GONK dives in to this week’s Star Wars comic: Knight Errant – Deluge #4. Will it sink or swim?
Only one Star Wars comic this week. Dark Horse’s publishing schedule had this listed for November 16, but Previews had it listed for November 23.
Knight Errant – Deluge #4
While the Deluge story arc is going to five issues, this week’s installment, Knight Errant #4, feels a bit like an ending, and not quite a big gearing-up for a final issue. Kerra Holt’s been left on her own to rescue the drug-addled populace of Aquilaris after her new squadron leader, Jenn Devaad, turned out to be on a completely different mission than just delivering food: intentionally getting the people under Sith rule addicted to Deluge to keep the Sith from being able to expand into Republic space. And Devaad’s now got the drugs back to trade to Zodoh the Hutt for her fellow wingmates. In the end, Kerra isn’t as alone as she thinks: her leadership inspires the few people left on Aquilaris to help rescue themselves from the flooding caused by Zodoh’s megastorms. And Jenn Devaad learns a hard lesson from Zodoh but has a few tricks of her own. I’m not quite that sold on Devaad’s change of heart on returning to Holt rather than simply fleeing or going out in a blaze of glory, but it goes with the overall theme of people breaking free of what controls them and turning to be a part of a greater good (and teaming up with Kerra Holt). Since most of this story arc has focused just on the fate of Aquilaris, it seems odd that Aquilaris ends up saved in this issue, and the finale will take place elsewhere, as Kerra and Jenn fly off to stop Zodoh from inundating another world with greater stakes – it almost seems that this adventure should be the start of a new story arc, rather than having it wrap up in a single issue. But I could be wrong in my speculation for #5.
Back to #4: John Jackson Miller gives some good (albeit predictable) resolution to Joad’s story, as the man caught by addiction. While perhaps his actions were meant to be unclear in the midpoint of the story, I didn’t feel any ambiguity, although I liked the style of his depiction from haggard junkie to inspired free man – well portrayed, Iban Coello and Sergio Abad. Jenn Devaad’s encounter with Zodoh brings more action and excitement to the story, with her taking a page out of Kerra’s playbook, and ramping it up. While the manga-esque feel works well with Devaad and Holt and other humans, it makes Zodoh the Hutt seem a little soft, which perhaps you don’t want in a heartless villain. It’s hard to portray the action of rising flood waters in still panels, and I’m glad that they didn’t resort to crazy flash flood waves, but the sense of urgency didn’t quite build up as perhaps it should have. Now I’m getting a flashback to Hard Rain.
While I’ve generally been positive on this story in Knight Errant, I’m just a little torn with this issue – maybe I was expecting more fireworks? Maybe it is the changing of gears as the day is saved for Aquilaris, but the story goes on for one more mission? Maybe it’s Jenn Devaad’s choices not quite fitting well to what I would think she would do – she gets angry and full of vengeance but is humbled pretty darn quick. Unless she’s playing Kerra Holt (again) and the readers as well.
And for added quirky fun, the cover that is based on the Saturday Evening Post design (as given out at the Star Wars comics panel at Comic-Con). Nice homage, Joe Quinones.