(Graphic Novel with art by Ramon Bachs and Raul Fernandez)

This book chronicles the backstory of Episode II's best new character, the father of fan-favourite Boba Fett.  The story is told through flashbacks as Count Dooku researches Jango's past to check his suitability to be the Prime Clone.  The book is divided into four sections, each being one of the seasons (as in the Open Seasons of the title) and each season being a clever metaphor for that period in Fett's life.  It begins with 'Summer', telling of how, in fire and heat, young orphan Jango comes to be adopted by the fearsome Mandalorian warriors.  'Fall' (which is what the Americans call Autumn - strange folk eh?) represents an important event in Jango's life in a literal way, as his mentor Jaster Mereel falls in battle.  The Mandalorians face their darkest hour in 'Winter', when they find themselves confronted by a small army of Jedi, led by Dooku himself.  Finally, 'Spring' reveals how Jango escaped from slavery, took revenge on his enemies and began his new life as a bounty hunter.  This is an excellent graphic novel that truly helps us to understand one of the best characters from the Star Wars prequels.  I particularly liked 'Winter', at the beginning of which Darth Sidious asks Dooku how Jango managed to kill so many Jedi, to which Dooku replies "With his bare hands", and so he does!  I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that Bachs' cartoony art style doesn't spoil this book (as it did somewhat with 'Jedi Vs. Sith'), but instead works really well with the story.

5 out of 5

 

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures - Volume 1

(Graphic Novel with art by Ben Caldwell and the Fillbach Brothers)

Three short stories told in the dynamic and action-intensive style of the Clone Wars animated series (which you should watch, by the way!).  I was surprised to discover that, despite it's cartoony nature, I really liked the visual look of these stories.  They manage to cut away the unnecesary details, whittling the artwork down to pure storytelling.  'Heavy Metal Jedi' is quite funny and 'Fierce Currents' carries on directly from a chapter of the cartoon, but the best offering here is 'Blind Force'.  Anakin and Obi-Wan find themselves on Nivek, the Night Planet, where they are unable to see (and therefore fight) the sinister Shadowmen.  However, in a nice nod to the classic films, Obi-Wan blindfolds Anakin and tells the young Skywalker to 'Stretch out with your feelings'.  A great little bit of Star Wars fun, this.

5 out of 5

Check out the work of John Ostrander.

FSFH Book Review - Fantasy - Science Fiction - Horror - Book Review - Hardback - Paperback - Comics TPB - Anthologies - Star Wars - Book Review - FSFH Book Review - Fantasy - Science Fiction - Horror - Book Review - Hardback - Paperback - Comics TPB - Anthologies - Star Wars - Book Review - FSFH Book Review - Fantasy - Science Fiction - Horror - Book Review - Hardback - Paperback - Comics TPB - Anthologies - Star Wars - Book Review