Star Wars comics you should read before going to the movies. Star Wars Comics - Star Wars Comics

Star Wars Expanded Universe games, books, and comics have enriched distant galaxy tons of great stories and characters. Admiral Thrawn, Corran Horn, Kyle Katarn, Quinlan Vos or Darth Revan are worthy of standing alongside the characters in the original films. Moreover, it was the creators of the Expanded Universe who sometimes opened up new eras of the saga that were not shown in the movies. The authors created new conflicts and argued that Star Wars could be interesting without the Skywalker family.

Perhaps the most illustrative example- the era of the Knights of the Old Republic. Games and comics on it belong to the number best works Expanded universe. Their authors climbed not only into the deep past, but also into the future of a distant galaxy. For example, in the bold comic series Legacy, the action takes place one hundred and thirty years after the events of A New Hope.

As a young man, Cade Skywalker saw the Jedi Order and his father fall under the blows of the Sith who seized power in the galaxy. The heir to the Jedi dynasty grew up among criminals to become an agile smuggler and bounty hunter. But, although the role of the savior of the galaxy does not appeal to him, Cade will have to remember his origins and find himself in the center of the confrontation between the Jedi and the Sith.

Star Wars Legacy Volume 1: Broken

genre: space opera
Screenwriters: John Ostrander, Jen Duursema
Artist: Jen Duursema
Original output: 2006
Publisher: AST, 2017

Dark Horse has been publishing comics on Star Wars for nearly a quarter of a century, and during this time has presented fans with many vivid and original stories. One of the most original and bold was the Heritage series. Its authors transferred the action to the future of a distant galaxy, creating new era sagas.

The series is based on the elements familiar to "Star Wars": there is an Empire and rebels, Sith with Jedi, space battles and, of course, Skywalkers. But these elements are presented in a new way. For example, the Sith are numerous here, and at their head is the mysterious Darth Krayt, who has taken the imperial throne. The empire is not united, but split into two camps: some recognized the Sith usurper, others remain loyal to the overthrown Fel dynasty. The dynasty is supported by the imperial knights who own the Force no worse than the Jedi.

And the Jedi themselves again, as after the Clone Wars, became victims of massacres and purges ... But this time the surviving masters and knights did not hide on distant planets, abandoning the struggle, but secretly gather forces to strike back. Finally, the heir to the Skywalker family does not want to have anything to do with the Force and fight for the fate of the galaxy - he is content with the role of a petty bandit and does not even hesitate to hunt the Jedi.

The world of "Legacy" turned out to be gloomy and cruel. This becomes obvious from the very first pages, when the Sith attack the Jedi Temple and kill the head of the Order of Col Skywalker, and his only son goes missing. Cade Skywalker finds himself in the criminal world, and when we meet him again a few years later, we have in front of us a seasoned bounty hunter. Moreover, this is not a charming criminal with a heart of gold, like Han Solo, - Cade is not burdened moral principles, and the end justifies the means for him. Needless to say, we have never seen such Skywalkers. The main character of "The Broken One" can hardly be called pleasant and sympathetic to him. But this is a very interesting and non-trivial protagonist, whose fate and development is interesting to watch.

The first volume of the series is devoid of scope: a large-scale confrontation between the Jedi and Sith, political battles and battles of star fleets await us in the next issues. The Broken One focuses on Cade and his friends. Having successfully completed the next task, they encounter fugitives, followed by the Sith. Relying on profit, Skywalker undertakes to help random acquaintances, not yet suspecting that he is getting involved in a conflict between the Sith, Jedi and Imperial knights. And adventures begin, fierce battles and dramatic encounters with the ghosts of the past.

Events are developing rapidly, but the authors manage to acquaint us with the new era and its main actors thus laying the foundation for the plot. This is just the beginning of the story - but it has already turned out to be incredibly exciting. And in following volumes"Legacy" will take on a scale worthy of Lucas's films.

Outcome: The Legacy series proves once again that you can create new and original characters, conflicts and stories in the Star Wars set. The series has its own storyline, so the comic is suitable for those who are not familiar with the Expanded Universe. And he will delight connoisseurs with frequent references to other works of the saga.

Since the Expanded Universe turned into non-canon "Legends", many novels and comics have already appeared within the framework of the new canon. But so far, the plots of these works invariably revolve around the events of the films and their heroes. The authors seem to be afraid to experiment and open up new horizons. And really bright characters that first appeared outside the movie screen, there are still very few in the new canon. One of the rare exceptions can be considered Doctor Afra, a kind of black archaeologist of a distant galaxy. Afra was a servant of Darth Vader and rightfully deserved her own comic book series.

After figuring out who the mysterious pilot who destroyed the Death Star was, Darth Vader burned with determination to find young Skywalker. After learning from his agent where to look for Luke, Vader personally goes after him to the planet, where the secret base of the Rebels is located. To reach the young Jedi, the Sith Lord will have to single-handedly challenge an entire army of rebels.

Star Wars: Vader Down

genre: space opera
Screenwriters: Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen
Painters: Mike Deodato, Salvador Larroca
Original output: 2015–2016
Publisher: "Comilfo", 2017

Apart from films, the most curious works of the new Canon Star Wars is a comic book series with straightforward titles like Star Wars and Darth Vader. Both tell about the events after the destruction of the first Death Star, their plots develop simultaneously and often even intertwine. Less than a year after the launch of the series, Marvel decided to tie them even closer, launching the crossover "Fall of Vader".

