Star Wars #10

Part four of the "Outlander" arc brings a striking cover by Ken Kelly — a battle-ready Tusken Raider, goggled and robed, brandishing a gaderffii stick overhead while clutching a blaster pistol, set against a brooding crimson sky with a dark winged shape sweeping through the background. The subtitle, "The Exile of Sharad Hett," hints at a story steeped in desert mystique and Tusken culture, and Kelly's painterly rendering gives the figure a raw, imposing presence that sets the tone beautifully. Tim Truman and Rick Leonardi are deep into this six-part saga, and this issue looks like a compelling midpoint in what is shaping up to be one of Dark Horse's more atmospheric Star Wars stories of 1999.