Star Wars comics: A complete guide to the ongoing Star Wars comic saga
Everything you need to know to read Star Wars comics
If you’ve been showing up to opening weekend of every movie and tuning in for every new episode on Disney+, we’ve got news for you: you still might be missing the best Star Wars stories being told right now. Since 2015, Marvel has been publishing some of the most exciting stories in the Star Wars galaxy ever told, set across every era of the franchise.
Many of these titles are designed to be enjoyed on their own, telling a self-contained story against the backdrop of Sith, smugglers, Jedi and Jar-Jar. Some of these self-contained volumes are among the greatest Star Wars has to offer, like Charles Soule’s 2017 Darth Vader series, or Charles Soule’s Poe Dameron, or… pretty much anything by Charles Soule. But the heart of the comics are an interwoven series of multiple books and intricate crossover storylines set during the original trilogy, which can be difficult to follow if you haven’t been on board for the past seven years. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.
There are two different ways to read and collect Star Wars comics: you can go issue by issue, most accessible on digital resources such as ComiXology or Marvel Unlimited, or you can check out trade paperbacks, which collect a number of issues in one convenient volume. Whichever way you prefer to read comics, we’ll have you covered here by listing both volumes and issue numbers of story arcs wherever possible.
Here’s our guide on how to get caught up with the onungoing Star Wars comic book saga from the Marvel relaunch until today.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC
As part of the massive publishing program of novels, YA material and comic books set in an era hundreds of years before the movies — a time when the Jedi were in their prime — Marvel has published a number of High Republic comic books, each one advancing the larger storyline in significant ways while still working as standalone stories in their own right.
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC VOL. 1: THERE IS NO FEAR
- Star Wars: The High Republic #1-5
Cavan Scott, Ario Andindito
As the Republic continues to explore new territory, one Jedi Padawan faces an unlikely moral dilemma: which is more important — completing her Jedi trials or rescuing an innocent from danger? Things aren’t as straightforward as they seem in this introduction to a new period in Star Wars history.
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC VOL. 2: THE HEART OF DRENGIR
- Star Wars: The High Republic #6-10
Cavan Scott, Georges Jeanty, Ario Andindito
The Jedi Order struggles with necessary compromise as it attempts to deal with the threat posed by the Drengir: after all, can a partnership with the Hutt Cartel end in anything other than disaster?
Cavan Scott, Ario Andindito
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC VOL. 3: JEDI’S END
- Star Wars: The High Republic #11-15
- Star Wars: The High Republic - Eye of the Storm #1-2
Cavan Scott, Charles Soule, Ario Andindito, Guillermo Sanna
The first phase of The High Republic draws to a close as the Jedi prepare for all-out war, and their enemies the Nihil unleash a terror unlike anything the galaxy has seen to that point.
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC: TRAIL OF SHADOWS
- Star Wars: The High Republic - Trail of Shadows #1-5
Daniel José Older, David Wachter
Who doesn’t like a murder mystery? Well, perhaps the Jedi in this particular instance, given that the victim was a member of the Jedi Order… and therefore someone who should be pretty hard to kill, all things considered.
THE PREQUEL ERA
It’s true that the majority of Marvel’s Star Wars comics have centered around the time period covered in the original movie trilogy, but that doesn’t mean that children of the late ‘90s/early-2000s are entirely under-served by Star Wars comic book offerings. Sure, we’ve not gotten that Jar-Jar Binks maxi series we’ve been dreaming about for decades at this point, but there’s still time.
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan & Anakin #1-5
Charles Soule, Marco Checchetto
The Clone Wars cartoon gave fans the chance to see Obi-Wan and his devil-may-care Padawan in action on the screen, but this mini gives some more depth to their relationship — and also starts to set in motion Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side by firmly establishing his friendship with Senator Palpatine.
- Star Wars: Darth Maul #1-5
Cullen Bunn, Luke Ross
How did Darth Maul end up the way that he is? This series reveals all, flashing back to Maul’s training at the hands of Darth Sidious as we get to learn about his frustration at not being able to hunt down Jedi as he longs to — and how even that is fuel for the Dark Side, deep down.
STAR WARS: JEDI OF THE REPUBLIC - MACE WINDU
- Star Wars: Jedi of the Republic - Mace Windu #1-5
Matt Owens, Denys Cowan, Edgar Salazar
In the early days of the Clone Wars, Mace Windu — one of the most highly respected of all the Jedi — leads an army into action even as he struggles with the idea that he’s been forced to become a general in a fight he doesn’t necessarily believe in or support.
