 3P0 had made an appearance in Legacy during the Daluuj scene. IIRC, Jan confirmed this. Now Randy tells some kid in the letters section that Threepio was not one of the severed heads on Daluuj. Is Randy lying in print? Or was this one of those times where Jan was just playing along with my joke? (or was it a deathstick hallucination?)

 

This is probably a dumb question, but I'm just now catching up with this series: When did he have Sith eyes the first time?

 

This is probably a dumb question, but I'm just now catching up with this series: When did he have Sith eyes the first time?[/quote]


Issue #7 when he brings Sia back from death or the edge of death or wherever she was in relation to death.

I don't know how keen i am on the Sith eyes. I fully understand that there are mysteries to all aspects of the Force, and i also fully understand that it's an audience aid device used to show us "He's really evil." But is there some sort of medical/scientific reason why their eyes turn yellow? If it's JUST because it's the darkside way of doing things, when why don't the lightsider's eyes atrophy or turn bright blue or green or SOMETHING? It's just one of those little things that sits in the back of my brain and pokes my bother lobe.


Master Luc

 

The Dark Side consumes the user, maybe this is one of the first signs of this consuming, or a side effect.

 

I was just kidding about Threepio on the bridge--just playing along with ya.

I really must get my flashing joke sign back from the shop...

But it coulda been 3PO--really...

Now--to 'Sith' eyes for a moment-- In comics we lack music and dialogue must be terse in order to fit in the issue (you would be amazed at how much we actually cut out of a book as we go along!) So we rely on visual cues. 'Sith' eyes is one of those. Another you might see is 'the Force' when a Jedi or Sith uses the Force. Wouldn't necessarily see that in films, but in comics it's a shorthand that helps to drive the story along. There used to be a lot more word sound effects which we've largely given up. Lot's of BOOM and taktaktak, that sort of thing. Lots of times it just got in the way...

So--Cade's Sith eyes are visually cueing us in on moments when he is wavering on the edge of the dark side. That work for ya?

 

I don't know if this has been discussed but was there a coloring mistake on page 3 (of the actual comic pages).

I am looking on the right side where the Skulls are talking to one another. From top to bottom we have a female, a paler white male, a dark skinned male, and then a tan male with dark hair. If I am reading my handbook correctly then from top to bottom we have

Captain Gunn "Gunner" Yage
Brodie "Cannon" Coburn
Tev "Crasher" Rimon
Jae "Storm" Akura

The problem I see is that the second pilot refers to Cannon (who is himself) and the third pilot refers to Crasher (who is himself). Now there is the possibility that the 2nd and 4th pilots are the same person (unlikely) and that Akura is talking in both panels but it still leaves the problem with the clearly dark-skinned 3rd panel guy talking to Crasher.

John, Jan, is their a mistake with the bubbles? I think that the mistake could be fixed by leaving the speech bubbles where they are and swapping the 2nd and 3rd pics.

-The Rebel Gungan

 

Fourteen is the best issue to date by far. The first page set the tone with Wyrlock standing there with sabers blazing... to Cade's interaction with R2. The underground scenes were cool but the short duel was right on point. The question is, what do we know about Xoxaan-sp?

*waves hand like QGJ*
"Sith eyes, will do fine."


I must admit that my apprehension about R2's inclusion was completely unwarranted.
This issue put that to rest. I sooo hope we get to see a Skywalker go Sith because he wants to. And not for any other reason.

 

Thanks, Jan! It works.

And it looks hawt.

 

I sooo can't wait for this issue:

[image=http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n107/SithStarSlayer/DarthCader.jpg]

 

Waitasecond!! Hutts are hermaphrodites!?!!?? Woah!!


(Whole new level to Jabba's vile flirtations with metal bikini Leia revealed to Quinine in a flash of revelation)

 

Thank you for the response. I understood all of that and was in no way criticising YOU for the inclusion of the Sith eyes. Obviously in a paper medium you have to show the darkside fence-walking/hopping SOMEHOW. You could give him bright pink eyes and it wouldn't change the fact that your art and John's writing speaks (in my opinion) just as well if not better than television or movies. Except 4, 8-10, and 13 though well written, weren't as visually impressive. That's one reason why i'm so easily immersed in Legacy while the other DH titles are bought for the collection value alone.

But the 'Sith Eyes'...If it was something exclusive to the comics i wouldn't even have to ask. But since GL put it into the PT, a medium that HAS music and sound effects and all that stuff, it made me wonder if it was in fact just a device or if it was a manifestation of some physical change in a person's ocular chemistry from excessive darkside use.


Master Luc

 

My problem with the Sith eyes is mostly aesthetic. They just don't work well for me, especially the bright red version that Legacy seems to favor. The red is kind of flat and weird as opposed to ominous.

 

Doi, the canonical eye color changing seems even lamer now...
Yuuzhan Vong probably don't have that problem with the Sith eyes. I would have preferred dark circles under his eyes because I'm an eyesack turtle.

I consider Queen Jool to be the most awesome part of this issue, other than the mention of fine dining. I mean, corset! Eh, it seems like all the plot points introduced in Legacy #0 have been covered by now. I think Darth Krayt evenutually convinces Cade to take up a red lightsaber, judging from that cover. Or maybe Cade kills Krayt and steals the lightsaber (am I looking at the picture right?).

I still want to see Vongerella.

 

Excellent issue. I can't wait for next issue! Finally we'll find out who Darth Krayt is! I'm smart enough to not expect anything earth-shattering, but I'm pretty sure that the next issue won't dissapoint me. Curious line from Wyyrlok about Xoxaan. Could Xoxaan have been Vongerella, and Krayt have been relying on her qahsa or holocron? And what is this that I hear about a power play from Nihl? I'm too lazy to look through every post, could somebody fill me in? Thanks.

 

Xoxaan? That sounds like it could be pronounced like the pinyin zuo shan. And there flies the "anti-Chinese sentiments" accusations from the haters XP

OMG it could be Vongerella? Dur. *reaches for copy of #14*

Eh, Xoxaan posessed "ancient knowledge", but what is ancient in this era? Maybe it's not Xoxaan who is ancient, but the knowledge for Yuuzhan Vong medical techniques. Wait, the knowledge is ancient Sith lore. And just when I thought there was a connection.

 

Darth Cade(r) =

 

Well, Lumiya does say that there is a greater plan in place, involving other Sith besides her, in Tempest...

 

Is anyone else seeing this? Am I misunderstanding something? John? Jan?

-The Rebel Gungan

 

It was a good issue, but they are saving the revelations for the next issue. Fine by me

But we have to wait until August 8th??? (Well, Harry Potter will keep me occupied in the meantime!)