Star Wars The Official Comic Collection. Star Wars comics you must read before going to the movies Star Wars comics read

The Star Wars Expanded Universe games, books, and comics have enriched a distant galaxy with many 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 clearest example is the era of the Knights of the Old Republic. Games and comics on it are among the best works of the 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.

In his youth, 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 almost 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 a new era of the saga.

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 fight, 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 a seasoned bounty hunter in front of us. Moreover, this is not a charming criminal with a heart of gold, like Han Solo - Cade is not burdened with 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 develop rapidly, but the authors manage to acquaint us with the new era and its main characters, 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 the 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 there are very few truly bright characters that first appeared outside the movie screen 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 became determined 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 curious works of the new Star Wars canon are the comic book series with the simple 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 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 grab the prey that the dark lord was targeting.

But not only Vader showed himself brightly in the crossover. An almost equally important role is given 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 Krrsantan. This colorful company comes to the aid of Vader, and Luke is helped by his loyal friends - Han and 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 aggravating 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 Force Awakens on our site 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 of the 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 focusing 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 issues of the series, as expected, 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 finished his studies, will have a hard time in the new world: the pursuers of the "traitor" to the Empire will constantly hang on the tail, and the skills of independent survival in the real world are not included in the mandatory 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 episode 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 characters 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 had 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 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 have read all the comics released under license, then no doubt appreciate the significance 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 was the first to be published 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 resources to create a weapon of intimidation. 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 not all the strengths of the book.

Fandom value: A standalone add-on to Star Wars: Rebels. Like the series, the comic strives to expand the known boundaries of a galaxy far, distant, without using characters that have long been familiar from films, thanks to which it can afford more than other series.

Princess Leia

The Princess Leia mini-series, which includes five episodes, kicks off 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 a new home for them. The situation is complicated by the reward for her head, for the sake of which even friends are ready to betray, and the nasty 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 only in 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 wildly 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 issue, Leia begins her rescue campaign from Naboo - her mother's home planet, 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 it can be assumed that Leia also possesses the rudiments of the Force. Within the framework of the "Expanded Universe", several successful stories have been written on this fragment of history. But judging by the Force Awakens promo she saw, Leia hadn't mastered any of the Jedi techniques. Perhaps her 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 maybe Leia will owe her successful military career to the Force as well?

Second, let's discuss General Leia in a little more detail. If you carefully read the last interviews of the authors, you have already come to terms with the fact that Leia Organa has lost her Princess status 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 the surviving Alderaanians, her state is irrevocably lost. Moreover, having gathered all the scattered groups together, she independently abdicates the throne. 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 was 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 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 tasks 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 done away with 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, the rare curtsies in the direction of the original films and even the prequels have not been canceled.

But besides the fact that the quality of the series is in itself a powerful 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. And 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. Smugglers are waiting for Luke to replace the remaining Jedi, 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 touch many 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 beloved 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 the three main characters gain 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 of the Star Wars episodes coming out now have a good storyline and quality artwork. But Star Wars is the quality leader. From completely understandable and well-known ingredients, the authors were able to prepare such a delicious dish that it is time to think about magic.

Shards of the Empire

"Fragments of the Empire" is so far the only comic book released that 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, the second and third numbers have the most of them. 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 definitely worth reading for those who are intrigued by the future life of Luke, who never appeared in any of the trailers. The 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.

The Italian publishing house "DeAgostini" has 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. 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 do not know about, claiming to be fans of the Saga 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. Legendary creative teams worked on the releases. 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 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 be 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 published 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' margins, we advise you to subscribe to the collection.

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 authors to develop the history of the Star Wars universe, he could not imagine the scope of the creativity that was shown by even a few, but very famous people in the comic book world. 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 comics about the Star Wars universe, contains the best plots created over more than 40 years of the legendary Space Saga's existence - 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: information about the authors and history of comics, original covers, timelines of key events in Star Wars, character portraits, information about spaceships and planets.