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Qui-Gon Jinn 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Obi-Wan Kenobi 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Anakin Skywalker 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Padmé Amidala 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Jango Fett 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic Special 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - Count Dooku 1
- Star Wars: Age of Republic - General Grievous 1
Jody Houser, Luke Ross, Cory Smith
An anthology of short stories featuring major players from the prequel trilogy, Age of Republic is a nice way of revisiting a series of movies that were derided at the time, but turned out to be full of concepts and characters that would live on for years after their initial release.
STAR WARS: KANAN VOL 1: THE LAST PADAWAN
- Star Wars: Kanan #1-6
Greg Weisman, Pepe Larraz, Jacopo Camagni
STAR WARS: KANAN VOL. 2: FIRST BLOOD
- Star Wars: Kanan #7-12
Greg Weisman, Pepe Larraz, Andrea Broccardo
The twelve-issue Kanan series features the fan-favorite character from the Star Wars: Rebels and explores his backstory and origins before his on-screen debut: how did Kanan become the hero he was in Rebels? And what exactly did he get up to during the Clone Wars? It’s a bridge between eras of Star Wars, showing a hidden history that ties everything together.
FROM THE PREQUELS TO A NEW HOPE
The space between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope is one that’s been explored at length in terms of Star Wars TV programming, with everything from The Bad Batch and Star Wars: Rebels to Andor taking place in that all-important window. (It’s also the period where both Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are set; it’s a very packed time indeed.) As a result, it’s a time frame that comics have left surprisingly alone, considering… but for those wanting to explore nonetheless, there’s these books to check out.
ROGUE ONE - CASSIAN & K-2SO SPECIAL
- Rogue One - Cassian & K-2SO Special #1
Duane Skwierzyński, Fernando Blanco
Even before Andor, everyone knew just who the breakout stars of 2016’s Rogue One really were — and this one-shot story set some time before that movie (for obvious reasons) was intended to take advantage of everyone’s hunger for more pouty spy and sidekick, the politely killer robot. (Quite where this is going to fall in terms of canon after Andor season 2, however, remains an open question.)
- Star Wars: Thrawn #1-5
Jody Houser, Luke Ross
A rarity in Star Wars comics terms — this is a direct adaptation of a prose novel, as Timothy Zahn’s 2017 book telling the new, canonical version of top-tier villain Grand Admiral Thrawn’s life story comes to comics.
STAR WARS: LANDO - DOUBLE OR NOTHING
- Star Wars: Lando - Double or Nothing #1-5
Rodney Barnes, Paolo Villanelli
Tying in with the character’s appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Double or Nothing focuses on the idea that Lando might be a rogue, and he might seem a little bit too smooth and charming, but that deep down, he’s ready to do the right thing when it matters — as long as someone is there to help him realize that, of course.
STAR WARS: HAN SOLO - IMPERIAL CADET
- Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #1-5
Robbie Thompson, Leonard Kirk
Okay, so this series is technically a Solo movie tie-in, set during the major time skip after the film’s first act, but (a) it’s an extremely fun look at Han Solo’s time in the Empire, and (b) it introduces Han’s squadmate-turned-cyborg Beilert Valance, who’s going to become very important very soon.
- Star Wars: Beckett #1
Gerry Duggan, Marc Laming, Edgar Salazar, Will Sliney
Beckett is a cautionary tale; he’s the man Han Solo would be without the innate heart (and, let’s be honest, mild ineptitude) that Han brings to every single situation he’s involved in. What is a true rogue like in the Star Wars galaxy? This will let you know.
FROM A NEW HOPE TO THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
If you really want to get into the “core” Star Wars comics, the ones which involve ongoing, continuously developing storylines, you can divide the line into two distinct eras. Most of the ongoing Star Wars comics from 2015-2019 are all set in the three years between Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
There are three major titles involved in the 2015-2019 period of Star Wars comics: the flagship 2015 Star Wars series, the 2015 Darth Vader series, and the 2016 Darth Vader spin-off, Doctor Aphra. If you don’t know who Doctor Aphra is, that’s okay: it just means you’re about to meet your new favorite character.
STAR WARS VOL. 1: SKYWALKER STRIKES
Jason Aaron, John Cassaday
This is the story of our heroes from A New Hope’s very next mission all together after the first film, doing their best to kick the Empire while it’s down a Death Star by crippling their factories. Notable for the first face-to-face encounter in canon between Luke and Darth Vader.
DARTH VADER VOL. 1: VADER
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca
Simultaneously to the events of “Skywalker Strikes,” Darth Vader suffers an embarrassing demotion after the destruction of the Death Star. In a bid to regain his former status, Vader encounters the roguish Doctor Aphra, a chaotic archaeologist who specializes in homicidal droid repair and restoration. It also features what might be the best scene in any Star Wars comic ever made, when Boba Fett shares a world-changing secret with the Dark Lord of the Sith.
