User:Xepeyon/CUSWFN/VII/Star Wars: Four-Way Vector — Marvel Comic's Civil War, Star Wars Style!

{| border=0 colspan=0 colspacing=0 class="toccolours" style="margin: 1em auto;text-align:left; font-size:90%; width:100%;" The Completeley Unofficial SWFanon Newsletter' The Unofficial Newsletter of SWFanon November 11th, 2007    "Star Wars: Four-Way Vector — Marvel Comic's Civil War, Star Wars Style!" A review on the upcoming four-way crossover Star Wars comic book .' Written by Xepeyon W ell, well, well... So they've finally done it. The dream of all Star Wars comic book fan has come true. That's right: there will be a four-way chronological crossover for the comics, going from Knights of the Old Republic, to Dark Times, then to Rebellion, and finally to Legacy, with each of the chapters essentially being self-contained. As a little treat, this series will be written in yet another different manner than usual. According to MattBrady at Newsarama.com, it will be written in a style “similar to Civil War in its scope and style,”. Like any other issues, the series will be published by Dark Horse, and will include the writers John Jackson Miller, author of the Knights of the Old Republic comic book line and John Ostrander, author of the Star Wars: Republic, Star Wars: Jedi, and most recently, Star Wars: Legacy comic book lines.
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According to Ostrander, it will not involve flow-walking, so it's not going to be a “Hello all, I'm from the future!” type crossover, but instead the events of Vector will sort of influence all four comics, with the future direction of Legacy being written based on the events of Vector, so it's sort of like a chain reaction thing. As for the illustrations, so far as we know, Jan Duursema will do the art for the Legacy portion, and Josh Elliot is working on a truly epic cover design.

Due to it's unique nature, Star Wars: Vector will cover several issues, or parts, throughout the four comic book series. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Vector and Star Wars: Legacy: Vector will cover the most ground&mdash;four issues, while Star Wars: Dark Times: Vector and Star Wars: Rebellion: Vector in between will cover only two issues each.


 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Vector
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 25: Vector, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 26: Vector, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 27: Vector, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 28: Vector, Part 4 
 * Star Wars Dark Times: Vector
 * Star Wars Dark Times 11
 * Star Wars Dark Times 12
 * Star Wars Rebellion: Vector
 * Star Wars Rebellion 15
 * Star Wars Rebellion 16
 * Star Wars Legacy: Vector
 * Star Wars Legacy 29
 * Star Wars Legacy 30
 * Star Wars Legacy 31
 * Star Wars Legacy 32 

The plot summary taken from Comics Continuum: Star Wars: “Vector” is:

'“When a terrible vision reaching more than 4,000 years into the future alerts the secret Jedi Covenant to the importance of Taris, they activate an operative already on this planet overrun by Mandalorians. There, in the deadly Undercity, a monstrous, ancient threat is unleashed that plunges Zayne Carrick, the Padawan accused of killing his fellow students, into an adventure which will eventually span four thousand years and involve Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and the principles of the Legacy series.”'

Yeah, it's pretty vague on the details, but then again, they always are. Other than that, we don't much more info on the content of the Vector metaseries.

We do, however, have an interview by editor Randy Stradley, with the authors of Vector, namely Knights of the Old Republic’s John Jackson Miller and Legacy’s John Ostrander and Jan Duursema:

'“Newsarama: John, let's start the ball rolling with you, shall we? Timeline-wise, where are things at when KotOR #25 starts? The yearlong "Days of Fate/Nights of Anger/Daze of Hate/Knights of Suffering" sequence has concluded... and not everyone makes it out alive?'



'John Jackson Miller: Without giving away specific events in “Knights of Suffering,” that final story arc of 2007 finds Zayne back on Taris again, where his run started at the beginning of the series. Only now, his concern isn’t that the authorities or the Jedi hunting him will find him. Now, Taris is under siege by the Mandalorians, the armor-clad nomads who have bested the Republic in one battle after another. The whole place is a war zone. It’s as if we were watching Coruscant, in the movies, being taken over from top to bottom — street-to-street fighting and aerial battles at all levels of the sprawling world-city.'

'NRAMA: We should probably note that for those who're unfamiliar with KotOR, Dark Horse has the KotOR Handbook coming in November. Anyway, while Vector is still generating some initial buzz following the official announcement in Baltimore last month and to catch those reading this interview up to speed, what's there to know before one jumps on board with #25? Zayne Carrick is a Padawan accused of killing his fellow students and is on the run from his former Masters with the Mandalorians on his tail as well. Oh, and there's the Mandalorian War, too...'

'JJM: Zayne Carrick was in the wrong place at the wrong time — and he’s managed to make that a habit. A Jedi trainee of questionable talents, Zayne thought his only worry was not making the grade as a Jedi Knight. But then he arrived late for the graduation ceremony — where he discovered his fellow students had been murdered by their Masters. He would have been next, except for the fellow fugitives he met along the way who helped him escape -- and discover the truth: His Masters, part of a secret cabal of Jedi seers, had predicted one of their students would bring about the ruin of the Jedi order. When Zayne escapes, they’re more sure than ever — and to make sure they catch him, they frame him with the students’ murders.'