However, the title "Vader's Benefit" would be more suitable for the comic book. From the very first pages, the Sith shows its intimidating power. Already at the beginning of the crossover, at the helm of the fighter, he single-handedly dealt with as many as three squadrons of the Rebels. Only Luke's suicidal maneuver makes it possible to stop this beating and leads to the very fall that is given in the title. After that, father and son find themselves among the ancient ruins without ships and communications.

Realizing that they had a rare chance to get rid of Vader, the Rebels begin to hunt him. But the real hunter is Darth - he pursues Luke, sweeping away everyone who gets in his way. Each scene with Vader's participation once again reminds us why his name strikes terror into the hearts of opponents. If at first he cracks down on the rebels, then the turn comes to the opponent from the imperial camp: he tried to get his hands on the prey that the dark lord was targeting.

But not only Vader showed himself brightly in the crossover. Almost as much important role assigned to Doctor Afra, her companions - a pair of assassin droids, outwardly very similar to R2-D2 and C-3PO, and also the half-insane Wookiee Black Krsantan. This colorful company comes to Vader's aid, and Luke gets help faithful friends- Khan with Chewbacca. Thanks to the droids that now and then find themselves in comical situations, the confrontation turned out to be not only exciting, but also very funny.

Unfortunately, while the crossover is read in the air, it lacks drama. The plot focuses on the main characters of the films, and the action unfolds between the fourth and fifth episodes. Therefore, it is quite obvious that the tension that the authors are stirring up is in fact imaginary and the danger hanging over Luke and his comrades will safely pass. The drawing also raises some criticism. The episodes drawn by Deodato are very spectacular and beautiful, but against their background, the parts for which Larroca was responsible look nondescript.

Outcome: The Star Wars and Darth Vader series are some of the finest pieces in the new canon. And the crossover between them, although it did not present any special surprises, was a success.

The Italian publishing house DeAgostini made your dream come true! Meet in April 2018 the unique edition “ Star Wars. Official collection comics ".

Five important facts about the Star Wars series: The Official Comic Collection "

This is the most comprehensive collection of Star Wars comics. After collecting all the books, you will know absolutely everything about the universe created by George Lucas, even what people who claim to be fans of the Saga do not know about since childhood.

1. In the first issues you will find the original comics, which were released back in 1977, that is, simultaneously with the showing of the first film in cinemas.
2. Graphic novels are united in a series - Empire, Clone Wars, Uprising, Dark Times, Legacy and other parts of the epic that will not leave anyone indifferent. After reading everything, you will become a full citizen of the universe.
3. All comics are designed in different styles. The legendary creative teams... From book to book, you will trace the evolution of the art of creating a graphic novel over the past forty years.
4. The collection consists of 70 books, each with hardcover and 200 pages printed on superior quality paper. But that's not all!
5. In each issue you will find reprints of the original magazine covers from many years ago.

When you complete the collection completely and put the books in the order of their release, you will see a beautiful drawing with the main characters of the saga. This series will become the centerpiece of your home library.

Where to buy books?

Purchase the Star Wars. The Official Comic Collection ”is available on our website. A new book will be released every two weeks. The recommended price for the first issue is 149 rubles, for the second - 299 rubles, for the third and subsequent - 499 rubles. If you do not want to depend on intermediaries' markups, we advise you to subscribe to the collection.

The Force Awakens on our website are expected more than the New Year. We count down every day to the premiere and have booked tickets for the very first sessions long ago. We are actively discussing theories built by fans around the film, and also trying to get as much information as possible even from the music track list for the film. But in order for the picture to take shape completely, you need to use the maximum available information. Therefore, today we offer you a tour of the comics that were released in the outgoing year by the publishing house. In fact, they contain a lot of details and hints about the future of the galaxy. Be careful, the material contains a lot of spoilers and shamelessly points out those fragments that cannot be passed by without sharpening your attention!

Kanan

Chronologically, this series about a galaxy far, far away is located earlier than others released this year by the publisher. For those who watch Star Wars Rebels, it will not be difficult to figure out that the main character of the series will be Keinan Jarrus - one of the main characters of the series, a former Jedi and mentor of young Ezra. The events described in the first installments of the series, as expected, will unfold before those shown in the series. Readers will see Kanan right after Order 66 went into effect, and in front of the Padawan's eyes, former associates killed his teacher.

The young Jedi, who has not yet completed his studies, will have a hard time in the new world: the pursuers of the "traitor" to the Empire will constantly hang on his tail, and the skills of independent survival in real world are not included in the compulsory program of the Order. Reading the series, it becomes easy to mentally draw the route that Caleb Dume made (this is what Kanan was called before the sad events) by Kanan Jarrus. Readers will be able to understand both the reasons for his hatred of the clones, and his reluctance to get involved in major conflicts that could attract the attention of the Empire.

But the series is written so well that pleasant impressions await even those who are not yet familiar with the character and decided for some reason to ignore the series. The authors of the comic did not chase the scale, but focused their efforts on revealing the characters. Yes, most of the heroes that have appeared on the pages of the comic are basically formulaic and predictable. But release after release, they show more and more depth. But Caleb was not the subject of many surprises, because the fans have already met him. But the smugglers, whose society the young man got into, turned out to be colorful and not always simple characters. There are both heroes and villains here, because not only the Jedi were forced to hide from the forces of the Empire.

