Star Wars Comics: The Sith War #3-5, Heir to the Empire #2-3, Boba Fett

My Recent Reads

Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War #3: The Trial of Ulic Qel-Droma

Originally Published October 17, 1995

Writer: Kevin J. Anderson

Artist: Dario Carrasco, Jr.

In-Story Timeline: 3996 BBY

via Wookieepedia

• Ulic is on trial for his offenses against the Republic since he turned to the Dark Side.
• Meanwhile, on Yavin 4, Exar Kun orders his apprentices to go kill their own Jedi Masters in order to clear the way for the rise of the Sith.  He sends Crado and Oss Willum to take out Master Thon.  He goes himself to confront Master Vodo.
• Mandalore, unimpressed by Aleema's betrayal of Ulic and determined to stay loyal to the latter, shows up on Yavin 4 asking for help for Ulic.  Kun reluctantly agrees.
• Cay argues for his brother.  Nomi Sunrider argues against him.
• Kun interrupts the proceedings, frees Ulic, then the brawling ensues.
• Kun kills Vodo and runs off with both Ulic and Mandalore.

Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War #4: Jedi Holocaust

November 1, 1995

Anderson/Carrasco

via Wookieepedia

• Ulic learns of Aleema's betrayal.  He assigns her to lead their next attack with a wink to the reader: he expects her not only to fail but to die trying.  It's the lesson we all learned from the Godfather movies: keep you friends close, keep your enemies closer.
• Nomi, her daughter Vima and Sylvar go to Ambria to visit Master Thon.  They are attacked by Crado and Oss Wilum, Kun's minions.  The good guys win this round.
• However, across the galaxy, Jedi Masters are dying at the hands of their own former pupils.  
• Indeed, Aleema is successful in her attack on Kemplex IX but in the aftermath, both she and Crado are killed by a supernova.

Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War #5: Brother Against Brother

December 19, 1995

Anderson/Carrasco

via Wookieepedia

• The supernovae (yup, that's plural) set off by Aleema in the last issue are threatening Ossus.  The Jedi and Republic evacuate the planet along with the artifacts in its Jedi library, the latter also a precaution against the impending Sith invasion.
• Ulic, Kun and their followers arrive, intending to loot the library.  Cay battles Ulic, still hoping to bring him back to the Light Side.  Kun battles Ood Bnar.
• In a cool connection with the Dark Empire stories set thousands of years later, Bnar loses but transforms himself into a tree in order to protect a stash of lightsabers.
• Cay is killed by Ulic.
• When Nomi arrives on the seen, she uses her own powers to strip Ulic of the Force.
• Neat trick!

Heir to the Empire #2

November 7, 1995

Mike Baron/Olivier Vatine and Fred Blanchard

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

9 ABY

via Amazon

• Admiral Trawn and Jedi Jorus C'Baoth are hunting the Skywalkers.
• Luke is training Leia.
• Han and Leia are heading Bpfaash to head off an Imperial attack.
• Luke heads to Dagobah where he has a vision of a mysterious woman snatching away his lightsaber.
• Things on Bpfaash go poorly and Han races to get Leia back to safety.  Once they're in space, they head towards the new digs of an old friend: Lando.
• They make it to Lando but the Imperials have successfully followed them.

Heir to the Empire #3

December 12, 1995

Baron/Vatine and Blanchard

via Wookieepedia

• Luke falls in with Talon Karrde and his band of smugglers, including Mara Jade.  She hates him but he doesn't know why yet.
• Han sends Leia and Chewbacca to Kashyyyk, believing Leia will be safe on the Wookiee home world.
• All Star Wars stories improve with the addition of Wookiees, the more the better.  Yup, even The Star Wars Holiday Special.  Sure, it's terrible.  It would have been even worse without Wookiees.
• The ever-clever Thrawn anticipates the plan and sends his Noghri minions to Kashyyyk to hunt Leia down.

Boba Fett: Bounty on Bar-Kooda

December 5, 1995

John Wagner/Cam Kennedy

via Wookieepedia

• The first Boba Fett-devoted comic book.
• Fett, resurrected in the Dark Empire series, is hunting a magician for Gorga the Hutt.
• Not too impressed with this one.  To be honest, I've never been particularly enchanted by the Boba Fett story.  Sure, he looks cool and he's always been a merchandising gold mine.  But the efforts to build a broader narrative around him nearly always fall flat for me - feels like they're trying too hard.  Yup, even with the clone troopers.