"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."
...a "Star Wars" saga ended much too soon.
In 2006, Dark Horse Comics premiered an ambitious new storyline to the "Expanded Universe" of "Star Wars" tales. This saga took George Lucas' epic galactic mythos to an unexplored time, 137 years after the film adventures of Luke Skywalker, and detailed the exploits of his descendants. Specifically this was the story of Cade Skywalker, a man torn by the tragedies and burdens of his past, as well as the realities of what the name 'Skywalker' meant to him and the galaxy. This was also the story of Darth Krayt, leader of an army of dark force users he called the "One Sith." As the tale of "Star Wars: Legacy" began, this Dark Lord had...
"...broken the spine of the galaxy. Nearly a hundred years ago, the Yuuzhan Vong invaded, plunging the galaxy into deep chaos -- bleeding and weakening it. Patient in the Force, I waited as the galaxy grew darker."
After much tumult and treachery, Darth Krayt wrested control of the war-ravaged galaxy and became emperor of a new galactic empire. But even after his triumph, the Lord of the Sith came to learn he needed the power wielded by the seeming last of the Skywalkers. Yet the troubled Cade had turned his back on who he was, claiming:
"I'm not a Jedi, and I'm not a Skywalker, either. Not anymore."
"Legacy" thus became a "Star Wars" saga of an uncertain future even as it furthered ideas and ideals of its mythic past; and as created by writer John Ostrander and artist Jan Duursema, this Dark Horse comic series became one of the most intriguing and entertaining interpretations of Mr. Lucas' cosmic tale of good versus evil...until it came to an abrupt end.
This hardcover volume contains the following:
Issues #0,0B-19 of the original comic series.
The above individual comics were reprinted in the following trade paperback editions listed as individual stories or story-arcs in this hardcover volume:
(Volume 1) Broken (Issues #1-3,5-7)
(Volume 2) Shards (Issues #4,8-13) (Note: Issues #4 & 8 are reprinted here out of their original sequence.)
(Volume 3) Claws of the Dragon (Issues #14-19)
The individual covers to the comics illustrated by Jan Duursema, Adam Hughes, Travis Charest, and Dave Ross, are featured throughout the hardcover volume in different formats. The cover to issue #10 by Mr. Ross is not included.
One of the pleasures a reader gets in exploring "Star Wars: Legacy" is the sense of the unknown in its story narative. Not since the pioneering time of the Original "Star Wars" Trilogy did fans of the saga have the chance to read an adventure starring a member of the Skywalker clan in which they didn't know the ultimate fate of the character. While the ongoing "Expanded Universe" or "EU" has continued "the adventures of Luke Skywalker" in comic book and novel form, "Legacy's" achievement was its showcase of a new Skywalker, a man unlike his famous ancestor, as he, and his friends battle for the soul of the galaxy, even as he, Cade Skywalker, battled for his own soul.
Cade is unlike any Skywalker, or any hero seen before in the saga. A conflicted, drug-taking bounty hunter, he is also perhaps the most exasperating hero/anti-hero a "Star Wars" enthusiast could come across in any "EU" tale. Many times while enjoying reading the series, this reviewer wished to smack Cade on the back of the head and tell him to get his act together! But "Legacy" is the story of Cade's struggle to truly find himself, and despite his self-destructive tendencies, his tale is told so well, the reader comes to root for Cade in his journey to bring peace and balance to the galaxy, as well as to himself.
"Star Wars: Legacy" also featured a memorable villain in the character of Darth Krayt, a Sith Lord striving to shape the galaxy in his image with his vision of "the One Sith." Conquering the galaxy through the force of his will, Krayt, like Cade Skywalker, is revealed over time to have ties to the past of the "EU" and was created very much in the tradition of former infamous Sith Masters as Darth Sidious, Darth Bane, and the fallen Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, who became Darth Vader.
The "Legacy" saga is a story with rich characters and concepts that extrapolated on the evolving "Star Wars" mythos in interesting and thought-provoking ways. From its complex leading characters to plot elements like "the One Sith" or the fascinating idea of the "Imperial Knights;" light saber wielding offshoots of the Jedi Order, whose loyalty was exclusive to the galactic emperor, "Star Wars: Legacy" offered readers a distinctive vision of a future "Star Wars" galaxy.
When this new "Star Wars" adventure was announced in 2006, there was trepidation from many fans of the saga, who were concerned about the direction its creators, Mr. Ostrander and Ms. Duursema, had planned for their unique take on "the future of Star Wars." But this was a talented team of veteran comic storytellers, including past "Star Wars" comics, and "Legacy" became a showcase which continued this duo's own rich "Star Wars" creative legacy. Writer John Ostrander has always had a darker perspective on the "Star Wars" saga, and "Legacy" reflected this in its scarred characters, intricate plotlines and oftentimes shadowy settings. As illustrated by Jan Duursema, "Legacy" was an imaginatively realized vision of the "Star Wars" galaxy, complimenting the established look of that "galaxy far, far away" with visual ideas unique to this particular adventure series. The look of "Legacy" was enhanced by the rich color work of artist Brad Anderson, who contributed greatly to Ms. Duursema's pencil artwork, and the ink lines drawn by Dan Parsons. Another notable artist on "Legacy" was Colin Wilson, who served as an alternative illustrator on the comic for a trio of stories featured in this collection. Mr. Wilson would go on to draw the "Star Wars: Invasion" comic mini-series trilogy for Dark Horse from 2009-2011.
Much to the regret of "Star Wars" fans, like myself, who came to love this series, "Star Wars: Legacy" was cancelled in 2010 with the publication of its 50th issue, despite the fact the comic was one of the most popular titles released at the time by Dark Horse. To wrap up the lingering plotlines that remained at the unexpected end of the ongoing series, the publisher and the series' co-creators, Ms. Duursema and Mr. Ostrander, produced "Star Wars: Legacy: War," a six-issue mini-series that was released in 2011. But even with the sequel mini-series, there were still thousands of disappointed "Star Wars" fans, who lamented turning the last page of "Legacy: War," grieving the loss of a comic series they felt came to an untimely end.
Some consolation for fans would come with the publication of a companion "Legacy" comic in 2013. Unofficially called "Legacy 2," this series featured the story of Ania Solo, "carrying on Han and Leia's legacy -- and taking on the galaxy...solo!"
Still, for fans of the original "Star Wars: Legacy" comic series and/or admirers of great comics period, this thick hardcover collection offers the first epic adventures of an especially unique "Star Wars" saga. It comes very highly recommended.
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![Star Wars: Legacy Vol. 1 (Star Wars Legacy) by [John Ostrander, Jan Duursema, Randy Stradley, Adam Hughes, Colin Wilson, Travel Foreman, Adam Dekraker]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51DIs+ZF8RL._SY346_.jpg)
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Seif Z
One of the best EU stories!
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Luís Carlos Azevedo Ferreira
astonishing!
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