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A New Hope (Star Wars: Infinities)

A New Hope (Star Wars: Infinities)

List Price: $12.95
Your Price: $10.36
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Different Hope
Review: I was intrigued when I heard that Dark Horse was creating an alternative history series to the Star Wars universe. I am a major Star Wars Fan and a fan of 'what if?' scenarios and alternative history. I was very pleased with the Infinities take on Episode IV: A New Hope.

When Luke's torpedoes detonate prematurely, he, in his X-Wing, and Han and Chewie, in the Falcon, are forced to flee Yavin 4. Princess Leia and other rebel generals manage to escape the moon just before a lethal blow is delivered. However, Leia manages to end up in the hands of Vader and the Rebellion is crushed. Vader and the Emporer begin a slow brain washing of the princess.

The story unfolds from there, and the writers did a good job imagining the 'future' from the divergence they created. Most of their decisions were plausible inside the Star Wars Universe. They also did a good job writing dialogue for most of the characters. Han's dialogue is especially true to spirit. I felt the conclusion a touch controversial, and maybe outside the bounds of what a Jedi Master would do, but that could be just me.

The art is good, but not great. The best treatments were saved for Vader and Leia. The 'dark side' look for Leia was especially good. There is a sabre duel in the second half of the book that is a little weak. I won't spoil it by giving away all the details, but most of the panels that involve the combat are just the two combatants with their sabres crossed. I also felt that Coruscant was not adequately represented.

I'm not certain anyone who is unfamiliar with the Star Wars story would appreciate this graphic novel. Fans of the Star Wars saga should really enjoy it. I can't wait for the Infinities treatment of The Empire Strikes Back.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Solid Reading for Star Wars fans
Review: If you are one of those folks with a vivid imagination and have played "what if" scenarios in your mind for Star Wars: ANH over the years, this comic is good for you.

The story is generally solid and the artwork is decent. The book only gets 4 stars though for the end parts, which I found a little strange with a little bit of unexplained information.

But still worth it for most star wars fans!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Solid Reading for Star Wars fans
Review: If you are one of those folks with a vivid imagination and have played "what if" scenarios in your mind for Star Wars: ANH over the years, this comic is good for you.

The story is generally solid and the artwork is decent. The book only gets 4 stars though for the end parts, which I found a little strange with a little bit of unexplained information.