STAR WARS VOL. 2: SHOWDOWN ON THE SMUGGLER’S MOON
Jason Aaron, Simone Bianchi, Stuart Immonen
In pursuit of further Jedi training, Luke Skywalker ends up in a gladiatorial arena run by Grakkus the Hutt, while Han and Leia catch up with one of Han’s old exes – smuggling ace, Sana Starros. Also features a story from the journals of Old Ben Kenobi.
DARTH VADER VOL. 2: SHADOWS AND SECRETS
While dodging the ever-watchful eye of the Emperor’s agents, Vader and Aphra set out to discover what the actual deal is with that kid who blew up the Death Star. Could he really be who Boba Fett claims? (Yes. We know this.)
- Star Wars: Vader Down #1
- Darth Vader (2015) #13
- Star Wars (2015) #13
- Darth Vader (2015) #14
- Star Wars (2015) #14
- Darth Vader (2015) #14
- Star Wars (2015) #14
Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen, Mike Deodato Jr, Salvador Larroca
Here we are at our first big crossover story! A bad tip from Aphra leads Darth Vader right into an ambush by the Rebel Alliance, giving the Rebellion their first real shot at taking down the Empire’s most terrifying enforcer. But Vader isn’t about to go down easy. Or, as you know if you’ve seen Empire Strikes Back, at all yet.
- Star Wars (2015) Annual #1
- Star Wars (2015) #15-19
Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen, Mike Mayhew, Angel Unzueta, Leinil Francis Yu
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Vader has evaded the Rebellion’s clutches, but they did snag his ally Doctor Aphra as a consolation prize. The Rebellion escorts her to their most secure P.O.W. facility just in time for one of the inmates to break out and start killing everybody.
DARTH VADER VOL. 3: THE SHU-TORUN WAR
- Darth Vader (2015) Annual #1
- Darth Vader (2015) #16-19
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca
To rebuild an Empire, you need resources to exploit. Luckily for Vader, the politically intricate planet Shu-Torun has ore to spare – so long as Vader can cut through the red tape with something finer than a lightsaber. Here, Vader makes an ally of Queen Trios, who will be important later when author Kieron Gillen makes his move over to the main Star Wars title.
DARTH VADER VOL. 4: END OF GAMES
- Darth Vader (2015) #20-25
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca
Final volume of the 2015 Darth Vader series. Vader discovers and dispatches the genetically enhanced candidates commissioned by The Emperor to replace him, and violently terminates his working relationship with the liberated Doctor Aphra. DV is back on top, baby!
STAR WARS VOL. 4: LAST FLIGHT OF THE HARBINGER
- Star Wars (2015) #20-25
Jason Aaron, Chris Eliopoulos, Mike Mayhew, Jorge Molina
Everybody loves a good heist story, and this happens to be one. All your favorite original Star Wars heroes, plus a couple new ones, unite to pull off the Rebel Alliance’s most daring act of thievery yet: they’re going to steal a Star Destroyer. Also featuring another tale of Old Ben Kenobi.
STAR WARS VOL. 5: YODA’S SECRET WAR
- Star Wars (2015) #26-30
- Star Wars (2015) Annual #2
Jason Aaron, Kelly Thompson, Salvador Larroca
A flashback, standalone Yoda adventure set some time before The Phantom Menace. Honestly pretty skippable, unless you’re really into tributes to Willow.
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #1-6
Kieron Gillen, Kev Walker
Somehow, improbably, Aphra made it through her internship with Vader with her life AND her own spin-off. This first story arc teams Aphra up with her estranged father who left her behind to pursue ancient Jedi artifacts, to find an ancient Jedi artifact.
- The Screaming Citadel #1
- Star Wars (2015) #31
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #7
- Star Wars (2015) #32
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #8
Kieron Gillen, Jason Aaron, Marco Checchetto, Salvador Larocca, Andrea Broccardo
Our second major crossover story! In Luke’s quest for Jedi lore and Aphra’s quest for cool and highly dangerous old stuff she can sell, the unlikely duo gets tangled up with… space vampires, basically.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 2: DOCTOR APHRA AND THE ENORMOUS PROFIT
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #9-13
- Doctor Aphra (2016) Annual #1
Kieron Gillen, Kev Walker, Marc Laming
Aphra takes her ill-gotten gains to a very swanky auction, for sale to the highest bidder. Which seems like a pretty good deal, until her old boss shows up. The one with the mask and the cape.
