Writers: Timothy Zahn & Jody Houser
Artists: Pat Olliffe & Andrea Di Vito
Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover Artist: Rod Reis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $4.99
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader are on the trail of the Grysks, mysterious marauding aliens who have the source of the disturbance they’ve been seeking in their captivity. However, as things unfold they must face their adversaries in battle to discover the whereabouts of their next destination. a place they’ve visited before in the past. Read Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #4 to see Thrawn and Vader tackle this threat on two fronts.
Review:
So, the story continues to advance the conflict between Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader with the Grysks. You can definitely say that this issue has a lot more action in the present storyline compared to previous issues. Which is ironic because while there’s still action in the past storyline, there’s less of it in exchange there’s a little more plot progression with the duo’s mission. On top of that, there’s more of the Stormtroopers taking the fight to the Grysks forces they encountered, and even some that they captured. However, while they took some losses, Thrawn and Vader made more headway in their mission in pursuit of the Grysks and their next destination.
As I said, there’s a lot more action in the present storyline this time around, and the art team do a spectacular job with showing Vader cut fight the Grysks. It also helps that comic continues to show the Stormtroopers being useful on top of being characters in their own right collectively and individually. There are a couple of easter eggs for hardcore fans, but nothing too egregious aside from one character’s appearance that some would’ve forgotten about since he only showed up very early in the first issue.
What’s notable about the present storyline is how Vader and Thrawn continue to work off each other to solve the mystery behind the Grysks’ attacks. And the way Thrawn pieces the information together makes sense in a way that doesn’t require readers to be military geniuses. The information is competently conveyed and presented in a clear and straight to the point manner so you know why all the presented information adds up and helps them pinpoint where the Grysks will go next.
The only downside for the comic is the past storyline in the first half of the comic. We get to see Padme once more as she was in a bit of a bad position last couple of issues. But she’s made it planetside to a world controlled by the Separatists, and she goes incognito for a little bit. However, the comic does end up forcing a bunch of new characters right into your face in the first half, and while some information about the planet ends up being useful later, the rest is more to establish the dreaded tone of that planet, its occupying forces at the time, and the impact it has on the people and the danger that Anakin and Thrawn will have to face the next issue.
Final Thoughts:
Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #4 delivers the fourth part of the story as we get more action and intrigue in both the past and present. This time around there’s far more action in the present storyline than in the past as Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers go up against the Grysks here. It helps that the comic does a solid job balancing the shifting perspectives from Darth Vader and Thrawn to the Stormtroopers themselves. All of which is elevated by the art team doing a solid job with the characters and action.