I’ve lived my entire life in Wisconsin, so I know a “Midwest Goodbye” when I see one, as I’ve been stuck in them far too often (in fact, I may be writing this while stuck in one, they take that long). This year I did my best to bring one to a close over Thanksgiving, edging slowly to the front door, my feet getting frozen along the way as new conversation engagements came my way, but I still got to the door handle and, over the period of 5 minutes, managed to get it open and finally bring the process to an end. For the era between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, 2023’s Star Wars comics felt like that moment in the hallway by the door, as it’s clear we can’t spend that much more time in this era, but even if you spoke for hours at the event with everyone, suddenly 100 new topics need to be discussed despite you holding all the leftovers your fridge can handle, getting stuffy with a warm winter jacket on while the heat’s cranked up to 74, leaving one to wonder when this event will ever come to a close despite standing at the exit. The era was spiced up with a healthy side of horror by the end of the year, and a few series’ endings were announced, but it still seems like there’s no hope for the exit door opening in 2024 despite another round of goodbyes, though the promise of Prequel-focused stories is a nice change of pace for 2024. 2023 wasn’t all about an era we’ve been in for years now, though those series had some of the most memorable scenes of the year, as the High Republic brought a divisive Phase to a close and blew minds with starting the next, Dark Horse’s anthology explored favorites of all eras, Star Wars: Visions comics kicked off with an artful treat, and characters from Sana Starros to Yoda took center stage in their own series. A Midwest Goodbye only starts because one is with family and friends and, as much as every person involved wants the night to end, you don’t go quietly into the night if you didn’t enjoy your time together. So without further ado, here’s the Star Wars Comics 2023 Year-in-Review!
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