Steam Wars #3

Steam Wars #3

Writer: Fred Perry
Artist: Fred Perry
Colorist: Robby Bevard

Steam Wars #3…is different. While picking up comics at one of my local shops last week, I noticed a cover that looked Star Warsy. Flipping through it, I decided to give it a try. In the back of my mind, I remembered Jedi Journals mentioning something along the lines of a steampunk, Star Wars knock off comic. Sure enough, this issue is definitely a knock off on Star Wars, and it is not published by Dark Horse Comics. Instead, it’s published by Antarctic Press. The story inside is a re-imagining of Star Wars as a steampunk adventure with anime style artwork. The mix of familiar elements with images of antiquity and odd or ridiculous names is weird to say the least.

The toy soldiers of the Western Resistance Alliance (Rebel Alliance) and Duchess Imoen (Princess Leia).

The main character in this issue is Duchess Imoen. She’s the equivalent of Princess Leia, complete with white outfit and star buns (according to the inside flap of the comic, her likeness to any actual character *cough* Leia *cough* is unintended and coincidental). Yet her father is styled more along the lines of Count Dooku than Bail Organa or Darth Vader. In this version of things, he’s Duke Xenobia and has the same white hair and beard as good old Dooku. Like the count, he betrays his people. Also along for the ride is Luke Skywalker, or as they call him here, Beauregard Baron, son of Lord Baron, aka Lord Vader. Like Luke, Beauregard is a practitioner of a strange, mystical power, but they don’t call it the Force. It’s the Quantom Dragoon.

This angle of the flying V’s makes them look a lot like Star Destroyers. Other angles portray them as smaller ships with giant V-shaped wedges attached to them.

The good guys in the Western Resistance Alliance fight against the robotic looking troops of the Hegemonic Crux. The alliance fighters all look like toy soldiers with their tall hats and funny outfits. Lord Baron has a laser rapier instead of a lightsaber. The Star Destroyers are flying V’s with helicopter blades. Boba Fett appears to be a steampunk guy named General Teft. But the funniest thing of all is Hansel Lowe (Han Solo) and Smokey (Chewbacca). Smokey is actually a bear…get it? Smokey the Bear? You can see them on the cover. Han is the one with the cowboy hat. It’s pretty humorous, though I’m not sure it’s in a good way. Their ship is the Twentieth Century Fox which they simply call the Fox. Personally, I couldn’t help but think of The Doors song “Twentieth Century Fox“.

A robotic officer of the Hegemonic Crux (Empire) and Duke Xenobia (Count Dooku).

I’m not a fan of anime, but the artwork isn’t terrible. The coloring is really good. Overall, it’s a nice looking comic. However, the steampunk names and visuals look and sound silly. That would be fine if the story didn’t take itself serious, but the story is indeed trying to be serious, at least as much as any anime story can be serious.

General Teft (Boba Fett) and his helicopter version of Slave I.

If you like anime, steampunk and Star Wars, this may be the perfect comic for you. If you’re not into anime or steampunk, then you’re not missing out on anything you couldn’t live without. Steam Wars #3 is a weird amalgamation of genres that earns itself a two out of five metal bikinis.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.