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Star Wars: Agent of the Empire #1 (of 5)
Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: John Ostrander
Artist: Stephane Roux
Cover: Stephane Roux

Jahan Cross is a guy who is known for getting the job done. He’s an Imperial badass who is currently on the trail of a secret project that may do harm to the Empire. This investigation leads him to an unexpected meeting with an old Academy buddy who will most likely owe him a favor or two when this is all said and done.

Ostrander sets this story three years before the Battle of Yavin, or for those new to the Star Wars mythos: Episode IV. Just as he excited us with Star Wars: Legacy, that same energy and well paced storytelling is what makes this issue an exciting read. The main character will probably get several comparisons to James Bond, though Cross himself seems like a much different character than 007. However, there were similar themes if you take into consideration the gadgets, and there is a type of Q character (well, actually two) in the story, as well. All of this is worked very well into the story while Ostrander maintains that Star Wars atmosphere. Amidst all of the action, Ostrander sparks quite the mystery with one little panel which I’m sure will be explained later in the series.

As far as the artwork goes, Stephane Roux does a fine job immersing you into the Star Wars universe. From the backgrounds to the character designs, everything fits into place. Plus we also get a pretty decent Harrison Ford looking Han Solo. The action sequences flowed great, though in the first one Cross was upstaged by his droid INGA. From here on we get consistently good looking pages, with one of them displaying some good physical comedy which was unexpected. I’ll also add that the cover reminds me of those classic Star Wars covers from decades ago, and sets the tone for the entire story.

Agent of the Empire looks like it has what it takes to be a great mini-series due to the fine work of the entire creative team on this title. When a team like this brings this type of quality to fans, it’s reassuring that there are plenty more good stories to tell set in this world. The Star Wars mythos deserves good stories like this one that remind us how cool it can be. So the next four issues need to keep up with this momentum and deliver, and when it’s over I’m hoping to see more of Jahan Cross!

Infinite Speech
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