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jaredkwheeler's review
2.0
Star Wars Legends Project #114
Background: Clone Wars Adventures, Volume 8 was released in June 2007. It consists of four stories in the style of Cartoon Network's animated Clone Wars series: Versus, Old Scores, One of a Kind, and Pathways. All but the third were pencilled by the [author:Fillbach Brothers|5498466], and they also wrote the first one. The second was written by [author:Chris Avellone|95272], the third was written by [author:Jason Hall|129419] with art by [author:Ethan Beavers|2621224], and the fourth was written by [author:Jeremy Barlow|20006]. Hall's other Star Wars work includes about a dozen short one-offs.
Versus is set 4 months after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin), and features Luminara Unduli. Old Scores takes place on Nar Shaddaa a month earlier, and the protagonist is Aurra Sing. One of a Kind takes place two months before that, on Kamino with Obi-Wan. Pathways also takes place 4 months after the Battle of Geonosis, on Antamont with battle droids.
Summary: In Versus, Luminara faces a series of increasingly powerful opponents in arena battles for the entertainment of a Hutt.
In Old Scores, a Hutt with a grudge lures Aurra Sing into a trap.
In One of a Kind, Obi-Wan defends the last remaining sample of Jango Fett's DNA from a bounty hunter who has more than one reason to pay Kamino a visit.
In Pathways, a lowly Separatist battle droid suddenly becomes self-aware and attempts to desert.
Review: Please refer to my review of [book:Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, Vol. 1|35438] for some general thoughts that apply to the series as a whole.
This collection was a bit better than Volume 7 on the whole, but not by much. Versus definitely wins for "Most Ludicrous and Contrived Premise" . . . Luminara (for reasons that aren't given until the end, but make very little sense even then) fights a series of opponents who are significantly larger and stronger than she is, bare-handed (no lightsaber) and without using any Force powers. Reading it, it's immediately obvious that she's either cheating like a fiend or the writers don't understand how "physics" works . . . because that's the explanation they give for how a 120-pound woman flips a 400-pound wampa across the arena hard enough to crack the wall. And her other fights are equally absurd, but I won't spoil it.
Old Scores is probably my favorite of the bunch, because it's just fun to watch Aurra Sing bust her way out of a set-up and tear through a bunch of lowlifes who don't know any better than to go up against her. Why is that different from watching a Jedi massacre a thousand droids? I don't know . . . Aurra Sing just revels in it so much more than a Jedi Master, and the people she's fighting have, like, facial expressions and actually react to what she's doing rather than mindlessly throwing themselves into the grinder. It's still not great, but it's certainly diverting.
One of a Kind was super-annoying. The antagonist is named, no joke, Vianna D'Pow . . . which is probably not the worst Star Wars name I've ever run into, but it's way up there. And that would be bad enough, but the whole thing, which is basically a long fight/chase between her and Obi-Wan that plays out like the Obi-Wan/Jango battle on steroids, is intercut with a bunch of cheesy flashbacks that flesh out her maudlin backstory. I'm not sure the problem is with the concept so much as the execution, which is honestly a rare misstep for these stories. They usually seem to accomplish precisely what they were going for very efficiently and effectively.
Pathways is kind of a fun idea that, surprise, they don't really do much with. Still, I appreciated it. Still pretty forgettable, like the rest of the collection.
D+
Background: Clone Wars Adventures, Volume 8 was released in June 2007. It consists of four stories in the style of Cartoon Network's animated Clone Wars series: Versus, Old Scores, One of a Kind, and Pathways. All but the third were pencilled by the [author:Fillbach Brothers|5498466], and they also wrote the first one. The second was written by [author:Chris Avellone|95272], the third was written by [author:Jason Hall|129419] with art by [author:Ethan Beavers|2621224], and the fourth was written by [author:Jeremy Barlow|20006]. Hall's other Star Wars work includes about a dozen short one-offs.
Versus is set 4 months after the Battle of Geonosis (22 years before the Battle of Yavin), and features Luminara Unduli. Old Scores takes place on Nar Shaddaa a month earlier, and the protagonist is Aurra Sing. One of a Kind takes place two months before that, on Kamino with Obi-Wan. Pathways also takes place 4 months after the Battle of Geonosis, on Antamont with battle droids.
Summary: In Versus, Luminara faces a series of increasingly powerful opponents in arena battles for the entertainment of a Hutt.
In Old Scores, a Hutt with a grudge lures Aurra Sing into a trap.
In One of a Kind, Obi-Wan defends the last remaining sample of Jango Fett's DNA from a bounty hunter who has more than one reason to pay Kamino a visit.
In Pathways, a lowly Separatist battle droid suddenly becomes self-aware and attempts to desert.
Review: Please refer to my review of [book:Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, Vol. 1|35438] for some general thoughts that apply to the series as a whole.
