Star Wars: A New Legacy #1 Review: An Excellent Entry Point

Many Star Wars fans found themselves despondent when it was announced that Disney would not be counting the original “Extended Universe” as canon, and quite honestly, it’s understandable. There was such a large amount of stories following characters old and new across multiple mediums that many Jedi and Sith fans found themselves able to find tales that otherwise would have never been told on the screen. Luckily, Marvel Comics has been taking a somewhat similar approach to its Star Wars comics, introducing new characters while also examining stories revolving around beloved characters of the past. With Star Wars: A New Legacy, Marvel has created an excellent entry point for those who want a breakdown of some of these big comic characters not seen in the bigger media.

To start, A New Legacy is an issue that has three stories within it and luckily, all of them are worthy of the Star Wars banner. To start, “The Grand Imperial Jubilee” is perhaps the biggest in terms of the sheer number of comic characters that are a part of its chaotic mash-up. Following this, “For The Love of The Empire” is a story that is easily the darkest, which makes sense as it follows one of the most ruthless military units of the Empire itself. Finally, Rogue’s Gambit is a much smaller, self-contained story that focuses on Dr. Aphra and her ragtag band of miscreants making up her freighter. It’s a solid enough round-up of faces and figures to give you a better scope of what Marvel Comics has been up to in their tinier corner of the Galaxy that is far, far away.

“The Grand Imperial Jubilee” is a good starting point for this anthology comic, especially as it feels like it incorporates the most moving parts of the three to help break down the comic book version of Star Wars. In it, we are given a heist story featuring the likes of Sana Starros, Dr. Aphra, Valance The Hunter, and Rik Duel as their stories collide, stirring numerous elements into one action-packed pot. Writer Charles Soule teams up with artist Steve McNiven to help create a story that feels like the most “traditional” Star Wars tale of the three entries in A New Legacy, though it might not win my nomination for best of the bunch.

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Speaking of, Jason Aaron and Leonard Kirk team-up for “For The Love of The Empire,” the darkest of the three outings that definitely pushes the limit in terms of just how ruthless a Star Wars story can be. Task Force 99 feels like a weathered, tough-as-nails battalion that just so happens to be working for the Emperor, Darth Vader, and their expansive Empire. We get insight into just how dangerous their missions will normally be while also being reminded that these are villains and that while they might be the stars of this short story, they’re most assuredly not role models. Aaron is able to do a lot with the time given here while Kirk does the same, especially when it comes to the battle scenes and emotions on display throughout.

Finally, “Rogue’s Gambit” is certainly the funniest of the three stories, with writer Kieron Gillen bringing his trademark wit to the table and artist Salva Espin capitalizing on their artistic talents here. Even though I’m not a major Star Wars fan like some of my co-workers, I’ve always had a soft spot for Triple-Zero and BT-1, effectively the dark doppelgangers of C3PO and R2-D2 respectively. The issue ends with this hilarious story, capping out a worthy entryway to Marvel Comics’ Star Wars universe.

Ultimately, I did want to touch upon one of my big complaints with the issue, which ironically is one that I don’t tend to bring up that often in my comic book reviews. The issue of cost when it comes to a single issue if always one up for debate, and certainly, this comic is extra-packed with stories. However, A New Legacy feels like a primer book for those wondering if they should take a peek at Marvel Comics’ Star Wars universe, so I can’t help but feel that giving readers more incentive here to pick this one up.

Pricing issues aside, Star Wars: A New Legacy feels like a solid entry point for those who might not have checked out the Marvel Comics’ universe and want to see what these stories are all about. If you’ve been wondering whether this new take on Star Wars is for you, this is definitely the issue to check out.

Published by: Marvel Comics

On: January 29th, 2025

Written by: Charles Soule, Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen

Art by: Steve McNiven, Leonard Kirk, Salva Espin

Colors by: Neeraj Menon, Jay David Ramos, Israel Silva

Letters by: VC’s Clayton Cowles