Star Wars: Dark Times – A Spark Remains #3 Review


As we enter the third outing is the Force strong with this latest mini-series, or is it possible that this era no longer needs exploration?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

Darth Vader readies an assassin for Jedi hunting while scouring the galaxy for hidden prey. Elsewhere, the Uhumele’s crew plots to strike down the Dark Lord himself, but the revelation of their own life-or-death secrets threatens to unravel everything!

The creative team makes quick work of a serviceable plot.  This situation that these adrift Jedi face leads to violence, suspense, revelations and most certainly a cliffhanger finish that will have fans clamoring for the next potent release.

Randy Stradley pens the script and the scribe takes a bit of a backseat as he lets the action takeover the plot.  It’s not that this outing is paper thin but rather the seasoned professional sees the writing on the wall as he demonstrates the wherewithal to recognize when he should minimize his own efforts.  He avoids bogging down the pace with unneeded narration as he relies on the audience to know these heroes well enough to be invested in their fight against a Dark Jedi.  From start to finish what we have here is a veritable treat, matched only by the shocking origins of the betrayal and the vile Jedi Kai Hudorra.

The art by Douglas Wheatley is the star of the journey, as the illustrator carries this feature to a fitting climax.  He uses detail, delicate pencil strokes and a surefire hand to build a visceral visual dance that’s second to none.  I was instantly impressed with how realistic each sequence looked, even as it employed the use of characters and environments that are out of this world.  The drawback to such a sophisticated vision is that when the details are not up to par you can really tell and there were a few instances where faces and forms looked slightly off.

Star Wars: Dark Times – A Spark Remains #3 is an entry that’s action-packed, compelling and sure to thrill across the entire galaxy.  Recommended.

4/5

S#!T Talking Central