“This is, hands down, the best of the “Star Wars” comics from Dark Horse that I have read.” - Comic Book Resources
Yes, the trade paperback of Star Wars: Blood Ties is out this week. It’s not often that I go out of my way to read my own work but I am kind of excited to see this one in its collected glory. I’m still very happy with this story (which is a rare thing) and I hope I get a chance very soon to add to the Blood Ties series along with the genius that is Chris Scalf. Go get this. Lend it to your friends.
Star Wars: Blood Ties—A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett
Here begins a multigenerational tale of honor and redemption, starring two of the heaviest hitters in the Star Wars galaxy–the father-and-clone team of Jango and Boba Fett!A mission that begins with Jango Fett–before the Clone Wars–will affect the course of Boba Fett’s life some twenty years into the future. When an important assignment with a big payday from Count Dooku goes awry for Jango, Boba will be tasked with picking up the pieces . . .
* This volume full of Mandalorian mayhem collects issues #1–#4 of the comics series Blood Ties!
“Taylor seems poised to add some real depth to this enigmatic bounty hunter without sacrificing his cooler qualities. Whether in revisiting Jango’s death from Boba’s point of view or showcasing his bounty hunting methods, Taylor offers a lot for Fett fans to enjoy in this series.” - IGN
“Writer Tom Taylor has roped us into the story from the beginning, and his illumination of the forces at play in these characters’ lives is not only intriguing; it seems to touch on a universal familial truth. There is an almost scientific way to see that Blood Ties is a successful story: In it, Taylor has taken to illuminating aspects of one this fictional universe’s most mysterious characters. In the end, however, the mystery of the character has been only multiplied. It would be overly dramatic for me to say that Blood Ties is the Citizen Kane of Star Wars comics. However, I can’t deny that I found myself comparing the two works in my head as I read this final issue.” – THE SCI-FI BLOCK
Has your life been lacking some Rancor VS Fett action? Fear not, this Wednesday sees the climactic conclusion of Star Wars: Blood Ties—A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett.
“This is, hands down, the best of the “Star Wars” comics from Dark Horse that I have read.”- CBR
“I’d forgotten how good Star Wars comics can be when they’re done well. And this one is certainly done well. ” - PRIMARY IGNITION.COM
“Taylor seems poised to add some real depth to this enigmatic bounty hunter without sacrificing his cooler qualities. Whether in revisiting Jango’s death from Boba’s point of view or showcasing his bounty hunting methods, Taylor offers a lot for Fett fans to enjoy in this series.” - IGN
Chris Scalf and I have had a great time creating this story, so it’s a bit sad to see the end. But fear not, Chris and I have a few more things in the pipeline… news soon.
Click the cover for a Dark Horse Preview to issue #4.
Boba Fett is on a mission to uphold his father’s honor. But when a bounty is paid, and the crime lord who issued it still refuses to call off his vendetta, Boba Fett’s own sense of honor is offended. Forget about bounties; now there’s hell to pay!
Boba Fett takes on a crime lord. Check. And the crime lord’s army of minions. Check. And a giant, rampaging rancor. Check and double–check!
This is getting quite crazy. Newsarama’s amazing praise of The Example last week (where they said “this book should be used in writing classes everywhere, and should be the primary example (no pun intended) for aspiring comic writers to reference when trying to learn how to write dramatic and compelling dialogue.”) on top of all the good reviews for Star Wars: Blood Ties #1, including CBR’S 4.5 star review, has been topped.
The Example has received even more praise from various sources and Star Wars: Blood Ties #2 has picked up that extra half-a-star in a 5 star review at CBR, as well as some nice words from IGN and others.
THE EXAMPLE
“Brief Cases, late trains, and small talk add up to what is probably the best comic of the year!““Taylor and Wilson collaborate to create one of the most tension filled comics I have ever read.” - THE OUTHOUSE.COM
“as effing good as the accolades suggest.” – BROKEN FRONTIER
STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES #2
“It’s a natural flow of story, reflecting upon how the past has fueled the present. The two tales come crashing together at the end of this issue, setting up an exciting story for the remainder of this series. 5 stars” - CBR
“Taylor seems poised to add some real depth to this enigmatic bounty hunter without sacrificing his cooler qualities. Whether in revisiting Jango’s death from Boba’s point of view or showcasing his bounty hunting methods, Taylor offers a lot for Fett fans to enjoy in this series.” - IGN
‘Invasion Rescues #4′ and ‘Blood Ties #2′ are both out today. Some great reviews and fan reaction has already appeared for both books and Daniel Logan (Boba Fett) and I have been interviewed about the book over at Comic Book Resources.
