Star Wars: Dark Empire II #1

Released in 1994, Dark Empire II served as the direct sequel to the highly successful Dark Empire miniseries, which had reinvigorated the Star Wars comic license at Dark Horse Comics. The series was created by writer Tom Veitch and artist Cam Kennedy, picking up shortly after the events of the first arc with the narrative focused on Luke Skywalker's attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order while facing the remnants of the Galactic Empire. The project was conceived during a period when the Star Wars franchise was primarily expanding through literature and comics, filling the gap before the production of the prequel trilogy.

Cam Kennedy's visual approach for the series remained consistent with the previous installment, utilizing his signature watercolor-like painting style that provided a distinct, impressionistic aesthetic compared to typical superhero comics of the era. The choice was a deliberate departure from the clean, cinematic visuals favored by other licensed properties, aiming to evoke the gritty, high-stakes atmosphere of a galaxy in recovery. While the series was generally well-received by fans of the Expanded Universe for its expansion of Force lore and the introduction of new characters, it remains a notable example of the experimental art direction that defined the early Dark Horse era of Star Wars.