PUBLISHER: MARVEL | FORMAT: SINGLE ISSUE | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Marvel Comics closed out last year by ending the main Star Wars title, Darth Vader, and Doctor Aphra, and in-between re-launching those titles, they’ve rolled out this Hoth-based one-shot, leading up to the events of The Empire Strikes Back. Empire Ascendant is comprised of four separate but connected stories, all loosely linked by the planetary shield that protects Hoth from bombardment.
Four author and artist teams tackle these tales, starting with Echo of Victory by Charles Soule and Luke Ross that sees Kes and Shara Dameron digging the tunnels of Hoth, tasks beyond their usual skills as evidenced by the walls collapsing. Trapped, they can’t see a way out until Luke Skywalker cuts through the walls using his lightsaber. The big takeaway from this story: the ice of Hoth has trace elements that makes detecting life forms from orbit near impossible.
In Service to the Empire by Greg Pak follows the training of Death Troopers under the command of the tough Sergeant Cordo, right through a mission to take out a rebel gun emplacement that led to his death and their injuries. As a stern Imperial commander orders their life support be cut off for the death of Cordo, Vader intercedes, killing the commander and saving the loyal troopers.
Bounty Hunters: Two Sides to Every Sortie sees the increasingly canonised Valance as he accepts a deal from Han Solo to protect the design of the shield technology that envelops Hoth. However, after a protracted chase across the stars, it’s revealed that the engineer is giving information to the Empire to protect his own captured family. Taking his pay, Valance only has half, sending the remainder to free the captured family.
The final story, Doctor Aphra – Epilogue sees the archaeologist’s lover Captain Tolvant on Hoth, where she learns of Aphra’s actions via Luke Skywalker and how Chelli sabotaged Imperial computers to give the Rebels time to start the shield and protect the new Rebel base.
It’s an interesting way to wrap up the existing series, setting this title on Hoth before Empire. Everyone knows the galaxy-changing events that happened within the film, and as new eras of comics begin soon in Star Wars #1, Darth Vader #1, Doctor Aphra #1, and the new series Bounty Hunters, we’re steered through Episode V on into the post-Dagobah, post-Han Solo era on the run into Return of the Jedi. The art is attractive, and while certain elements feel shoe-horned into the narrative (the Damerons) there are also interesting reveals (Hoth being resistant to scanning).
Not essential, but not unwelcome.