“Tom Taylor spoke about writing the adventures of Star Wars’ intergalactic man of mystery, Boba Fett and he brought along Daniel Logan, the actor who played young Boba in “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.”
“Award-winning Australian writer Tom Taylor is a busy man these days. He’s writing not one but two Star Wars series for Dark Horse Comics and he’ll also go down as the last person to write “The Authority,” at least under the WildStorm banner…”
Click the pic for the full interview, which includes Rancors, Flamethrowers and being shot in the knees.
Taylor and Logan explore Boba Fett's "Blood Ties"
You can also check out a preview of Blood Ties #2 HERE and a preview for Invasion HERE.
The amazing reviews continue for Star Wars: Blood Ties Jango and Boba Fett #1.
Starting with a four-and-a-half star review and some damn fine words from COMIC BOOK RESOURCES.
“This issue is the near-perfect beginning of the story of an assassin and his son.” “Taylor’s story summarizes every complexity in literary father-son relationships from Abraham and Isaac to Mufasa and Simba.” “Chris Scalf has poured a lot of work onto these pages, in storytelling, layout, and detail. Jango and young Boba look astonishingly like Temuera Morrison and Daniel Logan, respectively. While there has been much ballyhoo made of photo-tracing in comics, Scalf’s artwork crosses over from photo-tracing to portraiture” “The story has “Star Wars” moments, such as when the Atzerri Traffic Control asks for proof of identification from Jango Fett. In accordance with the request, Jango gives it to them. There are holographic messages, chase scenes, and action across multiple planets, just as with all of the films. This issue, however, ends with a surprise on the final page that sets the story on its ear.”
“This is, hands down, the best of the “Star Wars” comics from Dark Horse that I have read.” - CBR
A ‘five out of five’ from, UK website, STAR WARS BOOKS.
“It must seem as if every other Star Wars comic story released recently has been written by Tom Taylor and judging by his previous stories (Invasion: Refugees, Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes, Invasion: Rescues, The Will of Darth Vader) this is no bad thing. Just as his previous releases enthralled us with Taylor’s storytelling abilities, this new story promises to do the same.” “Chris Scalf’s art is, quite frankly, unbelievably awe inspiring and if you have been put off reading a Star Wars comic story because of black pen lines traced around characters’ features or overuse of monotonic colours, then fear not because Scalf’s capture of near photo-realism in his paintwork doesn’t require pen lines while his colour palette is a blend of natural tones and shades. However beautiful the artwork is, the real test of any artist is their ability to capture facial expressions and in this Scalf succeeds wonderfully. Blood Ties #1 is a worthy addition to any fan’s Star Wars comics library and is particularly recommended to fans who have yet to experience Star Wars stories in comic form.“- SWBOOKS.CO.UK
I haven’t read one negative review of Star Wars: Blood Ties A tale of Jango and Boba Fett #1… which is just strange. Normally, I’ll find one that rips through us for one reason or another, but not here.
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews
“Blood Ties is off to a great start. This is one of those Expanded Universe stories that feels like it was genuinely written to tell a compelling story, not simply to expand upon or illuminate corners of the Star Wars universe. Aside from establishing a moving and believable relationship between the two main characters, Taylor has crafted a story that seems to be prepared to expand its theme beyond the two in a way that can be equally rewarding. Chris Scalf’s art is not only amazing (as it generally is) but also does just as much as the writing in the way of revealing Jango’s feelings for Boba, and in equally subtle ways. Writer Tom Taylor does a superb job of making Jango’s tough love on Boba never feel like anything other than love (though Jango would probably never admit that himself). If the chemistry between Taylor and Scalf remains this good throughout the series, this could turn out to be one of the better Fett tales of recent time.” - THE SCI-FI BLOCK
“What immediately stood out about this issue was the art. I’d never seen Chris Scalf’s work before. But it’s beautiful, and really suits the Star Wars universe. He seems to do almost everything well. The faces look like the actors from Attack of the Clones and carry emotion perfectly, the action sequences look beautiful, and the story flows well. It’s clear that Jango and Boba love each other dearly, but the tough-love scenarios young Boba is forced to go through make for a nice, meaty story. I’d forgotten how good Star Wars comics can be when they’re done well. And this one is certainly done well. ” - PRIMARY IGNITION.COM
“The comic sets up a great ending which will have you crying for more! While the story for the most part remains in the “past”, the mission will obviously have ramifications for Boba later in the issues to come. The Fetts get an assignment from Lord Tyranus to take out a target with sensitive information about the operations at Kamino, and must be removed from the galactic playing field. The mysterious target’s identity is revealed on the last page with a continued bar interrupting all the excitement! (I can’t spoil everything after all.) Head out and get yours or click the link below and order yours! You won’t regret it.” - EU CANTINA
Even IGN liked it.
