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Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Starcrusher Trap by Matt Fillbach, Shawn Fillbach, Mike W. Barr
lnt's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a cute story and a bonus episode for the Clone Wars fans!
jaredkwheeler's review
2.0
Star Wars Legends Project #143
Background: The Starcrusher Trap was released in July 2011, the sixth in a series of 11 graphic novellas written as tie-ins to The Clone Wars animated show. It was written by [a:Mike W. Barr|61955|Mike W. Barr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477926423p2/61955.jpg] and drawn by the [a:Fillbach Brothers|5498466|Fillbach Brothers|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Barr has worked on many major comic book properties, and he also contributed some to the "Rogue Squadron" series of Star Wars comics. The Fillbach Brothers also drew several of the other novellas in this series.
The Starcrusher Trap is set sometime during the first year after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin). The main characters are Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Anakin, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Jyl Somtay (a Jedi Knight around Anakin's age). Chancellor Palpatine plays a significant role, as well.
Summary: The Separatists have unleashed a devastating new weapon: a massive capital ship called the Starcrusher. As it lays waste to Republic fleets, the Jedi device a daring plan to board the vessel and disable it from within, but it seems Sidious and Dooku have already thought a few moves ahead!
Review: This story somehow manages to take the standard Star Wars "Oh, no! Another enemy superweapon!" plot, which is already bad and boring, and makes it even worse. On the plus side, there's a halfway decent attempt at some good bantering dialogue between several of the characters, so that works pretty well at least. Also, the Fillbach brothers have finally settled on a style that works well for Ahsoka (and the other characters), so that's a big improvement as well.
I don't know how much more to say because I don't want to actively spoil it, but the "trap" of the title is so jaw-droppingly stupid that I'm almost not sure how revealing it would "spoil" anything. It's the most over-thought, elaborate nonsense plot I've run across in awhile, but the full weight of the absurdity isn't apparent until late enough that I guess maybe some readers will get some enjoyment out of wondering what might be going on. It's bad enough that the Starcrusher is equipped with lasers that can kill any Republic ship at full shields with a single hit. That makes no sense.
But then on top of that, the real nefarious plan is to lure the Jedi aboard a fake Starcrusher that's just an empty hunk of metal shaped like the real thing (and also equipped with at least one ship-killing laser), and then drop it into a nearby sun once they're trapped on-board. And the Jedi's plan to escape (stick Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Mace Windu, and Ki-Adi-Mundi in a trap and then try to pretend they're in actual danger? Come on) is, if not more absurd, then at least as ridiculous as the trap they're escaping from. I'll refrain from revealing at least that much, but . . . We can do better than this, people.
D+
Background: The Starcrusher Trap was released in July 2011, the sixth in a series of 11 graphic novellas written as tie-ins to The Clone Wars animated show. It was written by [a:Mike W. Barr|61955|Mike W. Barr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477926423p2/61955.jpg] and drawn by the [a:Fillbach Brothers|5498466|Fillbach Brothers|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Barr has worked on many major comic book properties, and he also contributed some to the "Rogue Squadron" series of Star Wars comics. The Fillbach Brothers also drew several of the other novellas in this series.
The Starcrusher Trap is set sometime during the first year after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin). The main characters are Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Anakin, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Jyl Somtay (a Jedi Knight around Anakin's age). Chancellor Palpatine plays a significant role, as well.
Summary: The Separatists have unleashed a devastating new weapon: a massive capital ship called the Starcrusher. As it lays waste to Republic fleets, the Jedi device a daring plan to board the vessel and disable it from within, but it seems Sidious and Dooku have already thought a few moves ahead!
Review: This story somehow manages to take the standard Star Wars "Oh, no! Another enemy superweapon!" plot, which is already bad and boring, and makes it even worse. On the plus side, there's a halfway decent attempt at some good bantering dialogue between several of the characters, so that works pretty well at least. Also, the Fillbach brothers have finally settled on a style that works well for Ahsoka (and the other characters), so that's a big improvement as well.
I don't know how much more to say because I don't want to actively spoil it, but the "trap" of the title is so jaw-droppingly stupid that I'm almost not sure how revealing it would "spoil" anything. It's the most over-thought, elaborate nonsense plot I've run across in awhile, but the full weight of the absurdity isn't apparent until late enough that I guess maybe some readers will get some enjoyment out of wondering what might be going on. It's bad enough that the Starcrusher is equipped with lasers that can kill any Republic ship at full shields with a single hit. That makes no sense.
But then on top of that, the real nefarious plan is to lure the Jedi aboard a fake Starcrusher that's just an empty hunk of metal shaped like the real thing (and also equipped with at least one ship-killing laser), and then drop it into a nearby sun once they're trapped on-board. And the Jedi's plan to escape (stick Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Mace Windu, and Ki-Adi-Mundi in a trap and then try to pretend they're in actual danger? Come on) is, if not more absurd, then at least as ridiculous as the trap they're escaping from. I'll refrain from revealing at least that much, but . . . We can do better than this, people.
D+
imalwayswrite's review
2.0
I wouldn’t recommend this to any Star Wars fans above the age of 10. The plot was maddeningly predictable. Also, when I saw Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s Padawan, on the cover I groaned inwardly, but the good news is that she doesn’t play a central role in the story. Artwork is OK.
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