X-wing Rogue Squadron Volume 1 (Various)

In comic books, stories are often told over several issues (called story arcs).  The general trend is to have one story arc consist of 5-6 individual issues, but then have an overall story that encompasses several story arcs.  After the individual issues are released, story arcs are often re-published in one volume as a trade paperback.  Sometimes, several trade paperbacks are re-published in one volume called an omnibus.  One or more omnibuses can contain the overall story.

Today's review is of a Star Wars Omnibus: X-wing Rogue Squadron Volume 1, and collects three story arcs from the Rogue Squadron comic series: Rogue Leader, The Rebel Opposition, and The Phantom Affair.  Each is reviewed below.

Rogue Leader
Set shortly after the Battle of Endor in the Return of the Jedi, members of Rogue Squadron (a collection of X-wing fighter pilots, to include Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles) go on a mission to Corellia to collect information in the Rebellion's effort to snuff out remaining segments of the Empire.  There, they get more than they bargained for.

Rating (art): B
Rating (story): B-

The Rebel Opposition
One month after Endor, the Rogues (captained by Wedge, as Luke has moved on to other adventures) are unexpectedly attacked while escorting a convoy to Mrlsst, and put down on the planet Cilpar.  There they meet up with a weary and leary group of Rebels fighting Imperial remnants in the area.  With the Empire consistently a step ahead, both groups suspect a traitor is in the midst of the other.  And the end, one of the Rebels (Elscol) joins up with Rogue Squadron.

Rating (art): B-
Rating (story): D

The Phantom Affair
Two months after Endor, the Rogues finally get to Mrlsst, where they bargain with the Empire for a cloaking device the locals claim to have invented.  While Wedge is negotiating with an Imperial who had a hand in his parents' deaths, data on the cloaking device is stolen- apparently by a Rogue.  Can they clear their name in time?

Rating (art): B
Rating (story): D

Overall
I love the space combat element of Star Wars, and enjoyed Michael Stackpole's X-wing series of novels.  He wrote these, too, but I wasn't nearly as pleased.  The stories were confusing, the pace too fast, and the plots had elements of the cheesy or ridiculous (my favorite is when a Rogue impersonates an Imperial, and they let him into base- and give him a TIE fighter to fly- without asking questions or for identification).  There are better Star Wars tales out there.

Rating (overall): C-