The Phantom Affair (Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Volume 2)

Stackpole had introduced us to Wedge and his band of Rogues with his 4 X-wing books written from Feb of 1996 to Feb of 1997. The Phantom Affair is the first TPB and was published in Nov. 1997 collecting issues 5 to 8. On the star wars timeline I have placed it at the end of year 5 ANH at 5.91. My feeling is that all 8 TPB's come just before the novels.

Story grade is 4.5, pencils vary but get a 4, ink and color vary from 3 to 4, and cover is a 3 for a grade of 4 stars.

The story here is fun, but the art is a real mixed bag. Sometimes the pencils, ink and coloring are luxurious, rich and awesome. The artwork itself is consistently detailed with almost not lazy artists panels. Given the technology that existed at the time, this is one of the best TPB comics ever produced by Dark Horse. Look at the impact that Stackpole has had on the EU. This is where we meet Mirax on the time line, because the comic take place before the novels and the assault on Coruscant.

Like most people I read the novels first, then the comics. My advice today for those wishing to engage the tales of Wedge and the X-Wing saga is to start with right here with this comic. This comic is totally start alone and introduces many of the main characters that you will get to know and love. Meet Mirax Terrik, daughter of booster, Wedge, Hobby, Wes Janson, and Tycho.

There must have been some real butt kicking at Dark horse because almost everything about this comic is brilliantly conceived and executed, except the drably colored cover.


A spectacular achievement   June 23, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The second part in the X-wing: Rogue Squadron series, The Phantom Affair is arguably one of the finest comics you could find, and for many reasons.

The art quality is simply astounding. Facial features differ with character and emotion. Even the background is not left to waste. Look carefully and you'll see just how much work and creativity there is: how every spare space is utilised, even if it's just to have pedestrians or surface features. The sheer variety of aliens, both familiar and merely exotic, is both appreciated and well done.

Dialogue is great. Everyone has a part, everyone contributes to some effect. And if a character has no purpose in that given situation, no problem, give him a witty line and there you go! Plenty of humour will have you smiling; Dllrr asking if the fruit around him is edible, being told it's too hard to eat, and then dropping it on a stormtrooper's head was funny.

And there were sneaky touches thrown in. How many of you thought that was George Lucas on p74, the one standing beside a Jawa holding a camera tripod, making a picture frame with his hands? Mirax dusting the step with a leaf before she sits is another.

And that page . . . where something suddenly jams the cantina music, that something being a haunting illustration of the Interdictor Cruiser you'll see turn the next page. Simply excellent.

The plot sounds straightforward but like all good stories all is not what it seems. Wedge's childhood flashback gives readers a visual link to what they have read in the X-wing books of his past.

Just a couple of minor errors though. That starfighter Wedge flies to avenge his parents is not what a Headhunter looks like. Aren't they fixed-wing? This one had X-wing S-foils. And readers may have problems with the wormhole at the end, and how its credulity affects the plot.

Be Warned! Make The Phantom Affair your first foray into this comic series and you'll see just why it's so damn good.


Wow . . .   March 17, 2003
This is, so far, my favorite of the Rogue Squadron comics. The artwork is great and the story is brilliant. Michael A. Stackpole remains one of my favorite authors. Since others have synopsed the story, I won't bother, but suffice it to say, I highly recommend it!


Not a bad way to start a series   August 13, 2001
The tpb premier of the XWRS series manages to give a good start to a great series. The story in itself is a bit different from the rest of the story arcs, and remains on an individual scale like rest of the series's first half, whereas the second half is essentially one long, complex story. `The Phantom Affair' puts the Rouges on the world of Mrlsst, bargaining at an academy campus for a new war technology. This is mostly a wedge-centered arc, and he gets a few people from his past to join in. The art by the late Edvin Buikovic is very good. While his ships are detailed but fail to gain a sense of movement, his people are very good. Incredibly detail goes top every face and background figure, which works very well when you have a story set on a crowded campus. Three-fourths of the way through, the art is taken over by Gary Erksine. While trying to imitate Buikovic, the art still takes a noticeable plunge in overall quality and Buikovic's sense of smoothness is unfortunately lost. The color is done by David Nestelle, who will come to grace most of the series's story arcs with his superb coloring. Nestelle proves that coloring is just as important as the art in setting the mood in many a scene.

The script is done by Darko Macan, who does casual dialogue pretty well, although his combat lingo leaves something to be desired. The series begin with seven rouges, five of whom will see the end of the series. Many future players await introduction, so `The Phantom Affair' is set apart a bit from other arcs, especially those in the latter half. Wedge's background is set up well by the flashback involving Booster Terrik and the death of Wedge's parents. Loka Hask proves to be an interesting, of not a bit too vocal, villain. Also, tying together the beginning and ending of the series, Mirax Terrik takes on an important role in the story. On an interesting note, another `special appearance' from later on in the series is her future husband, Corran Horn. (`Blood & Honor')

Overall the plot takes more than its share of twists and turns. While a good overall read, I personally feel that `The Phantom Affair' is a bit distanced from the rest of the series. Nonetheless, it's a good kick-off that provided a glimpse of what is to come.