Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan: The Aurorient Express #1 (of 2) Story: Mike Kennedy Art: Lucas Marangon Inking: Howard Shum Coloring: Dan Jackson Lettering: Steve Dutro Cover: Lucas Marangon Released: 02/27/2002 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (11/22/2004) SUMMARY: While investigating a luxury liner that seems to be in danger of crashing on the surface of Yorn Skot, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight security droids and stumble upon a plot that may involve a rich Tibanna gas magnate.

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

This series takes place in the year after the last Jedi Apprentice book (The Followers), and the year before the series Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan: Last Stand on Ord Mantell. Mike Kennedy, who wrote the disappointing Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika, returns for his second and last (to date) foray into the Star Wars universe. This story doesn't know if it wants to be drama or comedy. It starts off with a debate about noble and despicable acts that doesn't make too much sense, then becomes a detective story as the two Jedi go from one suspicious passenger to the next to find out what is causing the luxury ship to sink in the atmosphere. All right, we get it. It's Murder on the Orient Express, except there's no murder. Some character names are supposed to be funny if you get the references, like Chief Bouyardy. Funny stuff. The characters utter some strange words and turns of phrases. I guess I just don't get the humor. I just wanted a fun Jedi action adventure. We'll see if it gets interesting next issue.

THE ART

Lucas Marangon's style is...cliché. I don't have a better word for it. It's the kind of art that the characters need to have different physical traits (hairline, facial hair, girth) to disinguish one another. And the aliens have very human atributes. I mean, a fish species with guys who look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and women who have long, flowing human hair. Have you ever seen fish with hair? Not to mention other, um... physical attributes. Even little alien Saul Moegantz looks exactly like an italian mob boss, but his facial features are the same as the fish species. Basically, Marangon is not too good with aliens. I guess he's better at doing series like Tag & Bink Are Dead, which is pure comdy and features mostly human characters. And the cover is weird too. There's something wrong with the Jedi's capes that seem to go on forever.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a very strange comic. Maybe it takes a certain sense of humor to understand it, but that's not my case.

Rating: 6 / 10 Not Recommended