If you’re like us and you’re impatiently waiting for more The Last Jedi footage to obsess over, satisfy those Star Wars cravings by checking out some of the best new Star Wars comics published by Marvel. Ever since Disney purchased the rights to Star Wars, Marvel has been steadily putting out a number of great mini-series and ongoing comics, spanning across the time just before the prequels up to the events preceding The Force Awakens. Here are some of our recommendations!
Poe Dameron
If you’re a Poe fan, you definitely need to pick up the Poe Dameron comic. You’ll be graced with panel after delightful panel of adorable Poe and BB-8 interactions – their friendship is the most wholesome thing this side of the galaxy (you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his droid). The series also provides some insight into Poe’s character, as well as the other members of Black Squadron. Poe even has his very own formidable antagonist in the First Order’s Agent Terax, a former stormtrooper who is hellbent on finding Lor San Tekka and the location of Luke Skywalker before Poe and the Resistance does.
Darth Vader
There is so much to love about this comic, but what surprised me the most was how funny it was – the Vader sass is strong with this one. Not only that, but Vader acquires two droids who are basically evil versions of C-3PO and R2-D2. Like their counterparts, they bicker incessantly, but about murder and torture and blood. It’s pretty great. The comic also gives us a look at some of Vader’s internal struggles as he tries to reconcile his past with who and what he has become. The comic dives back and forth between these tonal shifts quite seamlessly.
In addition to the spot-on characterization of Vader, the series also introduces a new female character, Doctor Aphra, who is best described as a combination of Indiana Jones and Han Solo. The character was such a hit that she got her own ongoing comic.
Shattered Empire
This mini-series is only four issues long, but in addition to featuring our favorite characters from the original trilogy, it also features Poe Dameron’s mom, who was a kickass X-wing pilot during the Rebellion. The story takes place immediately after the Battle of Endor and follows Poe’s mom, Shara Bey, as she’s called to fight the remaining forces of the Empire and go on special missions with Han, Leia, and Luke. One of the more memorable moments in the mini-series is when Bey teams up with Leia and the current Queen of Naboo to thwart one of the Emperor’s sinister plots – one that he managed to unleash from beyond the grave.
Kanan: The Last Padawan
If you’re a Star Wars Rebels fan, this comic chronicling Kanan Jarrus’ transformation from the Jedi Padawan who went by the name of Caleb Dumeis to the Rebel hero we see at the beginning of Rebels is a must. It made me appreciate Kanan’s journey in Rebels even more, especially the episode when Kanan encounters Rex and his fellow clones years after Order 66. It adds a whole new layer to the animosity Kanan initially directs towards the surviving clones.
Star Wars
Finally, a Star Wars comic rec list would not be complete without including its flagship title. This series takes place between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back and sees the return of nearly every iconic character from the films. While the series follows our favorite heroes on a variety of adventures, it also has a few flashback issues that highlight some of Obi-Wan’s experiences during his exile on Tatooine. Honestly, reading this comic is like watching the movies, so if you’re looking for a good place to start, the Star Wars series is it.
Check in with us for continued Star Wars coverage, and may the Force be with you!
(Image: Marvel)
