Of the many, many great things to come out of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch was one of them. Clone Force 99 – aptly named “The Bad Batch” because of mutations that gave them unique abilities – debuted in the final season of The Clone Wars and were popular enough to headline their own spinoff series. Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Ghost Agents #1 proves that they’re also popular enough to headline their own comic.
Set in the thick of the Clone Wars, Ghost Agents #1 sees the Bad Batch tasked with a new mission from Mace Windu. A mysterious figure has gotten hold of a list containing the names of the Republic’s “ghost agents”, spies who’ve infiltrated Separatist lines to gather information. In the wrong hands, those agents’ lives are in danger. It falls to the Batch to get the list back.
In their first appearance, the Batch had an established rapport; Hunter made the plans, Tech got the data, Crosshair served as the lookout, and Wrecker…well, wrecked stuff. Michael Moreci puts this rapport to good use in the opening pages, showing the Batch working together to fight a giant space monster –which, if you ask me, is something Star Wars could use more of. But he also shows how the Batch struggles with covert work. In a sequence where they have to infiltrate a bar, Hunter tries to act casual, but the bartender immediately clocks he’s a clone. Only Crosshair’s sharpshooting and Wrecker’s threat of physical violence save his hide.
Marvel
Reese Hannigan and Elisabetta D’Amico also do a great job of capturing the visual style of The Bad Batch animated series, making Ghost Agents #1 feel like a lost episode of the show. That extends to the character designs, especially Clone Force 99’s signature red and black armor, and the facial expressions. Wrecker’s face tends to light up with joy when he’s wrecking things, or slump when he isn’t wrecking things. Crosshair’s smug smile never changes. It’s Hunter who gets the most detail under Hannigan’s pen; whole panels feature him being thoughtful, pensive, or even shocked. D’Amico’s inks also highlight the little details, including Hunter and Crosshair’s tattoos.
The standout sequence comes when the Batch infiltrates the bar. Anyone who’s a Star Wars fan can recall the Mos Eisley scene from A New Hope and how its vast collection of creatures truly made it feel like a galaxy far, far away. Hannigan and D’Amico do the same here, populating the bar full of various aliens, droids, and genuinely seedy looking people. It’s a far cry from the shining heights of the Jedi Temple, especially with Michael Atiyeh’s color work comes into play – a purple haze is cast over everything, giving off some sinister vibes.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Ghost Agents #1 is a solid start to the Bad Batch’s latest adventure, and a reminder why they became fan-favorite characters. Though it’s a little slow to start, the ending promises to visit an iconic Star Wars location – and have the Batch do what they do best: stir up chaos, but for a good cause.
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