Star Wars Agent of the Empire: Hard Targets #3 Review

By Diego Chi
December 15, 2012 - 19:07

Star Wars Agent of the Empire follows the adventures of Imperial Intelligence Agent Jahan Cross, the galactic answer to James Bond. John Ostrander launched the series in 2011 filled with espionage, femme fatales, and action galore. Hard Targets is the second arc of the series, taking place a few years before the events of the original Star Warstrilogy.

Last issue, Agent Jahan Cross was entrusted to protect Bron Dooku and oversee an election for regent of Serenno when the meeting was interrupted by a pirate attack. During the fight, the young Dooku was kidnapped by a woman named Vex, a free-lance spy and sometimes love interest to Cross. Wrapping up the action from the last issue, the opening sequence has Agent Cross searching for a way off a badly damaged airship in pursuit of the kidnapper.

The faster paced opening is a nice contrast to the dialogue-heavy previous issue, although it borders on the edge of overcompensation. Ostrander showcases Cross' prowess right away as the agent's quick-thinking gets him out of the opening crisis with ease. Once he catches up with the kidnapper, Vex-- acting true to the femme fatale she is-- offers Cross the name of her employer in exchange for him breaking her out of prison. Ostrander finally gives Cross some true espionage action with the infiltration of the prison. The sneaking sequence is fun and humorous, reminiscent of Princess Leia's Death Star rescue in A New Hope. The script spells out the action instead of letting the artwork do the storytelling, almost to the point of insulting the reader's intelligence. All of the focus on action made the reveal feel rushed and unimportant, but the end result deepens a larger plot thread as Agent Cross continues to question the true motives of the Empire.

Davidé Fabbri's artwork consistently delivers an elegant comic book experience. His facial expressions sell the humor and sexual tension between Cross and Vex. Because Fabbri nailed the firefight last issue, I felt like I was waiting for a "wow" moment that never quite came. The layouts were not as intuitive as the previous issue but still communicate the chaos and thrills of the action sequences.

This is the weakest issue so far and it still manages to present fun espionage thrills. I continue to hope Ostrander is able to find the balance between strong character development and blockbuster action. Still, I recommend the series for anyone looking to get their Star Wars fix but I wish I felt comfortable recommending it to any non-fans.

Rating: 6.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12

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