These are uncertain and often frightening times and I want to take a moment before we hop into the future of June’s Star Wars comics to wish everyone well and hope everyone is taking the necessary precautions to stay safe. One of the few certainties left are the release of both the solicitations for upcoming comics and the continued release of comics as well, and today we have a look at June’s coming stories, as Doctor Aphra fights for her life against an ancient curse (so a normal Wednesday), Vader’s efforts to uncover who hid Padmé from him takes him to unexpected places, Boba Fett and Valance do battle, and more!
UPDATE 5/2/20: Diamond comics stopped shipping product in April, but it will resume shipping in late May, with a far reduced schedule for all comics, including Star Wars comics. The only new issue out in June will be Bounty Hunters #3, originally scheduled for April. You can still look at would’ve been below, but we’ll have any and all new solicitations on the Manor once they’re released!
MARVEL
Doctor Aphra #4 (on sale 6/10)
Alyssa Wong (Writer), Marika Cresta (Artist)
Cover by Valentina Remenar | Variant Cover by Tula Lotay
RING OF FIRE!
- Trapped and betrayed, DOCTOR APHRA fights to escape the cursed city of VAALE before madness overcomes her!
- Meanwhile, RONEN TAGGE’s sinister plan for the RINGS OF VAALE approaches fruition.
- Will Aphra be able to thwart him in time?
While this might sound like a normal Wednesday for Aphra, it sounds like an unforgettable blast for us readers at home! We are just two weeks away from the relaunch of the Aphra series as of this writing and every solicit makes the wait that much harder! Her cameo in Bounty Hunters #1, despite some continuity issues, was barely enough to help with the wait. As this opening arc continues to sound more and more like an Indiana Jones film/Uncharted video game, I hope the rest of the relaunch can stay that way, keeping the greater Rebellion/Empire conflict out of its scopes as long as possible.
Curiously, this cover has been modified since we first originally saw it in the relaunch announcement a while back. Beyond the glow around the item she holds and black gloves instead of white, Aphra originally held a red diamond in her fingers, now it’s a ring…mayhaps one of the “rings” of Vaale?
Star Wars #7 (on sale 6/24)
Charles Soule (Writer), Jesús Saiz (Artist)
Cover by Carlo Pagulayan | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Variant Cover by Aaron Kuder
SHE WILL HAVE REVENGE!
- COMMANDER ELLIAN ZAHRA has been tasked by the terrifying DARTH VADER with the job of tracking down the remnants of the REBEL FLEET, scattered since the BATTLE OF HOTH.
- From the bridge of her flagship the TARKIN’S WILL, she hunts the galaxy, eradicating all resistance, her secret goal to destroy LEIA ORGANA.
- But why such hate for the PRINCESS OF ALDERAAN? The truth…will be REVEALED!
Zahra has already been a compelling, smart villain, and I’ve definitely been curious about her hatred of Leia since issue #3, though the hints seem to point towards the figure looming over their standoff in the cover. As Luke heads in a direction I’m eager to see unfold in the most recent issues, this is a story I’m also excited to see later this year.
Darth Vader #5 (on sale 6/17)
Greg Pak (Writer), Raffaele Ienco (Artist)
Cover by Inhyuk Lee | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover By Chris Sprouse
A QUEST FOR TRUTH…A JOURNEY OF DESTRUCTION!
- DARTH VADER’S search for revenge against those who hid his son Luke reaches a terrible climax – at the tomb of PADMÉ AMIDALA!
- What secrets does he learn? And who will pay as a result?
- All the answers are coming – in the ruins of POLIS MASSA – the birthplace of Luke Skywalker!
Two issues in and somehow they really made another Darth Vader volume feel worth it and where this story ends up going will likely only solidify it. As for what secrets Vader learns, as it’s very clear he doesn’t really know about Leia until his battle with Luke aboard the second Death Star, I bet in my review of issue #2 he learns how Padmé died, either debunking or finally confirming theories around since 2005 (like say it was Palpatine who stole her life force to help Vader live).
Regardless of what comes, this cover is damn amazing and I’m just going to enjoy it and worship it for now.
Bounty Hunters #5 (on sale 6/3)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Lee Bermejo | Empire Strikes Back Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
BATTLE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS!
- Only one man can stop BOBA FETT from executing his long sought vengeance. But can VALANCE survive the battle of the two greatest bounty hunters of their age?
- Why did NAKANO LASH betray her team during their doomed mission to CORELLIA?
- The answer could ignite an all-out crime war across the underworld and change Valance’s life forever.
The first issue recently came out and I found it better than expected, which if you’ve been following the Manor for your Star Wars comics solicitations, then you’d likely know I wasn’t too thrilled about the series. I’m still neutral about Valance, so the final bit of the solicit doesn’t perk my interest, though Lash’s secret finally revealed (what the one woman killed that caused Lash to kill her) will be something I’m actually eager to see.
The Rise of Skywalker Adaptation #1 (on sale 6/3)
Jody Houser (Writer), Will Sliney (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by Brian Stelfreeze | Variant Cover by Jodie Muir | Movie Variant Cover Also Available
INCLUDES UNREVEALED STORY!
FROM BEYOND THE OUTER RIM, AN OLD ENEMY RETURNS! REY and the RESISTANCE set out on a desperate quest to stop the threat of the FINAL ORDER! Can they succeed where Jedi Master LUKE SKYWALKER himself failed? And what is KYLO REN’S real goal in partnering with the resurrected PALPATINE? Jody Houser (TIE FIGHTER) and Will Sliney (THE RISE OF KYLO REN) adapt the landmark Skywalker saga, featuring extended and deleted scenes!
As I said in the original announcement of this comic adaptation, it seems extremely weird the entire end of the Skywalker Saga only gets 5 issues, with expanded content, when Solo: A Star Wars Story got 7 whole issues with expanded content. There’s a great team behind this but, having already read about half of the novelization, I can’t imagine much reason to dive into this comic as well, unless you really loved the film or you want to see an expanded scene from the book visualized since there isn’t any deleted scenes included with the film.
IDW
Star Wars Adventures #2 (Vol. 2)
Michael Moreci (Writer), Ilias Kyriazis, Megan Levens (Artists)
Cover A by Francesco Francavilla | Cover B by Megan Levens
Between the events of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, Poe and Finn have taken Rey to a remote planet to continue her Jedi training. But they’re surprised to find that the First Order’s reach extends far and wide.
No messing up on this solicit, unlike last month’s, as the message is clear it’ll take place between the final two sequel trilogy films. Curious why Rose couldn’t come along, but I can’t wait to see what these three get into!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
2020 Comic Solicitations: January | February | March | April | May