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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #2
"COMMENCEMENT" PART 2
As with all my “production notes,” consider a “Spoiler Warning” attached. Please read the books first.
The
second issue of a series always tends to be easier for me to write than
the first issue. The scene has been set, the characters have been
introduced – now the action can begin. I don’t think, however, I’ve
done a second issue with quite so much action right out of the gate.
The first 16 pages of this issue are all essentially part of the same
sequence, starting in the Jedi Tower and winding up in that grungy
alleyway.
One of my decisions in the beginning, to avoid using an omniscient
narrator except for announcements as to location and time, becomes more
noticeable in an issue like this, where there are several action scenes
without an opportunity for dialogue. In the old days, it would be a
simple matter to throw in a thought balloon from Zayne explaining
exactly what he’s doing at any moment; today, things need to be a lot
more self-evident. (You can read more about the disappearance of the
thought balloon and of many narrator captions in my column in Comics Buyer’s Guide
#1596.) That said, I think Brian Ching really carried off what was a
pretty complicated action scene very well!
Brian’s depictions in fact really helped sell a lot of my favorite
scenes. We really do get a better sense of Gryph’s priorities and
assumptions about himself. And, wow, isn’t he Mr. Empathy when Zayne’s
friends appear on the news?
TRIVIA
- The inside cover accidentally refers to Brian Ching as the cover artist instead of Travis Charest. Incidentally, this would be the correct line-up for the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic/Rebellion Special, which shipped a week later.
- This issue gives a prominent on-camera role to Master Vandar Tokare, a character from the first video game. Despite his Yoda-like looks, his manner of speech differs, just as it is depicted in the game.
- The lecturer is talking to his students about “air traffic control”
on Taris, which must be a serious problem with all these flying vessels
in the “streets.” Thus the irony of Zayne crashing through, out of
control…
- The dialogue balloons in the “garbage can” scene are actually reversed with regard to where Zayne’s and Gryph’s knuckles are. It takes an eagle-eyed reader to notice how hairy a guy’s fingers are!
- The Kedorzhans make their first appearance anywhere in this story.
- A Bith, as Gryph mistakenly refers to the Sith, is of course a member of that race that also includes the Cantina Scene’s band from Star Wars: Episode IV.