This collection was a bit better than Volume 7 on the whole, but not by much. Versus definitely wins for "Most Ludicrous and Contrived Premise" . . . Luminara (for reasons that aren't given until the end, but make very little sense even then) fights a series of opponents who are significantly larger and stronger than she is, bare-handed (no lightsaber) and without using any Force powers. Reading it, it's immediately obvious that she's either cheating like a fiend or the writers don't understand how "physics" works . . . because that's the explanation they give for how a 120-pound woman flips a 400-pound wampa across the arena hard enough to crack the wall. And her other fights are equally absurd, but I won't spoil it.
Old Scores is probably my favorite of the bunch, because it's just fun to watch Aurra Sing bust her way out of a set-up and tear through a bunch of lowlifes who don't know any better than to go up against her. Why is that different from watching a Jedi massacre a thousand droids? I don't know . . . Aurra Sing just revels in it so much more than a Jedi Master, and the people she's fighting have, like, facial expressions and actually react to what she's doing rather than mindlessly throwing themselves into the grinder. It's still not great, but it's certainly diverting.
One of a Kind was super-annoying. The antagonist is named, no joke, Vianna D'Pow . . . which is probably not the worst Star Wars name I've ever run into, but it's way up there. And that would be bad enough, but the whole thing, which is basically a long fight/chase between her and Obi-Wan that plays out like the Obi-Wan/Jango battle on steroids, is intercut with a bunch of cheesy flashbacks that flesh out her maudlin backstory. I'm not sure the problem is with the concept so much as the execution, which is honestly a rare misstep for these stories. They usually seem to accomplish precisely what they were going for very efficiently and effectively.
Pathways is kind of a fun idea that, surprise, they don't really do much with. Still, I appreciated it. Still pretty forgettable, like the rest of the collection.
D+
rivulet027's review
4.0
The first story starts in Mondo-Mod The Hutt's Arena of Doom. Luminara has agreed to fight three animals with no lightsaber and without using the Force in exchange for information if she wins. Bets are placed, which focuses on a person who is wearing a mask. Luminara wins her first battle against a wampa. Mondo-Mod protests that she used the Force, she says she used physics. He tells her she can't use physics against the next durkii. Bets are place again, and against the person wearing a mask bets against Luminara. Of course Luminara defeats the durkii by running between it's legs and causing it to crash as it tries to follow her. Her final battle is against a droid. The mask person bets on Luminara this time. Luminara uses a rock to destroy the glass plate of the droids face, which short-circuits it. She gets her information from Mondo-Mod, then meets the mask person who reveals themselves to be Barriss, who declares that Mondo-Mod's Arena of Doom will now be closed due to lack of funds. The end panel is Mondo-Mod finding out he's now broke.
The second story is about Aurra Sing. She's on Nar Shadda three months after the Battle of Geonosis where she's summoned by Urdruua the Hutt to kill a Jedi. She tosses a case she brought with her on the ground and demands to know what Jedi he wants dead. Instead Urdruua goes into her past, that she once trained as a Jedi and then was later trained by Hutts on Nar Shadda. He says, "You turned on both your masters...not considerate at all, some would say ungrateful." So here I am rooting for Aurra Sing because Dark Woman was awful to her and slavery by Hutts well, I'm rooting for Aurra Sing in this. Urdruua says that the Jedi he wants dead is here, as he releases poisonous gas. Aurra of course escapes and the slaughters the two waves of bounty hunters, the snipers, and smart mines that Urdruua had as back-up if the gas didn't work. It ends with her escaping, but not before the case she dropped turns on. Urdruua uses his comm to tell her that she's not going to escape his revenge. She tells him if he'd let it go he'd have lived and then the bomb in the case goes off.
The third story centers around Obi-Wan battling the bounty hunter Vianna D'Pow. She is an albino Zeltron and according to their banter the only one (which seems improbable?). Mace calls Obi-Wan to warn him how dangerous Vianna is, as they've fought before. Vianna has been hired by Count Dooku to steal the Jango Fett genetic material so that there can be no more clones made. As Vianna and Obi-Wan fight and banter the story shows Vianna's past of being ostracized and bullied for looking different while also telling the reader about Zeltrons. It says, "Zeltrons: A humanoid race native to the planet Zeltros. They are distinguished by their crimson red skin and possess the unique ability to love others unconditionally. They naturally project powerful pheromones, as well as possess empathic abilities that allow them to sense the emotions of other sentient beings (this is credited to 'Plevitz Essential Guide to Species). Commonly referred to as the "party planet" due to its fun-loving-species' non-stop pleasure-seeking lifestyle. If you're not having a good time on Zeltros, the locals will be sure to do something about it! (this is credited to 'Wild Space on 50 credits a day'.) While Zeltrons have little concern for military defense, they tend to keep themselves in peak physical condition. When a Zeltron is deprived of the opportunity to love, he or she may resort to violence. In turn, they are known to be excellent warriors when possessing no other outlet for their passion (this is credited to 'Plevitz Essential Guide to Species'.) Vianna escapes, but not before Obi-Wan steals the genetic material from her. The Kaminoan Obi-Wan was originally talking to says that Vianna place an order for one clone of herself and asks if they should cancel the order. Obi-Wan tells her that the order should go through because no one should have to be alone.
