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(More customer reviews)It's not easy to rewrite the star wars universe. Case in point: Imagine that you have to rewrite Return of the Jedi. You may change one event, one moemnt, then let your imagination flow. The possibilities for what may happen are almost endless.
But the important thing is, no matter what you come up with, it's important to take the time to tell your story well.
As with the previous two installments of the infinity line of star wars comics (A new hope and the empire strikes back, or IANH, ITESB), the folks at Dark Horse take the classic film and change one event, then see where the story goes. Remember the moment where Leia, disguised as Bossh, armed a thermal detonator in Jabba's palace? What would happen if that detonar...well, detonated?
With that simple change, the story of Return of the Jedi changes. There is no skiff sequence, no rancor fight, and sadly, one of the most beloved charachters is vaporized as a result (and no, it's not Bib Fortuna). From there, the story continues towards it's final moment...the final battle of the rebel alliance and the galactic empire above the endor moon.
What sets Return of the Jedi, infinities apart from IANH and ITESB is it's story. While the first two departed from the established story line greatly, IROTJ sticks fairly close to what happens in the film. Luke still fights Vader on the death star, the rebels still have to blow up the generator on Endor, and Vader must choose between following his master, or killing his children. Instead of the big details, it's the little ones that are changed.
Because it sticks closely to the established story, this entry in the infinities line isn't as compelling or fascinating as the previous two. Don't get me wrong, it's still entertaining, but it's just not as compelling as IANH or ITESB. There are great moments, such as how the bunker is destroyed, Han getting out of the carbonite, and what happens to Vader, but the one thing I noticed the most when reading this comic was the feeling that it was rushing as quickly as it could towards it's conclusion. As I said ealier in this review, if you're going to tell a story, try to tell it well. From the moment the rebeliion heads towards the Endor system, the book picks up the pace and doesn't let up, going at mach 4 towards the ending.
And in the end, this is what harms the story the most. It just goes too quickly. There's no real sense of how vast the final battle is, or how compelling the emotional fight is between Vader and Luke. one example is a description on the back of the book. We're told, "what if the ewoks fought both rebel and imperial?". Indeed, the ewoks attack the rebels...for all of two panels, then they vanish, never to be seen again, and with no impact on how the story plays out. Moments where the potential for emotional drama is high stop two panels short, stopping these scenes dead in thier tracks. Going really fast is not always the best option when you're telling an action story, as it is possible to go way too fast, as is the case here.
But even with the speed and pacing issue, IROTJ is still a fun read. The artwork is unique, looking like a strong blend between hand drawn and computer enhanced, and the final page of the comic, with what happens in it, is sure to put a huge smile on any star wars fan's face (but to reveal it would be criminal).
Now the big question...to buy, or not to buy? I'm really not sure what to say here, except that your best bet is to find this comic in a store, read it, then decide if you want to buy. Just like with the issue of bringing the fluffy ewoks into existance in the star wars universe, you either like it, or you don't like it.
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Star Wars Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi was a fitting climax to one of the truly great sci-fi cinema legends. As the credits rolled, the Empire was in ruins, Luke had led his father Darth Vader to redemption, and Leia and Han were reunited. Yet in the universe of Star Wars: Infinities, the smallest twist of fate can rewrite a saga! In Infinities - Return of the Jedi, all it takes is for C-3PO to lose his head! The result is that Han remains in the hands of Baba Fett, Luke is captured by the Emperor and the Rebel Alliance walks into a trap from which, this time, there is no escape! As thrilling as the movie, the seismic ripples reshaping this fantastic mythology lead to a shocking, epic conclusion worthy of the Star Wars legend!
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