Mysterious black helmets and the piercing whistle of TIE fighters… I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been fascinated by the dark pilots of these star machines. This time Marvel presents us with a comic that is entirely devoted to the adventures of this very formation. How do cosmic clashes look like from the other side of the conflict?
Between Hoth and Endor
The action of TIE Pilots takes us to the times just before the beginning of Return of the Jedi . Despite rumors of a slowly ending war with the Rebels, the 204th Imperial Division, nicknamed Shadowwing Squadron, does not rest. One of the tasks that is entrusted to the pilots is to recover a Star Destroyer whose admiral has decided to terminate allegiance to the Emperor. After completing the mission, unfortunately paid for with human losses, the hidden cooperation of one of the pilots with the Rebellion comes to light. The next task is coming – destroy the Rebel recruiting ship. But then comes the news. Death Star destroyed. The Emperor is dead.
Space Top Gun
The story may be a bit like the story campaign from the newer version of Star Wars: Battlefront 2. There we also got a story about Imperial soldiers who are considering joining the Rebellion. So the idea may not be fresh, but it’s also not so exploited that it becomes tiresome. The Shadowwing Squadron itself is one of the greatest aces of the Imperial fleet. We learn this from the memories of the heroes and two space clashes. Here you have to admit to the pilots – they can even cope with a huge numerical advantage of the enemy.
Dynamic clashes in space
The drawings are a bit uneven here, because the individual notebooks had different authors. However, overall the level remains quite high. It is not easy to show the dynamics of a fighter battle in space using static illustrations. And here it was achieved. The end of each issue is also a short retrospective bringing us closer to the story of one of the pilots. It allows us to get a little closer to the characters. However, given that the creators can kill them quite quickly, it’s not easy to get attached to them.
Downside solo story
I think the TIE Pilots could greatly benefit from extending the storyline. Closing this story in the canvas of a solo edition limited the scope for the screenwriters to show off. The characters cannot be properly known, and the ending, despite all the drama, seems to be glued in a bit by force. Had this volume been the prelude to a longer saga, it would have done well. In this case, however, it looks quite average.
A slight disappointment
The TIE pilots were a bit of a disappointment to me. Just a little. I expected clashes in outer space and showing me the everyday life of the aces of aviation of the Galactic Empire, and that’s what I got. However, in the context of an attractive plot, I received a product that was not fully thought out. If you are looking for nicely drawn battles in space, reach for this comic.
