The Good
Looking to give Michael Bay a run for his money, this issue has three detailed explosions and one scene of massive devastation. As for the plot? It's moving along... just reaaaaaaaaaaaal slow. While the last issue aimed to establish this assassin as a formidable character, this issue shifts gears and puts the spotlight on Darth Vader (and yes, he has dialogue this time around). He's basically the quintessential badass here, even proving skilled enough to save the Emperor from a trap right that was literally right under him. Although, I can't help but laugh at the Emperor falling over and exclaiming "oof!" It brings back memories of that oh-so-awkward fall during his encounter with Yoda in Revenge of the Sith.
Anyway, this issue has plenty of "cool" moments and they look fantastic. The art by Stephen Thompson and Michael Atiyeh looks terrific and gives plenty of depth to this classic universe. Explosions are fierce, the bar just oozes a Star Wars vibe, and all of the characters look topnotch. Despite the solid visuals, I still think this assassin's helmet design looks rather... well, goofy. It's almost like he has a permanent grumpy face. It's tough to take an assassin seriously when they kind of look like a droid who's about to have a tantrum.
The Bad
This villain goes from silent badass to a dude who takes a casual stroll at his target. Last issue he dropped so many characters without making the slightest noise in such a short amount of time. This time, he slowly approaches as Vader has time to say at least two sentences. Unless this is part of some elaborate plan, it feels very inconsistent.
Right now, the plot leaves me quite a few questions and, while there are three more issues to wrap everything up, the pacing has me concerned. I was mixed on the first issue. It spent a lot of time on matters that I thought were unnecessary and didn't really focus on the ones that I was interested in. I find myself in a similar situation with number two. It's certainly amusing, but it establishes plenty of questions (holy $@!# they can cut a Star Destroyer in half?!) and doesn't really begin to scratch the surface of any of them.
The Verdict
Only two issues in and it's clear this book is going for style over substance thus far. If impressive panels and a few explosions is your cup of tea, then give this a shot. However, I'm hoping chapter three greatly expands on the plot, otherwise I'm afraid I'm going to drop it. I can only afford so many $3.00+ titles, after all, and sadly, this isn't doing a whole lot to really enthrall me.
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