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Star Wars: Honor and Duty by C.P. Smith, Steve Firchow, Jasen Rodriguez, Luke Ross, John Ostrander
jaredkwheeler's review against another edition
3.0
Star Wars Legends Project #167
Background: Honor and Duty was published in May of 2006. It consists of 4 issues from the Republic run of comics (#46-48, published October 2002-January 2003, and #78, published October 2005). All four issues were written by [a:John Ostrander|18810|John Ostrander|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1263038842p2/18810.jpg], with the first three drawn by [a:C.P. Smith|191999|C.P. Smith|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] and the fourth drawn by [a:Luke Ross|16432745|Luke Ross|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Ostrander has written several dozen issues of Star Wars comics across various series, but this is the only Star Wars Legends work by the other two artists (Ross has done several issues of new continuity work for Marvel).
The first three issues of Honor and Duty take place a year or so before the Battle of Geonosis (23 years before the Battle of Yavin) and are the last issues of Republic that take place before the Clone Wars. The fourth issue takes much later, approximately two weeks after Order 66 (19 years before the Battle of Yavin).
Summary: Sagoro Autem is a third-generation Senate Guard who serves the Republic with unswerving loyalty, but the swirl of corruption that surrounds the politics of his day is about to drag him into a morass that will test an even greater loyalty: Family.
Review: I feel like there's not a lot I can say about this story without giving too much away, because it's relatively short for everything that happens in it. It didn't do much for me overall because I didn't feel very invested in the characters (or feel a whole lot of sympathy for them), and ultimately the story will stand or fall on that basis. That said, Ostrander is a very good writer (as I've often noted before), and it's definitely a solid arc. I liked the reference to illegal garbage pit racing on Coruscant from Rogue Planet, and I liked the idea of following how the events surrounding Palpatine's rise to power might affect some of the Republic's more ordinary citizens. If that sounds appealing, check this out. It just wasn't my thing.
B-
Background: Honor and Duty was published in May of 2006. It consists of 4 issues from the Republic run of comics (#46-48, published October 2002-January 2003, and #78, published October 2005). All four issues were written by [a:John Ostrander|18810|John Ostrander|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1263038842p2/18810.jpg], with the first three drawn by [a:C.P. Smith|191999|C.P. Smith|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] and the fourth drawn by [a:Luke Ross|16432745|Luke Ross|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Ostrander has written several dozen issues of Star Wars comics across various series, but this is the only Star Wars Legends work by the other two artists (Ross has done several issues of new continuity work for Marvel).
The first three issues of Honor and Duty take place a year or so before the Battle of Geonosis (23 years before the Battle of Yavin) and are the last issues of Republic that take place before the Clone Wars. The fourth issue takes much later, approximately two weeks after Order 66 (19 years before the Battle of Yavin).
Summary: Sagoro Autem is a third-generation Senate Guard who serves the Republic with unswerving loyalty, but the swirl of corruption that surrounds the politics of his day is about to drag him into a morass that will test an even greater loyalty: Family.
Review: I feel like there's not a lot I can say about this story without giving too much away, because it's relatively short for everything that happens in it. It didn't do much for me overall because I didn't feel very invested in the characters (or feel a whole lot of sympathy for them), and ultimately the story will stand or fall on that basis. That said, Ostrander is a very good writer (as I've often noted before), and it's definitely a solid arc. I liked the reference to illegal garbage pit racing on Coruscant from Rogue Planet, and I liked the idea of following how the events surrounding Palpatine's rise to power might affect some of the Republic's more ordinary citizens. If that sounds appealing, check this out. It just wasn't my thing.
B-
fandom4ever's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Star Wars: Honor and Duty collects issues 46-48 (Honor and Duty) and 78 (Loyalties), which take place in 23 BBY and 19 BBY, both prior to and three weeks after Revenge of the Sith. The art in the first series is just okay, at some points it’s detailed and at others people are less defined. The art of the second series is much improved and is nice to look at.
