Since I never celebrated Valentine’s Day outside of like grade school when we all had to, February hasn’t usually had anything big for me to concern myself with, but since it’s my wife’s birthday month, there’s always plenty to do now and love…just like all these Star Wars comics in February 2023’s solicitations! February signals the start of Sana Starros’ long overdue and much anticipated solo series, Qi’ra’s next big move plays out in Hidden Empire, the Battle of Jedha comes to High Republic comics, we’ll get to see Yoda and Dooku working together, Doctor Aphra makes her latest attempt to free herself of the Spark Eternal, and so much more! It’s a really packed month so I better get gifts for the wife early before I get caught up in all of these!
I’ll talk about this in each comics’ solicit, but it certainly seems like this era of Star Wars comics could be heading to an end point after reading these, as many of the current arcs are coming to a close and there seems to be a big, empty spot for what’s next. I know this era will at least continue until Hidden Empire is done, though it’ll be interesting to see how much clearer the future might after November’s Revelations one-shot. Either way, Marvel’s output seems poised to change up sometime in 2023.
MARVEL
Sana Starros #1 (on sale 02/01)
Justina Ireland (Writer), Pere Perez (Artist)
Cover by Ken Lashley | Variant Cover by Ernanda Souza | Variant Cover by Sara Pichelli
STARRING IN HER FIRST EVER SOLO SERIES!
- Fresh off of a string of disappointments, Sana Starros returns to her family’s ancestral home for some downtime.
- But family time is far from relaxing for a scoundrel and her family of ne’er do wells, especially when Stormtroopers crash dinner…
It’s hard to imagine Sana Starros taking downtime, but if it means we get to meet more of the Starros clan and maybe get a glimpse of some of her ancestors at her ancestral home (Ireland has written Avon and Ghirra Starros during the High Republic), I am so here for it! It’s fun to think we’ll see how the Starros family is outside of Sana and I look forward to those dynamics, as while I love her and Aphra in each other’s orbits, this will give us more sides to the character and I’m always down for that. Also, I’m very curious when this will be set…after the current events in the Aphra comic or a little in the past, as the string of disappointments either hints bad things for the rescue of Aphra or at some undefined time in her past. Either answer means we have a Sana Starros comic so I’m game for whatever!
Hidden Empire #3 (02/8)
Charles Soule (Writer), Steven Cummings (Artist)
Cover by Paulo Siqueira | Connecting Variant Cover by Steven Cummings | Travel Variant Cover by David Lopez | Battle Variant Cover by Declan Shalvey| Video Game Design Variant Cover by Dom Estephane
- All of Lady Qi’ra’s plans to destroy the Sith hang in the balance, but she is not alone in her desire to destroy the Dark Lords.
- Witness a battle decades in the making, as Darth Vader faces off against an adversary who has spent her entire life training for this one, final shot at revenge.
Fresh off the preview for the first issue of the Hidden Empire series, which is out next week as of this writing, I’m getting really hyped to see this grand finale to Soule’s plans for Qi’ra. It feels appropriately big already and the solicit here looks to promise a bigger battle between Vader and Qi’ra than the one we got in War of the Bounty Hunters, which with this creative team, should look spectacular whatever happens.
Darth Vader #31 (on sale 2/8)
Greg Pak (Writer), Ibraim Roberson (Artist)
Cover by Rahzzah | Variant Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
THE TAMBOR GAMBIT!
- The Dark Lord finally comes face-to-face with Skakoan revolutionary Jul Tambor – and Sabé finally must pick sides! Is Jul just another selfish, revenge-driven monster? Or is he a freedom fighter who desperately cares about his people? Or both?
- And is Vader more interested in crushing Jul – or completing the co-option of the Handmaidens of Padmé Amidala?
The most recent issue as of this publishing brings Jul to Vader’s attention plus brought back all the surviving handmaidens since their disappearance after the initial arc. This series certainly hasn’t always been the most coherent in tone or purpose, but when Sabé is involved, the core dynamic between her and Vader has been interesting enough to keep me coming back. Beyond Sabé and the handmaiden stuff, I’m not sure where else this series can go after this arc, and I’m curious how much longer it’ll be around, but if Hidden Empire isn’t quite over yet, then I guarantee we’ll have this and other pre-Return of the Jedi stories until that gets to its big conclusion.
The High Republic #5 – Phase 2 (on sale 2/8)
Cavan Scott (Writer), Andrea Broccardo (Artist)
Cover by Yanick Paquette | Variant Cover by Bengal | Variant Cover by Todd Nauck
THE BATTLE OF JEDHA HAS BEGUN!
- As the Herald of the Open Hand stokes the fires of Jedha, Vildar Mac and Matty Cathley are overcome by uncontrollable fear.
- Tey Sirrek is a prisoner of the Guardians of the Whills. Can he use the chaos to escape?
- And who are the mysterious strangers ransacking the Temple of the Kyber? Is nowhere safe?
It’s hard to believe the Battle of Jedha will take over this series by issue #4, but at least it seems despite the bigger events unfolding in the audiobook version of the battle, Vildar, Matty, and Tey’s exploration of who’s stealing Force artifacts will at least seem to stay a focus. And after issue #2, where the characters come into focus, we’re lucky it looks to continue. The audiobook might release in January, but its scriptbook will be out 2/14 so if audiobooks aren’t your thing, you’ll be able to catch up on the larger events then!
