September’s solicitations for Star Wars comics are in and while it sure seems to be an exciting month, from Vader visiting the place of his birth, Aphra finding herself in the crosshairs of multiple old foes, to plenty of “Hope” dying for the heroes of the Rebellion as the Empire starts to strike back, it’s also a sad month for the comics. Two miniseries, the new Lando and The Last Jedi adaptation, come to an end, but the biggest blow is Poe Dameron‘s adventures coming to a close for good. Head on below for a glimpse at what’s ahead and help you mourn the loss of Poe.
MARVEL
Darth Vader – Dark Lord of the Sith #21 (on sale 9/12)
Charles Soule (Writer), Giuseppe Camuncoli (Artist)
Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli & Elia Bonetti (pictured) | Galactic Icon Variant by Rod Reis
“FORTRESS VADER,” PART 3
• DARTH VADER returns to the place of his birth as he seeks the path to his destiny.
• Echoes from the past reach out to him — both from his own, and from the dark history of the SITH.”
Between the solicts for August and now September, “Fortress Vader” sounds like it’s going to all types of epic. New mission for the Inquisitors, a Jedi making a deal, Vader getting gifts from Palpatine, Vader building his Mustafar fortress…and now a visit to the, “…place of his birth.” I’m assuming this means Sith-ly birth, not his actual birth from his mother, Shmi, an assumption I’m basing off the gorgeous cover and that he’s on Mustafar already. It’s interesting he’ll be visiting where Obi-Wan left him to die, as that’s a scene we’ve seen him replaying over and over again in his head throughout BOTH Vader comic series, like in Darth Vader #24 and most recently in Dark Lord of the Sith #13, but now I’m curious to see how it’ll help him find his destiny, as the solicitation above teases. If you haven’t been reading this series yet, and really you should go back and catch up right now, but jump on in for when this arc starts because if it’s anything like what Charles Soule and the art team have been delivering so far, it’s going to be a damn treat.
Poe Dameron #31 (on sale 9/26)
Charles Soule (Writer), Angel Unzueta (Artist), Arif Prianto (Colors)
Cover by Phil Noto (pictured)
“SERIES FINALE!
• In this final chapter of the POE DAMERON series, we see what may be BLACK SQUADRON’S last mission, as they desperately attempt to find allies for GENERAL LEIA ORGANA’S decimated RESISTANCE.
• It’s been one heck of a ride, but all stories must come to an end.”
As I had been wondering since “The Awakening” arc started, and very recently began guessing, the Poe Dameron series is officially coming to an end with issue #31! It’s sad news, considering this series has provided exciting, fun adventures since it first burst on the scene in 2016, but all good things must come to an end at some point. From issue #29-31, the story will be focusing on the exploits of Black Squadron, sans Poe, as they try to rally allies for the Resistance in off-screen events during The Last Jedi. While the characters and a sense of adventure are two reasons worth reading this series alone, tuning in now could allow you to see whatever little hints writer Soule has been allowed to pepper in for Ep. IX, if any.
Doctor Aphra Annual #2 (on sale 9/5)
Si Spurrier (Writer), Caspar Wijngaard (Artist, Cover Artist {pictured})
Variant Cover by Ashley Witter
“MEET WINLOSS AND NOKK — THE GALAXY’S FOREMOST MONSTER HUNTERS!
• One’s a cyborg with a bad attitude, the other’s a cold-blooded reptile. They’re happily married. They’ve been hired by a mysterious contact to bag an ultra-deadly monster from the heart of an ancient temple.
• N.B.: For “mysterious contact” read DOCTOR APHRA, who — and this will shock you — is definitely up to something.
• N.B.: For “happily married” read THIS IS GOING TO GET MESSY.”
Um, Winloss and Nokk sounds like an incredibly strange and bizarre couple AND I CANNOT WAIT TO MEET THEM. Seriously, this sounds like a whole lot of fun, from ancient temples, deadly monsters, and Aphra of course being up to something. The first Annual looked back at Black Krrsantan’s past, one of Aphra’s co-workers, so to speak, who has since gone on to bigger and deadlier things for the time being, so I’m happy this one will both introduce us to new characters AND reveal some of Aphra’s other misadventures.
Doctor Aphra #24 (on sale 9/26)
Simon “Si” Spurrier (Writer), Kev Walker (Artist)
Cover by Ashley Witter (pictured) | Galactic Icon Variant by Rod Reis
“OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, INTO THE HEAT-DEATH OF A PLANET-KILLING METEOR STRIKE!
• Swindling, backstabbing and even occasionally feeling bad about it, all of DOCTOR APHRA’s attempts to escape her prison-world have failed.
• But…wait — here comes an Imperial shuttle. Could this be salvation?
• [life support breathing sounds]”
Those life support breathing sounds might actually be the ones from my hospital room after seeing the cover for Aphra #24 and reading the solicitation, because hot damn is the fear for Aphra’s life back to excruciating levels once again. It’s been touch and go over the last few arcs, especially once the murderbots blackmailed their freedom, but I haven’t been this worried for my favorite character’s life since the finale of the Darth Vader series. I sure as hell hope #25 won’t be the last issue of Aphra, and I’m pretty confident it won’t be, but Triple-Zero and (likely) Darth Vader coming for Aphra on the prison-world certainly spells doom like never before for her. As scared as I am, I seriously cannot wait to see what happens here.
Lando – Double or Nothing #5 (on sale 9/19)
Rodney Barnes (Writer), Paolo Villanelli (Artist)
Cover by W. Scott Forbes (pictured) | Variant Cover by Brian Stelfreeze
• LANDO’S made his way to an ambivalent Pretusian slave force. But can he convince them to stand up against the STORMTROOPERS who now are lower in number?