It's also worth noting that additional fun awaits those who yearn for Expanded Universe comics. And the story itself, and the manner of presentation, and even the painting more than once or twice will remind readers of the comics of the Dark Horse publishing house. If you've read all of the licensed comics, then no doubt appreciate the value of this compliment.

If you are impatient to continue your acquaintance with the character, and you are watching the series in ongoing mode, then you can turn your attention to the bookANewDawn. It became the first published already within the framework of the new canon. Its events unfold six years before the start of the series and tell about the acquaintance and the first joint mission of Kanan and Hera. They will have to unite their efforts to confront the industrialist Count Vidian. The book turned out to be much more interesting than it might seem from the annotation. In addition to meeting favorite characters, it sheds light on the economic situation in the Empire, which requires more and more more resources to create a deterrent. Yes, even though it is not said directly, John Miller - the author of the book - managed to convey the feeling that the construction of the Death Star is already in full swing. But these are far from all the strengths of the book.

Fandom value: A standalone add-on to Star Wars: Rebels. Like the show, the comic strives to push boundaries. distant, distant galaxy without using characters familiar from the films for a long time, thanks to which he can afford more than other series.

Princess Leia

The events of the mini-series "Princess Leia", which included five episodes, start immediately after Episode Four... Having awarded the heroes of the Uprising, Leia nevertheless decides to take care of the fate of her native people. In the Original Trilogy, there was no place for Leia's suffering over the loss of her homeworld, where her parents and her people were at that moment.

So, moving away from the affairs of the Rebellion for a while, Leia decides to unite the surviving Alderaanians and find them new house... The situation is complicated by the reward for her head, for the sake of which even friends are ready to betray, and the bad character of some of the survivors. You can understand them, because the Empire decides to take the chance and exterminate the remnants of the intractable people.

Unfortunately, something went wrong. Among comic book readers, it is not customary to scold a drawing just because the character bears little resemblance to himself from the previous issue, on which another artist was working. The development of the industry over many decades has instilled in readers that the conditional preservation of the basic elements of the image is sufficient. This work falls not only on the artists, but also on the screenwriters. It’s unpleasant to know that a good creative team has failed perhaps the most important part of their job. It will hardly be possible to find out in Leia from the comic strip Kerry Fisher, but it's not just the external resemblance. Leia Dodsonov is sometimes even prettier, and numerous outfits emphasize this favorably. Throughout all five episodes, Leia acts as a Princess, and not as the leader of the Rebellion on a dangerous mission. But this determined person has little in common with the Ice Queen Leia was portrayed in the Original Trilogy. She is more reckless and gentle.

Unfortunately, the authors failed to create an intriguing story, which simply does not have time to hook the reader. Events jump madly from one scene to another, not allowing any of the characters to reveal themselves properly. As a result, a group of static templates acts against the background of colorful, but poorly developed backgrounds. Even if one of the main characters is overtaken by death, it is absolutely impossible to empathize with him.

However, many people read comics about "Star Wars" not at all in order to get acquainted with a bunch of new complex characters. So if you close your eyes to what is happening (or explain everything, for example, by unexpected conditions in which Princess Leia fell), then some interesting fragments and hints from history can still be pulled out.

First, the hint that Leia has the Power is given right in the second issue. Unable to resist the temptation, the authors more than once or twice played on the reader's sense of nostalgia. We are also talking about the scene in which the Princess leans towards R2D2, clearly copied from “ New Hope”, And Leia's dreams of a twin. And in the second episode, Leia begins her rescue campaign from Naboo - home planet her mother, which she does not yet know about. Of course, one of the planet's colorful bas-reliefs was adorned with the image of Princess Amidala. Looking at the drawing, Leia sees a short vision: the image on the wall comes to life and looks at the Princess with a sad look. What's this? Are the authors' vengeance towards prequels or something more? After all, do not forget that Leia is Luke's sister, although she still does not know this. And Luke possesses the Power so much that he is able to resist two Sith Lords at once. So we can assume that Leia also possesses the rudiments of the Force. Within the framework of the "Expanded Universe" on this fragment of history, several good stories... But judging by the Force Awakens promo she saw, Leia hadn't mastered any of the Jedi techniques. Perhaps Force sensitivity helps her anticipate and sense better decisions in situations where a dry set of facts and statistics no longer helps. After all, it was by relying on the Force that Luke was able to destroy the first Death Star. So it can be successful military career Leia will also owe the Force?

Second, let's discuss General Leia in a little more detail. If you read carefully recent interviews authors, they have already come to terms with the fact that Leia Organa has lost the status of the Princess and has long been known to the Galaxy as General Organa. A clear explanation for this is given in the comic. To begin with, it is worth remembering that Leia became a princess without a state. Despite the remnants of surviving Alderaanians, her state is irrevocably lost. Moreover, having gathered all the scattered groups together, she abdicates the throne on her own. Taking the expected step towards democracy, Leia announces that now people are free to choose their own princess. It turns out that at the time of the Fifth and Sixth Episodes, nothing remained of the title of Princess, except for memories and compliments. And to the "Awakening of the Force" and they will gradually wear off.

Fandom value: small. There are hints of Leia's abilities, the fate of the inhabitants of Alderaan scattered across the galaxy, and a bit of mental anguish. Nothing that is not in other series.