In this story, it was really interesting to see the work of the Senate guards, who are usually in the background. Though the story does go from a murder mystery plot which is investigated by several guards, to focusing on just one man, Sagoro Autem, who is intensely loyal to the Guards.
Issue 78’s beginning was the best part of the collection. It shows Palpatine and Vader gathering the newly minted Imperial Navy captains. Vader is suitably brutal and you really get to see how Palpatine is working to eradicate any good will towards the Jedi that is still left after their deaths.
But this jump forward of four years leaves many questions in regards to Autem. It briefly states what he did between story arcs, but I’m not sure how he managed to do all that including participating in the Clone Wars. I wish there had been a bit more there, and after looking up the character I see he is in issues 74, 76, and 77, so perhaps what I needed was in there.
Overall though, it’s a good little arc that continues being able to see the world outside the Jedi and more with the Republic itself. In fact, events in this lead to the first worlds leaving the Republic, where they’ll be ripe for joining Dooku and the Separatists. I would recommend this story. Now onto Episode II and the Clone Wars!!
In this story, it was really interesting to see the work of the Senate guards, who are usually in the background. Though the story does go from a murder mystery plot which is investigated by several guards, to focusing on just one man, Sagoro Autem, who is intensely loyal to the Guards.
Issue 78’s beginning was the best part of the collection. It shows Palpatine and Vader gathering the newly minted Imperial Navy captains. Vader is suitably brutal and you really get to see how Palpatine is working to eradicate any good will towards the Jedi that is still left after their deaths.
But this jump forward of four years leaves many questions in regards to Autem. It briefly states what he did between story arcs, but I’m not sure how he managed to do all that including participating in the Clone Wars. I wish there had been a bit more there, and after looking up the character I see he is in issues 74, 76, and 77, so perhaps what I needed was in there.
Overall though, it’s a good little arc that continues being able to see the world outside the Jedi and more with the Republic itself. In fact, events in this lead to the first worlds leaving the Republic, where they’ll be ripe for joining Dooku and the Separatists. I would recommend this story. Now onto Episode II and the Clone Wars!!
wyrmbergmalcolm's review
4.0
As much as I like reading about the Jedi, it was very refreshing to have the focus of someone else for a change. In this case, one of the blue senate guards, named Sagoro Autem. Here we learn about his work-life, his family life and his disdain for the Jedi. I also appreciated seeing the underground sport of Pit Racing first seen in the beginning of Greg Bear's Rogue Planet that saw a young padawan Anakin Skywalker face off against a blood carver.
As with many 'cop' stories, the family did have the usual tropes of neglected wife and out of control children with nothing we haven't seen many times before. The mystery of the whodunnit was revealed pretty early on leaving the reader to simply watch the guard discover the truth for himself.
The artwork was perfectly serviceable. The likenesses weren't all that close, but was at least consistent and I could still tell who was who.
This volume concludes with a follow-up story, Loyalties, that follows Sagoro as an officer in the newly formed Empire. As the next round of purges takes place, he finds himself on the run from Darth Vader. This was a fairly standard hunted story with a twist that was pretty obvious. Nevertheless, it was a fitting conclusion to Sagoro's story. The artwork is noticeably different here, less cartoony than the main story and did the story justice.
As with many 'cop' stories, the family did have the usual tropes of neglected wife and out of control children with nothing we haven't seen many times before. The mystery of the whodunnit was revealed pretty early on leaving the reader to simply watch the guard discover the truth for himself.
The artwork was perfectly serviceable. The likenesses weren't all that close, but was at least consistent and I could still tell who was who.
This volume concludes with a follow-up story, Loyalties, that follows Sagoro as an officer in the newly formed Empire. As the next round of purges takes place, he finds himself on the run from Darth Vader. This was a fairly standard hunted story with a twist that was pretty obvious. Nevertheless, it was a fitting conclusion to Sagoro's story. The artwork is noticeably different here, less cartoony than the main story and did the story justice.
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