Rating: 
Summary: A Mixed Course
Review: 'Blood & Honor' is basically two stories in one, including dramatically different art teams, so I'll do my best.The first part, 'The Making of Baron Fel', is definitely one of the most unique pieces of SW ever assembled. Picking up right where 'In the Empire's Service' ended, Baron Fel is in Rebel hands and through the interrogation chair reveals his life in service to the Empire in a mix of narration and flashbacks that could only be achieved in comic book format. Fel's story is indeed a compelling one and does the rare feat of presenting a clear philosophical case against the Empire. It has also been both praised and criticized for its extensive use of cameos. I, for one, will do some praising, as it does help to tie the SW galaxy together. Appearances by people such as Tarkin, Thrawn, Derricote, Isard, and so forth are key to the story, while people like Post ('Family Ties')and Turr Phennir ('In the Empire's Service') serve to tie together pieces of Fel's life and the over all XWRS story. The art by Steve Crespo is good, with well-done people and a good amount of realism. The spacecraft, while reasonably detailed, are nowhere near those of John Nadeau and his wizardry with technology. The whole thing, for better or for worse, has a rather crisp look to it, as opposed to the very dirty style of Gary Erksine. The slightly longer second part, 'Family Ties' is a little of a letdown. The art has little detail and the movement isn't very fluid either. The story itself is alright, a bit of a nice breakaway after 'In the Empire's Service'. It opens in the aftermath of the Brentaal Campaign, where General Salm gives a little eulogy for the dead Aggressors and Rogues. Following is Fel's introduction to the rogues and greeting that is not too kind. Then Wedge send Plourr, Hobbie, and Janson to Corellia on a mission that takes up the rest of the story. The appearance by Kirtan Loor was a nice touch, enhanced even more so when Corran Horn and Iella Wessiri from Stackpole's novels take on roles as co-stars. 'Family Ties' was colored by Perry McNamee instead of the usual David Nestelle, and, call me spoiled, but it shows. One particular scene, if you read the dialogue, takes place at night, but you couldn't tell that by simply looking at it. Overall, its is a key link to the rest of the series and is recommended for that and because of the very interesting look into the Empire provided by 'The Making of Baron Fel.'
Rating:
Summary: Wow, and Bow-Wow
Review: Blood and Honor, the follow-up story to "In the Empire's Service," is comprised actually of two stories, not just one. The first, "The Making of Baron Fel," is quite possibly the best X-wing comic ever. It was released on the stands as a special 48-page issue, and is quite outstanding. The second story is the 2-issue "Family Ties," which often vies for a position as the worst of the Rogue Squadron stories. Although these stories conclude some of the plots from the previous comic, they incidentally also pretty much completely drop the "Rise of Isard" story, leaving that to continue in the next Rogue Squadron story. The Making of Baron Fel is simply an outstanding comic. Basically it is, as the cover implies, the life story of the Empire's greatest pilot. It is told by Fel as he sits in a Rebel interrogation room, and really takes the guy from "Imperial pilot extraordinaire" to one of the most sympathetic characters to show up in the Star Wars mythos. The art suits the story perfectly, and we get to see a ton of familiar faces. There are cameos by Isard, Derricote, Thrawn, and Hal Horn, as well as a bunch of Rebels before they defected from the Empire. This comic also gives us a good look at how truly corrupted the Empire was, and why so many people were so willing to serve under it. There are also several surprises, including the identity of Fel's wife, as well as Fel's offer to the Rebels. This comic alone is worth the cover price of Blood and Honor. Unfortunately, Family Ties does not fare so well. Janson, Hobbie and Plourr (shouldn't she be back on Eiattu by now?) go on a mission to Corellia to ensure the safety of Baron Fel's family. Along the way they bump into a few familiar faces (including Corran Horn and Iella Wessiri in their CorSec days, as well as their Imperial liaison and nemesis, Kirtan Loor), as well as a few old enemies of Fel's. I didn't mind the art style, except that the characters were changed. Plourr was never before a buxom, spandex-wearing type, and Horn's X-wing as well as Horn himself and several other characters were also somewhat butchered. There were a couple funny running jokes, but no particularly wonderful dialogue, and there was only one space battle, thrown in at the end almost obligatorily, and then only to show off Corran's skills in a fighter so that the Rogue could make some jokes about how he'd never be a Rogue. The Making of Baron Fel was exceedingly good and definitely worth reading. Family Ties was not. I definitely recommend this comic for the one, if not the other.
