As always, December is fresh of end of the year fun, from holidays to ringing in the new year, but it’s also about bringing the family together, ruminating on what will the future hold next year, and ending another year. It’s fitting then Dark Droids comes to its conclusion in Star Wars comics for December 2023, while the next Revelations one-shot peers ahead at what’s to come for 2024 (and beyond)! Learn all about what’s in store, including for plenty of High Republic Phase III goodness, with the December Star Wars comics solicitations below!
MARVEL
Star Wars #41 (on sale 12/6)
Charles Soule (Writer), Madibek Musabekov (Artist)
Cover by Stephen Segovia | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Variant Cover by Lee Garbett | Variant Cover by Rod Reis
LANDO LOST! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- With the final mission to rescue LOBOT from the terrors of THE SCOURGE underway, galactic ne’er-do-well LANDO CALRISSIAN must finally reckon with the sins of his past.
- Will he be the SCOUNDREL he’s always been or the HERO he could be?
{This was advanced solicited in November’s release} Lando has come a LONG way from when this series started, but he’s still on the razor’s edge, especially as he starts this personal mission to save Lobot while misleading those around him, on fully joining the Rebellion or not. I’m glad to see it’s still been a focus of Soule’s throughout and making this an important part of this series’ story for the crossover adds extra weight to the impending moment we all know is coming. With Lando, Luke, and Leia on the cover, does that mean Soule’s part in the special one-shot Revelations #1 (2023), solicited below, will center on what’s still to come for this series or maybe even teasing a new one he could be working on?
Dark Droids: D-Squad #4 (on sale 12/6)
Marc Guggenheim (Writer), Salva Espín (Artist)
Cover by Aaron Kuder | Chopper Variant Cover by Tom Reilly | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher
INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT D-SQUAD! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- The D-SQUAD’s mission takes them into the palace of JABBA THE HUTT!
- R2-D2 and QT-KT take on the malevolent torture droid EV-9D9!
- This issue ties directly into DARK DROIDS! Not to be missed!
{This was advanced solicited in November’s release} The new and improved D-Squad infiltrates Jabba’s Palace?! And battles with EV-9D9?! Is Threepio already here or how does this tie into the larger story and Artoo’s quest to save his friend?! And how does no one remember Artoo, or Threepio if he’s here, at the Palace, especially EV?! Can’t wait to find out how this all shakes out.
Bounty Hunters #41 (on sale 12/13)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Davide Tinto (Artist)
Cover by Björn Barends | Variant Cover by Dustin Nguyen
A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- T’ONGA and ZUCKUSS have been BETRAYED…and CAPTURED!
- A mindwiped VALANCE has terrifying plans for his former crewmates.
- But one LAST HOPE for salvation may come from the unlikeliest of allies.
Terrifying plans might not even be the half of it, as we just saw in Bounty Hunters #38, as Valance returned from his surgery a changed….something. I’ll be curious to see who the betrayer is (as my guess in November’s solicits was proven wrong) and who the unlike ally even could be, as Sacks has really kept me invested. Especially if we’ll see Valance make a big sacrifice before all is said and done by issue 50* (*my guess when this era is ending). Regardless, Sacks is writing a short story for the Revelations #1 (2023), so this month could be quite packed when it comes to the lives of these bounty hunters…
The High Republic #2 – Phase III (on sale 12/13)
Cavan Scott (Writer), Jim Towe (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by Rod Reis | Variant Cover by Rachael Stott | Connecting Variant/Virgin Variant Cover by Mico Suayan
AT THE MERCY OF THE HUTTS!
- KEEVE TRENNIS captured! THE NIHIL allying themselves with THE HUTTS! An old foe returned!
- Lines are drawn as past missions come back to haunt the JEDI of STARLIGHT BEACON!
- And all the while, a deadly hunter stalks the battlefield. But who…or what…is THE CHILD OF THE STORM?
Teased back at SDCC this year, this Child of the Storm must be part of the group they told us about called the Children of the Path. Is this a child of Marchion Ro? Children of Marda Ro’s original plans or something to do with whatever Yana get up to after the end of Phase II? Either way, I’m curious if past missions being used to haunt the Jedi means events from Phase II that we’ve seen, or something in Phase I? As we wait for this series and Phase III to start proper, don’t forget to check out the anthology Tales of Light and Life for some big hints on what’s to come…and to spend more time with many favorite characters! Also, Scott will be writing more Keeve in a short story for the Revelations (2023) issue and one has to wonder what it’ll all entail or show!
The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight #3 (on sale 12/13)
Charles Soule (Writer), Jethro Morales (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Spoiler Variant Cover by Ben Harvey | Variant Cover By Bengal
BELL ZETTIFAR: JEDI KNIGHT!
