Star Wars Rediscovered: Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War #1-3 Review

"A true Dark Lord would be ready to go to war!"

Welcome to Star Wars Rediscovered and my review of Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War. Read on after the jump to find out about Ullic's continuing journey into darkness. 

Writer: Kevin J Anderson

Artist: Dario Carraaco Jr

Colourist: Rachelle Menashe, Pamela Rambo

Inker: Jordi Ensign, Mark G Heike, Bill Black, David Jacob Beckett

Letter: Willie Shubert

Cover Art: Hugh Fleming

Cover Art

I was really impressed with the cover art to this series. It has a Dorman feel to it so Fleming has

definitely done a good job. I love the grittiness and the level of detail on the characters face. The use of red and browns helps to give it an almost war ravaged feel. Light and reflection is also used well. A great cover! 

Plot

In issue #1 Ullic is battling against the Mandalorians and their leader Mandalore. Mandalore challenges him to a duel which Ullic wins even without using his lightsaber and so all of Mandalore's forces including himself are Ullic's to command. They attack a warship factory, kill all aboard and steal lots of warships in which Ullic then plans to attack Coruscant. Exar meanwhile is trying to recruit students under the pretence that he is a Jedi master with great secrets to reveal, he kills Master Odan-Urr and steals the Sith holocron. He then convinces his students that Odan-Urr died as it was his time and that he had gifted the holocron to him. This was a fantastic first issue with some great battles and i'm really interested to see how the Jedi's and the Republic fight back against the fury of Ullic & Exar.
Issue #2 continues with Ullic's unexpected attack against the Republic on Coruscant. He is winning until all the Jedi face him alone and trap him with a wall of the Light Side of the Force. Aleema either planned

for this to happen or foresaw it as has taken up the leadership of the Krath with Mandalore at her side. It feels like she betrayed Ullic. Exar meanwhile takes his unsuspecting Jedi students to Yavin Four and infects them with the contents of his Sith holocron, they now appear to be his slaves. 
In issue #3 Ullic is so stand trial for his crimes and Exar vows to destroy all of the old Jedi masters. Ullic's trial is interrupted by Exar who arrives to rescue him due to Mandalore's plea. Exar casts a spell on the audience which causes them to not be able to move, only watch. He kills the judge and then kills his old master Vodo thanks to his superior double bladed lightsaber. Exar's students are tasked with killing their old masters. Both Mandalore and Ullic realise that Aleema wanted Ullic removed from the picture so she could lead the Krath.  This was a fantastic issue with Exar looking more and more powerful and the Jedi hopeless to stop him.

Interior Artwork

I loved the panel of Mandalore speeding towards Ullic on his battle droid firing wildly at him. The perspective and use of motion lines work fantastically.
The panel in issue #2 of the Jedi Oss Wilum igniting his lightsaber looks great. His lightsaber looks really fierce and the blade looks almost out of control. I love the use of light. 
I love the use of motion and light in the panel where Exar releases the contents of the holocron. The release of power and evil looks immense. 
The half a page in issue #3 where Ullic is denouncing the Jedi at his trial is brilliant! The look of shock and outrage on all of the faces really helps to heighten the enormity of the situation and the composition is fantastic. 
All of the panels where Exar is fighting Vodo are drawn really well, however my favourite of the bunch has to be the close ups of both their eyes followed by Exar dramatically smashing Vodo's staff and then killing him. A brutal but epic scene with fantastic colours and sense of motion. 

Conclusion & Rating

To conclude this was a fantastic read! The action genuinely kept me on the edge of my seat and worked hand in hand with the consistently brilliant artwork to show every swoosh of a lightsaber or close up of a shocked face. This series is up threw with the best of them, a must read! Join me in two weeks where I will review the final part of The Sith War. 

Rating: 9/10 - Sith Lords

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