Rating:
Summary: This is where you start to enjoy the Saga of the Rogues
Review: Dark Horse made a lot of X-Wing Rogue Squadron comics. After a false start with the first 4 issues called Rebel Opposition, which contains some of the best cover art of all, which was never made into a TPB. Dorman drew Wedge for the very first issue, and this is the Wedge that I have on my wall. Stackpole had introduced us to Wedge and his band of Rogues with his 4 X-wing books written from Feb of 1996 to Feb of 1997. The Phantom Affair is the first TPB and was published in Nov. 1997 collecting issues 5 to 8. On the star wars timeline I have placed it at the end of year 5 ANH at 5.91. My feeling is that all 8 TPB's come just before the novels. Story grade is 4.5, pencils vary but get a 4, ink and color vary from 3 to 4, and cover is a 3 for a grade of 4 stars. The story here is fun, but the art is a real mixed bag. Sometimes the pencils, ink and coloring are luxurious, rich and awesome. The artwork itself is consistently detailed with almost not lazy artists panels. Given the technology that existed at the time, this is one of the best TPB comics ever produced by Dark Horse. Look at the impact that Stackpole has had on the EU. This is where we meet Mirax on the time line, because the comic take place before the novels and the assault on Coruscant. Like most people I read the novels first, then the comics. My advice today for those wishing to engage the tales of Wedge and the X-Wing saga is to start with right here with this comic. This comic is totally start alone and introduces many of the main characters that you will get to know and love. Meet Mirax Terrik, daughter of booster, Wedge, Hobby, Wes Janson, and Tycho. There must have been some real butt kicking at Dark horse because almost everything about this comic is brilliantly conceived and executed, except the drably colored cover.
Rating:
Summary: A sequel that equals
Review: Following right after In the Empire's Service, Blood and Honor is a comic where interstellar actions takes a temporary backseat for this character-driven tale. From the depths of a debriefing room, now in enemy custody, captured Imperial fighter ace Soontir Fel regales his background---a story of deceit, integrity, romance and inevitability. Dived into two parts---The Making of Baron Fel, and Family Ties---this is one comic that is surprisingly empathic for readers. The art quality is not the shocking excellence of modern fare, but its elegant simplicity conveys all it needs to and more. Frames are uncluttered with extraneous graphics and colouring adds enough three-dimensional texture to curry assent. Dialogue is handled just as well; both tone and wording are perfectly in keeping with a dignified Imperial naval officer. Fel recounts his career with an abundance of character cameos from the Star Wars universe. This was an excellent idea, simply because comics are visual books, providing the reader with a rare look of how some people actually look. Many of these guest appearances were names the reader knows but may never have seen in art, like General Derricote, Syal Antilles, Thrawn and Hal Horn. Palpatine, Tarkin, Isard, Vader and Turr Phennir also cameoed, along with other names from past Rogue Squadron comics. One downside to this fun was Fel's acquaintance with so many of them. The second half of the trade paperback was Family Ties, where Wedge sends three Rogues to Corellia to safeguard Fel's family from Imperial retaliation over his suspected defection. The art here was not as good as the first half, with frames looking too light in detail. The dialogue, however, is vintage Stackpole. And with three new names for show---Corran, Iella and the bumbling Loor---you could almost imagine it was one of his X-wing books! It was great to see how Corran and Iella look like, though Loor doesn't have his infamous Tarkin resemblance. Now that Plourr has her hair back, and enough of it, she just looks great. Wondering where Hobbie's "bug bite" comment came from in the X-wing book Starfighters of Adumar, you now know. Just a small discrepancy: CorSec uniforms were green-black, not orange here. The ending here, unfortunately, was just too rushed. An extra page of Corran in his emerald X-wing would have made the difference. But that notwithstanding, Blood and Honor is one comic you cannot go without for serious readers in the Rogue Squadron series.
