Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Comic book review
Written by Haden Blackman
Art by Brian Ching, Bong Dazo and Wayne Nichols
Titan Books paperback
Release date Out now

Set during the lost years between Episodes III and IV, Darth Vader has selected his own apprentice - Starkiller - to further his secret ambitions. As the fragile Rebel Alliance comes together to oppose Vader and the Emperor, Starkiller's choices will decide their (and his) fate...

As the next 'official' chapter of the Star Wars saga, the new Force Unleashed video game (which this graphic novel is based on) comes loaded with expectations. There is no shortage of Star Wars stories squeezed in between the movies, but the setting of The Force Unleashed raised eyebrows, as the period between III and IV has largely escaped attention.

It tells the story of Darth Vader's previously unknown secret apprentice as he is trained to hunt down the remaining Jedi after Emperor Palpatine orders them killed. However, Vader, being a Sith, has his own plans, and these involve a certain growing Rebel Alliance. Starkiller is soon caught up in the very birth of the Rebellion that will ultimately draw in the heroes from the original trilogy, but given who his master is and what has been done to him, will Starkiller slay or save the fledgling Alliance and the galaxy?

The essential ingredients are all here for one of the better Star Wars spin-offs: the Empire vs. the Rebels, a band of ragtag heroes complete with trusty ship and droid, a conflicted main character with amped-up force abilities who teeters on the wrong side of the force, and requisite lightsaber duels a plenty.

Given LucasFilm’s recent focus on the Clone Wars, this somewhat generic, by-the-numbers tie-in book at least benefits from a comfortably familiar setting, and the presence of classic villains Vader and the Emperor raises the stakes. The use of the story and a few twists to set the stage for Episode IV is smart enough and should please fans. Owen Van Spall