Star Wars

We have already reviewed the first issue of the series, noting the talent of its authors. decided to play it safe by giving the series with this name to real professionals in their field, so you should not be surprised at its high quality.

As we assumed earlier, a feeling of nostalgia awaits the reader from the very first pages. The comic scrupulously reproduces all the elements of the Original Trilogy, not allowing itself unnecessary innovations: the faces of the characters drawn are easily recognizable, the interior design of the Empire is still strict, and C3PO is still helpless. There is nothing surprising here, because the events of the series were located in the interval from the Fourth to the Fifth Episodes, so the heroes still have to complete many missions against the Empire before it falls. It is also worth noting that in the "Expanded Universe" this gap was not very popular, because the events of the series are doubly interesting. But let's be honest with ourselves: the constant stream of missions to destroy military facilities with copying all possible elements of the Original Trilogy would have gotten bored by the third arc, and Jason Aaron would not have been himself if he had gone down this road.

On the contrary, having put an end to the pleasant foreplay and hooked the readers, he begins a whole series of unexpected somersaults! Some of them, like, for example, Han Solo's wife, do not fit well into the already existing picture of the world, but others unwittingly patch holes (for example, you never had the feeling that Luke too quickly reached heights on the path of the Force, having a rather limited choice teachers?). It is at this moment that you realize that the series is not going to turn into a boring filler about the everyday life of the popular trinity on the military missions of the Uprising, but plans to take us with a breeze to all the interesting corners of this world. Someone doubts that there will be enough secrets and stories in the galaxy for a hundred issues? In addition, no one canceled the rare curtsies in the direction of the original films and even the prequels.

But besides the fact that the quality of the series is in itself a weighty argument in favor of reading these comics, the authors gradually add important details to the big picture... First of all, we are talking, of course, about Luke's training. Almost immediately left without the only one who could guide him on the path of the Force, he does not agree to give up. We already know that Luke is not the only Jedi in the galaxy. Although his paths only crossed with Obi Wan and Yoda, there are many other ways to learn more about the Force. But in a world ruled by an Empire ruled by the Sith, one should not even hope that the search will go right. Instead of the remaining Jedi, smugglers await Luke, and the Jedi Order will have to be temporarily exchanged for the gladiatorial arena.

Another important part of the story was the relationship between Han and Leia, which managed to move many together with a joint scene in the trailer for The Force Awakens. But after all, not much time was devoted to their relationship before! A couple of skirmishes, a couple of touching moments, but isn't it too fast? Thanks to the comic, we can finally see the whole path of this relationship: from the first major misunderstanding to the first kiss right through a whole bunch of scenes of varying degrees of romance. And maybe thanks to the fact that we have our favorite heroes, or maybe thanks to the talent of Aaron, watching this couple is a sheer pleasure.

Juggling completely different elements of the story, the authors manage to create an original and unique story. You don't expect any revelations or surprises from the period that readers are introduced to in the series. Therefore, each of them is perceived twice as pleasant.

Fandom value: We've already seen how the three main characters have achieved fame and respect in the galaxy. Now we have to find out what happened between these missions. This allows you to get to know the heroes much better, and therefore get even closer to them.

Is it worth reading: most Star Wars episodes coming out are now different good plot and high quality drawing. But Star Wars is in the lead in quality. From completely understandable and well-known ingredients, the authors were able to prepare this tasty dish what time to think about magic.

Shards of the Empire

"Shards of the Empire" - so far the only comic book released, which somehow reveals the fragments seen in the trailers. The events of the series, which included only four episodes, begins at the time of the death of the second Death Star and tells the story of the pilot Shara Bay. Shara is not only a talented and experienced pilot, but also the mother of Poe Dameron, one of the main characters in The Force Awakens. In passing, we learn that the boy has already been born and now lives with the heroine's father. But his life is somewhere behind the scenes.

And in the center of the story are several missions that Shara performs together with the heroes of the Original Trilogy. Left without Palpatine, the Empire refuses to believe in its own defeat, creating more and more new dangers in the Galaxy. Alas, the missions are connected rather indirectly, so there is practically no integral plot with the beginning, development and denouement. Instead, we are gradually shedding light on the life of the beloved Trinity - Luke, Leia and Han - after the event at Endor. Together with them, Shara celebrates the victory over the Emperor, with Leia flies to Naboo on a diplomatic mission, helps Luke get into the secret laboratory of the Empire, where very curious artifacts are kept. And each outing gives us new hints about the characters' future.

For example, we are again hinted at Leia's Force sensitivity. And again to Naboo. And although each of the comics in the series is filled with nostalgic elements, there are the most of them in the second and third numbers. We will have time to walk through the familiar streets of Episode One, meet the current princess, see familiar outfits, and even return to the very hangar from where young Anakin went into battle on a fighter. It is in the hangar that Leia awaits a new vision, but this time unpleasant and cold, because here Darth Maul killed Qui-Gon Jin.

The comic is a must-read for those who intrigue future life Luke, who never appeared in any of the trailers. Latest issue is dedicated to an attempt to infiltrate a mysterious laboratory where Emperor Palpatine kept valuable artifacts. For example, his Messengers were kept here - unusual messenger droids, outwardly reminiscent of the Imperial Guard. But two small trees became the target of penetration. These trees once grew in the Order on Coruscant, so they managed to be saturated with the Force. Thanks to this, Luke was able to feel them. The question of why the only known Jedi in the galaxy needed the Order's trees has already been answered. So numerous theories about his going to the Dark Side are once again being questioned.

