March’s Star Wars comics in 2022 sadly take a break from the High Republic era, as its first Phase ends earlier in the year, and goes all in on its post-The Empire Strikes Back push, as Qi’ra’s galaxy-brain plans explore her operatives’ pasts, the Rebellion Fleet reunion enters its final leg, Aphra returns to her…university, maybe, and so much more. Plus, March sees the start of a new series, Han Solo & Chewbacca, which promises a final page reveal you won’t want to miss…so I break down some options below. Check it all out!
MARVEL
Crimson Reign #3 (on sale 3/9)
Charles Soule (Writer), Steven Cummings (Artist)
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Sabacc Card Variant Cover by David Lopez | Knights of Ren Variant Cover by Rahzzah | Warriors of Dawn Variant Cover by Valerio Giangiordano | Enemies of Dawn Variant Cover by Clayton Crain | Syndicate Variant Cover by Khoi Pham | Connecting Variant Cover by Ario Anindito
ODYSSEY OF THE ARCHIVIST!
- LADY QI’RA’S ultimate plan to reshape the galaxy continues as we focus on one of her most key operatives – the mysterious SAVA MADELIN SUN, former expert in the DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE, now known only as THE ARCHIVIST.
- Qi’ra has given this woman a crucial task and put all the resources of CRIMSON DAWN at her disposal. The Archivist’s search will find answers to mysteries at the very heart of the EMPIRE’S formation…
- …and the ultimate fall of THE JEDI ORDER.
With Crimson Reign just starting in December, the scope of Qi’ra’s plan to strike at the heart of the Empire itself, taking out the Sith that rule all, is only just taking shape. One of her many intriguing operatives is the mysterious Archivist, who in the series’ framing story is telling the tale of Qi’ra’s plan, and now with this solicit we learn she was a Sava, one of the galaxy’s take on academics. She’s a new character, as far as I can tell, so who and what was Madelin Sun before this moment? Why is this Sava now with Qi’ra? And what mysteries will she uncover about events from the prequels?! Very intrigued to see where this issue all goes!
Halcyon Legacy #3 (on sale 3/?)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Will Sliney (Artist) Cover by E.M. Gist
SPY INTRIGUE IN THE CLONE WARS ERA!
- ANAKIN and PADMÉ are in disguise aboard the HALCYON tracking a senator suspected of having separatist ties!
- But their secret mission will put them on a collision course with ASAJJ VENTRESS!
- And, fifty years later, the ship’s crew risks a desperate escape through a deadly solar storm!
The moment this issue was revealed to star Anakin and Padmé on the Halycon, a thousand fans cried out: can I stay in the cabin they did?! While the price for such a stay is still exorbitant, this will be the best way to enjoy their stay vicariously, though if they have to deal with Asajj Ventress, I don’t know any hotel where that’d be worth the stay!
Han Solo & Chewbacca #1 (on sale 3/9)
Marc Guggenheim (Writer), David Messina (Artist)
Cover by Alex Maleev | Variant Cover by Adam Hughes | Variant Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by Declan Shalvey
NEW SERIES – HAN SOLO IS BACK!
But wait! Isn’t HAN still frozen in Carbonite? Yes. But you can’t keep a good smuggler down. Set a few years before Episode IV: A New Hope, Han, his partner, CHEWBACCA and GREEDO, embark on a heist for JABBA THE HUTT. It’s supposed to be an easy job. What could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters, how about a reunion with the very last person Han expected to see? The last page is a jaw-dropper…
Guggenheim teased the last page character reveal would be totally unexpected in his interview about the series’ reveal and this solicit doubles down on hyping up the reveal. Is it Qi’ra, considering it would be someone from his past he never expected to see again? There isn’t anything that says they haven’t met again after Solo, so it would be a big moment to see these two together considering it’s someone from his past he wouldn’t expect to see. Or is it Val, somehow alive after that mission? Or is Enfys Nest, FINALLY bringing the character back from the void?! Or how about one of his parents, as that would be quite the shocker and he definitely wouldn’t expect to see them again? He did mention his dad in Solo…We’ll find out in March 2022!!
