Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 2 #1
Prisoner of the Floating World, Part One
Script by Corinna Bechko & Gabriel Hardman
Art by Gabriel Hardman
Colors by Rachelle Rosenberg
Lettering by Michael Heisler
Cover by Dave Wilkins
Designer: Jimmy Presler
Assistant Editor: Freddye Lins
Editor: Randy Stradley
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: March 20, 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

In Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 2 #1 we return to the universe created by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema based on George Lucas’ Star Wars universe. I have to admit, although I really liked the original series, I did stop reading after awhile, so I went into this series fresh, but filled with excitement.

Writers Corinna Bechko & Gabriel Hardman immediately brought me back to that “sub universe” of Star Wars that I loved so much. This is SO different that any Star Wars setting that we’ve seen in that past, that you almost don’t recognize it immediately as Star Wars. Thankfully, some of the trademarks fall into place rather quickly and you’re reminded of just where you are. There is a LOT of story in this issue, but not too much, and the whole premise behind it is pretty shocking, and no, you won’t get spoilers here. Sorry.

Dark Horse Comics has provided Geeks of Doom with an exclusive first look at four amazing covers that are set to be released in the month of December, and one coming in February.

In these comics is House of Fun (one-shot) a comic that I’ve been looking forward to for some time now, from Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dwyer. Collected in this one-shot are several entries from the House of Fun run in Dark Horse Presents including new Milk and Cheese comics and some of the most hilarious comic strips that have ever been printed. Also listed below are the comics for Michael Avon Oeming‘s The Victories #5, John Ostrander‘s Star Wars mini-series Agent of the Empire: Hard Targets #3 (of 5), the final issue of Tom Morello‘s Orchid, and the cover to the new Trigun Omnibus, which is set for February.

Each one of these covers is great, and based on what I’ve previously read and the creators attached, these are all great picks for December, so make sure to get your pre-order sheets ready, because you won’t want to miss any of these comics.

Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi – Force Storm #3 and #4
Written by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema
Pencils by Jan Duursema
Inks by Dan Parsons
Colors by Wes Dzioba
Cover Art by Jan Duursema
Dark Horse Comics
Issue #3 Release Date: April 18, 2012
Issue #4 Release Date: May 16, 2012
Issue #3 Cover Price: $3.50
Issue #4 Cover Price: $3.50

The intriguing basis for Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi continues to be its greatest selling point: this is a time before Jedi and Sith, and before the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force was so diametrically opposed to each other. This is the Star Wars galaxy before it was the Star Wars galaxy; where the Balance of the Force is beyond important and more significant to the plot than what it was in the films.

Issues #3 and #4 of Dawn Of The Jedi: Force Storm continues this universe revealed in the opening chapters of this series, which seems to be serving as a “Book of Genesis” for the Jedi Order. Complete with references to and cameo appearances of the Rakatan Empire, Dawn Of The Jedi covers an immeasurable amount of ground that is sometimes a little too much to digest.

Xesh, a Force Hound for the Rakatan Empire (basically a Force-sensitive warrior who tracks down Force energies for the Rakatans), finds himself on Tython. His mere presence there ignites a gigantic Force Storm, of the likes has never been seen in the galaxy, nor probably would ever be seen again. Members of the enigmatic Je’daii Order find themselves corrupted by Xesh’s Dark Side leanings, and torn away from the doctrine of keeping the Force in balance.

Star Wars: Agent Of The Empire – Iron Eclipse #4 and #5
Written by John Ostrander
Pencils by Stéphane Roux and Stéphane Créty
Inks by Julien Hugonnard-Bert
Colors by Wez Dzioba
Cover Art by Stéphane Roux
Dark Horse Comics
Issue #4 Release Date: March 14, 2012
Issue #5 Release Date: April 11, 2012
Issue #4 Cover Price: $3.50
Issue #5 Cover Price: $3.50

The conclusion to Agent of the Empire has arrived, and delivers superbly. With some minor appearances from a couple of familiar characters, and the main protagonist Jahan Cross fulfilling his role as a version of 007 in that galaxy far, far away, Agent Of The Empire – Iron Eclipse is a tale worth Star Wars fans spending some attention on.

In the long chronicle of the Expanded Star Wars Universe, a majority of the stories have often been about the “heroes” we’ve known fighting some “new threat” or “new villains.” In Agent of the Empire, we have a fine example of what the contemporary creative talents driving the EU works are trying to achieve – mixing up known loved genres with the Star Wars galaxy as a backdrop.

Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi #1
Story by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema
Pencils and Cover Art by Jan Duursema
Inks by Dan Parsons
Colors by Wes Dzioba
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 15, 2012
Cover Price: $3.50

The debut issue of Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi is, in essence, a Creation Myth, telling the very beginnings and origins of the Jedi and the Sith. Set tens of thousands of years before the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the story tells of how the original order, called the Je’daii, came into being, and how their approaching conflict with the Rakatan Infinite Empire set their course away from balance and into division.

Dawn Of The Jedi, for the Star Wars continuity geek (such as myself – I like to consider myself a bit of an in-universe SW historian) is a dream come true – the publication we’ve long waited for. From start to finish, Dawn Of The Jedi #1 is chock full of new information about the deeply unexplored ancient history era of the Star Wars universe, providing a solid glimpse into a time where swords were used instead of a lightsaber.