Deathstroke, Vol.1 – “Legacy” (DC)

An assassin’s brutal quest to regain his reputation as the Baddest of the Bad

Writer: Kyle Higgins | Artist: Joe Bennet | Inks: Art Thibert & Vicente Cifuentes | Colours: Jason Wright

Slade Wilson once ranked as the world’s greatest mercenary. But when his reputation starts to slip, and when a mysterious briefcase enters the equation, the man known as Deathstroke decides to carve a bloody, gory swatch across the DCU in a quest to show the world what exactly makes him the best.

Collects: Deathstroke #1-7

I first read a couple of Deathstroke issues when they were first published in the initial months of DC’s New 52 re-boot, and I found it… not bad. I couldn’t get too excited about the series, despite thinking it had potential. Given the cost of each issue, I had to drop it in favour of other titles. But, when I found a discounted copy of this book, I decided it was a good time to give it another try. I’m glad I did, but this doesn’t rank among my favourite of the New 52.

“Enforcer”, by Matthew Farrer (Black Library)

The Shira Calpurnia Omnibus

The Adeptus Arbites are responsible for enforcing Imperial Law across the Imperium. Enforcer Shira Calpurnia is a newly assigned officer to the Hydraphur division, charged with maintaining a tough line on law and order in the system. Home to Imperial warfleets which dock, rearm and repair in a neverending cycle of conflict, in this violent and corrupt sector of space. Calpurnia's duty is to protect the innocent and punish the guilty… With extreme prejudice.

Crossfire: Calpurnia is a newly-appointed Arbites officer. But she soon finds herself investigating a series of assassination attempts at the dockyards. With so much at stake, she must unravel a mystery that goes to the heart of Hydraphur’s elite.

Legacy: Calpurnia is appointed to protect an ancient trading charter; a document highly-prized by a number of potential heirs willing to go to any lengths to obtain it. Calpurnia and her fellow Arbites must don their armour and fight, to ensure the charter ends up in its rightful place.

Blind: When a telepath is killed, Calpurnia faces suspicion and mistrust from his disturbed fellows, as her investigation takes her deep into a deadly conspiracy. In a hostile environment, and dogged by her new ‘minder’, can she solve her most difficult case yet and ensure Imperial law is restored?

Collecting Farrer’s three Calpurnia novels, along with a new introduction and ‘dossiers’ for each novel, Enforcer is a excellently-priced omnibus. I read these three novels when they first came out, so it was nice to re-visit the series.

Different from Black Library’s usual output, the novels are more crime investigations in a gothic sci-fi setting than proper tales of war and fierce battles. Some might find the pacing a little slow (even I did at times), or the premise not what they were expecting or to their taste, but I really welcomed the different approach to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Shira Calpurnia is an interesting, strong (if short) lead character, and one you will grow closer to as the novels unfold – we only really get to know her slowly, as Farrer reveals her background at a leisurely pace. With the Adeptus Arbites (the police force of the Imperium) as the central focus of the novels, we are taken away from the front lines of battle, and brought into the cities of the Imperium and all the intrigue, politicking and plotting that typifies life within them. It made a nice change, one that Dan Abnett’s Eisenhorn and Ravenor series also provided. The added information about how the Imperium works was, for me, a big draw.

The greatest strength of the novels, however, is that they were the first to really delve into how the Imperium actually worked, rather than just how it made war. Crossfire is particularly strong; more about human nature and its failings than inter-species, intergalactic war, well suited to introducing us to the Imperium and how day-to-day society works within it. Legacy is also good, giving us more information and background on the Rogue Traders and how their strata of society works – some have complained that Calpurnia didn’t feature enough in this novel, which is a fair complaint, but ultimately there was enough intrigue and dynastic politics to keep it interesting. Blind is a little different, adding to our understanding of the lives and operations of the blind psykers, the astropaths, with a more interesting antagonist and premise – to add to her problems, Calpurnia is also awaiting trial for a misstep, postponed so she can help solve the murder of a psyker.

Farrer’s prose are well-crafted, and the plots unravel at a good pace, always giving us just enough to draw us along, and he is adept at bringing the worlds and Imperial citizens (loyal or otherwise) to life, as well as describing the lives of the multiple strata of Imperial society.

Even though I enjoyed these novels, I must admit that if I had to choose something in the 40k setting, I would probably still opt for anything by Abnett, Graham McNeill or something in the Horus Heresy series. It’s not that Enforcer isn’t worth reading, it’s just not what many people will want from a 40k novel. The dossiers included for each novel are a pretty nifty inclusion, offering something more to enhance the novel you’ve just read. The most recent novels from the Black Library that have the most similar feel to these are Sandy Mitchell’s Inquisitor novels, Scourge the Heretic and Innocence Proves Nothing.

Enforcer is recommended to anyone who loves the setting, but wants something a little different while still identifiable as Warhammer 40k. That being said, Farrer writes some good sci-fi here, so even if you’re not familiar with the universe, or haven’t read anything from Black Library, then this could be an interesting introduction.

(As with all Black Library omnibuses, Enforcer is also priced very well – three novels, with bonus content, for just £11? Bargain.)

