This year’s Star Wars Month already has a bounty of delights on screen, like Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 and Young Jedi Adventures, and it seems like the comics will bring the party as well. There’s everything from Luke Skywalker searching for kyber…while also spending some time with Doctor Aphra again, Sana Starros squaring off with her brother, Inferno Squad shaking up the Bounty Hunters series, and the finale to The High Republic’s Phase II!! So get ready for another memorable May the Fourth…all month long with these May 2023 Star Wars comic solicitations.
MARVEL
Star Wars #34 (on sale 5/3)
Charles Soule (Writer), Madibek Musabekov (Artist)
Cover by Stephen Segovia | Action Figure Variant Cover by John Tyler Christopher | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Solo Movie 5th Anniversary Variant: Han Solo & Chewbacca by Leinil Francis Yu
THE BROKEN SABER OF SKYWALKER!
- LUKE SKYWALKER searches for one of the rarest substances in the galaxy…KYBER- the living crystal that powers LIGHTSABERS!
- Does it hold the answer to the unpredictable thing the Force has become (see HIDDEN EMPIRE #5!)?
- What long-lost secret is he about to uncover?
May’s solicits both give me the feeling we’re closing in on the end of this era…but also that we might have more to go than we ever realized. This solicit is one that makes me feel like Return of the Jedi is close, if Luke’s looking for a kyber crystal to make his own lightsaber, and I love the idea the final image of this comic could be the deleted scene of him building it in RotJ! Beyond that, the Force being affected so wildly by the events of Hidden Empire is an intriguing thought and, while we know it’ll be rectified, could fuel some interesting stories.
Sana Starros #4 (on sale 5/31)
Justina Ireland (Writer), Pere Pérez (Artist)
Cover by Ken Lashley | Variant Cover by Ema Lupacchino | Solo Movie 5th Anniversary Variant by Leinil Francis Yu
DANGEROUS SIBLING RIVALRY!
- SANA must take on her brother PHEL or all is lost!
- But will it be DEVA LOMPOP who destroys the Starros family?
There were hints things were not good between Sana and her twin brother Phel in issue #1, but I wasn’t expecting her to take to fight him like Luke did his father! It’s not surprising it might come to blows, as Sana is notorious for holding grudges to an unhealthy amount, but against even her own brother? I have a feeling she’ll be able to forgive him and save the Starros family from Deva…maybe with him at her side if they decide to team up and fight the bigger fight. Either way, very invested in where this miniseries is going!
The High Republic #9 – Phase 2 (on sale 5/10)
Cavan Scott (Writer), Ario Anindito (Artist)
Cover by Rafael De Latorre | Variant Cover by David Aja | Variant Cover by Natacha Bustos
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE!
- Vildar Mac has been haunted all his life.
- Now, as the Leveler is unleashed, the Jedi Knight faces a terrible decision – resist the lure of the dark side or become what he fears the most to survive.
- Will TEY SIRREK pay the ultimate price for Vildar’s choice?
Penultimate issue of The High Republic – Phase II sounds like complete 180° from how the series has been, as while I know things are dark with the battle of Jedha, this is going to whole different level….yes, sort of a Leveler pun, I couldn’t resist.
The High Republic #10 – Phase 2 (on sale 5/24)
Cavan Scott (Writer), Ario Anindito (Artist)
Cover by Rafael De Latorre | Variant Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Variant Cover by David Lopez
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC PHASE TWO FINALE!
- The LEVELER has been unleashed in a secret Jedi vault on JEDHA.
- Jedi Knight VILDAR MAC has risked everything to defeat the PATH OF THE OPEN HAND, but in the face of tragedy, can he resist the lure of the dark side?
- Jedha’s Battle for the Force reaches its epic conclusion!
Just as I started having hope Vildar seemed to be the voice of reason, this certainly gives me TONS of concern that might not be the case. In a way, I’m okay with that and I like the potential it might not be the happiest of endings…though from this darkness maybe hints on how the Jedi in Phase III can be victorious against the Nameless menace.
Bounty Hunters #34 (on sale 5/17)
Ethan Sacks (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by Ken Lashley | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Solo Movie 5th Anniversary Variant: Enfys Nest by Leinil Francis Yu
INFERNO SQUAD TAKES THE SHOT!
- The BOUNTY HUNTERS must take on the INFERNO SQUAD head-on! This is the final fight of the Bounty Hunters as you know them!
- The fallout will shake the lineup to its core…
- Who STAYS? Who GOES? Who JOINS?
The idea of the Bounty Hunters cast changing as the series goes on has been one I’ve hoped for from the beginning, but after 34 issues, I’ll be sad to see some of them go. So remember how I said some of these solicits either made me believe this era was ending or had far more to go still? This is the one that makes me believe there’s still more in this era than I was expecting/hoping, as a new lineup seems to suggest more story ahead…though I don’t suspect it’ll be another 34 issues, at the very least. But Inferno Squad being the ones to shake up the cast sounds about right…they are supposed to be a deadly squad and this would more than cement that, making their Battlefront II story all the more impressive.
Doctor Aphra #32 (on sale 5/31)
Alyssa Wong (Writer), Minkyu Jung (Artist)
Cover by Junggeun Yoon | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Solo Movie 5th Anniversary Variant: Darth Maul by Leinil Francis Yu
LUKE SKYWALKER: FRIEND OR FOE?
