December might usually be cold depending on where you live, like here in Wisconsin for me, but it’s usually full of cheer as the holidays are here. Things might be a little different this year, unfortunately, but you can at least count on some great tales in the galaxy far, far away thanks to Star Wars comics! December’s short but sweet list of comics looks to bring the chaotic year to a fun close, from a raid on an Imperial Museum on Coruscant, Doctor Aphra and Sana Starros stuck together again (it’s been moved to January), Wookiee Life Day celebrations, and Darth Vader facing down a creepy, unused concept for The Rise of Skywalker. Head below for all the details!
MARVEL
Star Wars #9 (on sale 12/09)
Charles Soule (Writer), Jan Bazaldua (Artist)
Cover by Carlo Pagulayan | Variant Cover by Michael Golden | Action Figure Variant by John Tyler Christopher | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
“OPERATION STARLIGHT” BEGINS, AS THE REBEL PATHFINDERS UNDERTAKE A DESPERATE MISSION TO THE IMPERIAL CORE.
- In the Imperial Museum on CORUSCANT, an ancient droid holds the key to salvation of the REBEL ALLIANCE.
- The Rebels’ elite operations team, the PATHFINDERS, must pull off a daring heist right under the nose of the EMPEROR himself, with LANDO and LOBOT along for the ride!
For this arc of the Star Wars mainline series, it seems like were focusing on a different group each issue, as issue #8 is supposed to have the greatest dogfight in the comics ever, and now the elite Pathfinders have a dangerous mission of their own. And hot Mustafar, does it sound like a fun one! As for this ancient droid, considering Charles Soule’s role in January’s The High Republic publishing program (he’s both an architect and writing its opening novel!) could this ancient droid be some type of reference to the era, as “Operation Starlight” already is thanks to that era’s Outer Rim beacon station? I’m going to bet my VCX-100 on it. I’m also glad Lando, and the recently liberated Lobot, get to tag along, as they should provide some extra humor and fun to the situation. I’m curious to see what Easter Eggs will be hiding in the museum! And it seems like this latest issue comes with a new artist, which is a little surprising since that means Roman Rosanas only gets two issues, but such is the way with artist teams sometimes. Regardless, this week’s issue is a strong showcase of why you should be reading the latest volume of the SW series, as issue #6 connected the past, present, and future in very surprising and ingenious ways.
Darth Vader #8 (on sale 12/16)
Greg Pak (Writer), Raffaele Ienco (Artist)
Cover by Aaron Kuder | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Concept Design Variant Cover by Raffaele Ienco
INTO THE FIRE!
- Hungry for vengeance after his brutal punishment at the hands of THE EMPEROR, can DARTH VADER uncover his master’s secrets in the depths of MUSTAFAR?
- Stripped of his greatest weapons, can the dark lord survive the fire and the EYE?
- Or will he be overcome as the EYE turns Vader’s every question back to his own terrible secrets?
See that creepy, strange creature-thing on the concept design cover by series artist Raffaele Ienco? It’s actually from a scene which didn’t make it into The Rise of Skywalker, as Kylo Ren has to face it after the Mustafarians protecting the bog where the Eye lives, so he can gain access to the Wayfinder to Exegol (phew, what a sentence). While the scene isn’t in the film, it’s actually in the novelization and now it’s gaining new life as we’ll get to learn how Vader gains power over the Eye to eventually stash the Wayfinder, plus how Vader even learns about Exegol and his Master’s connection to it. And here the solicit for November’s issue seemed to hint the Episode IX tie-in would simply be Ochi, the Sith Assassin, but instead it goes far deeper and more complex!
Bounty Hunters #8 (on sale 12/16)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Paolo Villanelli | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
A DEADLY FAVOR!
- To pay back a debt, VALANCE undertakes a rescue mission to save the crew of a crippled REBEL transport.
- That dangerous job will take the bounty hunter deep into the heart of the pirate-infested space in THE OUTER RIM.
- But lying in wait is both an old enemy…and a new threat!
Please see my review of issue #4 of the series for my policy on Bounty Hunters. I’m not sure this series will be able to ever overcome that moment, especially after what the solicit from November was hinting at.
IDW
Star Wars Adventures: Smuggler’s Run #1 (on sale 12/23)
After the Battle of Yavin, Han Solo and Chewbacca intend to use their reward to settle their debts. But Princess Leia asks them to accept a secret mission for the Resistance. Mortal dangers, traitorous enemies, and thorny situations mark the path of these two heroes of the Star Wars saga.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because this will adapt Rucka’s 2015 novel, Smuggler’s Run. It’s a fun, quick little adventure that’s perfect for Star Wars Adventures and comics, as this was already done by Panini comics in Germany, so this looks to be the English-version of that adaptation! Weapon of a Jedi, a book in the same series that was part of the lead-up to The Force Awakens, was also previously adapted so maybe this means we’ll be seeing it soon too!
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.
2020 Comic Solicitations: June/July | August | September | October | November