The last story is about a battle droid. This particular droid has been destroyed, salvaged, and rebuilt throughout many battles. Then their head gets damaged which separates them from the droid hive mind. This droid decides it wants to live and makes a run for it. Another droid follows trying to telling them about protocols and that they'll reboot them. The individualized droid tries to encourage the other droid to separate as well, stating that the battle they were both walking into was going to get them both destroyed and salvaged anyway. The two fight and the droid that chased the other down gets damaged enough that it's going to shut down. They tell the other droid that their freedom will be short lived because their battery life will only last a day or two. The droid says, "I'd rather have two days of freedom than go back to what I was. Besides...I wouldn't have lasted that long on the battlefield anyway" then it says with the dying droid until they expire, letting them know that they're not alone. Then the droid gives the battle one more look, firmly decides that that life isn't for them, then wanders until they find a tree to sit under until their battery dies. A few years later two human male farmers find the droid and decide to take it to their farm to see if they can get it charged and fixed up to help around the farm.
The second story is about Aurra Sing. She's on Nar Shadda three months after the Battle of Geonosis where she's summoned by Urdruua the Hutt to kill a Jedi. She tosses a case she brought with her on the ground and demands to know what Jedi he wants dead. Instead Urdruua goes into her past, that she once trained as a Jedi and then was later trained by Hutts on Nar Shadda. He says, "You turned on both your masters...not considerate at all, some would say ungrateful." So here I am rooting for Aurra Sing because Dark Woman was awful to her and slavery by Hutts well, I'm rooting for Aurra Sing in this. Urdruua says that the Jedi he wants dead is here, as he releases poisonous gas. Aurra of course escapes and the slaughters the two waves of bounty hunters, the snipers, and smart mines that Urdruua had as back-up if the gas didn't work. It ends with her escaping, but not before the case she dropped turns on. Urdruua uses his comm to tell her that she's not going to escape his revenge. She tells him if he'd let it go he'd have lived and then the bomb in the case goes off.
The third story centers around Obi-Wan battling the bounty hunter Vianna D'Pow. She is an albino Zeltron and according to their banter the only one (which seems improbable?). Mace calls Obi-Wan to warn him how dangerous Vianna is, as they've fought before. Vianna has been hired by Count Dooku to steal the Jango Fett genetic material so that there can be no more clones made. As Vianna and Obi-Wan fight and banter the story shows Vianna's past of being ostracized and bullied for looking different while also telling the reader about Zeltrons. It says, "Zeltrons: A humanoid race native to the planet Zeltros. They are distinguished by their crimson red skin and possess the unique ability to love others unconditionally. They naturally project powerful pheromones, as well as possess empathic abilities that allow them to sense the emotions of other sentient beings (this is credited to 'Plevitz Essential Guide to Species). Commonly referred to as the "party planet" due to its fun-loving-species' non-stop pleasure-seeking lifestyle. If you're not having a good time on Zeltros, the locals will be sure to do something about it! (this is credited to 'Wild Space on 50 credits a day'.) While Zeltrons have little concern for military defense, they tend to keep themselves in peak physical condition. When a Zeltron is deprived of the opportunity to love, he or she may resort to violence. In turn, they are known to be excellent warriors when possessing no other outlet for their passion (this is credited to 'Plevitz Essential Guide to Species'.) Vianna escapes, but not before Obi-Wan steals the genetic material from her. The Kaminoan Obi-Wan was originally talking to says that Vianna place an order for one clone of herself and asks if they should cancel the order. Obi-Wan tells her that the order should go through because no one should have to be alone.
The last story is about a battle droid. This particular droid has been destroyed, salvaged, and rebuilt throughout many battles. Then their head gets damaged which separates them from the droid hive mind. This droid decides it wants to live and makes a run for it. Another droid follows trying to telling them about protocols and that they'll reboot them. The individualized droid tries to encourage the other droid to separate as well, stating that the battle they were both walking into was going to get them both destroyed and salvaged anyway. The two fight and the droid that chased the other down gets damaged enough that it's going to shut down. They tell the other droid that their freedom will be short lived because their battery life will only last a day or two. The droid says, "I'd rather have two days of freedom than go back to what I was. Besides...I wouldn't have lasted that long on the battlefield anyway" then it says with the dying droid until they expire, letting them know that they're not alone. Then the droid gives the battle one more look, firmly decides that that life isn't for them, then wanders until they find a tree to sit under until their battery dies. A few years later two human male farmers find the droid and decide to take it to their farm to see if they can get it charged and fixed up to help around the farm.
birdmanseven's review
4.0
This was a particularly good volume. I especially enjoyed the final story with the Droid Trooper.
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