Fandom value: high! Although important elements are scattered unevenly and chaotically in the comics of the series, many useful conclusions can be drawn from them about the events leading up to Episode 7.

Star Wars Droids (1994) Star Wars Droids - Uprising (1995) Star Wars Droids - Time to Rebel (1995) Star Wars - Offensive Protocol (1997)

Star Wars - Star Wars

Star Wars is a cult and epic fantasy saga containing a narrative about the confrontation of planets, civilization and factions of the "Distant Galaxy".

Contains 7 most important episodes, as well as animated television series, cartoons, films, books, Star Wars comics, video games, united by one single universe. On our site you can read Star Wars comics online for free. Invented and originally depicted in motion pictures by American director and producer George Lucas in the early 1970s. For this reason, Star Wars is primarily a cinematic saga and films with it set the canon for the rest of the works.

The official date of the creation of the Star Wars project is May 25, 1977 - this is the date the Star Wars movie entered the spacious screen (now it is Episode IV). Nevertheless, the main creation in the universe - the novelization book of the same name - appeared back in 1976, since the producers were afraid of failure and an enchanting breakdown of the film at the box office. This episode was followed by the successful sequel to The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).

These three films make up the true Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV-VI). Prequel trilogy ( Episodes I-III) were released later, between 1999 and 2005. This trilogy has received a more controversial response from critics and fans when compared to the fan reactions to the original trilogy.

More recently, the sequel to the trilogy (Episodes VII-IX) began with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).
All seven films were nominated for Academy Awards, and were commercially successful, with a combined box office income of $ 6,460 million, making Star Wars the fourth-highest grossing film.

Additional films outside of the main saga include the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and the upcoming film anthology series, which will begin with the release of Star Wars: Rogue (2016).

Star Wars saga hierarchy

Today the hierarchy of the saga can be depicted as follows:

1. Star Wars is a single number of all footage that has been filmed under an official license from Lucasfilm. This includes canonical and non-canonical works that make up the history of the Star Wars universe, films, literature, video games, toys, theme parks, merchandise, and more.
2. Universe "Star Wars" (English Star Wars Universe - SWU) - a collection of all data and documentation on the subject of "Star Wars", which was published under an official license, containing biographies fictional characters, descriptions of events, fictional documents, chronology.

Within its framework, there is a division according to the canonical:

• Authoritative, G-canon - these are works, the canonicity of which was confirmed by George Lucas (film epic, radio drama, novelization) and to the creation of which he was directly involved. Later works in it may overlap older ones with retcon.
• T-canon is made up of some television series and events that took place alongside epic films.
• C-canon is made up of Star Wars comics, novels, board games, video games, TV series with separate canonical elements.
• S-canon - works released in the epic and secondary works later became part of the G-canon.
• The N-canon is not canonical at all, describing alternative or Lucasfilm false events.
• D-Canon is formed by humorous works on Star Wars. The so-called Holocron makes up the database of all works, divided according to the canonical.

Epic Star Wars - seven episode films (1977 - 2015), the plots of which are the basis for the entire franchise.
Star Wars Expanded Cinematic Universe - Complements old trilogy, but it expands the boundaries of the universe more for viewers. Telling a story from the most ancient and distant times up to 137th year after that film "New Hope".
The project has a considerable number of fresh characters, stories, models technical progress and technologies, different races of mankind and animals. After the release of the seventh part of the epic is considered non-canon and belongs to the N-canon. However, some, relatively rare, elements of it are included in the canon of the highest ranks.

Universe of the "Distant Galaxy"

The opening phrase in all Star Wars films is "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away ..." (Once upon a time in a very, very distant galaxy). The saga tells about the life of different civilizations and factions of this galaxy, among which there are both people and various other thinking creatures, highly developed and primitive, numerous fantastic animals and plants. The history spans thousands of years from antiquity to the "present" time, depicted primarily in films.

Most of the galaxy in different times controlled a state: the Galactic Republic, the Galactic Empire, the New Republic, or the Galactic Alliance. These states covered cover thousands of planets with different populations and the level of development. Many species of the galaxy are people who, like on Earth, differ in facial features and skin color. Human speech is the basis for the Galactic Primary Language.

The galaxy is divided, depending on the device and meaning, into regions. Those, in turn, into sectors, planetary systems and individual planets. The main regions are Core, Core Colonies, Inner Rim Expansion Region, Middle Rim, Outer Rim, Tingel Arm, Wild Space, and Unknown Regions.

The key concept for the Star Wars universe is Force - the energy or field that binds all life in the galaxy. Many thinking beings are adept at using the Force to gain magic-like powers.
Light and Dark side, around which confrontation revolves a lot of the events of "Star Wars". Whereas the light side is the control of thoughts and the direction of power to protect the world. The dark side is following your emotions, directing the Force to achieve personal power. Traditionally, the Light side is practiced by the Jedi, and the Dark side is by the Sith.

The reckoning traditionally comes from the battle over the planet Hazor, in which the Galactic Empire suffered a key defeat from the rebels. The dates are respectively recorded BBY (before the Battle of Javin) and ABY (after the Battle of Javin).

