Marvel Comics has announced that five years of Star Wars storytelling will come to an end, with Star Wars #50 on September 11 and Darth Vader #50 on September 18. These two books will be supersized, fifty-page specials closing out the stories of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and the darkest days of the Rebellion, as well as Darth Vader facing Emperor Palpatine in an exploration of the power of the dark side. Marvel Comics also teased a new era of comics on the way.
These two series, along with other titles like Doctor Aphra and Bounty Hunters, dove into the relatively unexplored period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. All of these books gave us the most comprehensive look at this era, unlike what we've seen so far in the new canon.
Marvel Comics gave a summary of Star Wars #50 and Darth Vader #50 and what fans can expect:
In Charles Soule and Madibek Musabekov’s STAR WARS #50, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker must teach his student Ben Solo, a powerful lesson about the true balance between Light and Dark! He offers up a tale from the days of the Rebel Alliance that touches on multiple eras of Star Wars history, and brings this epic run to a thrilling, incredible climax!
Acclaimed writer Greg Pak closes out the longest-running Darth Vader comic series ever alongside artist Raffaele Ienco and more in STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #50. Pak’s run reaches its stunning conclusion as the Dark Heart of the Sith comes full circle!
Darth Vader finally unleashes the unfathomable power he's accumulated through the Schism Imperial against the only person in the galaxy he hates more than he hates himself: Emperor Palpatine! Also featuring the final twists in the saga for key characters like Luke, Leia, Sabé, Ochi, the droid ZED-6-7, Sly Moore, the members of the Schism Imperial and more!
Marvel Makes it Official: Star Wars and Darth Vader Both End at #50 With a "Different Era" To Follow#StarWars #StarWarsComics pic.twitter.com/nk8Iz4o8Ml
— Star Wars Splash Page (@SWSplashPagePod) June 20, 2024
The most exciting part of this is the confirmation that Star Wars Comics will explore a new era next. Where and when they go could be fascinating. It probably won't be The High Republic, as they already have their own thing going. However, with The Acolyte getting its own comic about Jedi Master Kelnacca coming on September 4, the week before Star Wars is set to end, perhaps it will be that 100-year period between The High Republic and The Phantom Menace.
I think the most likely scenario will be post-Return of the Jedi. The first runs of these two books covered between Episodes IV and V, and the second runs, as mentioned above, tackled between Episodes V and VI. It would only make sense that the next step is following Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, and their friends in a post-Rebellion period.
We'll have to wait and see as Marvel Comics said that more information will arrive in the coming weeks.