Star Wars: In the Shadows of Their Fathers (Empire Volume 6)

It's graphic novel Sunday!  We're up to the sixth trade paperback in the Empire comic series.  

In the Shadows of Their Fathers collects issues 29-34 of the Empire series.  This time, the collection consists of only two stories:

1) The Price of Power (Story: C-, Art: B)

Taggeco, home of some weird aliens (basically, talking velociraptors), is a violent world where the current leadership has attained its status through assassination and fear.  They get a personal visit from Vader, who injects his own fear into the species, leading them to unwittingly trap a former senate member with Rebel sympathies.  In the end, the head velociraptor dude decides the price of power just isn't worth it- and resigns before he can be killed (by Vader or his brethren). 

2) In the Shadows of Their Fathers (Story: B+, Art: A- )

Background: In the Clone Wars comic series, one story arc dealt with the planet Jabiim, and their fight against the Separatists (volume 3 specifically).  The Republic forces (led by Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi) fought valiantly, but in the end were called away to fight on other fronts, leaving the Jabiimi to fend for themselves.  Skywalker's withdrawal was viewed as betrayal.  Jabiim fell to the Separatists, and then the Empire, who mined their world to near-ruin.  

Now, fast forward ~20 years, to the present story.  There are nationalist cells on Jabiim who believe they can re-take their world from the Empire.  The Rebels catch wind of it and, unfamiliar with their past, send Luke Skywalker (among others) to negotiate assistance.  The Jabiimi- many of whom are descendants of those abandoned- don't take kindly to the family name, and bad things happen, with the Imperials eventually getting involved.  In the end, Skywalker and the Jabiimi descendants learn what it means to honor their fathers' legacy- or redeem their fathers' sins.


The first story was forgettable- thankfully, it was only one issue long.  The second (the other five issues collected here) was made more relevant by its connection to the story in the Clone Wars.  It was interesting to see a generational story done, and it's as close as Star Wars gets to "deep" storytelling, making the reader think on the consequences a father's actions can have on his son.  Due to time frame (remember, this story arc is set between episodes IV and V, so Luke does not yet know his father is Vader), Luke things highly of his father, and fights to defend his honor and justify his actions.  Would he do the same after The Empire Strikes Back?  I'm not sure- but it's a good topic which merits further reflection.

Rating: B+