- Many JEDI KNIGHTS were lost in the fall of STARLIGHT BEACON, and many lost their way after the disaster. BELL ZETTIFAR did not.
- With his trusty charhound EMBER at his side, Bell will battle to rid the galaxy of the villainous NIHIL…and they won’t be alone.
- Learn who survived the FALL OF STARLIGHT!
By the time this issue releases, some of the survivors might be known to readers already thanks to Phase III’s opening novel, The Eye of Darkness, releasing in November, which I’m currently reading and definitely won’t confirm or deny what we all learn (helps I haven’t finished). But I will confirm Bell is in this comic and it sounds like fans of both him and Ember won’t be disappointed (me, I am those fans as well)!
Revelations #1 {2023} (on sale 12/20)
Marc Guggenheim, Charles Soule, Greg Pak, Marc Bernardin, Alyssa Wong, & Cavan Scott (Writers), Salvador Larroca, Will Sliney, Marika Cresta, Ibraim Roberson, & More! (Artists)
Cover / Virgin Variant by Rod Reis | Variant Cover by Rafael De Latorre | Variant Cover by Felipe Massafera
FROM THE HIGH REPUBLIC TO THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY AND BEYOND!
- JABBA THE HUTT! DARTH VADER! MACE WINDU! KEEVE TRENNIS, THRAWN AND MORE!
- Introducing new characters, new twists and new turns across all of Marvel’s STAR WARS line!
- This star-studded issue puts the pieces on the board for what’s to come in a galaxy far, far away!
Since its announcement, a post by writer Cavan Scott seems to reveal Revelations #1 (2023) will be a bunch of short stories, though the cover suggests there could be some type of connection between the stories regardless. Connections or not, this is more of what I’d like from a glimpse of the future. Now it remains to be seen what we’ll all see and learn from it! Is the Thrawn story when that fills in some of his time away in the other galaxy or a story set after his eventual return (and hopefully not an adaptation)? What’s up with Mace Windu? Why is Jabba at the center (are they going to make the supposed cancelled Jabba movie from 6 years or so ago into a comic)? What new series are going to be teased here that we don’t know about yet? Who and how many new characters will we meet? And will this finally point us towards leaving this era behind for post-Return of the Jedi stories or stories in more eras? I’m getting more and more excited for this the more I think about it!
Doctor Aphra #39 (on sale 12/20)
Alyssa Wong (Writer), Minkyu Jung (Artist)
Cover by Betsy Cola | Variant Cover by Annie Wu
ABOVE ALL! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- The SCOURGE sets its sights on TAGGE CORPORATION…and DOMINA TAGGE!
- As the ACQUISITOR falls from the sky, DOCTOR APHRA fights for survival…
- …against an entity that threatens to consume everything she loves! (Including herself!)
Aphra and Domina’s recent…agreement has sent a spark through the Aphra fandom, and knowing the Tagge leader is going to be in trouble next only seems to add to Aphra’s growing list of lovers who have terrible things happen to them. And by saying the ship plummeting to its destruction consumes everything she loves, are Sana Starros and a saved Magna Tolvan on board as well?! Seriously not ready for any of this, at ALL, yet I can’t wait to read it. Wong is one of the other writers contributing a short story to the Revelations (2023) issue, so will it be Aphra related or something else?!?
Darth Vader #41 (on sale 12/20)
Greg Pak (Writer), Raffaele Ienco (Artist)
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Variant Cover by Björn Barends | Variant Cover by Marc Laming
MORE MACHINE THAN MAN! – A DARK DROIDS TIE-IN!
- DARTH VADER has been taken over by THE SCOURGE!
- Or has THE SCOURGE been taken over by DARTH VADER?
- The Dark Lord’s journey in the DARK DROIDS saga reaches its climax with a shocking twist that digs deep into Vader’s very identity and future!
Vader consumed by the Scourge…or maybe not! Should be quite something with how this team will show what is likely to be a psychological battle for what remains of Vader’s body, though I am more interested in learning about this “shocking twist.” What twist could they pull off here? What are they intended to do? This solicit did its job and has left me wanting to know more. Pak is the another author writing a story in Revelations (2023), and with Vader on said issue’s cover, I can only guess it’ll be more of what’s to come for the Sith Lord in this series.
Dark Droids #5 (on sale 12/27)
Charles Soule (Writer), Luke Ross (Artist)
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Variant Cover by Declan Shalvey | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Scourged Variant/Virgin Variant Cover by Rachael Stott | Variant Cover by Ken Lashley
THE TERRIFYING CONCLUSION OF THE BIGGEST STAR WARS COMIC EVENT OF THE YEAR!
- The final triumph of THE SCOURGE!
- How can THE REBELLION & THE EMPIRE combat such a threat?
