X-wing Rogue Squadron Volume 2 (Various)

Today's review is of a Star Wars Omnibus: X-wing Rogue Squadron Volume 2, and collects three story arcs from the Rogue Squadron comic series: Battleground: Tatooine, Warrior Princess, and Requiem for A Rogue.  Each is reviewed below.

Battleground: Tatooine
Six months after the Battle of Endor, members of Rogue Squadron go on a mission to Tatooine to help a Rebel agent (Winter, who appeared in The Rebel Opposition and other Star Wars novels) get information as warlords vie for control of the planet after Jabba the Hutt's demise.  Winter's attempts to retrieve an important data disk (containing information on Imperial weapons caches in the area) from Biggs Darklighter's father go awry when another agent gets the information first.  As the Rogues pursue the data, they (eventually) come across a hidden Imperial base on the planet.  Can they overcome against overwhelming odds?  Probably . . . afterwards, Elscol decides to leave the Rogues and pursue freedom fighting elsewhere (presumably, her native world).

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

Warrior Princess
Seven months after Endor, the Rogues (with new additions Ibtisam, Nrin, Herian, and Feylis) are sent to planet Eiattu to return a long-lost princess (Plourr Ilo, hard-hitting and -talking Rogue squadron member since the start of the series).  There, Plourr is asked to end the Civil War between the nobles ("Prims") and resistance ("PLB"), all while fighting off the Empire as well.  With traitors on all sides, can Plourr and the Rogues save the day?  Seems likely . . . afterwards, Plourr leaves Rogue Squadron to assume the throne of her world.

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

Requiem for A Rogue
Eight months after Endor, the Rogues are tasked to find a missing spaceliner of Bothan tourists.  Their search takes them to the Malrev system, where they find the (grounded) ship- and an ancient temple full of Sith evil.  Can the Rogues overcome and save the passengers- even if some aren't who they seem?  Two Rogues pass away in this one, and Plourr comes back to help at the end.

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

Overall
As with volume 1 of Rogue Squadron, I wasn't overly pleased.  The stories were at times confusing, the pace still too fast, and the plots again had elements of the cheesy or ridiculous.  This collection was a little better, but only marginally so.  So far in the overall story, I don't understand why a series on Rogue squadron pilots would focus so heavily on ground-based, seemingly-random or unnecessary adventures.  There are better Star Wars tales out there.

Rating (overall): C