• Will ELLTHREE temper her passions in the face of massive droid abuses?
• Will Lando find a good card game and say “to hell with it all”?
We’re only one issue in at the point of publishing this and it’s crazy to think it’ll be ending in three short months. It has a fun story set-up, a good take on Lando and L3, and solid art, so I’m excited to see this series continue. Really digging Forbes’ cover for this issue! Interestingly, this is the second series to end in September. And there’s another one too, but we’ll get to it in a moment. UPDATE: First impressions have sadly not lasted, for the most part.
Star Wars #53 (on sale 9/5)
Kieron Gillen (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Guru-eFX (Colors)
Cover by David Marquez (pictured) | Action Figure Variant by John Tyler Christopher | Galactic Icon Variant by Rod Reis
“HOPE DIES,” PART 4
• HAN SOLO…admiral?
• PRINCESS LEIA leads a squad to try and recover the secret that can save the rebel fleet…
• Unfortunately, it’s aboard the EXECUTOR.”
Star Wars #54 (on sale 9/19)
Kieron Gillen (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Guru-eFX (Colors)
Cover by David Marquez (pictured) | Action Figure Variant by John Tyler Christopher
“HOPE DIES,” PART 5
• THE EXECUTOR? Bad.
• PRINCESS LEIA aboard the Executor? Worse.
• DARTH VADER pursuing Leia aboard the Executor? WORST OF ALL.”
Whoa, “Hope Dies” is really upping the ante! Forget learning about the time they ran into that bounty hunter on Ord Mantell, how about the time Leia lead a squadron aboard the Executor, aka Vader’s personal flagship (which we saw him wrench control of in the first Vader comic series)!?! Seriously, this arc sounds bloody amazing, The most recent arc, “Mutiny at Mon Cala,” wrapped up a few weeks ago and certainly ended with a promise things were about to go way south for the Rebellion following all their wins since the Death Star. Good, good *laughs maniacally like Palpatine*
The Last Jedi #6 (comic adaptation) (on sale 9/12)
Gary Whitta (Writer), Michael Walsh (Artist)
Cover by Mahmud Asrar (pictured)
“THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE STAR WARS SAGA COMES TO ITS THRILLING CONCLUSION!
• Trapped in a derelict rebel base, GENERAL LEIA and the last of the RESISTANCE fight for their survival!
• Will POE DAMERON, ROSE and FINN stop the FIRST ORDER before they destroy the last hope for the galaxy?
• Is hope dead, or will LUKE SKYWALKER return to confront his fallen pupil KYLO REN?”
And this is the third series to end in September. I’m curious if a Solo: A Star Wars Story adaptation will follow in its place or not, but they’ve been 3 for 3 with adaptations at this point so I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest. Expect a review of The Last Jedi adaptation to come shortly after this issue drops mid-September.
By the end of September, there will only be Doctor Aphra, Star Wars, and Darth Vader – Dark Lord of the Sith left for Marvel’s comics. The Thrawn adaptation ends in August, and three series, two mini and one on-going, end in September, so that leaves a lot of room to fill. I expect we’ll be hearing a lot about new and upcoming comic projects in the very near future, my best guess with San Diego Comic Con being the spot where the news drops, at the very latest (the solicts for October drop two days after its over, so I imagine they’ll like to get ahead of them spoiling the new series reveals). Will we get a Rae Sloane-focused mini/on-going? Enfys Nest? Luke’s adventures post-Return of the Jedi? Who knows, but I can’t wait to find out what will fill in these new gaps. What would you like to see as a new comic series?
IDW
Star Wars Adventures #14
John Barber (Writer), Mauricet (Artist, Cover Artist)
Variant Cover by Phillip Murphy
“Han has left to get himself into more trouble, leaving Chewie all alone with the perplexing new problem that is a major pain in his hide! The iconic Wookiee will have to use all of his strength, wits, and patience to overcome this latest danger!”
Star Wars Adventures Vol. 4: Smuggler’s Blues
Cavan Scott, Elsa Charretier, Pierrick Colinet (Writers), Derek Charm, Elsa Charretier (Artists)
Cover by Derek Charm
“Set before the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, join everyone’s favorite stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder on a daring new caper! Feared bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM are hot on the heels of the most notorious scoundrels in the galaxy, Han Solo and Chewbacca! To evade their pursuers, Han and Chewie will risk landing on a mysterious planet that somehow shuts down all electronics. With the Millenium Falcon unable to take off, how will the boys escape? Collects Star Wars Adventures issues #10 and #11, plus the 2018 Free Comic Book Day issue.”
Issue #14 of IDW’s Adventures will break from the Anakin/Padme story of the previous few issues and get back to Han and Chewie, while the latest Volume will collect the young Han and Chewie adventure stories in issue #10/11, including one part released for Free Comic Book Day this year!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
2018 SOLICITATIONS: July | August | October | November | December
CURRENT MARVEL COMIC REVIEWS:
Doctor Aphra
Aphra (#1-6) | And the Enormous Profit (#9-13) | Remastered (#14-19) | The Catastrophe Con (#20-25) | Annual: #1
Darth Vader – Dark Lord of the Sith
The Chosen One (#1-6) | The Dying Light (#7-12) | The Rule of Five (#11-12) | Burning Seas (#13-18) | Fortress Vader (#19-25) | Annual: #2
Poe Dameron
Black Squadron (#1-3) | Lockdown (#4-6) | The Gathering Storm (#7-13) | Legend Lost (#14 – 16) | War Stories (#17-19) | Legend Found(#20-25) | The Awakening (#26-31) | Annual: #1
Star Wars
Ashes of Jedha (#38-43) | Mutiny at Mon Cala (#44-49) | Hope Dies (#50-55) | Annual: #4
Lando – Double or Nothing (comic miniseries)