STAR WARS VOL. 6: OUT AMONG THE STARS
- Star Wars (2015) #33-37
- Star Wars (2015) Annual #3
Jason Aaron, Jason Latour, Salvador Larroca
A nice, breezy collection of one-shots. Luke and Leia get stranded on a desert island, Lando and Sana Starros pull off a scam on Coruscant, Han and Chewie go back to smuggling, and R2-D2 stages a daring rescue to retrieve C-3PO from the Empire.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 3: REMASTERED
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #14-19
Kieron Gillen, Si Spurrier, Emilio Laiso
The tables are turned as Aphra’s homicidal former droid companion, Triple Zero, forces Aphra to start doing his own dirty work.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 4: THE CATASTROPHE CON
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #20-25
Si Spurrier, Kev Walker
Si Spurrier celebrates the launch of his solo run on Doctor Aphra by putting her back in jail. But this time it’s an Imperial jail, so it’s much worse.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 5: WORST AMONG EQUALS
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #26-31
Doctor Aphra (2016) Annual #2
Out on the lam from the Empire, Aphra is stuck with a bomb implanted in her throat by a mad scientist that will go off in 10 hours unless she can get it removed, or if she gets too far away from Triple Zero, the droid who wants to kill her. This one’s a real treat for fans of Cornelius Evazan, that one guy who told Luke “My friend doesn’t like you” in that cantina once.
STAR WARS VOL. 7: THE ASHES OF JEDHA
- Star Wars (2015) #38-43
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca
Gillen moves from Vader and Aphra to the main event and does so in style by uniting Luke and his allies with the remnants of Saw Gerrera’s Partisans from Rogue One. Leia makes an ally of Queen Trios, who I told you to remember from that one Darth Vader story. She switches sides to the Rebellion, which I’m sure will be fine.
STAR WARS VOL. 8: MUTINY AT MON CALA
- Star Wars (2015) #44-49
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca
The Rebel Alliance moves to liberate the Mon Calamari homeworld from the Empire, which as a planet of the Galaxy’s best shipbuilders is a pretty big deal to have in their pocket. Hey, maybe this whole Rebellion might work out after all!
- Star Wars (2015) #50-55
- Star Wars (2015) Annual #4
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca
It doesn’t work out.
- Star Wars (2015) #56-61
Kieron Gillen, Andrea Broccardo, Angel Unzueta
After a betrayal by an ally that absolutely nobody saw coming, the Rebels are forced to go on the run. Luke and Han each flirt with a potential romance on the worlds they find temporary refuge on, but there’s no time for love on the battlefield.
STAR WARS VOL. 11: THE SCOURGING OF SHU-TORUN
- Star Wars (2015) #62-67
Kieron Gillen, Angel Unzueta, Andrea Broccardo
The Rebellion regathers their forces to strike back against the friend who sold them out to the Empire. Smart readers can probably guess who that is by now.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 6: UNSPEAKABLE REBEL SUPERWEAPON
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #32-36
Si Spurrier, Wilton Santos, Caspar Wijngaard, Andrea Broccardo, Cris Bolson
Aphra is contracted by the Rebellion to retrieve “The Farkiller,” a superpowered sniper rifle which can kill a target from a hundred kilometers away. Now all she has to do is decide how she actually wants to use it.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 7: A ROGUE’S END
- Doctor Aphra (2016) #37-40
- Doctor Aphra (2016) Annual #3
Si Spurrier, Caspar Wijngaard
Good thing Aphra just did all that work with the Rebels, because now she gets the chance to rat them all out to Darth Vader. But will she? Well, that depends on whether she’s learned anything at all in the past 40 issues.
STAR WARS VOL. 12: ROGUES AND REBELS
- Star Wars (2015) #68-72
Greg Pak, Phil Noto
Vader doubles down on his search for Luke Skywalker, Han gets jealous of Leia’s ex, and C-3PO saves a planet. By god, that Phil Noto art.
STAR WARS VOL. 13: ROGUES AND REBELS
- Star Wars (2015) #73-75
Greg Pak, Phil Noto
I know 8 issues is a lot to put in a single trade but this could have been one book, guys.
- Target Vader #1-6
Robbie Thompson, Marc Laming, Cris Bolson
Years after Solo, and right before Empire Strikes Back, we catch up with Valance, who’s now a hardened bounty hunter. He joins a group of assassins on a mission to assassinate Darth Vader. Good luck with that.
