A review by billyjepma
Star Wars: Hidden Empire by Steven Cummings, Charles Soule

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.25

A lot of pomp, a lot of circumstances, and a lot of almost-interesting ideas, but it never catches fire and ends with barely a spark to speak of. I like Qi’ra’s motivations, as loosely developed as they are, and the lore Soule plays with has potential; it just doesn’t go anywhere or have any real stakes, gravitas, or anything worth caring about. The final page is good, I’ll give it that, ending things on a slightly better note than I expected. I guess the artwork is also fine. It’s maybe even a slight step above some of the usual we get in the Star Wars books, but it’s still lacking style or personality, just like the writing. 

I hope someday we get more of her story—preferably told by a woman—because she deserves better than the comics have given her.