Writer: Charles Soule
Art: Steven Cummings, Victor Olazaba and Guru-eFX
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 2nd, 2022
A syndicate war rages in Star Wars: Crimson Reign #2! As the most powerful syndicates battle against each other across the galaxy, Lady Qi’ra and her Crimson Dawn syndicate quietly move pieces in the background, keeping the other syndicates at each other’s throats even as she works towards her ultimate goal: taking down Emperor Palpatine and the Empire.
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The Story
Star Wars: Crimson Reign #2 begins with The Archivist, Lady Qi’ra’s advisor, giving a brief narrative of what’s transpired so far. I love this character, she reminds me of one of the blind oracles from Greek myth, with her long sinewy hair and utterances filled with ambiguity. The issue then goes back in time, ominously “Before the Fall”, where Qi’ra sends the assassins Deathstick and Ochi of Bestoon on seemingly impossible missions.
I like Deathstick, though that’s a horrible name!
It sounds like her name was spewed out of a 99 cent random name generator app. She has a cool vibe, though, very quiet and covered head to toe in a mask and bodysuit, with only her eyes (which are piercing blue) showing. She’s like a female version of Snake Eyes from “G.I. Joe”. Her mission is to grab a young girl from a Rebel base and bring her back alive. Easy, right? Is anything ever easy for an assassin? I like how she handles it, though, using a mix of cleverness and stealth. And she’s completely cold-blooded, barely flinching when she realizes her target is a child.
Ochi’s mission is to take off Emperor Palpatine’s Red Guard. Remember those guys with the red hoods and staffs that “protect” Emperor Palpatine? Yep, those guys. Ochi chatters more and is more anxious and obsessive than Deathstick. This is a guy that probably checks the door on his spacecraft 26 times to make sure he locked it. Qi’ra gives him a flying droid assistant that comes in super handy for this particular mission, and the two make a pretty great duo.
I love these Star Wars tales where there’s no Skywalker in sight. I love Luke Skywalker and the other related characters from the three trilogies, but the galaxy is a huge place, so it’s great to see other characters have a chance to shine. I particularly love the bounty hunters, assassins, and the darker side of Star Wars.
Lady Qi’ra is a fascinating character also, and though we don’t see much of her this issue, the scenes she’s in have impact. I’m interested to see the purpose of these missions she sent Deathstick and Oshi on, and I hope to see other assassins that are lurking around in the Star Wars universe.
The Art
I loved Steven Cummings and Victor Olazaba’s art on Star Wars: Crimson Reign #2, it’s beautifully detailed. It reminds me of George Perez and Romeo Tanghal’s art on the New Teen Titans book back in the 1980s, the backgrounds and the characters are drawn so detailed, you can count the wrinkles in Ochi’s face and see the grooves in the steering of his ship. A Star Wars book needs detailed artwork like this. There are so many vivid details, alien landscapes, and species to capture, that the art fits perfectly and really enhances the story.
Final Thoughts
Star Wars: Crimson Reign #2 continues Lady Qi’ra’s manipulation of the syndicate war to her advantage. We get to see two ruthless assassins in action, and it’ll be interesting to see what Qi’ra has planned next.