Star Wars Episode 1: Adventures
This Dark Horse compilation pulls together some of the formerly top-secret files of Project Smellhound, the snickering code name that series editor Peet Janes gave to all of DH'sPhantom Menace-related comics (à laBlue Harvest). TheEpisode I Adventuresflesh out background on four of the film's main characters--Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Amidala, and Anakin--in four separate one-shots, all concurrent to the movie but sometimes catching action that the camera "missed." All four stories revolve around Anakin in some way (for better or for worse), but the quality of the writing and art keeps the series on fairly solid footing. Of particular note are the dancing lightsabers of Martin Egeland (Adrenalynn) and the always slick stylings of Robert Teranishi (Xena,Star Wars Tales). A nice bonus:Adventuresalso includes the ancillary short stories first released in the premiumWizard Episode I#1/2 issue.--Paul Hughes