Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #42 ( Dark Horse – Miller / Chan / Atiyeh )

“When an argument between ex-Padawan Zayne Carrick and the mysterious Jarael leaves her questioning her place in his life, the appearance of the Jedi Malak threatens to make up her mind for good. Yet Malak’s not the only one with an interest in Jarael. Just how far the Mandalorian Rohlan is willing to go to stay by her side has never been revealed — until now!

Major developments for Zayne and Jarael! Previously untold events in the story of Malak and Revan! For in-the-know Star Wars fans, this issue is a must have!

* A special one-shot story featuring Malak and Revan from the Knights of the Old Republic video games sets our main cast on a deadly new course!”

There comes a time in every comic’s life where the reader just keeps telling himself “It’s going to get better, right?”  After months of telling myself this, I’m beginning to lose all hope that the magic that brought me into this book will ever return.

I started getting KOTOR after reading the first trade paperback about a padawan who had been framed for murder by his own master and was on the run with a rag-tag group of oddities.  We followed their adventures throughout the galaxy as they try to solve the great mysteryof why these tragic events took place, while still trying to survive the harsh life of a spacer.  I loved it!  But then something happened, after about three years of build up and laying of intricate ground work, we saw the close of a great story arc.  Then the book began to falter.

With a constant rotating artist staff, also the tweaking of some artist styles, KOTOR has become the most inconsistent book I read. I never know if what I’m going to get is decent or just plan sucks.  This issue fell somewhere in-between.

Issue #42 tries desperately to hook readers into the story of Zayne and Jarael, while also giving us some unknown back story to KOTOR Icons Reven and Malak.  Both of which are successful to a point, but still not enough to make it too exciting.  Then we get to the artwork that looks like it came straight out of an Archie and Jughead comic.  Don’t get me wrong, Ron Chan looks to be an okay artist.  I just don’t think he should be working on a Star Wars book, or at least not a Star Wars books that’s targeted at the ten-and-over crowd.  Or anything where he has to convey emotion, or people, or droids, maybe even plants. 

Was this the nail in the coffin for me? I think maybe.  Having looked through the new Previews catalog, I see other things that are demanding my money more.

It’s so long Knights of the Old Republic!  I’ll see you in trade paperbacks I get from my local library.

Grade: D