The Bad Batch Get Their First Solo Series Dark Horse Comics will publish a five-issue limited series, Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories - The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents, which will be the first solo series for the Bad Batch. The comic will be written by Michael Moreci with art by Reese Hannigan, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Michael Atiyeh. The Bad Batch, a.k.a. Clone Force 99, are clone troopers with genetic mutations that set them apart from the other clones; as Moreci put it, in a statement accompanying the announcement, "they're like 1980s action heroes dropped into the Star Wars universe." The limited series will feature Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech searching the unsavory neighborhoods of the galaxy for a ghost agent who pulled off an audacious heist. Each issue will have a main cover by Valeria "Lux" Favoccia and a variant by French Carlomango. The first issue will go on sale on January 15, 2025. Credit: ICV2
Marvel Star Wars Anthology Marvel Comics will release an anthology of Star Wars stories by some of the top creators in the franchise to mark the tenth anniversary of the release of Star Wars (2015) #1, Marvel's first release in its most recent period with the Star Wars license. Star Wars #1, by Jason Aaron and John Cassaday, sold a million copies, including a large Loot Crate order. Star Wars: A New Legacy includes stories written by Charles Soule, Jason Aaron, and Kieron Gillen. The three stories are: A story set at an event honoring Emperor Palpatine, with characters from Darth Vader to Grand Moff Tarkin attending, written by Charles Soule, with art by Ramon Rosanas. Doctor Aphra and Sana Starros stage a heist. At the same time, Valance pursues, a raft of comic-originating characters including Darth Momin, Chanath Cha, Rik Duel, Commander Zahra, the Tagges, and others. The elite stormtroopers known as Scar Squadron (Task Force 99), who answered directly to Darth Vader, are revisited in a story written by Jason Aaron with art by Leonard Kirk. In a story set during his run on Darth Vader, writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salva Espin tell a new story featuring Vader and Doctor Aphra, with a dangerous game between 0-0-0, BT-1, and Krrsantan.
Brand-New Skeleton Crew Trailer and Key Art Premise: Skeleton Crew follows the journey of four kids who make a discovery on their seemingly safe home planet. Then, they get lost in a hostile galaxy, crossing paths with the enigmatic character Jod Na Nawood, played by Jude Law.
Star Wars Creator George Lucas Almost Made a Major Change to the Jedi in The Phantom Menace In an interview celebrating the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, concept and storyboard artist Iain McCaig revealed that George Lucas almost made a major change to the mythology of the Jedi. In The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), but during the development of the film, Lucas had those names switched around. Neeson’s character was named Obi-Wan, and McGregor’s was named Qui-Gon. When Obi-Wan was killed by Darth Maul, Qui-Gon would have taken his name as a tribute. “It’s interesting how things evolve,” McCaig said. “For a time, the older Jedi was named Obi-Wan and the younger Jedi was named Qui-Gon. It was very poignant that at the end, as Obi-Wan dies and Qui-Gon defeats Darth Maul and stays with his Master as he passes away, he not only takes on his Master’s quest, but he takes on his name. Qui-Gon becomes Obi-Wan. That’s why when you see Alec Guinness in A New Hope, he puts his hood down and goes, ‘Obi-Wan? Now that’s a name I’ve not heard….’ Because he’s not Obi-Wan, he’s Qui-Gon. And right at the end, George changed it.“ It’s not clear if this is something all Jedi would have done or if it was unique to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Imagine if it had carried on. Would Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) have taken on the name of Obi-Wan… or Yoda? The Phantom Menace was re-released in theaters earlier this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary and it’s been interesting to see how people’s opinions of it have changed. The original release was met with disappointment from some fans, but over the years, a new generation has embraced the movie. Although it’s certainly not the best in the franchise, there’s a lot to like in The Phantom Menace, including the thrilling pod race sequence and the climatic lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Darth Maul.
Kylo Ren Reckons With The Past in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader Darth Vader casts a long shadow in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, a new ongoing Marvel Comics series by writer Charles Soule and artist Luke Ross. Despite the title, the story highlights Kylo Ren, the leader of the First Order, as he delves into the dark past of his grandfather to come to terms with his destiny as Vader’s heir. The story is set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker and spans the galaxy from Mustafar to Tattooine. The first issue will be released on February 5, 2025, with a cover by Derrick Chew and a variant cover by Annie Wu. Credit: Marvel Entertainment
