Dark Horse have published another Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories, an anthology line of comics, this time expanding the number of Bad Batch comics. The Bad Batch, a unique squad of clone troopers, have been a popular since their initial introduction in the Clone Wars animated series. This popularity has continued in comics, with Dark Horse following up their successful Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch – Ghost Agents with this latest series Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch – Rogue Agents.
Rogue Agents has the Bad Batch investigating the disappearance of Separatist scientist and his dangerous invention. Hunter, Crosshair, Tech, and Wrecker arrive to find that they are not the only ones in search of this scientist, altering the course of their mission.
Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch – Rogue Agents!
This four part series is written by Michael Moreci (Barbaric, The Plot) who also authored the Ghost Agents story. In fact the whole creative team is the same as from Ghost Agents, with artist Reese Hannigan, inker Elisabetta D’Amico, colourist Michael Atiyeh, and Comicraft on lettering. This continuity is a strength for the series as this team know our favourite misfits from Clone Force 99 well.
The issues starts off promising with a strong hook. The newly introduced character, Dr Ergin Lazlo, tests his new, galaxy-changing technology, only to have it go wrong and seemingly destroy the lush forest in front of him. What exactly has gone awry, we are left to guess as that is the last we see of him.
“I will succeed. I will achieve the unthinkable.” – Dr Ergin Lazlo
After this opening, two days go by before the Bad Batch arrive in the Tesselate System to find out what has happened to Lazlo. On the planet, they find themselves plenty of droids to smash and blast. This is one of the joys of the comic, the back and forth between the clones feels spot on. Their voices naturally went over the dialogue while reading and Moreci has to be commended for this.
The art too looks vivid and crisp, enhanced by those colours from Atiyeh, although perhaps more could have been done to make the planet look like a regular terrestrial forest. The Bad Batch, and other animated Star Wars characters, translate well into comic book form, as the reader is no doubt used to seeing them in a cartoonesque way.
Hunter and the others quickly find out they are not the only ones looking for Dr Lazlo, and discover another team of clones on the planet. The twist was hardly subtle, but there was a nice building of tension as Sergeant Cole, leader of the other group, dodges questions about what they are up to. Suspicions are later confirmed that they were not sent by command at all they are Rogue Agents.
There is a lot crammed into this issue; the clones head back into space, the Bad Batch are betrayed, and there is even a Rancor thrown it. Even with all of this, it never feels rushed and instead a perfectly paced, action-packed issue. This feels like a tight storyline from a team who know what they are doing.
A very good opening issue for the series and definitely one to pick up for fans of the Bad Batch. There are two big questions to answer. What did Dr Lazlo make? And will the Bad Batch beat the Rogue Agents to him? The latter of those will most likely provide most of the storyline for the next three issues but it is the intrigue around the first one which will bring readers back.
Buy Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch – Rogue Agents #1 – Forbidden Planet UK (KCV make a commission)
Buy Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch – Rogue Agents #2 – Forbidden Planet UK (KCV make a commission)
Buy Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Bad Batch – Ghost Agents – Bookshop.org US (KCV make a commission)
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