Star Wars #22 (on sale 3/30)
Charles Soule (Writer), Ramon Rosanas (Artist)
Cover by Carlos Pagulayan| Variant Cover by Rod Reis
THE DAWN ALLIANCE – PART 1 OF 3 “The Last Division”
- The time has come for THE REBEL ALLIANCE fleet to bring its final lost division home…
- …but to do it, LEIA ORGANA, MON MOTHMA and the other Alliance leaders will need to rely on intelligence provided by the notoriously untrustworthy criminal organization CRIMSON DAWN.
- Meanwhile, Starlight Squadron and a group of rogue PATHFINDERS led by KES DAMERON head out on an unauthorized rescue mission to save one of their own…!
Soule’s time on the Star Wars comic has had the running thread of reuniting the Rebel fleet after Hoth since its very first panel and this arc looks to finally tell the story of how the Alliance finishes the job. Or so we can hope, considering their intel is from Crimson Dawn and Qi’ra’s details likely feed into her motives with taking down the Sith. Elsewhere, we also get to watch the rescue of Shara Bey unfold, which should be quite the operation! Soule’s promised this is all leading to a big moment in issue #25, though it’s not clear if that’s going to be his run’s end or just the start of the next chapter, but I’d bet the latter considering all his plans for Qi’ra across Crimson Reign and then The Hidden Empire later in 2022.
Doctor Aphra #19 (on sale 3/16)
Alyssa Wong (Writer), Minkyu Jung (Artist)
Cover by W. Scott Forbes
ETERNALLY YOURS!
- The trap has been set! DOCTOR APHRA and SANA STARROS are ready to steal the ASCENDANT’S GREATEST TREASURE!
- But their search for the SPARK ETERNAL will lead them somewhere they never expected…
- …back to the place where Aphra’s archaeological adventures began!
Sana and Aphra’s hunt for Ascendant tech sounds like a wild one and feels similar to the opening arc of Alyssa Wong’s work, which is a very good thing, as we dive into some ancient artifacts, creepy cults, and things that sound ominously deadly like this Spark Eternal. But I’ll be really excited to see where exactly this return to Aphra’s past this issue and story will go! Is it to the university of Bar’leth, as the cover sort of suggests considering the younger appearance of Aphra and Sana? And is that new character then the person in the hood from the cliffhanger in issue #16? Very excited for the answers!
Bounty Hunters #21 (on sale 3/16)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
T’ONGA’S BOUNTY HUNTERS FACE THEIR DEADLIEST MISSION YET!
- T’ONGA, BOSSK, TASU LEECH, ZUCKUSS, 4-LOM and LOSHA are plotting to kidnap the leader of a major crime syndicate.
- But is the crew walking into a trap?
- And what is the diabolical DENGAR planning that could jeopardize everything?
Dengar and diabolical in the same sentence? This that even allowed? I’ll be interested to learn why T’onga and her team are after Vukorah, as the cover suggests. Is she resistant to the idea of the clans uniting? Focusing more on this thread and these characters has revived the series a bit for me, though hopefully the thread regarding uniting the syndicates of Corellia doesn’t go on for too much longer.
Darth Vader #21 (on sale 3/23)
Greg Pak (Writer), Raffaele Ienco (Artist) Cover by Paul Renaud
THE RETURN OF THE HANDMAIDEN!
- A figure terrifyingly close to VADER’S dark heart returns — but with a shocking new allegiance that threatens total chaos!
- The band of heroes who have bound themselves to Vader’s cause finally learn the true nature of their new lord.
- And how long can OCHI OF BESTOON keep his desperate secret?
The newest arc got off to a rocky start, with a hapzard introduction to the “band of heroes” working with Vader, but it ended with some big promise: the return of Sabé (again), gracing this wonderful cover as the secrets out! Since she’s teamed with Crimson Dawn now, it’ll be interesting to see what she’s up to this time, while I’m glad they’re finally addressing Ochi’s duplicity (…even if it won’t matter since he’ll still work for the Sith after this).
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.