The golden age of classic Star Wars comics. Star Wars Official Comic Collection (DeAgostini)

Star Wars comics first appeared in 1977, when Marvel published the first book. Since then, the events of the legendary cinematic universe have been constantly supplemented on the pages of comics, and now the publishing house De Agostini publishes in Russian a complete official collection of comics based on the famous space saga. And we already know what will go into it.

When Disney bought the rights to the Star Wars universe in 2014 and rebooted canon, many old fans were unhappy with the decision. The reasons were obvious - the new bosses erased not only the bad stories from the old canon (now known as "Legends"), but also many good ones. For the most part, this concerned books and just the same comics. And although several years have passed since then, and new canon replenished with a number of successful works, many still continue to be interested in old plots.

And now there is a good reason to go back to 1977, when the rights to release comics in the Star Wars universe belonged to the same Marvel, but it looked completely different.

Cover of the first issue of the complete Star Wars comic book collection. For the first time in Russian, in hardcover and with exclusive additional materials.

The firm produced the main comics around the universe from 1977 to 1986 ("Ewoks" and "Droids" came out until 1987). During this period, the main series, in fact "Star Wars", scored 107 issues. Quite a good result, given the fact that the franchise, although it has become extremely popular in cinema, has not yet acquired the scale that it has today. From a financial point of view, comics about a galaxy far, far away were very successful and helped to fix the situation of the publishing house, which at that time was not in its best condition. According to editor Jim Shooter, who worked from 1978 to 1987, “Star Wars single-handedly saved Marvel…. and helped us stay afloat. "

He was also involved in the printing of comics with the Marvel imprint - Star comics whose products were aimed at a younger audience. By and large, they were responsible for the release of two episodes - "Ewoks" and "Droids", both of which were based on the animated series of the same name and quickly deflated - there were only 14 issues of "Ewoks" (not counting special issues) and 8 "Droids" ".

The main series opened with the novelization “ New Hope", Which fit into the first six issues. It was written by screenwriter Roy Thomas, who later worked on other projects under the auspices of Marvel. Despite the fact that he was in the series of only 10 issues, his work was the most difficult and significant during that period, because he was the one who had to fill the first gaps between the films of George Lucas.

It is worth noting that the comic novelization of A New Hope includes cut-outs and even characters from the original film.

For example, the way Luke sees the space battle from the beginning of the film from the surface of Tatooine. Or young Skywalker's friend Biggs Darklighter, who wants to join the Resistance. And since at the time of the release of the comic, not everyone knew about this universe yet, one of the pages just talked about the creators and production of the film.

Thomas used the space reserved for readers' letters to tell how exactly Marvel got the rights to this universe. A reasonable decision, given that there was simply no one to write letters at that time - the series did not yet have readers.

Interestingly, the original poster of Howard Cheikin was used for the cover of the first issue, making a couple of legendary mistakes: Darth Vader was painted in green color and Obi-Wan and Luke had their swords suddenly red.

At the same time, the first issue of the series still remains in the top of comics with the largest number reprints and updated versions... The point here, of course, is not in correcting any mistakes, but simply in the popularity of this issue.

After the 6th issue, the story completely stepped beyond the cinema and began to tell its own plots. The first thing the reader was told was not at all about the state of the Resistance after the explosion of the Death Star - instead, the story focused on the adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca, who fought space pirates and monsters. By the way, some of the characters that flickered in the old Marvel stories were a bit like the heroes from the new canon. The difference is that if now it is customary to register more or less mundane heroes in the Star Wars line (within the universe, of course), then in 1977 no one even thought about such trifles, and the authors could come off to the fullest.

For example, the librarian Hess Corrin from the planet Obroa-skai, whom Han and Chuuy meet, may slightly resemble the researcher Laura San Tekku from the new canon. But unlike the latter, Hess, although interested in the Force and the Jedi, does not continue to explore the galaxy, but gradually "rides the roof" and begins to imagine himself a Jedi Knight nicknamed Don Wai Quixote. I think, obviously, an allusion to what literary hero was this character.

And it was just this mixture of the canonical elements of the universe, mixed with a sense of cheerful madness and adventure, that made those plots special. Anything could be waiting for you around the corner - literally, it was a galaxy of unlimited potential.

Starting with issue 11, legendary screenwriter Archie Goodwin, who is familiar to many comic book fans, has taken over control of the plot, including through his work on Star Wars. At his time, there were more than 30 issues of the main series, and in addition, it was he who wrote the comic adaptations "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." The events of "Empire" began in the 39th issue of the series and were tightly integrated into what was happening, but the adaptation of "The Return" was printed separately and was not included in the main thread.