“Various Expanded Universe stories have attempted to flesh him out and provide him with an actual backstory, and all to varying degrees of success. George Lucas’ own attempts in Episode II left me a bit cold, but Tom Taylor does a better job here of exploring the father/son dynamic between Jango and his cloned child. The first half of this issue focuses on the lessons and training Jango imparts to Boba. Taylor strikes that necessary balance between loving father and gruff, loner mercenary in Jango’s portrayal. As for Boba, Taylor makes it clear that Boba had a talent for dealing death and destruction even at an early age.” - IGN
More Blood Ties coverage – an interview with me has just been posted over on techland.com. This is Time Magazine’s Tech/Geek Page. This is the closest I’ll get to ‘Time Man of the Year’ until I get around to finishing my world-peace-laser. Click the pic for the link.
“I also used to make up a lot of stories with my Star Wars toys in my bedroom and backyard. I could never hold onto the lightsabers, though. No doubt, when my tiny figures’ tiny hands were cut off in tiny rages by tiny Sith, they lost their lightsabers down deep (tiny) caverns. So, most of my original stories probably had titles like “Luke Skywalker and the colored matchstick held on by blu-tac.”
IGN have also interviewed me (entirely about Blood Ties) - right here
“As for the tone, these are not really kids’ tales. These happen in darker places with darker scenarios than The Clone Wars. Although there is definitely some humor, we’re dealing with two men (in Jango and Boba) who aren’t exactly known for their fluffy-teddy-like approachable personas.”
There are also some great early reviews which I will post later.
The first Star Wars: Blood Ties miniseries ‘A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett’ hits shelves on Wednesday (Thursday in Australia).
There has been a lot of early interest for this book, and Dark Horse promoted it at the recent Celebration V Star Wars convention with Boba/Jango flip masks for fans.
As well as this interview here, I’ve done interviews with IGN and Techland (the geek blog of Time Magazine) which will be appearing in the next few days, and more are being requested. The previews are all over the internet and early praise for Chris Scalf’s work is well-deserved (I know, I’ve seen what comes next).
Click the pic below to check out the preview at Dark Horse…
Daniel Logan (Young Boba Fett) and I recently hung out at a couple of conventions here in Australia. It’s been a lot of fun putting him through all of this in the book.
Dark Horse Comics have a new blog, and they have posted a sneak peek of a simply stunning page from my upcoming Jango and Boba Fett miniseries by artist Chris Scalf. I’ve seen all of Chris’ pages for the first issue and people are in for a real treat come August. I think, next time we work together, I’ll have to write an entirely silent book, so my words don’t get in the way.
And Westfield Comics recently interviewed me about the upcoming Jango and Boba Fett miniseries – check it out to find out more about the book, how the series came about, and my thoughts on lettuce.
I’m always amazed while watching gifted artists work. Sitting next to Colin Wilson at cons (and in his study) I’ve been able to watch a true master do his stuff many times. It really is a kind of magic.
Here’s another piece of magic. Watch as the amazing Chris Scalf shares his process for the cover to the first ‘Blood Ties: A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett’ andpulls a Jango Fett… out of thin air.
Follow @TomTaylorMade
Tom Taylor has written plays that have been produced across four continents, from the Sydney Opera House to the Edinburgh Festival.
He has killed characters for DC Comics and created characters for Lucasfilm.
He has written comics which have been reprinted in French, German and Spanish but he can’t read any of them.
He has sung for thousands in concert halls and acted to tens in the smallest of black-box theatres.
He has sent Luke Skywalker on a quest and taught Darth Vader a lesson.
He has juggled knives for billionaires and eaten fire for passers-by on the street.
He has written for film screened in California and radio aired in Melbourne.
He has won many awards for his writing and lost many of his indoor soccer finals.
He is the father of two and the husband of one.
Tom Taylor Made
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