Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Review

This review is super, super late. That thing called life kept getting in the way. Plus, I’ve only seen the movie twice…TWICE!!! I could lose my street credit for being so lazy.

Star Wars takes its first steps into a larger world by going backwards in its mythology. Rogue One is the first standalone film to occur outside of the cherished episodic saga and for the most part exchanged fantasy for pragmatism.

The sheen of fantasy that’s exhibited in The Force Awakens is replaced with a tattered, war-torn luster that beautifully coincides with the narrative of how the Rebels stole the plans to the Death Star. Continue reading “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: Review” →

Star Wars: Vader Down #1 Review

Vader Down takes us on a journey where we seek to find the answer to an intriguing question; What happens when Darth Vader is all alone against the entire might of the Rebel Alliance?

There have been a lot of comics over the years that show an outgunned Dark Lord overcoming insurmountable odds with the swipe of his crimson blade. Some of his victories in these situations have been extremely creative and worthy of the Vader’s ruthless reputation while other incarnations left a lot to be desired.

When putting Darth Vader in any canonical situation, you have to respect the mythos and pathos of the character while being very selective in when, and if, he loses a battle.

Continue reading “Star Wars: Vader Down #1 Review” →

Star Wars: Lords of the Sith: Book Review

Star Wars: Lords of the Sith | By Paul S. Kemp | Published by LucasBooks |The Road To Episode VII @ Forces of Geek.com

Lords of the Sith is a cautionary that takes place 14 years before the Battle of Yavin and right before the events in James Luceno’s Tarkin.

I use the word cautionary as opposed to dark to describe the comings and goings of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine because if these characters were real and you wanted to kill them, this book would convince you to not only abandon your plans, but you wouldn’t dare to think of such a plot ever again. Continue reading “Star Wars: Lords of the Sith: Book Review” →

Star Wars: Who is Kylo Ren?

There are 125 days until Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters, and it can’t come fast enough for this life-long fan of the franchise. Last week, J.J. Abrams played with my emotions like a fiddle as he revealed some fascinating information in an interview with Entertainment Weekly about the film’s crossguard lightsaber-wielding villain, Kylo Ren.

Spoiler Alert at the jump Continue reading “Star Wars: Who is Kylo Ren?” →

Star Wars #4 Review

Star Wars #4 serves as the beginning of a new story arc dealing with the fallout of the Empire’s weapons factory on Cymoon 1 being destroyed.

The majority of the book takes place on Tatooine as Darth Vader arrogantly keeps Jabba the Hutt in check while maintaining the assurance of Imperial supplies provided by the mammoth gangster.

Jason Aaron was able to keep the dialogue between the two villains interesting. Vader was steadfast in his demands while Hutt surgically picked his spots to rub salt on the wound of recent Imperial damages. It reminded me of how one would book a match/story in professional wrestling with the idea being one person wins without the loser taking any damage to their credibility or character. Continue reading “Star Wars #4 Review” →

Darth Vader #4 Review

To say that Darth Vader has fallen out of favor with Emperor Palpatine would be an understatement. The old wrinkly Lord of the Sith talks down to his apprentice in a manner that would get most people Force choked into oblivion. However, Vader is playing it cool for now, and he needs to. Continue reading “Darth Vader #4 Review” →

Darth Vader #1 Review

When it was first announced that Marvel obtained the comic book rights for Star Wars, everyone wondered what kind of stories we would get. Instead of looking towards the Expanded Universe, the publisher revisits the familiarity with the franchise’s most infamous character in Darth Vader. Dark Horse Comics produced several limited-run Vader books over the years.

Most of them did a great job of highlighting the dark lord’s ruthless aggression. Still, Kieron Gillen goes into uncharted waters by exploring Vader’s psychology at a time where he has lost favor with Emperor Palatine. Continue reading “Darth Vader #1 Review” →

Star Wars #1 Review

I was barely five years old when my father came home with a VHS tape that said Star Wars on the cover.

This unfamiliar title sparked a resounding sense of curiosity because there was no explanation or synopsis as to what I about to witness or how it would change my life.

Five minutes before my bedtime, I was told to sit down, stare at the TV, press play and prepare to be transported into a galaxy far, far away. Continue reading “Star Wars #1 Review” →

Star Wars Dark Times Volume 7: A Spark Remains

The recent announcement of Lucasfilm’s decision to forgo the Expanded Universe as a part of the canonical story of Star Wars is a day that most hardcore fans feared.

While some don’t care, most are outraged and have issued the usual threats of swearing off things that took place in a galaxy far, far away. What’s the point of engaging in the novels, comics, and video games that explore this cherished fiction within fiction?

Because nothing’s changed. Good storytelling is still good storytelling, no matter if it “counts” or not. Continue reading “Star Wars Dark Times Volume 7: A Spark Remains” →

The Resurrection of Darth Vader

Not much is known about what J.J. Abrams has planned for the next Star Wars film. Rumors are circulating, but those are even few and far between. This is a good sign that everyone in the creative process is on the same page in keeping things quiet. I have a theory about one major thing that will occur in Episode VII. Darth Vader will not only be in the movie, but he will be a major part of the story.

I have absolutely nothing to back this up with. My gut tells me that Disney really wants him in the film. It would be an instant cash grab to introduce the Sith lord to a new generation of fans. Besides, everything in the Star Wars universe revolves around Darth Vader, and finding a smooth and plausible explanation for his resurrection is the key ingredient in making this work.

My imagination is running wild with all sorts of ideas on how this could be accomplished. Maybe, the Ewoks are really Sith lords, and they put Luke Skywalker under some sort of force hypnosis and snatched Vader’s body before he lit the fire? Click here to check out some of my other ideas at Forces of Geek.com