Cinematic cycle "Star Wars"

The Star Wars cinematic cycle includes as many as six episodes, which were filmed in two stages. In stages, the fourth, fifth and sixth episodes were originally filmed, and only sixteen years later - the main first, second and third.
The seventh came out in 2015. This episode marked the beginning of a completely new trilogy. Read Star Wars comics right now on our website!

Original trilogy

1. 1977 - Star Wars. Episode IV. New Hope / Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
2. 1980 - Star Wars. Episode V. The Empire Strikes Back / Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
3. 1983 - Star Wars. Episode VI. Return of the Jedi / Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

The original or, as the people call it the "classic" trilogy, are made up of Episodes IV, V, VI. This numbering was chosen due to the size of the original scenario. Lucas decided that to shoot from the inside is the best way, which could be adhered to, since he placed the most interesting events, in his opinion, there.

The events of this trilogy unfold during the era of the reign of the Galactic Republic-Empire. Events revolve around the rebels' struggle against the Galactic Empire, which is ruled by the Sith Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Concentrates on the adventures of the crew of the Millennium Falcon, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

The original Trilogy begins with the Galactic Empire and nears the end of the space station's Death Star. This station will allow the Empire to crush the Rebel Alliance, organized by the resistance, formed to fight Emperor Palpatine. Palpatine Sith captured Princess Leia under Master Darth Vader. The member of the rebellion who stole the Death Star's plans and hid them in the R2-D2 droid.

R2, along with his fellow droid C-3PO, leaves for the remote planet Tatooine. There, the droids meet the boy Luke Skywalker and his half-uncle and aunt. The moment Luke is clearing R2, he inadvertently triggers a message that contains a message from Leia. She asks for help from the legendary Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Luke later assists the droids in their search for the exiled Jedi, who is the given time was an old recluse under the alias Obi-Wan Kenobi. When Luke asks about his dad, whom he has never met in his life, Obi-Wan Kenobi tells him that Anakin Skywalker was a grand Jedi who was betrayed and killed by Vader.

Obi-Wan and Luke recruit Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca, to take them to Alderaan, Leia's homeworld. So that they ultimately find and destroy the Death Star.
Following on board the space station, Luke and Khan are rescued by Leia, while Obi-Wan allows himself to be killed during a light duel with Vader. His sacrifice allows the group to get away with plans that help the rebels destroy the Death Star.

Luke himself, guided by his strength, fired a fire shot that destroys the deadly space station during the battles at Yavin.
Three years later, Luke travels to find Jedi Master Yoda, who now lives in exile. Luke wants to find him in order to begin his Jedi training. However, Luke's studies are interrupted when Vader lures him into a trap, trapping Han and his friends in Cloud City.

During a hostile lightsaber duel, Vader reveals that he is the very father Luke was trying so desperately to find. Vader seizes the moment and tries to drag him to his dark side of the Force. Luke escapes and, after saving Han, returns to Master Yoda to complete his training.

Luke found 900-year-old Jedi Master Yoda on his deathbed. Before his death, Master Yoda confirms that Vader is Luke's father. Moments later, the Force ghost Obi-Wan informs Luke that he must confront Darth, his father one more time, before he can become a Jedi, and that Princess Leia they are trying to find is him. Native sister- twin.

As the rebels attack the second Death Star, Luke engages in fighting Vader in another lightsaber duel. The Sith Lords intend to pull Luke to the dark side and accept him as their apprentice.
During the duel, Luke succumbs to anger and brutally overpowers Vader, but controls himself in last minute realizing that he is going to kill his father. He spares Vader's life and proudly proclaims his loyalty to the Jedi.

Enraged Palpatine - The Sith Lord attempts to kill Luke with the power of lightning. Vader notices this, turns and kills the emperor. Thanking Luke for bringing him back to the light side, Anakin Skywalker dies in the arms of his son, while the rebels manage to destroy the second Death Star. Find out more if you start reading Star Wars comics on our website!

Trilogy - prequel

1. 1999 - Star Wars. Episode I. The Phantom Menace / Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
2. 2002 - Star Wars: Episode II. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
3. 2005 - Star Wars. Episode III. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

After his divorce in 1987, George Lucas lost most his condition and did not want to return to "Star Wars", and unofficially canceled the filming of the sequel to the trilogy. But after Star Wars became popular again, Lucas saw that they still have a lot of fans. In 1993, he announced that he would be filming the prequels. He began to create a story centered on Anakin Skywalker - the future Darth Vader - and the transformation of the Galactic Republic into an authoritarian empire. In 1994, Lucas began writing the first film, Episode I: The Beginning. And at the same time he began work on the second film (Episode II).

The episode was released in May 1999 and grossed $ 924,317,558. The AI ​​episode aired in May 2002 and grossed $ 649,398,328. The III episode was released in May 2005.
The prequel trilogy begins 32 years before the original film. The Sith Lord Darth Sirius secretly planned a blockade to provide an excuse for his alter ego Senator Palpatine to overthrow and replace the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic.

At the Chancellor's request, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, the younger Obi-Wan Kenobi, travel to Naboo to negotiate with the Federation. However, instead of helping the Queen of Naboo, the two Jedi are forced to break out of the blockade and plead with her before the Republic Senate on Coruscant. When their spaceship is damaged during their escape, they land on Tatooine for repairs, where Qui-Gon discovers nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker.

