Star Wars: Rogue One - Jyn Erso #1 First Look Teases Fresh Look at Iconic Hero (Exclusive)

Believe it or not, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story turns 10 this year and to celebrate, Marvel Comics is releasing five one-shot comics with each one following different characters and their stories leading up to the film. The first, Star Wars: Rogue One — Cassian Andor #1, goes on sale May 6th making it well-timed for May the Fourth, but it’s the second one hitting store shelves on June 3rd that really has fans excited.

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Written by Ethan Sacks with art by Ramon Rasonos, Star Wars: Rogue One — Jyn Erso #1 will give fans a look into Jyn’s story on the toxic Wobani fields, imprisoned under the name Liana Hallik as she attempts to pull off an impossible escape. It’s an exciting look at the character and her story. We spoke with Sacks about the book and how he found Jyn to be an inspirational character as well as what makes this story unique—and we have a first look at the issue as well.

Star Wars: Rogue One — Jyn Erso Reminds Readers of the Hero’s Journey

ComicBook: You are certainly no stranger to the Star Wars universe (as a personal aside, the Jango Fett series was a favorite at my house). What has been like revisiting the Rogue One for Jyn Erso as we mark the 10th anniversary?

Ethan Sacks: I have been looking forward to doing a Jyn Erso story for the last few years, and the stars (so to speak) have aligned for the chance to tell it within the tenth anniversary of Rogue One. A decade ago, I got to attend the world premiere of the film in Los Angeles and it has not left my mind ever since. Rogue One is my favorite Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back, which means it’s on the highest of pedestals in my pop culture pantheon. I have always been more drawn to the street-level scoundrels in the Star Wars universe over the Jedi and Sith; the grey over the black and white. So, that morally murky soup of spies and assassins who do what they have to without having Force powers to get them out of jams continues to be what excites me the most. And who better exemplifies that than Jyn Erso?

I feel like Rogue One in particular within Star Wars has such a special place for a lot of fans — as does Jyn Erso. Was there anything about digging into her story that was surprising for you?

Besides watching Rogue One for the gazillionth time, researching this issue gave me the chance to revisit the excellent novel, Rebel Rising, by Beth Revis, which does an excellent job of chronicling Jyn Erso’s life as a revolutionary turned slicer. That gave me a view inside her head. We’re all the product of past experiences and traumas, and it amazed me to be reminded of just how much of that trauma she went through and how impressive it is that she emerged to be the person she is when we meet her on screen. She’s inspirational to me.

You’ve written series (the aforementioned Jango Fett comes right to mind.) How was this one shot different in terms of your approach to telling a story set in the expansive Star Wars universe?

Having a fixed runway to land the plane focuses you on distilling a story to the core character and their arc. Some stories work best as 10-pagers, some work best as single issues, some work best over a mini-series, and ongoing series like Bounty Hunters can give you the opportunity to develop a character’s journey over many trials and tribulations. This particular Jyn Erso story shows you who she is during a particularly dangerous and tragic escape attempt at the Imperial work camp on Wobani. It works precisely because it’s self-contained. Of course, it helps to have an artist like Ramon Rosanas making it look so damn great.

And because I have to ask: who is your favorite Star Wars character?

Believe it or not, Jyn Erso is tied with Boba Fett as my favorite Star Wars characters. As someone who lost my own father at the age of 22, I related to their journeys through grief and their honoring of their parents’ legacies while finding their own way forward. Those journeys are so personal for me. I have loved to see how Jyn has maintained her core of goodness despite all the awful things the galaxy has thrown at her. Considering how short but bright “Stardust” shined, I have made it my mission to tell more stories centered around her before the events of Rogue One. As for Boba Fett, there’s a reason I have his Firespray spaceship as my keychain. His look, demeanor, and supply of cool gadgets captivated me since I received the mail-in action figure before the release of Empire as young child. It’s only in my adult years that I’ve appreciated him on a deeper level.

Everything You Need to Know About Star Wars: Rogue One – Jyn Erso #1

In Star Wars: Rogue One — Jyn Erso #1, “On the toxic Wobani fields, Jyn Erso’s brutal routine shatters when an unlikely crew begs the infamous slicer “Liana Hallik” to help pull off an impossible escape. Can Gyn outwit Imperial security droids, tower cannons, and incinerators long enough to crack the code — and keep a frightened young prisoner alive? Will a leap of faith heal old scars from Galen, Lyra, and Saw…or will Wobani claim Jyn’s future before the Rebellion ever can?” The issue goes on sale June 3rd.

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