At this age in my life, I don’t really expect a ton of gifts in my birthday month, instead looking forward to spending time with friends and family. While I don’t expect gifts, I always hope Star Wars comics will have some for me and October 2023 certainly does, as well as what are totally not gifts and are leaving me shaking in my Manor best robes. On the gift side, there’s some big droid showdowns in Artoo’s quest to save Threepio, The High Republic returns with what looks to be a impactful issue, Doctor Aphra and Magna Tolvan get back together….only for Magna to become a Scourge-infect gremlin?! And there’s going to be more Lando and Lobot drama that I’m sure my heart can handle anymore? The solicitations for October 2023 Star Wars comics certainly are going to keep my birthday month interesting!
MARVEL
Bounty Hunters #39 (on sale 10/4)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Davide Tinto (Artist)
Cover by Marco Checchetto | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | The Clone Wars 15th Anniversary Rex Variant Cover by Nabetse Zitro | Variant Cover by Emilio Laiso
SCOURGE OF THE CYBORG! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- Turned into a mindless killing machine, VALANCE is out to eliminate his former crew! Do BOSSK and ZUCKUSS stand a chance?
- Can even the mighty DURGE stop him?
- And TARR KLIGSON’S SECRET PLAN is finally revealed!
Valance going mindless was forecasted in last year’s Revelations one-shot, but the involvement of Durge in his potential incapacitation until T’onga and team can save him was not. Davide Tinto gets quite the issue to draw out, as I’m sure the battles here are going to be big like this series is well-known for! As for Tarr Kligson’s secret plan, the series (as of this publishing) is set to meet Tarr next issue, so we’re about to get a sense of who he is and what he’s up to!
Darth Vader #39 (on sale 10/4)
Greg Pak (Writer), Raffaele Ienco (Artist)
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | The Clone Wars 15th Anniversary Hondo Variant Cover by Nabetse Zitro | Variant Cover by David Marquez
THE CRUCIBLE OF HATE – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- The DROID SCOURGE takes over one of DARTH VADER’S closet allies – and seizes one of MUSTAFAR’S greatest weapons!
- To survive, Vader must finally reclaim his control over THE FORCE by exploring his deepest hatred.
- Featuring the answer to the terrifying question: Who does Vader hate more than anyone else in the galaxy?
I mean, my first guess is Ol’ Palpy, but I’m sure it’s going to be a little more dramatic than that: Anakin Skywalker or himself, either of which would be right up Vader’s dramatic little lifestyle. The solicitation for Dark Droids #3 below looks to also cover very similar events, what with the Scourge coming for Vader on Mustafar, so I’ll be interested to see how these two crossover. Either way, what is one of Mustafar’s greatest weapons…the device Vader covets in Vader Immortal? The Eye of Webbish Bog? Vader’s Castle? Or something else?
The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight #1 (on sale 10/4)
Charles Soule (Writer), Ibraim Roberson (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by Lee Garbett | Variant Cover by David Marquez
WHO LIVED? WHO DIED? ANSWERS TO THE GREATEST CATASTROPHE OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE JEDI!
- Little has been revealed about the year following the fall of STARLIGHT BEACON and the ultimate triumph of THE NIHIL…until now!
- THE JEDI COUNCIL, reeling from its losses, has recalled it JEDI KNIGHTS from across the galaxy and instituted the emergency measures.
- MASTER YODA has a plan to save the Order and the galaxy, but he must touch the dark side to achieve it…and the consequences will be grave indeed.
HOLY HELLS THE HIGH REPUBLIC IS BACK with what looks to be one helluva comic, picking up a very important thread from the end of Phase I: Yoda coming back with what looks to be the answers to their Nameless problem, which we saw he helped suppress information on back in Phase II. Having him have to touch the dark side to achieve this plan will be quite the event, something I know writer Charles Soule will make memorable indeed! Can’t wait to see what else this little miniseries will cover and we might find out at SDCC 2023’s Lucasfilm Publishing panel (which we’ll update this with once we get all the news together)!
Dark Droids #3 (on sale 10/11)
Charles Soule (Writer), Luke Ross (Artist)
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Variant Cover by Mahmud Asrar | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Scourged/Scourged Virgin Variant Covers By Rachael Stott
THE SCOURGE DESCENDS ON MUSTAFAR! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- For the evil intelligence taking over droids across the galaxy, there is no greater prize than THE FORCE.
- And who better to steal it from than a being who is more machine than man…
- …DARTH VADER!
As I mentioned earlier, it’ll be intriguing to see what this issue covers the Vader issue above won’t and vice versa! As for this evil intelligence, we have some better hints on it truly is, as it’s a combination of the Spark Eternal and whatever the heck was in that disc that came out of the Fermata Cage at the end of Hidden Empire. Does it want the Force because of the Spark or whatever/whomever made the disc? And how close will the Scourge come to getting it after this issue? I’m more and more intrigued by this crossover, which starts in less than a month as of this publishing, so we’ll see soon enough if it can truly win me over!