Qui-Gon begins to believe that Anakin is the "Chosen One." Qui-Gon prophesied a Jedi prophecy to bring balance to the Force, and helps free the boy from bondage so he can train as a Jedi.
The Jedi Council, led by Master Yoda, suspects Anakin of having too much fear and anger within him, but reluctantly promises Obi-Wan to train the boy after Qui-Gon is killed by Palpatine's first apprentice Darth Maul during battle of Naboo.

Ten years later, the Jedi Order will participate in the Clone Wars between Republic forces and the Confederation of Independent Systems, which Palpatine secretly created to destroy the Jedi Order and lure Anakin into his service.

At the same time, Anakin and Padmé fall in love and secretly get married, and Padmé eventually becomes pregnant. Anakin has a prophetic vision in which Padmé dies in childbirth, and Palpatine convinces him that the dark side of the Force can save Padmé's life.

Desperate, Anakin obeys the teachings of the Sith Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader - the greatest villain in the Star Wars world.

While Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into a tyrannical empire, Vader is involved in the destruction of the Jedi Order. And in a climactic lightsaber duel between himself and Obi-Wan on the volcanic planet Mustafar, Obi-Wan defeated his former apprentice and friend by severing his limbs and leaving him to burn on the banks of a lava stream.

Palpatine arrives shortly thereafter and rescues Vader by placing him in a mechanical black mask and armor that serves as a permanent life support system. At the same time, Padmé dies in childbirth of the twins Luke and Leia.

Obi-Wan and Yoda are now the only ones left among the Jedi. They agree to separate the twins and keep them for cover from both Vader and the Emperor until the time comes when Anakin's children can be used to help overthrow the empire.

Trilogy - sequel

1. 2015 - Star Wars. Episode VII. The Force Awakens / Star Wars: Episode VII - The force Awakens
2. 2017 - Star Wars. Episode VIII / Star Wars: Episode VIII
3. 2019 - Star Wars. Episode IX / Star Wars: Episode IX

The third trilogy is based on Episode VII. Its events unfold 20 years after Episode VI. The plot tells about the fate of the heroes of the two previous trilogies and the struggle of the Resistance and the New Republic against the Supreme Order - an organization that continues the traditions of the Galactic Empire.

Approximately 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker, the last jedi, disappeared. The First Order has risen from the fallen empire and seeks to destroy Luke and New Republic while resistance and little effort, backed by the Republic and led by the former Princess of Alderaana, General Leia, oppose them.

On the planet Jakku, Resistance pilot Po Dameron receives a map that leads to Luke's location. The stormtroopers under the command of Kylo Ren, son of Han Solo and Leia, captured Poe Dameron.

His droid BB-8 leaves with the map and meets Kylo the absorber. Ren tortures Edgar and recognizes BB-8. Stormtrooper FN-2187 concludes that he cannot kill and frees Poe Dameron. Two exits in a TIE fighter, Poe dubs FN-2187 as "Finn". But still, after the accident at Jakku, Po dies.

Finn confronts Rey and BB-8, but the first encounter places them in such a way that they avoid the planet in a stolen ship, the Millennium Falcon. After leaving Jakku, the falcon will be repulsed by Han Solo and Chewbacca, who withdrew from the resistance and resumed their lives as smugglers.

Five companions on a trip to Takodana meet the pirate Maz Kanata. While they arrive at her place, Rey finds the lightsaber that had previously belonged to Anakin and Luke Skywalker. And after the touch of her hand with the sword, she is overcome with the Force.

At this moment, the MAZ castle is under attack of the first order. Finn, Han, and Chewbacca are saved by a group of Resistance pilots led by Po, who survived the crash of Jakku, but Rey is captured by Kylo Ren and taken to Starkiller Base.

After reuniting with Leia and resisting on D'Kaur, Han, Finna, and Chewbacca traveled to Starkiller to free Rey and disable the planet's shields, allowing the resistance pilots to destroy him.

Rei tortures Kylo Ren, but her Force sensitivity allows her to confront him. She escapes using a mind trick and reunites with Khan, Finna, and Chewbacca. But the group runs into Kylo Ren.

Khan confronts his son, calling him by his birth name - Ben Solo, and asks him to return home. Ren appears to have returned to the light side for a moment, but then sets fire to his lightsaber and kills Han.

Resistance pilots begin to bombard the base. Finn and Rey kill off to the base and face Kylo Ren. Finn pulls out Anakin's lightsaber, only to severely injure Ren. Rei's power pulls her lightsaber towards her, and fights Ren.

Rey, Finn and Chewbacca escape the exploding planets on the Falcon and manage to return to the resistance. The wounded Finn remains at D'Caura. While Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 use the map to find Luke Skywalker on the planet Ech-To, Rey introduces the quiet Luke with his old lightsaber.

Expanded universe

The Star Wars Expanded Universe or Star Wars Legends is a collection of material depicting a universe outside of the movie saga. Including books, animations, toys, video games released before April 24, 2014. Since 2014, the expanded universe has been declared non-canon and the works behind it have been released under the Star Wars Legends label. Start reading Star Wars comics now on our website for free!

Main themes and interpretations

Star Wars reveals the very destructive nature of anger and hatred. The definition of the word Yoda: Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hatred, leads to hatred of suffering, suffering leads to the dark side of the Force. Evil has psychological basis, and hatred is born in a person as a result of suffering that a person experiences.

