Star Wars #28 The Hunt for Aurra Sing Part 1 (of 4) Scripting: Tim Truman Pencilling: David? Fabbri Inking: Christian Dalla Vecchia Coloring: Dave McCaig Lettering: Steve Dutro Cover: Jon Foster Released: 03/28/2001 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (01/04/2010) SUMMARY: Jedi Knights Peerce and J'mikel, along with J'mikel's young Padawan, investigate a lead that Aurra Sing is on Coruscant. They find a group of dead Republic Peacekeepers, and Peerce follows the trail of one who seemed to have got away. When he gets to the victim, Aurra Sing attacks and kills Peerce. She does the same when J'mikel comes to check, but leaves his Padawan alive. The next day, the Jedi Council hold a meeting to decide who will go after Aurra Sing. The Dark Woman's request is denied, but Ki-Adi-Mundi, A'Sharad Hett and Adi Gallia volunteer.

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

Tim Truman returns to the writing chores and since he developped the Aurra Sing character, this is a perfect subject for this new storyline. And it's nice to see a continuation of the earlier stories, between the continuing Quinlan Vos saga (the next story arc "Darkness" is said to continue where "Infinity's End" left off in issue #26). This first issue set up the intrigue nicely: the investigation by the two new Jedi and their deaths takes up most of the issue, but never feels overdrawn. The narration and dialogue create a creepy ambiance and show how much terror Aurra Sing inspires (moreso than the artwork, I think). But is also brings more questions: who paid Aurra to kill those two, and why? How can she be so bold as to attack the Jedi on their own turf? And why did she spare the young Twi'lek Padawan to let her report back and get the Jedi on her tail? Those questions will have to wait, as a team consisting of Ki-Adi-Mundi and his Padawan A'Sharad Hett (who both met Aurra in issues #7-12 "Outlander"), and Adi Gallia are tasked to look into the incident. I am very much interested to see what happens next (hopefully some Adi vs. Aurra action!) and I think the 4-issue format will work better for Truman than 6 part stories like his previous two.

THE ART

I pretty much loved Fabbri's and Dalla Vecchia's work on the Jedi Council series, and again it is pretty good here too but maybe not as much. The Anx and Skrilling Jedi (J'mikel and Peerce respectively) are very well rendered but not so much Aurra. I don't think the artists were able to capture the full terror that she is supposed to inspire. The coloring work helps a lot though. The cover by Foster just looks amazing, and that's what Aurra should look like. And of course readers of the previous collaboration will know how well the members of the Jedi Council are represented.

CONCLUSIONS

We're off to an intrigue-filled start.

Rating: 8 / 10 Recommended