Subject: Review: Star Wars: In the Empire's Service, story by Michael Stackpole

From: Warren Dunn <[email-masked]>
Date: 17 Dec 1999 15:41:40 -0500

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron: In the Empire's Service,
		a graphic novel, story by Michael Stackpole
	Review Copyright 1999 Warren Dunn

Rogue Squadron takes over another Imperial-held planet and a famous pilot
for the Rebellion, Commander Isard plots to gain control of the Empire.

SOME SPOILERS BELOW.

This story was fairly disjointed.  It took more than half the graphic
novel to get into the story, which is in itself a bad sign.  I have to
give the authors credit for some of the dialogue, though.  It wasn't clear
in the way it tried to move the plot forward, but the banter was great.
It is exactly what I would expect from such a close knit group.

  The other thing to talk about is the art.  I didn't like this art.  The
style seemed to detract from the story, and it was too bright, with not
enough shades to it.  The depth of field was gone.  It looked more like an
old Marvel comic, not a recent Dark Horse issue.

  The story revolves around Commander Isard trying to manipulate things in
the Empire to her gain.  I know a little about Isard from reading the back
of the book Isard's Revenge, part of the X-Wing series, and from what I
learned about Baron Fel in Vision of the Future.

  Isard wants control of the Empire.  She has maneuvered an inept Governor
to that planet, and moved an elite fighting squadron there to prove a
tempting target for the rebels.  They must think it is important.  But
Isard knows that many of her enemies will be discredited if the planet is
lost to the Rebels.  So she makes sure it is lost.

  The action takes up most of the book.  There are three strikes against
the planet, and each one take the Rebels closer toward domination on that
planet.

  I finally have a time frame for the Rogue Squadron comics.  Six months
have passed since the battle of Endor.  It doesn't seem long enough for
what has happened in the last five issues.

  At least they recognize the loss in the last issue, of a main character.
It's nice to see that this series is evolving, and that even some of the
main characters may pass away.  Of course, to keep continuity, we need to
keep at least Wedge and Tycho alive.

  This story also introduces Baron Fel, who only shows up two thirds of
the way through.  So far, he seems honorable, and we see his gardening
ability, and the respect and fear he generates in Rogue Squadron.  But
that's it.  I believe the next installment focuses almost exclusively on
this character, though.

  All in all, it seems to be a competent way to depict the takeover of a
planet.  After all, the Rebel Alliance has to retake the Imperial
planets one by one.  But there was not enough here to hold my interest
until Fel showed up.

%A Stackpole, Michael
%T In the Empire's Service
%S Star Wars: X-Wing: Rogue Squadron
%V Book 5
%I Dark Horse Comics
%D 1999
%G ISBN 1-56971-383-9
%P 92 pp.
%O Paperback, US$12.95