As with any Star Wars series, the second act is always the most action-packed, and it looks like writer Rob Chestney is sticking to the formula. While the first act started off with words, Act 2: New Galactic Order, wastes no time putting us right into the action. The hot Jedi on Sith action ends as one would expect, proving once again that two lightsabers are better than one, and witty and charming always triumphs over evil.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Threat of Peace [BioWare]

The webcomic covers "the three decades from the pivotal signing of the Treaty of Coruscant to critical events at the beginning of the game." An announcement Friday said BioWare's Rob Chestney will write the episodes of the webcomic; Dark Horse will handle its publication, and it will appear at www.swtor.com "every other Friday."

I won't even attempt to rewrite their backstory. Here it is quoted from the announcement:

War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire has gripped the galaxy for generations, but the sacking of Coruscant and a subsequent peace treaty are changing everything. As the Republic scrambles to re-establish order, the Sith Empire moves quickly to consolidate power within its new dominion. Behind closed doors, however, individual Sith Lords engage in a quiet but deadly power struggle, and discord breaks out among the Jedi as they wrestle with the moral implications of the new galactic balance. During these chaotic days, the stories of several critical characters interweave as they pursue their passions, stand up for their convictions and ultimately lead the galaxy back to the brink of a catastrophic conflict.

Chestney promises that the webcomic will preview for readers both the game and "some of its most compelling characters." Alex Sanchez, whose credits include Marvel Age, Hulk, X-Men and other Dark Horse titles, will be the artist for "Star Wars: The Old Republic - The Threat of Peace."

"The comic offers a unique perspective on an era in the Star Wars™ galaxy unseen outside the game," said the Dark Horse series editor Dave Marshall. "It will be an integral companion to the online experience, and a compelling adventure on its own, accessible to every Star Wars fan."

Star Wars: The Old Republic - The Threat of Peace Announced [SWTOR.com]

Over the coming months the strip will tell the story of Vault 77: One man and a crate of puppets.

Fallout Comic

Gabe pointed out late last week that the webcomic duo appeared in the January 30, New York Sun crossword puzzle. The one up there, to be specific. Twelve down reads:

"Tycho's pal in the webcomic 'Penny Arcade' (4 letters)."

I can't think of any honor greater than being deemed crossword puzzle material.

New York Sun Crosswords

Thursday
11:30 -12:30, Room 1AB
"Episodic Games,Comics"
Hothead Games and Telltale

Friday
3:30-4:30, Room 8
"Biz of Webcomics"
Khoo and Kurtz

Saturday
3:30-4:30, Room 1AB
Gabe and Tycho Q&A

Comic Con [Penny Arcade]

An EB Games employee known only as DC has whipped up a really great webcomic about the trials and tribulations of working at one of the world's largest game retailers. The art style is simple and cute and the story is dead on.

The first episode, appropriately titled "Rated M: for Moron", pits our intrepid clerk against a botox toting soccer mom and her little brat over a copy of GTA. I'm sure this scene will be familiar to anyone who sells games, music or works in a movie theater where they are constantly barraged with clueless parents who insist on treating their kids to entertainment that is well beyond their age limit. These are the same parents who will then turn around and cry blue murder about how the video game industry needs to exercise more control over it's violent content.

DC's reaction to the situation captures perfectly the frustration I'm sure a lot of us feel when we watch one of these morons drag their screaming five year olds and infants into the Silent Hill movie so they can all watch Pyramid Head rip the skin off a naked girl together. (Yes, that really happened to me) Great family quality entertainment. Flynn De Marco

My Life @ EB Games [Sheezyart]
[via GoNintendo]

I've always wanted to be in a comic... though I'm not so sure how delighted I am about the whole stalking thing. This RPG-TV comic unknowningly (I hope) taps into my secret fear of things lurking in my toilet. I am, to the point of paranoid, frightened of being bit on the ass by a snake. Don't ask.

I like how my cartoon image has my crooked jaw and shifty eyes, though those hands are way too big. It's my feet that are HUGE. Brian Crecente

In the Name of Science [RPG-TV]

From its humble beginnings under a circus tent, the GameLife dog and pony show has grown to mammoth proportions. In an age when online game programs are the new webcomic, GameLife is Penny Arcade. Or something like that.

Up and coming ScrewAttack.com elbowed its way into the GameLife line-up, landing a spot to do reviews. (Because that show sure doesn't do enough of them.) At the last minute, GameLife freaked and hid under the bed like we do when the Jehovah's Witnesses come a-knocking. Here is that rejected clip—not good enough for GameLife, but certainly for YouTube. And, uh, Kotaku. Heh. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [ScrewAttack]

Jerry "Tycho" Holkins from the little, up-and-coming webcomic Penny Arcade talk movies with game site FiringSquad. Are there plans for PA: The Movie? Tycho lays out the situation:

We've been in quote talks with three separate entertainment entities, and in every case these people imagine that they are descending from heaven in a shaft of light, hand outstretched, offering to raise us from the ghetto squalor of comics and the Internet. They offer terrible money for a tremendous amount of work, and we're supposed to accept whatever they say because they are from Los Angeles or New York. We don't need them, and never will. Our readers have assured this. The next emissary from those debased kingdoms can fall to one knee before my golden throne and kiss my signet ring.

I'll take that as a "no." Brian Ashcraft

More Here [FiringSquad]