Darth Vader was despised by a slave from childhood, he never had a father, and he was soon separated from his mother, the subsequent tragic death couldn't make him stop. At the same time, the young man is tempted by evil (in the person of the dark figure of Dart), which refers to his ambition and gives them to ultimately enter into a "satanic pact" - to surrender to him in order to satisfy their own desires and possession of omnipotence, which turns out to be illusory.

Good and Evil are clearly presented in Star Wars, but this does not mean that the world is black and white, even the Jedi (including Yoda) have their weaknesses... Even Vader is not very bad, it is a common person who has an evil spell.

Star Wars is a story about the power inherent in love: what the largest and most powerful of the Jedi is unable to do - defeating the Sith - is done through the love of a son for a father and a father for a son. The story also juxtaposes two kinds of "love": the selfish, pushing Anakin to the dark side, and the altruistic, which leads to his ultimate survival.

Star Wars is an analysis of the birth mechanism of authoritarian and totalitarian systems. The republic is going through a deep crisis and is no longer fulfilling its function. The Senate raises taxes, prompting opposition to the trade federation, which faces a corrupt system. This leads to a war that is aimed at overthrowing the regime.

Anakin Skywalker, standing on the side of the Jedi Order, begins to realize that this is the law that holds power in the name of democracy. Excessive ambition to mix it with sincere desire help who becomes Darth Vader to save people from disaster.

Inspiration by George Lucas

As for the original saga, George Lucas was inspired primarily by the novel by Frank Herbert Dune and science fiction comic valerian (both were released in the 60s of the twentieth century). Great importance and influence was also from the writer John Ronald Ruel Tolkien, who wrote the famous epic novel The Lord of the Rings and films about samurai (for example, director Akira Kurosawa). Not sure where to read Star Wars comics? On our website comics online you can read Star Wars comics in Russian for free and without registration!

Cultural influence

There are many fan associations around the world. Large audiences are showing themselves in the United States and Great Britain. Mass gatherings of fans often take place in the United States, reaching the costume festivals and parades of the 501st Legion (an international fan group whose goal is to gather, disguised as stormtroopers, in Darth Vader and other antagonists). In the UK, 300,000 fans have declared a desire to recognize the concept of the Force as the basis of their religion.

Movies

• Star Wars Christmas Episode (1978) - Non-canon TV movie, Christmas special.
• Caravan of Courage Ewok Adventure (1984) is a TV movie set between episodes five and six.
• Ewoka: The Battle of Endor (1985) is a sequel to Caravan of Courage.
• The Great Heep (1986) - A special episode prior to the animated series Star Wars: Droids.
• Lego Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick (2005) is an animated short film based on Episode III.
• Lego Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 (2009) is a parody based on Episode II.
• Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace (2011) is a comedy special based on the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
• Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out (2012) is a comedy special based on the original trilogy.
• Rebel One. Star Wars. History (2016) is the anticipated prequel to Episode 6.
• An unnamed film about Gana Solo (2018).
• An unnamed movie about Bobu Feta (2020).

TV serials

• Star Wars: Droids (1985) is an animated series based on the adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO robots between Episode III and Episode IV.
• Star Wars: Ewok (1985) is an animated series about the adventures of Ewok creatures a few years before the events of Episode VI.
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003-2005) is an animated miniseries set between Episode II and Episode III.
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2013) is an animated series.
• Star Wars Rebels (2014) is an animated miniseries set between Episode III and Episode IV.
• Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles (2013) is an animated comedy miniseries.
• Star Wars Lego Droid Tales (2015) is an animated comedy miniseries.

Legendary saga in a unique collection of books " Star Wars. Official Comic Collection". Publisher DeAgostini.

Beyond the films that gave birth to the Star Wars legend, the saga's power has lived for decades in other arts, illuminating the history of the universe. Comics have always played a leading role in the development of the history of the universe: since 1977, after the premiere of "A New Hope", when the first comics "Star Wars" appeared, many works with exciting stories have been created.

Collection

In the world of comics, the characters of "Star Wars" appeared in the distant 1977, when Marvel released the first book. Since then, the events of the famous film have been supplemented with other stories, characters and situations that fans of the space saga have never seen on screen. The best Star Wars comics are collected in this exclusive collection of books.
Where did the Force come from? How did the Dark Side come about? Who Created the Jedi Order? What happened during the Clone Wars? What happened to Luke, Han Solo and Leia after the death of the Emperor? You will find answers to these and many other questions in the books of the collection!

When George Lucas allowed other writers to develop the history of the Star Wars universe, he could not imagine the extent of that creativity, which was shown even by a few, but very famous people in the field of comics. Comics are the perfect, flexible visual environment for giving life to the saga: screenwriters such as Kevin J. Anderson, Randy Stradley or John Ostrander; illustrators such as Jan Duursema, Rick Leonardi or Fred Blanchard have been able to create stories and characters that will last for a long time.

• The most complete collection of Star Wars comics, contains best plots created over more than 40 years of existence of the legendary Space Saga - from the first graphic novels published in 1977 to comedians of recent years.
• The collection consists of a series of graphic novels that allow you to go on exciting adventures with the heroes of the saga.
• Additional materials at the end of each book include author and comic history, original covers, timelines of key Star Wars events, character portraits, and information on spaceships and planets.