The five most anticipated Ages of Star Wars comics on the way
Marvel will publish a 24-part maxiseries later this year, with eight issues devoted to each Star Wars age. However, some look more appealing than others – the question is, which ones?
Last month, Marvel announced an extensive maxiseries focusing on characters from the three eras seen in the Star Wars films – the Republic, Rebellion, and Resistance ages. All in all, there’ll be eight issues for each era, with a different character getting their own one-shot comic.
Of course, there are some that will garner more attention than others. I’ve always been a big Republic guy, but a few of the comics I’m really anticipating fall into the other eras. The Age of Republic issues will consist of stories centered on Qui-Gon, Darth Maul, Obi-Wan, Jango Fett, Anakin, Count Dooku, Padme, and General Grievous. There’s a few notable omissions here (Mace Windu, Ahsoka, Captain Rex), but these will more than suffice.
The Age of Rebellion issues focus on some of the Star Wars icons who helped kick off the franchise: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader. However, there are some other books that caught my eye, including Boba Fett, Jabba, Tarkin, and Lando Calrissian. This looks to be the most appealing series of the three to me, mostly because we might get to dive deeper into the gangster world of Tatooine and the inner workings of the Death Star.
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One that I would like to get here is a title on Ben Kenobi. Think about it: old Ben trekking the sands of Tatooine, on the run from the Empire while monitoring the Lars farm – sounds good to me.
Finally, Age of Resistance comics will bring up the conclusion of the maxiseries. Rey, Kylo Ren, Poe, Captain Phasma, General Hux, Rose Tico, and Finn will headline this era. Rey’s training is a real possibility here as The Last Jedi kind of left us hanging on that front. The big one here, however, is perhaps the most mysterious man in all of Star Wars: Supreme Leader Snoke.
Let me run through the ones I’m most hyped for.
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
5) Darth Vader
The more I thought about this one, the more I wanted to read it. Yes, I’m aware Vader’s got his own title going right now. Yes, the first six films were more or less centered on his rise and fall. And yet, I can’t get enough Vader.
I can just see this issue giving us a look at Vader’s Sith powers enhancing, thanks to the training and guidance of Darth Sidious (maybe showing his training up to his appearance in Rebels).
4) Kylo Ren
The Knights of Ren. When are we going to see these guys? It’s like wondering who the faces are behind Daft Punk; you know the names, but you’ve only seen their faces once in a great while.
I don’t want a weird Force-type flashback like Rey had in The Force Awakens; I’m talking full-fledged, all-out Knights of Ren training, with Ben Solo right in the thick of things.
We’ll get to see a kind of poor man’s Vader-like turn to the Dark Side. Try and think about it: Ben undergoes training from Luke – then, he’s approached by Snoke, either physically or telepathically, and the turn becomes complete. I’d even take it a little further, with Ben taking up the title of Kylo, Master of the Knights of Ren, while ascending to de facto leader of the First Order.
3) Rey
An issue centered on Rey is appealing for almost all the same reasons as a Kylo Ren comic.
Now, Rey’s backstory will not be addressed in these comics. There’s just no way. It’s too mysterious, too talked about, too complex. I’m of the school of thought that Kylo was messing with Rey’s head when he told her that her parents were nobodies. Sorry, Disney; I’m not buying it.
What could be brought up, however, is the training sessions between Luke and Rey. The Last Jedi didn’t really give us much to dance to in this department – maybe Marvel can pick up the slack.
2) Jabba the Hutt
One of the things that Solo did really well was convey the nature of the Star Wars underworld. Crimson Dawn, the smuggling culture, and the gangster hierarchy were all presented to us. A major player who was noticeably absent? The Huttest of all Hutts, Jabba himself.
We saw Dryden Vos and Maul. Jabba, however, is clearly the Big Man on Campus here. He’s one of those characters that probably couldn’t headline his own film, but could easily anchor a comic series or one-shot, as is the case here. I’ve always been a big fan of mafia movies and shows, and the gangster aspect of the Star Wars galaxy is no exception.
Give me a Jabba issue with the big slug barking out orders.
Photo Credit: [Star Wars: Return of the Jedi] Lucasfilm1) Supreme Leader Snoke
When the maxiseries was first announced, the first character I looked for was Snoke.
It’s no secret The Last Jedi left some fans wanting more. For me, the lack of explanation surrounding Snoke and his origins was the most unsatisfying. When I first saw him in TFA, it was clear that Snoke was going to be a force to be reckoned with. By the end of TLJ, it was abundantly clear that this wasn’t the case.
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Perhaps Snoke’s backstory and true identity will be revealed in this issue – perhaps it won’t. Hopefully, one of the many fan theories surrounding this guy will be proven right.
Marvel’s Ages of Star Wars will debut in December and run through next November. Which issues are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.