Marvel Teases "New Era" of Star Wars Comics Starting This Fall

Star Wars comics will be entering a "New Era" this fall, based on Marvel's latest promo teaser!

By Kofi Outlaw

Marvel Comics is teasing the launch of a "New Era" in Star Wars comics. Marvel has debuted a new piece of promotional artwork, which features a look at Darth Vader's helmet – specificaly the now-iconic mangled and burnt version of the helmet from the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy films. The logline for the event teases that "The Final Battle of The Galactic Civil War Begins" followed by the logline that "A New Era of Star Wars Comic Book Storytelling". 

If you haven't been following along, Marvel's main line of Star Wars comics has spent the last half-decade or so playing in the sandbox of time periods in between the Original Trilogy films. The comics have spent most of their time exploring the years between The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, looking at everything from how Luke Skywalker trained himself as a Jedi, to how the Rebellion re-grouped for the final battles, to how Leia struggled between committing to the Rebellion and saving Han Solo – and of course, how Emperor Palpatine dealt with Darth Vader trying and failing to recruit Luke Skywalker to be his Sith apprentice. 

The "New Era" Marvel is now teasing is most likely going to be a long-form retelling of events leading up to, during, and immediately after Return of the Jedi. That will build on all the years for storytelling that Star Was comic writers have carved out for themselves in the OT era, balancing a deeper understanding of the story we know, with new material that's exciting even for longtime fans. Events like "War of the Bounty Hunters,"  the Crimson Dawn Trilogy, and "Dark Droids," have all proven that there can be exciting Star Wars storytelling that gets done within a rigid canon framework. 

Expanding the canon around Return of the Jedi is arguably one of the more important goals that should be on Star Wars' agenda right now. That jump in time between Episodes V and VI, plus the very different kind of story George Lucas and Co. told in the third chapter has arguably been the source of most of the divisiveness since the Sequel Trilogy finished. Luke's ultimate decision to give up his attachments and not fight his father (as a means of redeeming Vader) should be given more explanation and context that could perhaps help more fans come around to see how the OT heroes (Luke, Leia, Han, etc.) ended up where they did by the time of New Republic Era (and subsequently the Sequel Trilogy). 

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Star Wars comics and novels have been much more consistent in terms of keeping fans unified and entertained, so be sure to look into them if you haven't been! 

The new era of Star Wars comics begins in September with milestone issues Star Wars #50 and Darth Vader #50. You can find them over at Marvel. 

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