'Only he escapes again — and Zayne swears to them that he’ll get justice, one way or another. But again, he’s a victim of poor timing — as the Mandalorians pick that moment to begin their blitzkreig assault on the Republic. Suddenly, he’s caught between these huge forces in motion — and his own problems seem small in comparison. Or are they? Maybe not, because there still is this prophecy out there — and he does seem to keep winding up in the middle of events of galactic importance!'

'NRAMA: It's been almost two years since the launch of the KotOR comic book series. How has the whole experience been for one who's also an avid Star Wars fan?'

'John Jackson Miller: It’s been wonderful. I’ve read just about every Star Wars comic book there is, and being able to take the things I’ve enjoyed about them and put them in a series of my own has been a great experience.'

'Apart from the fun of telling stories with characters I like, another enjoyable part has come from fleshing out this different era. We’re figuring out more and more details of the Old Republic world — enough for us to compile a Knights of the Old Republic Handbook for the series. That’s shipping in November and includes everything you need to know about the series — along with new information and a few Vector clues!'

NRAMA: What was the first thing that crossed your mind when the idea of Vector was pitched to you?

'JJM: I thought it was a great idea, giving us a chance to kind of cross-fertilize the themes of the different series a bit. It also looked like the perfect way to introduce readers to eras they might not be familiar with. Here, readers can see that, yes, the titles might be long before or long after the movies, but they’re still Star Wars in every way that matters.'

'NRAMA: Now, your protagonist Zayne Carrick has been through so much since he was first introduced to readers. How will Vector make or break him?'

'JJM: Through brute force -- breaking him into dozens of tiny marginally proficient ex-Padawan pieces!

'Seriously, Zayne has been through the wringer in the last couple of years. It started with our attempt to replicate the movies’ feeling of “now what can go wrong?” and it’s just built upon that, heaping injury onto injustice. Randy has said that no matter how much we like a character, it’s through making awful things happen to them that we see what they’re made of. So in Vector we see Zayne on point as the only person available to deal with a threat that’s far, far out of his league.'



It’s another big test for him — but I’m sure he wishes we’d forget how to reach him!

'NRAMA: Some factions of fandom within the macrocosm that is the Star Wars universe are speculating that Zayne and/or one of his acquaintances could be leading the path to finally becoming and being revealed as Darth Revan and/or Darth Malak at some point in the future. Comments?'

JJM: There are lots of threads leading between Knights of the Old Republic series and the established history of the Star Wars universe, and certainly Jedi prophecies about the future are an important driver of events in the title.

'That said, we are telling stories that stand on their own here. I’m not saying we haven’t got plans to link our characters to the wider mythos — there are some — just that, in whatever we do, everything you’ll need to know will transpire in the title itself. So the comics reader is on an even playing field with the fan who follows everything when it comes to the mysteries of the series: they’ll get the clues they need, while noticing fewer of the red herrings!'

NRAMA: Switching over to Ostrander now for a sec. When did you first hear about Vector?

'John Ostrander: A phone call from Randy. Might have been an e-mail. Anyway, there was an idea for a Star Wars crossover and he wanted to discuss it.'

NRAMA: Having plotted Legends for DC Comics in '86/'87 and written/involved with other crossovers such as Wasteland, The Janus Directive, The Malev War and others, what is the appeal of Vector to you?

'JO: That it’s self-contained within the existing books. It’s clean. No extra issues to buy—no tie-ins, no “core books.” Vector will be an arc in each of the existing series. I’ve got no beef with tie-ins, et al. I’ve done them and they can work fine. They can also seem padded. The reader can get confused and, ultimately, feel used. With Vector, the entire crossover take places as arcs within our existing books.'

'NRAMA: In your opinion, what would a crossover event like this do to the Star Wars mythos? Unlike other comic book universes and series that'd seen relaunches, "ultimatization" and "all-star" treatments, Star Wars has been one constantly expanding (no pun intended) universe since George Lucas introduced Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Darth Vader and the whole gang back in 1977...'

'JO: We’re not re-inventing the wheel in Vector. We’ve found a connective narrative device that stays within the existing boundaries of Star Wars continuity. One of the principle guiding parameters in the series is to make each book accessible to first-time readers as well as satisfying to current and long-time readers.'

NRAMA: What do you hope to achieve with Vector?

'JO: First and foremost—tell a great a story. That’s always the first objective. Next, we want, by the nature of the event, to attract new readers. I think we have books that stand with anything out there today—great characters, great art, great stories. Action, humor, drama—the whole thing. These aren’t only great Star Wars comics—they’re great comics, period. We’re not forgetting our regular readers, either. Events will occur within the arcs which will then have serious impact on the books themselves. For example, what happens in the Legacy section of Vector will have a major impact on what happens in 2009—and beyond.'

