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Princess Leia #2 - Part II

4

We get to learn more about the Princess as we witness her in action away from those other Star Wars characters.

The Good

If anyone deserves some time in the spotlight, it's Princess Leia. We know there are layers to her characters and we only got small glimpses into them in the original Star Wars trilogy. This was a figure that would stand up to Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin, Chewbacca, and even the slimy Jabba the Hutt. But for a character that witnessed her home planet get destroyed, we never really saw any emotion or much concern. That's where this series comes in. Leia's first job is to the mission. As part of the Rebel Alliance, she had no choice but to fight for the freedom of the galaxy. After the others in command feared she was too precious to be placed in danger, she set out with a fellow Alderaanian X-Wing pilot, Evaan, to search for and rescue other Alderaanians being hunted by the Empire.

As she sets out for Naboo, Mark Waid gives us some flashback glimpses into her childhood. We see how her toughness and rebelliousness started at a young age. Journeying to Naboo was a nice nod in acknowledging the prequel films and allows the action to take place in a familiar setting that would be far enough from the Empire to immediately arrive and cause problems. The result is intrigue and twists as Leia sets out to find some Alderaanians.

The art by Terry and Rachel Dodson is really working for this series. Leia has the combination of her toughness mixed with her elegance. Young Leia looked pretty darn cute and it was cool to see Bail Organa have his Jimmy Smitts resemblance. Jordie Bellaire's colors are amazing as always. It's interesting when you compare the different art styles from this and the other two Marvel Star Wars books. They each have their own style yet all capture the essence of the characters.

We also have a nice cliffhanger to keep us on edge until the next issue.

The Bad

I'm a little on the fence with the Empire's mission to hunt down Alderaanians. It's perfectly understandable that they would want to finish the job the destroyed Death Star started. There is also the strong possibility of further sympathy for the Rebellion due to Leia's position in the Alliance as well as with any remaining Alderaanians. It just seems with the destruction of the Death Star, they might have their hands full dealing with other things in order to keep their presence and control over the galaxy.

When Leia was on Naboo and saw a certain image, it was a nice nod but a little far fetched.

The Verdict

This book continues to show that Princess Leia doesn't need the likes of Han Solo or Luke Skywalker to take part in dangerous missions. Getting a chance to deal with the loss of her home planet and continue her duty to her people while trying to thwart the Empire's plans at the same time is great to see. Mark Waid is showing the different layers to Leia as well as what she is capable of doing. The Dodsons are really getting into the groove with the art, giving this book it's own vibe while still feeling like it fits perfectly alongside the other Marvel Star Wars comics. With plenty of twists and turns, this books simply channels the spirit of Princess Leia and the feeling of the Star Wars universe.