Princess Leia Organa is a woman of many hats. She has played the princess, the politician, the spy, the rebel and the warrior over the course of not only the films, but in the extended universe as well. While issue #1 of Rebel Heist featured a Han Solo that was kind of bumbling idiot (He’s not that cool people), this time around we shift focus to a much more in control Princess Leia. Our story takes us to a planet that is so corrupt that neither the Rebel Alliance or Empire want anything to do with it. Is it just me, or does it seem like every other planet in the system is like this? Being that the planet is left alone on the surface, the actual fighting is done in secret, behind locked doors and through shady dealings. And in this world of vice and violence is where we meet our narrator, a red skinned Twi’lek spy by the name of Sarin.
The bulk of the story revolves around the recounting of events that said Twi’lek experienced in the course of a single day. It’s an interesting take, choosing to watch events unfold from a point-of-view other than our main character. Princess Leia, looking less like her movie counterpart and more like a runway model when we meet her, comes in to not only save our red friend, but to finish the mission that said Twi’lek could not. With Sarin’s cover blown see begins to fear for her life, hoping that her contact can save her from whatever repercussion the Empire might be handing down on her. To her dismay, this help comes from a person she sees as nothing more than a mere princess.
We really get to see how Sarin goes from the disappointment of seeing Princess Leia, whom she thinks isn’t fit for the task, to pledging her lifelong loyalty to her and the Rebel Alliance after witnessing the events of the book unfold. While Princess Leia and her infiltration of an enemy agents location comprises the bulk of our tale, the character actually speaks very little. Instead, we are treated to a lot of action, more reminiscent of a James Bond adventure than Star Wars. We get to see that behind the facade of royalty, Princess Leia isn’t afraid to fight in the trenches along with everyone else. She shows that she is willing to put her life on the line for the cause instead of just sitting back and watching events unfold.
Writer Matt Kindt does a good job of weaving an interesting and complete story in the confines of this single issue. It’s rare that one can pick up a book in today’s market that doesnt require spending hours digging through Wikipedia to understand the events at hand. If you know who Princess Leia is and her role in the films, then you can easily pick up this book and enjoy it. We don’t get a lot of backstory on our narrator, Sarin, but the story gives us enough information to want to dive into her character more. As I’m not one well versed in the Star Wars Extended Universe, I can only assume she is a new character in the confines of this fiction, but I really would enjoy seeing more stories that help flesh out her character.
The artwork has a that distinctive Star Wars comic feel of trying to have characters and locals look realistic (as best they can with aliens and the like), while still drawing from a nice color palette. Sarin looks great, her red skin pairing well with the various locations the book puts her in. She is distinctive and stands out with regards to everything around her. The only real problem comes from Princess Leia. It’s strange, when artists are dealing with aliens, or completely original characters, they seem to be spot on, but when dealing with the characters actually based on real people, things get a little muddy. The Princess will go from looking fantastic in one panel to looking like an entirely different one in the next. Her appearance is so inconsistent that it became a problem to me while reading.
Star Wars Rebel Heist #2 is a decent book. The writing is well laid out and if you can get past some really inconsistent art you will find an enjoyable read. If you are on the fence about the series after issue #1 I would suggest picking this one up before you drop it alltogther.
Star Wars: Rebel Heist #2
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Marco Castiello
Publisher: Dark Horse
Cover Price: $3.50
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