Rogue Squadron 2

    
   

Issues 5-8 "The Phantom Affair"

Released in February, March, April, and May of 1996.

Set in the New Republic Era, ~4 ABY

Written by Micheal A. Stackpole and Darko Macan

Penciller Edvin Biukovic and John Nadeau

Letterer Steve Dutro

Cover Art Matthieu Lauffray

To my tastes, the look and feel of the art in this series was better. Less of the olden days of comics gone by and more "modern". The lettering was different throughout; more of a 'hand written' or 'hand drawn' feel, and less precise. Interesting choice. The covers are wonderful. The story was good. To be fair, I am not sure even one character uttered "Stang!".

The Rogues mentioned herein are: Captain Wedge Antilles, Wes Janson, Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, Plourr Ilo, Dllr Nep, and Elscol Loro. Still no Plourr, Dllr, or Elscol pilot cards in the X-Wing Miniatures Game (since my last post, yesterday).

The supply convoy from Cilpar to Mrlsst has gotten through, with the help of the ever resourceful Rogue Squadron. The natives of Mrlsst have some kind of dangerous technology, developed by their university, that both the New Republic and the remnants of the Empire want (trust me, it's dangerous).

Wedge meets up with Mirax "Myra" Terrik while most of the other Rogues go out to see a band. By the way, sorry Mirax, but the Pulsar Skate looks terrible. We learn of Wedge's back story (parents owned a refueling station in space; bandits caused a massive fire which his parents died in while saving the others from certain doom). The main Imperial bad guy has ties to this same incident; and he has a parasite permanently stuck to the left side of his face. Cool! 

A ghostly figure (the Phantom of said affair) keeps assisting the Rogues in their efforts to keep the Empire from obtaining the dangerous tech. The figure is revealed to be the Jedi ghost (!) of Elscol Loro's husband Throm...or at least seems to be. The wookiee Groznik, who transferred his life debt from Throm to Elscol, and made the journey from Cilpar resistance to Rogue Squadron with her, doesn't make it out of this miniseries alive. Sorry.

At the end, the New Republic gets (and uses, once) the nasty new technology, and Rogue Squadron leaves Mrlsst for their next adventure (and to store away the dangerous item in a vault somewhere, I hope).