The countdown to Star Wars Christmas #2 is on with the impending release of Rogue One – from a slew of new toys and behind-the-scenes content to Gwendoline Christie literally screaming with excitement over the film at London’s Star Wars Celebration, this new Star Wars Story has been the focus since April’s DVD release of The Force Awakens. We know much more about this movie than we did with Force Awakens and all evidence points towards an action-heavy, Force-light film relying on beautiful settings and big battles to appeal to an audience outside us dedicated space-nerds. While we’re waiting to see just what that might look like in the Galaxy Far, Far Away, Marvel are busy releasing a steady supply of both classic and contemporary comics.
Since the last round-up of these books, Darth Vader has come to a close, Poe’s started his own series, and Han Solo has launched among all the rumours and news about our favourite scoundrel’s own film. Now, here’s every Marvel Star Wars release from November up until February 2017.
[Find our Marvel Star Wars back list here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3]
9781302902230
Missed out on Leia, Lando and Chewbacca’s own individual limited series while they were running? This handy hardback collects all 15 issues of the three books. Each of these series were brilliantly different from each other, with their own art style suited to each character and unique storylines that explored their varying identities with surprising depth, while maintaining the unmistakable qualities we know and love about all three of them. Each follows the title character on their own after the events of A New Hope, and we have all-new backstory insight for Lando in particular. – 15 November
Darth Vader Volume 4: End of Games
9780785199786
Vader has repeatedly been lauded as the creme de la creme of current Star Wars comics – so good even that a character first introduced in Vader has just been given her own ongoing series: Doctor Aphra launches in December and we’ll announce the trade paperback date when we know. This series has added heaps of complexity to Vader and explored his hopes when turning to the dark side and the consequences of that choice in a way we didn’t always get in the original films. It also looks incredible and Vader’s get-up is perfectly suited to comics art. – 17 November
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
9781302901066
The final instalment in the Marvel collections of Dark Horse adaptation comics that were released in tandem with the prequel movies. Battles are brilliantly illustrated in vibrant colours and provide great contrast to photorealistic character designs. – 29 November
Poe Dameron Volume 1: Black Squadron
9781302901103
This new ongoing series is a must-read. Following Poe and his squad of X-wing pilots before the action of The Force Awakens, Poe Dameron gives us an insider view of the workings of the First Order, life in a galaxy under the Order’s iron fist, and the challenges faced by this new wave of rebellion. Poe is perfectly roguish and a natural leader, and BB-8 is adorable as ever here. This arc sees Poe face-to-face with the Order as mysterious, devilish Agent Terex tracks the Resistance squadron down mid-mission. – 6 December
9781302901783
If you’re sceptical about whether you need to read an adaptation of a movie you saw five times in the cinema, just take a closer look at the cover for this hardback. Wrinkled Harrison Ford, hopeful John Boyega, noble Daisy Ridley – everybody looks incredible in Luke Ross’s rendition of the film and that’s enough of a reason for me to add this to my to-buy list. Like the rest of Marvel’s new Star Wars comics, they’re not scrimping on the talent, with Ross coming from Amazing Spider-Man and writer Chuck Wendig you’ll know from much-raved-about Star Wars: Aftermath. – 6 December
9781302902223
This collects the two arcs of the now-finished Kanan series: Last Padawan and First Blood. They go backwards in time, with the first five issues following Kanan’s escape from Order 66 and issues 6-12 looking at his very first adventure as a Padawan in the Clone Wars. This is backstory heaven and a handy comprehensive volume for all Rebels fans. – 20 December
9780785193494
Marvel are releasing paperback versions of the remasters of the very first Star Wars comics. This is your chance to own the very first adventure of Luke Skywalker – the first issue of A New Hope came out weeks before the film did, with the tagline: “Will he save the galaxy, or destroy it?” – 20 December
9780785193210
RIP Han Solo. Celebrate the life of everyone’s most beloved smuggler with this post-A New Hope mini-series that matches those of Leia, Lando and Chewbacca. This book explores the conflict we see play out at the opening of The Empire Strikes Back: Han is a lone wolf at heart, but he’s inextricably tied to the Rebellion now, and can’t draw himself away from Leia for long. While dealing with all this emotional turmoil a straight-up hustler has no idea how to handle, he sets off on a death-race against the galaxy’s best pilots as a cover up for a Rebel mission, because of course he does. – 5 January
Legends Epic Collection: The Clone Wars Volume 1
9780785195535
Marvel’s Epic Collection program is putting out oversized bumper hardback editions of different Star Wars comics from yore. These are Expanded Universe stories, now branded as Legends since the new Disney canon took hold. Think the animated The Clone Wars series but in retro sequential art, and you’ve got an idea of what this book entails: Obi-Wan and Anakin leading clone troopers in battle, Separatist scumbags stirring up the pot, and a troubled Jedi Council. – 12 January
Star Wars Volume 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger
9780785199847
While Darth Vader has finished up, Marvel’s other big-hitter Star Wars series continues and will provide insights into both the Alliance and the Empire’s sides of the fight after A New Hope. Jabba’s fans will be pleased to hear he gets his own story in this book while Han, Leia and Luke try to take down the Star Destroyer Harbinger. This arc switches easily between flirty fun between our favourite couple and serious, dangerous missions that explore the risks of the Rebellion. – 31 January
Legends Epic Collection: The Newspaper Strips Volume 1
9781302904647
Fans of classic cartoons will love this volume in which Luke is back cosplaying as He-Man, Leia looks like Olive Oyl, and Vader might be off to the disco. In 1979, Star Wars strips were produced every day, and here they’re collected in one paperback. Featuring Chewie and Han, Leia and Luke, the droids and even Boba Fett all on their own adventures, this has something for everyone. – 9 February
Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Volume 3
9781302903756
This Legends collection makes perfect pre-Rogue One reading as it takes place in roughly the same time period: the Empire have taken a deathgrip hold on the galaxy, Palpatine and Vader rule planets with no mercy, things are all-over pretty grim. Before Jyn would get involved though, it’s up to the remaining Jedi to balance life on the run and their attempts to take out Vader. – 23 February
9781302902209
Perfect for anybody who waited out for the first hardback Darth Vader volume, this collects all other Vader comics, including Vader Down, the relevant crossover Star Wars issues, and a bonus Darth Vader Annual. – 27 February
Find our Marvel Star Wars back list here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Post by Heather
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