Rating: 
Summary: A great end to the series
Review: Mandatory Retirement concludes the Rogue Squadron comic series, and does so with slick action, camaraderie and polish. For those who have the X-wing: Isard's Revenge book, you'll find the backstories of Admiral Krennel and Ms Isard here. The art is worthy of The Phantom Affair in quality, and just as fantastic, certainly above other issues of this series. The background detail in frames are not fuzzy or lacking, and some scenes are actually rendered from creative camera-points. Plenty of characters here, and their interaction is fun and not left to idle. Though the Imperial scenes are short they are adequate. The dialogue is vintage Stackpole; readers of his X-wing books will recognise his style of speech sentence structure. Wedge's face has changed so often per issue you wonder what his cosmetic secret is. It was nice to see all the Rogues having R&R in the beginning, though beware---Wedge and Tycho have bulging muscles without their shirts! The plot is great and never a dull moment. Baron Fel's lines stand out, but it is Pestage that stands out here. He goes from being a pest to a pestilence on everyone's nerves, particularly when you have to protect someone who's your enemy. There are many links to the X-wing books; Krennel's cryptic comment scoffing at studying an enemy's art when a tactical hologram will tell all you need to know is better explained in Isard's Revenge, where Thrawn booted him out of his forces, is one. Other nice touches was Wedge's long eulogy, some sharp lines from General Carvin, and more Dendo scenes; the man likes his cape, doesn't he? Though Salm and Dendo have similar faces, apart from the latter's head horns. Overall, Mandatory Retirement is a great issue and a fitting finale to this series. If you're looking for a comic with good action, dialogue and an actual story, not just a tale, this is the one for you.
Rating:
Summary: OK
Review: Ok... to understand the entire X-Wing storyline, you will have to read this and the novels by Bantam Spectra. This book chronologues the experiences of Soontir Fel and part of his brief tenure with Rogue Squadron. An interesting read, but you will buy this to see his life story. I always but comics in tpb form and can not wait for Masquerade to hit the shelves.
Rating:
Summary: Try To Resist Cutting Off The Last Third With Scissors....
Review: That's my review, that title. This TPB makes me want to hunt down the first 2 of the individual issues comprising it. The last third makes me want to hunt down whoever was responsible.
What is the deal with it being printed all the way down into the crease? I don't like bending out the spines of my books. Do I have to do that in order to see all of some panels? Will it then fall apart?
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Dark Horse Star Wars comics to date
Review: The most interesting character to come out of the series, X-Wing Rogue Squadron, by far is the former Impirial ace pilot Baron Fel. Blood and Honor is one of the best Dark Horse Star Wars comics to date, as it manages to reference and tie in to a multitude of other Star Wars comics and novels, with cameos by Thrawn; who was not yet a Grand Admiral, Han Solo; in his days at the Imperial Academy, and Evir Derricote; the Imperial scientist responsible for creating the Kryptos Virus in the X-Wing novels. This collection concludes the events set in motion in X-Wing Rogue Squadron: In the Empire's Service. Enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: A spectacular achievement
Review: The second part in the X-wing: Rogue Squadron series, The Phantom Affair is arguably one of the finest comics you could find, and for many reasons. The art quality is simply astounding. Facial features differ with character and emotion. Even the background is not left to waste. Look carefully and you'll see just how much work and creativity there is: how every spare space is utilised, even if it's just to have pedestrians or surface features. The sheer variety of aliens, both familiar and merely exotic, is both appreciated and well done. Dialogue is great. Everyone has a part, everyone contributes to some effect. And if a character has no purpose in that given situation, no problem, give him a witty line and there you go! Plenty of humour will have you smiling; Dllrr asking if the fruit around him is edible, being told it's too hard to eat, and then dropping it on a stormtrooper's head was funny. And there were sneaky touches thrown in. How many of you thought that was George Lucas on p74, the one standing beside a Jawa holding a camera tripod, making a picture frame with his hands? Mirax dusting the step with a leaf before she sits is another. And that page . . . where something suddenly jams the cantina music, that something being a haunting illustration of the Interdictor Cruiser you'll see turn the next page. Simply excellent. The plot sounds straightforward but like all good stories all is not what it seems. Wedge's childhood flashback gives readers a visual link to what they have read in the X-wing books of his past. Just a couple of minor errors though. That starfighter Wedge flies to avenge his parents is not what a Headhunter looks like. Aren't they fixed-wing? This one had X-wing S-foils. And readers may have problems with the wormhole at the end, and how its credulity affects the plot. Be Warned! Make The Phantom Affair your first foray into this comic series and you'll see just why it's so damn good.
Rating:
Summary: Improved artwork for this Baron Fel story
Review: This is Vol 6 of the X-Wing saga, and the 2nd of 2 TPB's about Baron fel. Stackpole does the entire story here and we get a new art team of crespo Hall and Johnson with 4 ink and color people. The pencil work has very few lazy artist panels and only a 2 sections where the ink and coloring fell off so I give the art team a 3.8. Who ever did the pencils in last 25% of the book was a 4plus. This is a comic, I usually emphasis the visual elements in my grading. But this is the second half of the story of Baron Soontir Fel, the greatest fighter ace of the empire, and for a short time a Rogue, and the guy the Wedges sister marries. This comic is about the story and you will like the story. It is a strong plus that the artwork here is about average.
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