Star Wars (Marvel 2015)

[Perpetual Man]

With the announcement that Disney has procured the rights to Star Wars and the news that the expanded universe was going to be restarted, it seemed almost inevitable that something was going to happen with the comics.

Almost inevitably when the comic license was set to be renewed, Dark Horse who had done such a good job with the franchise were not going to get it.

Disney owning Marvel meant that for the first time since the original movies that all Star Wars comics were going to come from The House of Ideas.

With all the announcements that all new expanded universe was going to be part of the universe, that they would all interlink and not stand on each others toes meant that things could get complicated (Whoever is in charge of overseeing this has one hell of a job - in every meaning of the word).

Marvel seems to have done the right thing though, not inundated the market with countless comics (Yet.) and hired top talent, those who are also Star Wars fans to produce the comics, and it has worked.

They've gone with two regular titles, a third ongoing but set apart from the others and a limited series featuring a major character, that once finished is replaced by another. (There was also a Force Awakens prequel, but that was almost inevitable.)

 

[Perpetual Man]

Star Wars
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Obviously the main title is going to feature the main cast. As with most of the titles it is set just after the end of the original Star Wars film, A New Hope. The Death Star has been destroyed, but what happens next?

The rebels need a new base.

Han and Leia have to start a path to a relationship.

Luke is coming to terms with the fact that he has only a rudimentary understanding of the Force and what it is to be a Jedi...

There is of course a three year gap between this and Empire and it works well, delivering action and adventure that is pure Star Wars. Featuring Hutts, Bounty Hunters, Han Solo's wife(!), lightsaber battles it really is just what the fans want to say.

Written by Jason Aaron who can easily turn in excellent work with art by John Cassaday you get a comic that is the complete deal, well written consistent characterisation and superb art with acceptable likenesses.

For something I thought I'd just give a brief try it is rapidly becoming one of my favourite titles on the market.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Darth Vader
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A sister to the main title this follows the adventures of everyone's favourite Lord of the Sith, but he is not the character we saw in the first movie, nor the one from Empire, but it is still consistent.

Having made the small mistake of allowing the Death Star to be destroyed Vader is now in the Emperor's bad books. No longer to go to man, he has to deal with the fact that the Emperor is prepared to hire others to do the things Vader should be doing, one task of which is to discover just who the pilot was that blew up the Death Star.

Vader, it seems, has a feeling about the boy and wants to find out just who he is.

Instead he is given other chores to run and he is not happy. So he starts to play his own game, working toward his own ends, trying to keep one step ahead of the watchdogs the Emperor has assigned to keep an eye on him...

Also featuring a mercenary that Vader has hired who has a psychotic duo of droids working with her, a twisted version of C3PIO and Artoo! A lot of fun.

The series is written by Keiron Gillen who turns in some of the best books on the market anyway and with art by Salvador Larroca, always an excellent artist but totally excelling himself here, drawing one of the most impressive Darth Vader's I have seen in the printed page.

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[Perpetual Man]

Kanan
The Last Padawan
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This is the third ongoing title, and is in many ways the biggest surprise. Tying into the animated series Star Wars Rebels, it is set in the early days of the rebellion.

It is called the Secret History of the title character, and details how he lost his master when the rest of the Jedi were wiped out, how he survived and how he ended up with the Rebels in animated series.

I came into this with no idea of what he was, or having seen a single episode of Rebels, and yet you do not need to. It is clearly drawn and well written, very engaging and fun. There is little continuity needed, which helps. Most casual readers will know what they need to know coming into the title, and it works brilliantly.

A very pleasant surprise.

Thee writer is, I believe one of the architects of the animated series, so it is considered to be a perfect fit.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Star Wars
Shattered Empire
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A four issue limited series that is set right after Return of the Jedi.

Although it is one weaker of the series so far, it is still a good solid read, the better bits, ironically dealing with the Empire's reaction to the death of the Emperor and the things that it has set in motion.

There is one major revelation that might have a direct bearing on the films, so it does have its moments.