'NRAMA: JJM, how much are you learning from a veteran like Ostrander? What makes a crossover "work" in the world of Star Wars?'

'JJM: I had met John years ago at one of the first conventions I attended, and while I never expected there would be a way for us to work together given our different time frames, I’m thrilled we figured out a way to do it. One of the great things about working with the team of creators and editors at Dark Horse is that I’m learning more about the craft with every issue. I don’t think an issue goes by where I don’t pick up some trick for communicating stories more effectively. That goes triple for this event, as I’ve learned from everybody involved.'

'The actual mechanics of bringing together these different eras, while something we paid a lot of attention to, was just one part of the sheer variety of ideas that came from our discussions. We all came up with different parts — and it was interesting to see how the others went about the creative process. John has a laser focus on the “big picture” story elements of theme and character change; I like to run thought experiments to see how those might mesh with what’s already going on in the comics.'

In the end, I think we came up with something that will be satisfying as a story while also being significant to the events of each of the four titles involved.

'NRAMA: Okay, guys. It's been said that one constant character will experience the story as Vector crosses over from KotOR to Dark Times, Rebellion and Legacy. While you're not going to reveal who he/she is just yet, it's been revealed that several characters have been shown to be living in different eras such as A'Sharad Hett/Darth Krayt and K'Kruhk. Even Jedi such as Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and even Sith lords like Darth Nihilus, Exar Kun and others have appeared as force ghosts. Will he/she be a new character and new and returning readers will get to know the story through this character? Or will he/she be somebody who is familiar to Star Wars fans? Or does the 12-part story revolve around a certain family tree?'

'JO: There will be a constant that unites all of Vector. Is it a person? Is it a thing? Is it a thing/person? To say too much now would compromise the story we have to tell so—we’re not saying! [laughs]'

'NRAMA: Fair enough. Looking at the first preview image that appeared together with the solicitation for KotOR #25, some of the recognizable characters include Luke, Vader, Cade, Zayne. Okay, he's the main character in KotOR but one couldn't help but ask: what has Zayne got to do with the Skywalkers?'

'JJM: They all use lightsabers. Well, Zayne doesn’t use his very well. (Actually, on a completely trivial note, I gave Zayne a yellow lightsaber to begin with because that’s what the original Kenner Luke Skywalker figure incorrectly had. So there’s a connection!)'

Seriously, they’re all connected by fate and by the events of Vector — but you’ll have to read to find out how.

'NRAMA: Randy said that the timeframe between KotOR #25 and Legacy #32 is approximately 4,100 years. As the two of you set the direction for the Dark Times and Rebellion writers, will fans and readers see how Vector affect the Prequel and Original Trilogies as well?'

'JO: Both eras are pretty well documented. But you’ll learn how Vector impacts certain characters in both eras.'

'NRAMA: Jan, how involved are you with Vector? Are you coming in as co-plotter too?'

'Jan Duursema: I’ve been fortunate to have a voice in the plotting of Vector for the outset. I’ll definitely have a part in plotting out the Legacy issues of Vector.'

NRAMA: Will you guys be introducing new characters?

'JJM: Yes. And there are returning characters in Knights that we’re going to learn a lot more about.'

JO: We’re always introducing new characters.

NRAMA: Jan, are you designing the characters then?

'JD: I’ve designed several new characters for Vector. I like to think of a couple of them as the good, the horrible and the real nasty. Developing these characters has been an interesting process right from the beginning of this project. There is this magic that happens during plotting sessions that can give you fleeting images of what the main characters should be like. I first envisioned one of the main characters a certain way, but found that as the plot line solidified they changed immensely by the time we got to the final version. The final design for them was nothing like my first impressions—they were both different and better than I had imagined. When that happens, for me, it means a character has gone beyond the initial concept and taken on a life of their own.'

'NRAMA: Finally, to wrap up the interview, what's the A New Hope factor as fans and readers alike anticipate the first Vector issues? Anything that you'd like to tease about before the first chapter hits in January?'

'JO: Every chapter of the twelve-issue story leads to something—and has lasting impacts along the way. For good? For bad? That depends on how the characters react to what happens. And new readers will be made right at home. If all you know about Star Wars is the films, then you don’t know all about Star Wars. But you know enough to read Vector. For new readers, Vector is a gateway into a galaxy of great stories that’s just waiting for you to discover it. For long-time readers—well, we’ve got a few tricks you haven’t seen yet.'

Randy Stradley: I’d coyly mention that the word “vector” has more than one meaning… [laughs]

JD: I can’t speak for anyone else, but I believe the Legacy issues of Vector are going to pack a two-fisted punch to the gut.”

Star Wars: Vector hits the shelves sometime in 2008. Keep your eyes out for the month and day.