The era of Goodwin was characterized by a stronger connection between different events compared to subsequent plots, especially during the post-Endor period, which began with issue 81. The common backbone of the story told about the constant clashes of the heroes with the Empire, returned them to places from the films, and simply could boast of an excellent atmosphere of a space adventure. At one moment, the characters could shoot with stormtroopers, and the next - be on space station The "wheel" where Chewbacca had to fight in the gladiatorial arena. Some plots, like the characters, also resembled the stories of the new canon - for example, Vader's search for the name of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star.

Big question regarding the universe for many readers arose after the plot exceeded the sixth episode, and the Empire was defeated. There were no new films expected at that time, which means that books and comics should have become the main source of knowledge about the events of the universe. The situation in the galaxy was outlined in this way: the Empire was still present in the form of military units and governors on different planets, and in order to finally crush the remnants of the military machine, the main characters of the saga decided to create the Alliance of Free Planets.

At first, the post-Endor stories themselves focused on selected plots in which the heroes traveled around different planets in search of allies. At the same time, as has been said more than once, creative energy could create absolutely different stories... In these issues, there was a rather interesting side arc about Admiral Akbar and Mon Mothma - how they decided to take the reins of the Resistance for themselves, since they could not constantly count on the legendary trinity. An interesting thought sounded in this story, they say, Luke, Leia and Han were excellent heroes, bright personalities, but they were not suitable as managers at all. That is why they were sent on missions to collect "allies".

Moreover, such political games could easily be interrupted by a story about the Ewoks' war with their neighbors or an extremely surreal story in which Luke found a machine capable of destroying the entire galaxy. Over time, the overall plot line began to line up more evenly, telling about how the Empire allied with the aliens of the Nagai race, invading the Galaxy again - it was this long turn that ended the main series.

After 1986, the license to publish comics in the universe went to the Dark Horse company, which was often involved in the release of drawn stories under licenses of films, TV series, games and literary works... Then the rules and the last restrictions on the universe collapsed completely, allowing the authors to go to completely different corners and periods of the galaxy.

However, subsequent comics practically did not have the trait that is inherent in more early stories- feelings of a vivid adventure, capable of giving the reader absolutely crazy emotions. This rare quality and flavor of those times was preserved in the "Golden Age" of superhero comics and in the first stories of the classic "Star Wars".

And now the classics are back in vogue with DeAgostini publishing the entire series, starting with the novelization of A New Hope. Moreover, the collection will also include comics about Ewoks and Droids, as well as separate issues from old stories. Everything, as in the original editions, but also in a hardcover!

In other words, a complete collection of classics awaits us, with which many readers in Russia will get acquainted for the first time. Of course, it will not be limited only early era Marvel - it will also include the comics of the Dark Horse period, which we will talk about in more detail in our next article.

The Italian publishing house DeAgostini made your dream come true! Meet in April 2018 the unique edition of Star Wars. The Official Comic Collection. "

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 is not all!
5. In each issue you will find reprints of the original magazine covers from many years ago.

When you have completed the collection and put the books in the order of their release, you will see 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 the series "Star Wars Rebels", it will not be difficult to calculate 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 that's not all strengths books.

Fandom value: A standalone add-on to Star Wars: Rebels. Like the series, the comic strives to expand the known boundaries of the 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. You will hardly be able to find out in Leia from the comic strip Kerry Fisher, but it's not only about external similarity... 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. It's about the scene in which the Princess leans towards R2D2, clearly copied from A 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 is it? 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 feel 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, there was nothing left 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 comics scrupulously reproduces all the elements of the Original Trilogy, not allowing themselves unnecessary innovations: the faces of the drawn characters are easily recognizable, the interior design of the Empire is still strict, and C3PO is still helpless. There is nothing to be surprised at, 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 got 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, such as Han Solo's wife, do not fit well into the already established 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 perfectly different elements history, 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 to 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.

Legendary saga in unique collection 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 it appear Dark side? 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 from the first graphic novels published in 1977 to comedians 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.

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
Painter: 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 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
Artists: Mike Deodato, Salvador Larroca
Original output: 2015–2016
Publisher: "Comilfo", 2017

Apart from the films, the most interesting works of the new Star Wars canon are the comic book series with the uncomplicated names "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 what they fell out rare chance 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.