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jaredkwheeler's review
4.0
Star Wars Legends Project #139
Background: Hero of the Confederacy was released in three issues from November 2009 to January 2010. The trade paperback came out in September 2010. It is the third and final arc in Dark Horse's short-lived, 12-issue "Clone Wars" run of comics. These issues were co-written by [a:Henry Gilroy|153690|Henry Gilroy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Steven Melching|3414949|Steven Melching|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], and pencilled by [a:Brian Koschak|4037263|Brian Koschak|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Gilroy was head of The Clone Wars animated series through its first season. Melching also wrote for the show. In addition to this, Koschak did the art for a few of the Clone Wars series of graphic novellas.
Hero of the Confederacy is set within the first few months after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin). The main recurring character is Anakin, with major roles for Obi-Wan and Count Dooku. The title character is Tofen Vane.
Summary: A stunning act of treachery turns a neutral system that produces the most advanced starfighters in the galaxy into an enemy of the Republic. The face of that enemy is Tofen Vane, heir to ruler of Valahari, and a pilot whose skill is matched only by Anakin Skywalker himself, against whom Vane claims a personal vendetta. Anakin was not at fault, and he knows Vane to be an honorable man, but if he cannot reason with Vane, he will be forced to kill him . . . assuming he can actually outfly him.
Review: "There are heroes on both sides" is kind of a throwaway sentence in the midst of the opening crawl for Episode III that feels largely like an empty claim in the majority of the stories told about the Clone Wars. With very few exceptions, every Separatist leader is literally a cartoon villain, irredeemably evil. So who are the good people on the Separatist side and how did they end up joining a movement led by such evil? This story arc goes all in trying to provide a partial answer to that question, and in doing so it produces probably the most compelling Separatist character I've encountered (with the possible exception of Asajj Ventress).
The title is totally sincere: Tofen is a hero by any measure. He is likable, relatable, sincere, honorable, skilled, and smart. And his starfighter is iconic and awesome. He's also pretty flagrantly modeled on Germany's deadliest WWI flying ace Manfred von Richthofen (note the name), more famously known as the Red Baron. Check out the cover art from this arc's second issue here. Oh, and in general, Koschak's stylized art is a great fit for this material.
But what really makes this story something special is the set-up that makes the natural rivalry between Anakin (as the Republic's best ace) and Tofen intensely personal. They are fast friends when they first meet, sharing a love for speed and mechanical things. They engage in a podrace and trade good-natured barbs. They would be an amazing team. And then it all falls apart, lending an air of tragedy to their forced hostility later.
So, while I love that there is lots of great action in this story, especially lots of great starfighter duels, I love even more that there's actual dramatic and emotional weight behind it. Just about every Clone Wars comic is action-packed, but way too many of them forget to do anything meaningful with the characters at the same time. Don't miss this one.
B+
Background: Hero of the Confederacy was released in three issues from November 2009 to January 2010. The trade paperback came out in September 2010. It is the third and final arc in Dark Horse's short-lived, 12-issue "Clone Wars" run of comics. These issues were co-written by [a:Henry Gilroy|153690|Henry Gilroy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Steven Melching|3414949|Steven Melching|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], and pencilled by [a:Brian Koschak|4037263|Brian Koschak|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Gilroy was head of The Clone Wars animated series through its first season. Melching also wrote for the show. In addition to this, Koschak did the art for a few of the Clone Wars series of graphic novellas.
Hero of the Confederacy is set within the first few months after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin). The main recurring character is Anakin, with major roles for Obi-Wan and Count Dooku. The title character is Tofen Vane.
Summary: A stunning act of treachery turns a neutral system that produces the most advanced starfighters in the galaxy into an enemy of the Republic. The face of that enemy is Tofen Vane, heir to ruler of Valahari, and a pilot whose skill is matched only by Anakin Skywalker himself, against whom Vane claims a personal vendetta. Anakin was not at fault, and he knows Vane to be an honorable man, but if he cannot reason with Vane, he will be forced to kill him . . . assuming he can actually outfly him.
Review: "There are heroes on both sides" is kind of a throwaway sentence in the midst of the opening crawl for Episode III that feels largely like an empty claim in the majority of the stories told about the Clone Wars. With very few exceptions, every Separatist leader is literally a cartoon villain, irredeemably evil. So who are the good people on the Separatist side and how did they end up joining a movement led by such evil? This story arc goes all in trying to provide a partial answer to that question, and in doing so it produces probably the most compelling Separatist character I've encountered (with the possible exception of Asajj Ventress).
The title is totally sincere: Tofen is a hero by any measure. He is likable, relatable, sincere, honorable, skilled, and smart. And his starfighter is iconic and awesome. He's also pretty flagrantly modeled on Germany's deadliest WWI flying ace Manfred von Richthofen (note the name), more famously known as the Red Baron. Check out the cover art from this arc's second issue here. Oh, and in general, Koschak's stylized art is a great fit for this material.
But what really makes this story something special is the set-up that makes the natural rivalry between Anakin (as the Republic's best ace) and Tofen intensely personal. They are fast friends when they first meet, sharing a love for speed and mechanical things. They engage in a podrace and trade good-natured barbs. They would be an amazing team. And then it all falls apart, lending an air of tragedy to their forced hostility later.
So, while I love that there is lots of great action in this story, especially lots of great starfighter duels, I love even more that there's actual dramatic and emotional weight behind it. Just about every Clone Wars comic is action-packed, but way too many of them forget to do anything meaningful with the characters at the same time. Don't miss this one.
B+
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