But still worth it for most star wars fans!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Star Wars: What If...?
Review: Star Wars fans have often wondered "What if...?" What if R2D2 and C3PO hadn't used the escape pod? What if Luke Skywalker had simply refused to help Ben Kenobi reach Alderaan? What if the Death Star hadn't been destroyed? What if Luke had completed his training before his fateful duel with Darth Vader? Well, now a new series of Star Wars comic books by Dark Horse Comics seeks to answer these questions and more. The series is called Star Wars Infinities and the concept is simple: Show the fans what the Star Wars trilogy could have become had certain events been altered.
The first movie to see such treatment is Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. In a 4-part miniseries, Star Wars Infinities tackles the question: What if the Death Star hadn't been destroyed? I just purchased the Trade Paperback version - a compilation of the four comic series. The first couple of pages offer a brief synopsis of events as they occurred in A New Hope. Then we get to see an alternate series of events centered on the Death Star trench run. "Alter one event and a new future comes to be. Splinter a link and a new chain is forged." Luke's photon torpedoes enter the reactor port, but nothing happens. What follows is an amazing turn of events that takes place over five years, during which we watch the fall of the rebellion, the rise of a new dark order, and the nurturing of a new hope.
I don't want to reveal too much about the storyline, because I think this is definitely a series that Star Wars fans should look into. Toted as "The World of Endless Star Wars Possibilities, Star Wars Infinities lives up to it's name! Great thought was put into the events as they might have occurred. The writing was excellent. Star Wars characters that we've grown to love and love to hate are perfectly captured in this series. A definite must have for collectors.
Now for the gripes, and believe me there are very few! For one thing, it seems that the writers completely forgot one of the main characters. Wedge Antilles was flying away from the Death Star with Luke, Han and Chewie when they received word that the mission was a wash. He's there one minute, and the next he's gone. Completely disappeared without a trace. Oops! My other gripe is only really half a gripe. It concerns the artwork. The cover art is exceptional (all 4 covers are showcased in a Cover Art Gallery). However, the interior art teeters from brilliant (as in the drawings of Leia, Ben, and Vader) and Manga-like (Luke and Han sometimes look like the original characters and sometimes appear to be characatures).
Those few simple gripes, however, definitely take nothing away from this series. I am greatly anticipating the next installment of this series: Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back is due out in July. Make your way to your nearest comic book store or search for this series on the internet. This is definitely a series to keep an eye on!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Star Wars: What If...?
Review: Star Wars fans have often wondered "What if...?" What if R2D2 and C3PO hadn't used the escape pod? What if Luke Skywalker had simply refused to help Ben Kenobi reach Alderaan? What if the Death Star hadn't been destroyed? What if Luke had completed his training before his fateful duel with Darth Vader? Well, now a new series of Star Wars comic books by Dark Horse Comics seeks to answer these questions and more. The series is called Star Wars Infinities and the concept is simple: Show the fans what the Star Wars trilogy could have become had certain events been altered.
The first movie to see such treatment is Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. In a 4-part miniseries, Star Wars Infinities tackles the question: What if the Death Star hadn't been destroyed? I just purchased the Trade Paperback version - a compilation of the four comic series. The first couple of pages offer a brief synopsis of events as they occurred in A New Hope. Then we get to see an alternate series of events centered on the Death Star trench run. "Alter one event and a new future comes to be. Splinter a link and a new chain is forged." Luke's photon torpedoes enter the reactor port, but nothing happens. What follows is an amazing turn of events that takes place over five years, during which we watch the fall of the rebellion, the rise of a new dark order, and the nurturing of a new hope.
I don't want to reveal too much about the storyline, because I think this is definitely a series that Star Wars fans should look into. Toted as "The World of Endless Star Wars Possibilities, Star Wars Infinities lives up to it's name! Great thought was put into the events as they might have occurred. The writing was excellent. Star Wars characters that we've grown to love and love to hate are perfectly captured in this series. A definite must have for collectors.
Now for the gripes, and believe me there are very few! For one thing, it seems that the writers completely forgot one of the main characters. Wedge Antilles was flying away from the Death Star with Luke, Han and Chewie when they received word that the mission was a wash. He's there one minute, and the next he's gone. Completely disappeared without a trace. Oops! My other gripe is only really half a gripe. It concerns the artwork. The cover art is exceptional (all 4 covers are showcased in a Cover Art Gallery). However, the interior art teeters from brilliant (as in the drawings of Leia, Ben, and Vader) and Manga-like (Luke and Han sometimes look like the original characters and sometimes appear to be characatures).
Those few simple gripes, however, definitely take nothing away from this series. I am greatly anticipating the next installment of this series: Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back is due out in July. Make your way to your nearest comic book store or search for this series on the internet. This is definitely a series to keep an eye on!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: What if's?? What if's ?? What if's ??
Review: The art work is decent, the story line is plausable, and the characters are true to almost form. I only wish this could have been a longer series, say four books to a movie instead of one. Ohter than that, I'm lookig foward to the next installment, even if it is too short.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A great book, with a great story.
Review: This comic-novel tells a What-If story. What if Luke Skywalker's torpedoes had detonated short of their target, leaving the Deathstar intact? With the rebellion crushed, the Emperor has new schemes under way, and Leia Organa is part of them. While Luke trains with Yoda, the Emperor refashions Leia into the perfect tool, and now it is up to Luke, Han, Chewie, Threepio and Yoda to set the universe right.

This is a great book, with a great story. Honestly, from the cover, I expected a dark tale that ground the original characterizations into hamburger. Instead, this story takes the exact same characters as the original Star Wars movie, and moved them through a new set perils. Each character acted the way you would expect, giving the story a real sense of continuity with the movie.

Further, I found the story to be quite interested, and was held reading until the very end. This is a great Star Wars book, excellently illustrated, that I highly recommend to all readers!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A Bit Jarring
Review: This saga by George Lucas now spans over 25 years, 5 movies, and a couple of hundred books. There is one film yet to come, and several dozen more books. So trying to deal with this alternate what if scenario to one of the best-known string of tales is disorienting.

If events had unfurled as this graphic novel suggests Star Wars would have been a one-time event. Fans will either enjoy the what if scenarios or dismiss them as unnecessary to an epic that has yet to finish. I fall in to the latter category. This story is not really unique rather more of certain people taking different paths, and then the events and dialogue are a bit too familiar. The art is weak as well. If you must have an absolutely complete collection, then add this to your list, otherwise pass and you will miss very little.


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