REVIEW: Star Wars Crimson Empire III – Empire Lost (Part 3 of 6)
Well they got me, that’s all I can say. They got me. After all it is Star Wars, and I am a sucker for anything Star Wars. This third part in the six part story did exactly what I was afraid of. It expanded the story just enough and ended with a cliffhanger that left me as the read it, thirsty for more. The story by Mike Richardson and Randy Stadley really felt like a Star Wars story in this third part of Empire Lost. I also have to give extra props to Paul Gulacy on art. It almost seems like he had more time to draw this issue because there is so much more detail in the faces of every character. Especially the eyes, a lot is revealed through expressions on the main characters eyes in this story.
As far as the story, (Spoiler Alert) It was fantastic. Like I said, it reveals new plot details and yet only advances the story slightly. We see Kir Kanos at a dinner in the base of this anti-republic/anti-empire movement. Apparently there are three sides in this story. The New Republic lead by Leia, The New Empire lead by a mysterious D’Asta and the one’s who want to destroy both and form the Real Empire lead by one of Palpatine’s ex-assasins, a man known as Devian. Being that Kir Kanos is the last of the Emperors Red Royal Guards, he is held in high esteem or so we are to think. As Devian tries to lure him to their cause we learn of their evil plot to destroy the city of Coruscant and all in it with this mysterious rock that has some powerful destructive properties. Kanos turns down the offer and escapes the base using his Royal Guard fighting skills. I still find it humorous that there so much respect given to the Red Royal Guards in these stories when they did absolutely nothing in the movies, but I digress. It seems that he is heading to meet with someone close to him, a woman perhaps. Maybe Mirith Sinn the X-Men look-a-like that is protecting Leia back on Coruscant. We’ll find out in the next chapter. We also see Luke arrive on Coruscant to meet Leia and warn her that he believes Devian is behind this.
The story was a great middle story and we are even served with a really nice exchange in the beginning of the issue between Leia and Han Solo as he is away serving as a General in a battle on another system. I stated last time that this issue was going to serve as the deciding factor in whether or not I continue with this arc. Needless to say I will. I am still amazed at how good this story is turning out to be. I still want to go back and read up on the first two trades of Crimson Empire. You should too.