Star Wars #31 (on sale 2/15)
Charles Soule (Writer), Andrés Genolet (Artist)
Cover by Stephen Segovia | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Variant Cover by Caspar Wijngaard
Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and an elite crew of Rebel heroes are lost in the farthest reaches of No-Space after a mission gone wrong. A desperate maneuver is their only chance to find a way home – but what will it cost them?
In the most recent issue as of this publishing, Luke, Leia, Lando, Amilyn, and Chewbacca all find themselves in the Nihil’s long lost headquarters, No-Space, so it’s neat to see this arc and how they get out will be at least a few issues. But knowing all of them live past this moment…I can’t quite imagine what it’ll cost them, but I’m intrigued to find out. Either way, it feels similar to the Vader series as I’m beginning to wonder what could be next for this…maybe we’ll have a better idea in November’s Revelations one-shot or the ending of this comic era could be announced by the time we read this issue. We’ll see!
Bounty Hunters #31 (on sale 2/15)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli | Variant Cover by Marc Laming | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
THE SHOCKING CONCLUSION TO THE BATTLE ON BESTINE!
- Valance is out for revenge against Darth Vader!
- Can T’onga and her team save their fellow bounty hunter from a fatal confrontation?
- And will Vukorah survive the assassins throwing the underworld into chaos?
Speaking of recent issues, Bounty Hunters‘ latest ended with Valance and T’onga on a collision course at Bestine, where it looks like the Imperial veil will be pulled back from Valance’s cybernetic eyeballs and he can finally get back to maybe, eventually, sacrificing himself to save some of the rebellion again or something.
Doctor Aphra #29 (2/22)
Alyssa Wong (Writer), Minkyu Jung (Artist)
Cover by W. Scott Forbes | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
TO THE BONE.
- The SPARK ETERNAL sets its sights on CRIMSON DAWN!
- As SANA STARROS and MAGNA TOLVAN race to intercept it, will DOCTOR APHRA’S most desperate gambit pay off?
- Or will she be lost to the SPARK ETERNAL forever?
The Spark Eternal Saga continues and, considering it’s been some of the best Aphra content yet, I’m glad to see it’s consuming so much of the Alyssa Wong’s run so far. Inside her own mind, Aphra’s been forced to confront her past here and there, but also begin to potentially help a leader of an ancient cult work through their own issues too, maybe helping herself in the process. The delightful, hilarious, and scary murderbots are back. And Magna and Sana work together to save their problematic ex. What more could you want?!
Yoda #4 (on sale 2/22)
Jody Houser (Writer), Luke Ross (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by Nick Bradshaw | Variant Cover by Rachael Stott
- Years before the Clone Wars, Yoda asks an old friend to come teach the next generation of Jedi alongside him – Master Dooku.
- And with mysterious visions haunting one of his students, Master Yoda will need all the help he can get…
The Yoda maxiseries continues, but Cavan Scott’s time on the series is over and Jody Houser begins her story arc for the diminutive Jedi Master! And she gets to start with quite the intriguing tale, one which sees Count Dooku and Yoda reunited!! We’ve gotten small glimpses of their time together in Dooku: Jedi Lost and recently got to spend some time with Dooku as a Jedi still in the Tales of the Jedi, but more time with them is always welcomed and appreciated so I can’t wait to see what Houser has in store for us with her Yoda tale!
The Mandalorian #8 (on sale 2/15)
Rodney Barnes (Writer), Georges Jeanty (Artist)
Cover by Sara Pichelli | Variant Cover by Mahmud Asrar | Variant Cover by Terry Dodson
REDEMPTION!
- The Mandalorian and his allies come to know their true enemy, who already knows much about them.
Check out our review of The Mandalorian “Chapter 8 – Redemption” and here’s our reasoning for not covering this comic adaptation in my review of issue #1.
DARK HORSE
The High Republic Adventures #4 – Phase II (on sale 2/22)
Daniel José Older (Writer), Toni Bruno (Artist)
Cover Art by Harvey Monticillo
Undercover Padawan Sav Malágan and pirate queen Maz Kanata have been working feverishly to uncover the plot of the Dank Graks, but when they finally discover the full extent of the conspiracy, it may already be too late, and the fate of the Republic itself may hang in the balance! Can they save their friends and stop the evil plot in time?
While the Dank Graks were introduced as funny sketches by Older himself, it sounds like they aren’t to be taken lightly, if their plans might put the entire Republic at risk! Considering this is the halfway point for this Phase II version of the series, I’ll be curious if Maz and Sav can save the day here or if it’ll take the remaining issues…or we’ll get a new story for the final four.
The High Republic Adventures – The Nameless Terror #2 (on sale 2/22)
George Mann (Writer), Eduardo Mello, Ornella Savarese (Artists/Cover Artists)
After the attack by the Path of the Open Hand, the Jedi mission to Dalna recuperate aboard the crashed spaceship. But they are far from alone. Stalked by both Path disciples and a Nameless evil, the trapped Jedi knights enact a desperate plan to escape. But how will the defenders of the Republic fare against a monster that feeds off of the Force itself?
Considering how little the Jedi know about the Nameless by the time of Phase I, to the point they’ve faded to legends and creepy nursery rhymes, I can’t imagine this will go well for any of the Jedi of this miniseries. Regardless, maybe we’ll get to see ways the Jedi will eventually use to overcome them in Phase III. Some Jedi have to sink so others can soar, I guess
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.