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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #1
Review posted: 07 Feb 2006
Writer: John Jackson Miller
Artist: Brian Ching
Colors: Michael Atiyeh
Publisher: Dark Horse
2.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Robert Murray
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My next stop in the realm of extreme fandom is the Star Wars
universe, which has entertained die-hard sci-fi junkies for almost
thirty years. I have to give it to George Lucas and his crew: they
consistently create Star Wars-related products that seem to consume
their followers with fanboy glee and the unrelenting desire to collect
and own everything Star Wars. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
#1 is no exception. It is a first issue filled with everything a Star
Wars fan could want out of a comic book: lightsabers, droids, aliens,
and non-stop action. But, when you take Star Wars out of the title
and remove this story from the Lucas universe, you find a pretty
pedestrian story that seems a little too predictable. Knowing many
Star Wars fans, I know that I have just committed the ultimate
Knights
of the Old Republic #1 seems to contain a lot of stereotypical
fiction and dialogue that will work for most fans of the series, but
not for comic book readers looking for their money’s worth.
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blasphemy. Insulting a Star Wars product that fits within the
timeline of the Star Wars universe! How dare I? To a fan, the only
Star Wars product to complain about are the Playstation 2 games.
(Sorry, had to get that in! Clone Wars for PS2 was a waste!)
Now, if the future Jedi or Sith has finished burning me in effigy,
I will continue. Elements of this story reminded me of a Lethal
Weapon movie, with comedy and crime-fighting getting equal play.
I mean, there is even the stereotypical scene where the lawman cuffs
the criminal to his “car” while he goes to a location on
foot, leaving the criminal to scream and rant about how his rights
have been violated! How many times have we all seen this scene?
Knights of the Old Republic #1 seems to contain a lot of
stereotypical fiction and dialogue that will work for most fans of the
series, but not for comic book readers looking for their money’s
worth. This issue screams out consumerism rather than art, as if it
is an advertisement for the Knights of the Old Republic video game
rather than a meaningful experience for fans.
So, Robert, why in the world did you give this comic book a two
star rating? Well, this issue does keep the themes of the Star Wars
series in mind throughout. There is the movie serial element that
seems to be prevalent in all Lucas endeavors, including the
cliffhanger ending, which I’m sure will be repeated throughout
this series. Also, action abounds, keeping fans of lightsabers and
Jedi mind-tricks very happy. Lastly, despite the tone I have used
throughout this review, I am a Star Wars fan and was eagerly
anticipating this issue. Being a “Gem of the Month” in
Previews only heightened my excitement, as well as the buzz
generated by Dark Horse’s anniversary roll-outs. However, I
won’t be returning to this incarnation of the Star Wars
story line, and I would recommend that any other casual fans give this
a miss as well. Fanatics, I’m sorry about upsetting you, and
I’m sure you’ll find everything you crave about Star Wars
within the pages of Knights of the Old Republic #1.
—CCdC—
Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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