Highlights from Marvel Star Wars at BookCon

At BookCon in New York City earlier today,  the MARVEL Presents: Star Wars panel announced several release dates and dropped hints about future issues. Jordan D. White, editor at Marvel comics, and the writer and illustrator behind the new Lando miniseries debuting this summer, Charles Soule and Alex Maleev respectively, were on the panel.

There were no major developments, such as new series announcements, but there’s still a lot to be excited about. Here are the panel highlights (thanks to Johnamarie Macias and Stitch Kingdom for keeping us updated on Twitter while live at the panel):

• The classic Marvel Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back series will go on sale in hardcover August 12th. The Return of the Jedi Marvel series hardcover is coming November 11th.
• Marvel Star Wars Vol. 1 will be on sale in September.
• Issue #7 of Marvel Star Wars will be a standalone Ben Kenobi adventure that takes place five years prior to the events of A New Hope. Its release date is July 7th.
• Stuart Immonen will take over writing duties on the Star Wars comic series starting with issue #8.
• A new female character will be introduced in Star Wars #9. White said, “I think a lot of people are going to be surprised about who that is.”
• Trade paperbacks for the first Darth Vader series arc (issues #1-6) and the Princess Leia miniseries will go on sale in October.
• Kanan: The Last Padawan Vol. 1 will contain issues #1-5 of that series, and will be released in November.
• Lando #1 will debut in July. Writer Soule said, “My job was to take that character and tell new stories of him.” Johnamarie Macias clarifies that by adding, in her tweet, “Wanted to focus on gambling aspect.”
• Issue #1 of Shattered Empire, the first canon comic series to explore what happens after the events of Return of the Jedi, will go on sale in September. The trade paperback of the first few issues will be released in November. Individual issues will be released bi-weekly.
• According to White, there are no plans to go back to the Legends universe at this time.
• In response to the question, “Is there going to be a series about Boba Fett?” White said, “Not right now,” adding that there were plans for him.
• An audience member asked about plans for a future Obi Wan series, as well, to which the panel responded, “Maaaaybe… We would be very interested.”

Check out these photos of some of the new comic art that was displayed at the panel (courtesy of Stitch Kingdom).

As with most Star Wars panels and announcements, this one leaves you with just enough new information to become desperately curious and ravenous for more. I’m looking forward to the Obi Wan standalone comic the most (Obi Wan Kenobi is my favorite character), as well as the possibility of his own comic series. The female character promised for Star Wars #9 and what White said about her intrigues me, as well. White’s comment makes me wonder if she’s related to a character we already know; the other possibility is that she was taken from or inspired by a Legends story. The art in the Lando series looks fantastic; bright and artistic, just like Lando himself. And what is he doing with the Red Guard? And of course, Shattered Empire, though we don’t know much about it, simply by its title and cover featuring the celebrating original trilogy characters is shaping up to be perhaps the most important canon series to date.

And what “plans” do Disney and Lucasfilm have for Boba Fett? An Anthology film appearance, perhaps?

Stay tuned to Dork Side for more updates on the Star Wars comics and news from future conventions!

More from Dork Side of the Force

• The High Republic Adventures (2023) 1 review
• Daniel José Older named a High Republic Adventures character after someone special
• How animation changed Star Wars: Ewoks and Droids
• Kelleran Beq comes to Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
• The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal becomes No. 1 on IMDb’s Starmeter for 2023