These remaining remnants of the Old Republic prepare for the arrival of the Empire, but should you even care what happens to them?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

Darth Vader is on the trail of one Jedi—little does he know that even more Jedi are aware of his search and his impending arrival on their planet. The Jedi and their friends are waiting with a trap to end Vader for good. But this is a dark lord of the Sith they will be battling—and nothing is certain!

Darth Vader is on the trail of one Jedi—little does he know that even more Jedi are aware of his search and his impending arrival on their planet. The Jedi and their friends are waiting with a trap to end Vader for good. But this is a dark lord of the Sith they will be battling—and nothing is certain!

There’s a lot of tension here, as two sides ready themselves for a forthcoming confrontation.  Allies face tough choices, as  a dark lord approaches and to the creative team’s credit we really get to feel that weight of their decisions.

Smartly focusing on the elements that make these characters feel both natural and organic, Randy Stadley builds upon his narrative foundation.  He highlights the parables before these players while the world surrounding them falls under an ever shrinking and tightening grip.  There’s a lot to love here and minus some off dialogue that came off a bit too rocky in its execution this was a strong entry.

Douglas Wheatley lends his pencil to the illustrative duties and the talent does a masterful job.  Detailed and somewhat realistic renditions echo the origins of the franchise while building up a few additions.  To sum up: if there is one rock solid reason to grab your lightsaber and find a nice quiet spot to enjoy this ride than this display of work is easily it.

Star Wars: Dark Times – A Spark Remains #4 continues to explore one of my favorite eras in the galaxy, and the team handles it in style.  Recommended.

4/5