Star Wars #39 (on sale 10/18)
Charles Soule (Writer), Madibek Musabekov (Artist)
Cover by Stephen Segovia | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | The Clone Wars 15th Anniversary Rotta Variant Cover by Nabetse Zitro | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Variant Cover by Dustin Nguyen
DROID DEATH TRAP! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- LANDO CALRISSIAN has finally gotten his hands on the ancient droid with the ability to save his old friend LOBOT from certain death.
- But before that can happen, they must escape JABBA THE HUTT’S PALACE on TATOOINE, which is swarming with evil droids hungry…
- …for droid blood!
Star Wars #40 (on sale 11/1)
Charles Soule (Writer), Madibek Musabekov (Artist)
Cover by Stephen Segovia | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Life Day Variant Cover by Mike Del Mundo | Variant Cover by Rod Reis
DROID DISASTER! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- The worst has happened.
- LOBOT, one of the greatest heroes the REBEL ALLIANCE has ever known and close friend to semi-reformed scoundrel LANDO CALRISSIAN…is lost.
- Lando returns to the Rebels to ask for their help…
- …but can he convince them he’s not a TRAITOR?
Issue #39 will hit in October but issue #40 was advance solicited from November, so we get a big glimpse into the future of this series and Lando’s struggles in his fight to save Lobot despite the Scourge coming for machines of all shapes and sizes! Lando’s taken a bit of a backseat in Soule’s series, besides in its Top Gun inspired palette cleanser, so having him front and center, alongside Lobot, will take Soule back to where he all started with Star Wars comics. We know Lobot is still not quite free from his implants even after Return of the Jedi, but Lando getting what I assume is the Talky droid back (mentioned in issue #39’s solicit), which freed Lobot momentarily and Lando threw him out the airlock too late, could add another emotional wrinkle to this ever evolving story.
Dark Droids: D-Squad #2 (on sale 10/25)
Marc Guggenheim (Writer), Salva Espín (Artist)
Cover by Aaron Kuder | Chopper Variant Cover by Tom Reilly | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher
THE BATTLE OF THE CIRCUITRY! R2 VS. BT! 000 VS. IG-88! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- ARTOO’S adventure across the galaxy to rescue his friend SEE-THREEPIO continues!
- But does Artoo need rescuing himself?
- Guest-starring 000, IG-88 and 4-LOM!
Droid battle royale!! Artoo and Bee Tee have faced off once before, way back in Vader Down, so a rematch was always in order once these two astromech heavy-weights found themselves in close proximity to one another. But Triple-Zero and IG-88, two murder friendly droids?! Now that’s going to be a fight I can’t quite predict an outcome to and I can’t wait to see how these two duke it out. Beyond all that, I love that this series is focusing on Artoo’s efforts to save Threepio, as while it’s what he’s always usually doing, this is his most fraught mission yet.
Doctor Aphra #37 (on sale 10/25)
Alyssa Wong (Writer), Minkyu Jung (Artist)
Cover by Inhyuk Lee | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | The Clone Wars 15th Anniversary Darth Maul Variant Cover by Nabetse Zitro | Variant Cover by Annie Wu
THE SHIP IS ALIVE!! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- DOCTOR APHRA and DOMINA TAGGE fight for their lives aboard a battleship that anticipates their every move!
- Meanwhile, MAGNA TOLVAN faces horrors that will change her forever!
I. CANNOT. HANDLE. THE. MAIN. COVER. WHAT is Magna Tolvan doing back there, all gremlin-like, as if she’s been taken over by the Scourge?! Did it get into her electro-tattoos? The stuff on her neck? And what type of changes are coming to Magna which will last…forever?! I am not ready for whatever emotional heartbreak we readers and Chelli Aphra are in for! Also, the idea of a ship being alive, at least in this context and not in its Legends way, could be a lot of scary fun!! But still…this has too much emotional trauma potential, I’m okay with waiting for this one.
Obi-Wan Kenobi #2 (on sale 10/18)
Jody Houser (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by E.M. Gist | Variant Cover by Rahzzah
MISSION: SAVE YOUNG LEIA ORGANA!
- THE INQUISITORS are on the hunt for JEDI…
- On a dangerous crime-ridden world, OBI-WAN becomes a target.
- Can Obi-Wan save PRINCESS LEIA without THE EMPIRE realizing he’s alive?
Haja! Leia calling Obi-Wan old! Obi-Wan goes Breaking Bad! Reva seemingly kills WHICH Inquisitor?! Yup, this issue covers “Part II” of the series.
The Mandalorian Season 2 #5 (on sale 10/11)
Rodney Barnes (Writer), Steven Cummings (Artist)
Cover by Walter Simonson | Variant Cover by David Marquez | Variant/Virgin Variant Cover by Rahzzah | Concept Art Variant Cover Also Available
THE JEDI!
- THE MANDALORIAN journeys to a world ruled by a cruel magistrate who has made a powerful enemy.
- Featuring JEDI MASTER AHSOKA!
The second season adaptation reaches a much-discussed episode which set the stage for Ahsoka’s live-action series.
DARK HORSE
Will update once they release!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.