Star Wars: A Long Time Ago… Volume 2: Dark Encounters review
These 18 stories show a maturation of our heroes - from the lusty antics of Senator Greyshade pressuring Leia to let down her cinnamon buns, to machine rage against machine between Vader and Valance, to a flashback of Obi Wan’s “kinder, more gentle time.” Each issue focuses on characterization and adventure in equal portions.
Read on for Barry Harter’s complete review!
Star Wars: A Long Time Ago… Volume 2: Dark Encounters
Review by Barry Harter
Dark Horse trotted out its second helping of Marvel madness molded in Star Wars mythos, hot on the heels of the first volume.
While Doomworld featured the first 20 issues, Dark Encounters spans 17 issues and the first annual as portrayed by Archie Goodwin and Carmine Infantino with equal portions Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie and seasoned with Artoo and Threepio.
Dark Encounters lives up to its name with the return of quintessential heavy Darth Vader. Left spinning into the dark void of space at the end of A New Hope, Goodwin penned a paltry one ish cameo after the movie’s adaptation ended during the first 20 issues. This time around the Dark Lord of the Sith descends with all the subtlety of Pittsburgh’s fabled (and feared) Steel Curtain of the same decade and lingers like an unwanted guest.
Looking back nigh on 30 years gone by, these stories still hold up even when the rose-tinted glasses of youth and hero worship have faded. These were the tales that made you wanna break out Kenner’s licensed likenesses and save the galaxy all over again.
Remember, short of George Lucas’ embarrassing Star Wars Holiday Special, Alan Dean Foster’s Splinter of the Mind’s Eye and Brian Daly’s excellent Han Solo trilogy that takes place before he and his furry first mate hired out the Falcon to a former Knight of the Republic, Marvel was the only game in town between episodes IV and V.
These 18 stories show a maturation of our heroes - from the lusty antics of Senator Greyshade pressuring Leia to let down her cinnamon buns, to machine rage against machine between Vader and Valance, to a flashback of Obi Wan’s “kinder, more gentle time.” Each issue focuses on characterization and adventure in equal portions.
Goodwin and Infantino throw in a few surprises along the way, too.
Like in issue 28. Readers are treated to an appearance of Jabba the Hutt, a svelte biped with walrus whiskers and a penitent for orange jumpsuits all rendered without digital tomfoolery.
And, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the heroes reunite on Tattooine to hijack a sandcrawler.
Toss in a Chris Claremont’s “The Long Hunt” in the 1979 King-Size Annual amidst reprints of issues 21 through 38 and the $30 price tag doesn’t seem so steep - especially to see Luke and Vader cross lightsabers for the first time.
Goodwin and Infantino make the sprint toward The Empire Strikes Back seem like a 12 par sec Kessel Run.
Five out of Five (Death)stars
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