- After the fallout of HIDDEN EMPIRE, DOCTOR APHRA is at a crossroads.
- Who better to help her with that than…LUKE SKYWALKER?!
Last time Luke Skywalker and Chelli Aphra teamed up, they wore some impressive outfits before she tried to sell him to a bug-controlled vampire queen, which still is out there in the galaxy to this day…so what type of shenanigans will they get up to this time?! No matter what it is, it’s going to be a blast to see these two together again so I am appropriately hyped for more of Alyssa Wong’s Aphra! Also…just good to see her alive and mostly well, even if she’s at a crossroads, with the Spark Eternal potentially behind her!
Yoda #7 (on sale 5/3)
Marc Guggenheim (Writer), Alessandro Miracolo (Artist)
Cover by Phil Noto | Variant Cover by Pasqual Ferry | Variant Cover by Todd Nauck | Solo Movie 5th Anniversary Variant: Lando by Leinil Francis Yu
YODA VS. GENERAL GRIEVOUS…TO THE DEATH!
- The start of a new arc set during the tumultuous CLONE WARS!
- The Separatists have a powerful new weapon that can change the course of the war!
- Can Yoda and Anakin Skywalker discover the secret of the weapon in time?
This is not where I was expecting the final arc of the Yoda maxiseries to go, though I’m not sure I had a guess, but I am quite intrigued. Yoda potentially fighting Grievous? Neat visual for an artist to bring to life! Otherwise, Anakin and Yoda haven’t had tons of screen time together, but when they’ve had it’s led to some fun things, so I’ll be curious how their time in this comic will equate to a lesson Yoda’s remembering as he awaits Anakin’s son on Dagobah.
Darth Vader #34 (on sale 5/10)
Greg Pak (Writer), Adam Gorham (Artist)
Cover by Leinil Francis Yu | Variant Cover by Raffaele Ienco | Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse | Solo Movie 5th Anniversary Variant: Dryden Vos by Leinil Francis Yu
UNBOUND FORCE – Part TWO!According to the JEDI, fear leads to anger, and anger leads to hate. But does hate lead to suffering…or power? As DARTH VADER’S Force abilities spiral out of control, his lieutenant Sabé is caught in the maelstrom – and finally must confront the horrifying consequences of her choice to serve him. Will she choose darkness over light?
Return of the Jedi – Lando #1 (on sale 5/3)
Stephanie Phillips (Writer), Alvaro López (Artists)
Cover & Virgin Variant Cover by Ryan Brown | Connecting Variant Cover by Lee Garbett | Variant Cover by Rahzzah | Variant Cover by Briian Stelfreeze | Variant Cover by Tyler Kirkham
LANDO AND CHEWIE ANTE UP TO SAVE THE GALAXY!When Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca find themselves on a perilous mission to steal from Jabba himself, a dangerous figure from Lando’s past threatens their plans and their lives. Chewie finds that putting his trust in Calrissian is a gamble that just might pay off, as Lando calls on his skills as a smuggler to make it out alive. Part of a series of one-shots celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Return of the Jedi, this story by Stephanie Phillips (COSMIC GHOST RIDER, ROGUE & GAMBIT) and Álvaro López (CAPTAIN MARVEL) bring you a new, high-stakes adventure with some of Star Wars’ most beloved characters.
The Ewoks concept for the last Return of the Jedi anniversary one-shot sounds like a blast, while this should be quite the ride! Lando and Chewie smuggling and gambling?! Sign me up!
Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #2 (on sale 5/??)
Jason Aaron, David Pepose & More! (Writers), Leonard Kirk & More! (Artists)
Cover by Adam Kubert | Variant Cover by Declan Shalvey | Variant Cover by Salvador Larroca
JASON AARON CONTINUES HIS RETURN TO THE GREATEST VILLAIN IN THE GALAXY!
- Along with artist LEONARD KIRK, these two titans of comics tell a tale of horror and intrigue!
- PLUS, David Pepose make his STAR WARS debut!
The vagueness of this solicit means my initial reluctant interest in this series is waning, but I have to hold out my opinion until it’s actually out. The fact we aren’t featuring more marginalized creatives is another mark in the negative for the 100th Vader comic we have to deal with, though at least the first issue of this has a few.
DARK HORSE
The High Republic Adventures – The Nameless Terror #4 (on sale 5/17)
George Mann (Writer), Eduardo Mello (Artist)
Deep within the ruined spaceship, the secret of the Nameless is finally revealed. Trapped and surrounded by enemies, the Jedi Pathfinders and Path disciples fight desperately to escape the swarm of hungry monsters. New alliances are tested, and in order for our heroes to escape, some will make the ultimate sacrifice.
If this final issue is anything like the fantastic first issue…I am going to really need there to be no more delays so we can get this issue as soon as possible!
The High Republic Adventures #7 (on sale 5/31)
Daniel José Older (Writer), Toni Bruno (Artist)
Cover by Harvey Tolibao
While Jeddha burns, Arkik Von’s plot to usurp Maz Kanata races towards its terrible conclusion. As the galaxy seems bent on descending into chaos, Sav Malagán must make a difficult choice; return to the Jedi and learn the ways of the Force, or stay and fight beside her new friends?
To this solicitations final question I respond: why not both?! I feel like Sav will find a way to easily balance both, as we all already know where her future takes her for now. Can’t believe between all these finales or penultimate issues for Phase II of The High Republic are going to all be here by May.
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.