REVIEW: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Graphic Novel/iOS App)

I haven't read much of Star Wars comics or novels. For me, Star Wars exists only in the movies. But now and then a Star Wars event will happen that would be hard for everyone to ignore. The Force Unleashed is one such event. The hype for The Force Unleashed is so massive that it's like a big movie event, without the actual movie of course. It is practically everywhere -- games on all platforms, comics, novels, etc.

I'm intrigued by the story of Darth Vader taking on an apprentice. With hopes running high, I tried the Xbox 360 version of the game. One might think that with a game that lets you play as Vader during the opening stage, it could do no wrong. But that was a wrong assumption. The gameplay quickly became an exercise in tedium and felt like a God of War wannabe. So I stopped playing it. But the intrigue of the story never left me. I kept on wondering what happened to Vader's apprentice.

Fast forward to this year. I know it was already around for some time but I just discovered this iOS app of the complete TPB of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed by Dark Horse/THQ Wireless. This is now my chance to know the story of Vader's apprentice. So I read it on my iPod touch until I finished it.

So did I like it? Yes! I actually felt sad for the apprentice. In spite of his undying loyalty to Vader, Vader just manipulated him.

Here are some of the things I like about this graphic novel:

• Some of the best renditions of Darth Vader can be seen here. Kudos to the artist! (BTW, just check out the Bail Organa art, it just screams Jimmy Smits!)
• Happening just two years before the Battle of Yavin, you would discover new plot twists on how the Emperor and Vader were the ones who actually started the Rebellion.
• Darth Vader's dialogues are so spot on that I could actually hear the heavy breathing and James Earl Jones' voice as I read Vader's lines.
• Reading the graphic novel on the iPod touch added an extra boost to the colors and the art due to the clear display and the backlighting.
• The subtle love story between Starkiller and Juno Eclipse.
• A well-thought out plot that perfectly fits with the Star Wars mythos.

Here are some of the things I did not like:

• I did not like the name of the Apprentice. Could they not think of a better name for Starkiller???
• Inconsistent rendition of Starkiller -- some are good, most are not...

I would highly recommend this graphic novel. Get it on paper or get it digitally, it does not matter -- just get it and read it since the Force is strong with this one (I just have to say it!). For the best experience, play the Star Wars official soundtrack while reading.