Star Wars: Dark Empires II by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy
01/10/2007 . Source: Tomas L. Martin 
pub: Titan Books. 200 page graphic novel. Price: £14.99 (UK). ISBN: 1-84576-368-8. Buy Star Wars: Dark Empires II in the USA - or Buy Star Wars: Dark Empires II in the UK  check out website: www.titanbooks.com
The first 'Dark Empire' comic is the best graphic novel of all the 'Star Wars' canon and its tale of Luke Skywalker going over to the dark side to defeat a cloned Emperor is as important to the tie-in world as the novels, whereas most of the other comics are less widely regarded.
This sequel, again written by Tom Veitch and drawn by Cam Kennedy, follows on from the events of that seminal comic and for the first time, includes the final chapter, 'Empire's End', which has been long out of print.
Luke is searching for new Jedi to train now that the Empire has fallen. He travels the galaxy looking for other survivors of Darth Vader's purge, hoping to produce a new generation of users of the Force.
Meanwhile, the Emperor has been reborn again into one of his last remaining clone bodies and is preparing his forces for a new fight, hoping to kidnap Leia and Han's newly born son, Anakin. With his clone body defective and slowly dying, the Emperor hopes to take over the young child's mind, giving him a strong, force sensitive new body.
Some of the writing is fun and frantic, with some good action sequences involving a new line of battle droids. Cam Kennedy's artwork is of the traditional, primary colours style and is neither exceptional or poor. Apart from a few excellent large battle scenes and some good use of shadow, there wasn't much art that stood out.
Which would be fine if the story in 'Dark Empire II' was as good as its original but it feels a little sketchy, as if the first one's success wasn't expected and a second comic was commissioned too quickly. It passes the time well enough but you'd be far better off buying the 'Star Wars: Dark Apprentice' trilogy of tie-in novels by Kevin Anderson that follows on from the events of this comic, as the story in that is far stronger. This comic is not worth paying £15 for but is worth a read if you find it at your local library.
Tomas L. Martin
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