- UNLIKELY ALLIES join forces to fight the greater evil invading the galaxy!
- And what is the final fate of warrior droid Ajax Sigma?
Well, I know the Scourge is defeated, somehow/way, by the close of this issue, but I honestly don’t quite know how they’ll do it and I’m eager to see it all unfold regardless, so the first two issues have really done a good job of building a unique, creepy, and interesting story for the comics. As for having the horror event of the year to end around the cheery holidays, consider it like The Nightmare Before Christmas, and since the heroes have to come out on top, there is a happy ending in there, somewhere! Otherwise, I really like this cover, as it makes it look like the situation is all but impossible for our heroes to overcome, while the Scourge’s form is quite cool/something I’d love an action for, and it’s just neat to see all these characters together on the cover.
The Mandalorian Season 2 #7 (on sale 12/27)
Rodney Barnes (Writer), Georges Jeanty (Artist)
Cover by Miguel Mercado | Variant Cover by Kael Ngu | Variant Cover by Stephanie Hans | Concept Art Variant Cover Also Available
THE BELIEVER!
- To move against THE EMPIRE, THE MANDALORIAN needs the help of an old enemy.
- The stage is set with BOBA FETT and FENNEC SHAND as MIGS MAYFELD returns!
Check out our review of “The Believer!”
DARK HORSE
The High Republic Adventures #1 – Phase III (on sale 12/13)
Daniel José Older (Writer), Harvey Tolibao (Artist)
Cover by Harvey Tolibao
“Out here at the edge of the war… death surrounds us.”
It has been one year since the fall of Starlight. Padawan Lula Talisola and many others are missing and presumed dead. At the Almohaj Cantina, a Republican Outpost on the planet of Eriadu, Zeen mourns… and waits. When an intriguing transmission is received from Tartak Vil, a warlord on the remote moon of Bracront, Zeen, Qort, and a void-contemplating droid named 5A-G3 must venture once more into hyperspace to repair their fractured team and, perhaps, the galaxy.
Doing my best not to hyperventilate!! At this point, Phase III of the High Republic will be in full swing with Older’s on-going beginning, and after such an impactful Phase II iteration, and anticipation through the roof for these characters’ return, there’s a lot of pressure on the team to deliver. Thankfully, one doesn’t have to be worried with this team! Poor, poor Zeen! What happened to Lula after we last saw her that her fate is still unknown a year later? Is she trapped behind the Nihil’s Occlusion Zone? And trapped with Qrix?! Either way, love to see Qort stepping up, Zeen taking the lead alongside him, and can’t wait to meet 5A!
Hyperspace Stories #12 (on sale 12/13)
Cecil Castellucci (Writer), Andrea Mutti (Artist)
Cover by Lucas Marangon
The Battle of Endor as you’ve never seen it before!
It could be the Rebel Alliance’s moment of triumph, or the hour of their final destruction! The heroes of the Rebellion race to destroy the Emperor’s second Death Star, but for engineer Evans Basch, it’s a race just to survive! Assigned a key role in the rebel fleet, it’ll take all of Basch’s skill, and a dash or two of luck, to keep his ships in one piece.
May the Force be with him!
The action comes to an epic conclusion at the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi!
Can’t believe this maxiseries is coming to a close already, as with each issue it’s made a strong case for its take on all-ages stories with a connective tissue linking these all together that makes me hope the team will return with more afterwards. That it all ends here, to line up with Return of the Jedi’s 40th, leaves me very curious considering what we know of the story of the doll and the mysterious gem inside of it.
The High Republic Adventures #2 – Phase III (on sale 1/17/2024) {Advance Solicited}
Daniel José Older (Writer), Harvey Tolibao (Artist)
Cover by Harvey Tolibao
An angry mob of impoverished and destitute refugees have incited a fierce riot outside the mighty fortress on Bracrontas, Zeen, Qort, and 5A-G3 infiltrate the stronghold to face the mysterious warlord Tartak, who may hold the key to finding more survivors of the Fall of Starlight Beacon. But the trio of heroes are sure to find more than they bargained for, as they try to piece together the events of the past year. Could any of their friends have survived the tragedy?
Find out in issue #2 of Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, From Phase III of the High Republic saga. Written by New York Times Bestselling author Daniel José Older, drawn by Harvey Tolibao, colored by Michael Atiyeh, and lettered by Comicraft! Don’t miss it!
Sounds like NO ONE will want to miss this issue, advance solicited, as it could hold the keys to missing characters fans have been eager to learn more about! Is this warlord a character we already know or linked to someone we know? Is it Krix Kamerat in disguise, that little shit?! This series can’t come soon enough!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Bluesky, Twitter @MynockManor, and Instagram @mynockmanor.