“Star Wars: Legacy” Vol.1-5 (Dark Horse)

The Saga of the Skywalkers continues, and once again the future of the Galaxy hangs in the balance…

Broken: The Jedi Temple is attacked, and a hero falls; an Emperor is betrayed, but perseveres; and the Sith are born anew, in greater number and deadlier…

Shards: Cade Skywalker returns to the place of his father's last stand against the Sith and finds far more than ghosts… The story of how the Empire joined forces with the Sith to defeat the Galactic Alliance, only to have Darth Krayt and his legion of followers usurp ultimate power for themselves. Follow the fate of an Empire divided, with battles pitting stormtrooper against stormtrooper, and Sith assassins bent on taking the life of deposed Emperor Roan Fel.

Claws of the Dragon: Cade Skywalker is captured by the Sith. Emperor Darth Krayt unveils his true identity, and a secret chapter in the life of Obi-Wan Kenobi is revealed. When Cade attempts to rescue the Jedi he turned over to the Sith during his days as a bounty hunter, the last Skywalker soon finds himself in the clutches of Krayt. There, Cade must confront his past and decide once and for all: will he remain the Emperor’s prisoner or become his thrall? Learn whether the Skywalker line lives up to the triumph of Luke or returns to the tragedy of Anakin…

Story: John Ostrander & Jan Duursema

Artwork: Jan Duursema, Adam DeKraker, Travel Foreman, Colin Wilson

Ink/Colours: Dan Parsons, Brad Anderson, Ronda Pattison,

Letters: Michael David Thomas, Michael Heisler

I’ve been tempted by this series of graphic novels for quite some time. When I finally managed to get hold of the first book, Broken, I read it pretty fast. Ostander’s writing is good, the plot rattles along at a fair clip, and for the most part, the artwork is pretty great (there are the occasional bits where the style is not my preferred, but it still does the trick). Brilliantly bringing to life the future of the Star Wars Universe, Legacy adds some more layers to the Skywalker clan mythos. There are plenty of references to events of the films and novels, and plenty of homages in the form of snippets of dialogue that could have been transposed straight from the movies.

Cade Skywalker, the last in the line, is very different from what one might expect. Closer to Han Solo than Luke, he is brash, roguish and a scoundrel. Darth Krayt, the antagonist of the series, is a good foil for Cade and the other ‘good-guys’ of the piece. As the three books progress, we get more information and back-story about Krayt, further developing the history of the universe. Being far more familiar with the novels than comic series, I can’t help thinking that I’m missing something, on occasion, when a reference passes me by completely or a seemingly popular or recurring character appears for the first time (for me). The inclusion of the Yuuzhan Vong is good, as we get more story about how they were integrated into the galaxy after the events of the New Jedi Order series.

*     *     *

Alliance: Seven years ago, Admiral Gar Stazi and his Galactic Alliance fleet barely escaped an Imperial trap. Now he has a chance to turn the tables on the Darth Krayt and his Empire. But the stakes are high. Not only must Stazi risk every ship of his battle-worn fleet, but he must depend upon his more powerful enemy to remain blind to his true objective.

The Hidden Temple: Cade Skywalker has escaped the clutches of Darth Krayt and imprisonment in the Sith Temple. He has faced the teachings of the Dark Side and returned to his friends with new knowledge and a few secrets as well. Cade says he desires only what it is he truly values, and what he must do to maintain it. This reluctant heir to the Skywalker legacy could end up a hero whether he likes it or not.

Story: John Ostrander & Jan Duursema

Art: Omar Francia & Alan Robinson

Ink/Colours: Brad Anderson

Letters: Michael Heisler

Alliance starts without a word of Cade Skywalker and his band of merry henchmen. This, for me, was somewhat disappointing, as Claws of the Dragon was very focussed on his experiences in the custody of Darth Krayt. To abandon this storyline wholesale for an entire volume was not the best move in my mind, although I will concede that the back-story for General Stazi added another layer to the overall background of Legacy. An ok storyline, but not the most gripping, and I started to worry that maybe the series was already starting to peter out, to lose focus. The final part of the book is set after the events of volume five, which was a bit of a peculiar move, but as it added more to Darth Wyyrlok’s story, I thought it was a welcome addition to this otherwise sub-par volume (there’s some interesting development of the Dark Side and Sith history, too).

The Hidden Temple, thankfully, returned attention to Cade and his merry band of bounty hunters and vagabonds. We learn a little more of Cade’s extended family, as well as the increasingly complex loyalties that are developing between the Sith and those they recruit to hunt Cade. Some background is added to Sia’s distinct dislike for Jedi, and the Imperial Knights return for a little more arrogance and meddling. The book finishes a little suddenly, without really having achieved anything, though Cade’s proposal at the end (to assassinate Darth Krayt) could have been made more of – completely new approach for the Jedi.

Overall, though, I enjoyed these five books. The artwork wasn’t consistently great, and at times the story was a little flat (the reliance on reproducing dialogue from the movies – while no doubt intended as an homage – comes across a bit lazy, rather than fanboy).

If you’re a fan of the Star Wars movies and/or novels, and want something a little lighter and quicker, then the Legacy series of comics is perfect. If you’re familiar with the novels, as I am, you might not find this as fulfilling – by its very nature, character development is not as good as can be achieved in a 300+ page novel. (This might explain why I’m now reading Christie Golden’s Allies, which is proving better than expected.)

Reading these graphic novels has been an entertaining and interesting detour from my usual preference for novels, and I will be finishing off the series (slowly) as time goes on. I’m still not convinced I’m going about the reviews in the right way, so I might have to do a little more research before I post too many more like this.

The next volume is the final book of the era-spanning Vector series (which I already own), which I’ll try to get reviewed later this week.