Tag Archives: Gamer comics

Given the source material for the photo webcomic Darths and Droids, I must admit I was rather taken by surprise at the comic’s latest revelation: the Peace Moon (the name that the story’s Game Master chose for the Death Star) was built to be a tourist trap. There’d been little hints planted in the past (such as the military’s reaction to Darth Vader ordering the destruction of Naboo), but I must admit I’ve been viewing DaD with eyes colored by the Star Wars source material. Thus the Empire was evil, the Rebellion was good, and Han shot first.

Ironically, given that Darth Vader is being controlled (with the GM’s approval) by Annie, one of the players, I’m left to wonder if any of the players are “good guys” this time around. After all, when you get down to it, the players are attacking a government facility and will very likely cause the deaths of law enforcement agents in an effort to free a comrade who has been rebelling against the legitimate galactic government. Even the destruction of Naboo was the result of player action. It’s an interesting twist, to say the least.

While some stories have been told from the villain’s perspective it’s not exactly commonplace. Even fewer have written a story in which the villains are sympathetic protagonists who just so happen to be wrong. What’s more, this is a recurring theme: when Padme (Jim’s old character) realized that Anakin (Annie’s former character) was evil, she was perfectly happy to accept that side of him, though it ultimately bit them both in the end. And given that Jim’s newest character (who’s currently calling himself Han Solo) killed someone and stole his identity and name, I’m left wondering who outside of Ben could be considered a hero. And does it matter?

Like many people who grew up in the 70s (and earlier), I was a huge fan of the Star Wars movies, starting with the original (which George Lucas would later rename Episode IV: A New Hope). Thus it’s no real surprise that I’m a big fan of the photo-comic Darths and Droids which utilizes scenes from the six movies and reworks them to be a roleplaying game being run by one of the best kinds of GameMasters, the ones who roll with the punches and can make stuff up as they go. Add in a fine mixture of player dynamics (along with the actual game itself) and the result is a game readers wish they could be a part of. Still, part of the fundamental charm of DaD is its use of material from the Star Wars movies, and integrating them in ways we only wish Lucas had thought of.

One such instance lies with the NPC Han Solo, a small green alien who has long been the debate of diehard movie purists concerning the order in the discharge of blaster weapon fire. Watching Jim (the player behind Greedo’s character, represented by images of Harrison Ford in the movie) manipulate events and then coldheartedly cut down the green alien to steal his identity and starship was quite impressive… but not as interesting as the relevation afterward that the green alien was in fact a shapeshifter. This matters primarily when you consider the second chapter which included a shapeshifter and comments by the artist team about the odd inclusion of a shapeshifter for no real purpose in the movie. Given the ease of depicting a shapeshifter in the rendering of the comic, I must wonder if they’ll play a larger role in the actual game.

Today’s update caught my eye for a different reason, however: the Kessel Run. More specifically, The Comic Irregulars included both the line itself… and commentary below the comic concerning the history behind the line. Specifically, Han Solo’s statement in the movie was a load of bull meant to impress gullible idiots who didn’t know that parsecs were a unit of distance. Rather than accept that their hero was a braggart lying through his teeth to impress some rubes, audiences bought the phrase, hook, line, and sinker (which is a bit of delicious irony when you think about it). While for the most part Darths and Droids avoids specifics about the movies they’re parodying, it’s little tidbits like these, combined with some inspired storytelling, which makes this comic so enjoyable.