Charles Soule, Luke Ross, Greg Pak, Roland Boschi, Ethan Sacks, Paolo Villanelli, Si Spurrier, Casper Wijngaard
This is a special one-shot issue that you’ve already seen pieces of if you’re collecting the trades. Regardless, this anthology issue serves as a bridge between our two big eras of Star Wars comics so far, epiloguing all that’s come before and prologuing all the new stories to come. For more information on this very specific period, please consult the 1980 film Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
AFTER THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
In 2020, a soft line-wide relaunch moved the ongoing timeline to the year between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, with Han Solo frozen in carbonite and Lando Calrissian playing his roguish understudy, which is where we are now. And this time, the number of titles to keep track of at any given time multiplies from two to four: relaunched volumes of Star Wars, Darth Vader, and Doctor Aphra now all running simultaneously, with the addition of Bounty Hunters starring our new old friend Beilert Valance. Once the War of the Bounty Hunters begins, these titles knit tighter together than ever before, so it’s important to stay on top of it. Don’t worry, we’ll get you through this.
STAR WARS VOL. 1: THE DESTINY PATH
- Star Wars (2020) #1-6
Charles Soule, Jesús Saiz
Right after Empire leaves off, Luke is still reeling from the revelation of his parentage. But even as the Rebels have narrowly escaped Vader’s trap on Cloud City, the late Grand Moff Tarkin’s protege Commander Zahra is in hot pursuit.
STAR WARS VOL. 2: OPERATION STARLIGHT
- Star Wars (2020) #7-11
Charles Soule, Ramon Rosanas, Jan Bazaldua
Even as Commander Zahra continues to close in on her, Princess Leia attempts to rally the Hoth-scattered Rebellion back together and rebuild.
DARTH VADER VOL. 1: DARK HEART OF THE SITH
- Darth Vader (2020) #1-5
Greg Pak, Raffaele Ienco
Equally reeling from his own encounter with his son, Vader is confronted by another face from his past – the face of his wife, as worn by her body double handmaiden Sabé. With Sabé as his momentary unlikely ally, Vader begins to plot the undoing of his master.
DARTH VADER VOL. 2: INTO THE FIRE
- Darth Vader (2020) #6-11
Greg Pak, InHyuk Lee
Sensing his attempts at treachery, Palpatine sets Vader to undergo a series of trials on Mustafar in order to prove himself once again. There, Vader must fight for his life against the Emperor’s personal assassin, Ochi of Bestoon. He’s the guy who eventually goes on to kill Rey’s parents, has that knife that’s also a map, and dies before the Sequel Trilogy begins. You remember him.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 1: FORTUNE AND FATE
- Doctor Aphra (2020) #1-5
Alyssa Wong, Marika Cresta
After cutting ties with everyone from her old life for their own good, Aphra assembles a new crew of lives to ruin in pursuit of a new treasure – and runs afoul of the wealthy and influential Imperial Tagge clan in the process.
BOUNTY HUNTERS VOL. 1: GALAXY’S DEADLIEST
- Bounty Hunters #1-5
Ethan Sacks, Paolo Villanelli
Beilert Valance lands his own series! Well, it’s a team book of original characters, but he’s in it. When Valance’s former mentor and betrayer of the Bounty Hunter’s Guild, Nakano Lash, resurfaces after years of laying low, every hunter is out to collect the price on her head. But for Valance, this is about more than credits.
BOUNTY HUNTERS VOL. 2: TARGET VALANCE
- Bounty Hunters #6-11
Ethan Sacks, Paolo Villanelli
Now with a price on his own head, Valance turns to the few people in the galaxy left he can trust – and comes head-to-head with his personal rival, Dengar.
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 2: THE ENGINE JOB
- Doctor Aphra (2020) #6-10
Alyssa Wong, Joshua Swaby
Only the wrath of the Tagge family can reunite Aphra with her former flame, smuggler extraordinaire Sana Starros. Wait, didn’t I say she was Han Solo’s ex way up in Star Wars Vol. 2? Yeah, I did. It’s complicated.
Well, here we go. This is the part where all of the ongoing comics we’ve been dealing with here meld into one sticky gumbo. The trades keep each of the plots separate, but it’s best to follow them all at once if you’re able — there is, thankfully, an omnibus edition to tell the complete story in one sitting. War of the Bounty Hunters is the beginning of a galaxy-wide gang war between multiple factions for control of the galaxy’s underworld, with our heroes in each of these four books all caught in the crossfire.
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha #1
- Star Wars (2020) #13
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #12
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #12
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #10
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #1
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #13
- Star Wars (2020) #14
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #13
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #11
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #14
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #12
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #2
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #14
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters – Jabba the Hutt #1
- Star Wars (2020) #15
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #15
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters – 4-LOM & Zuckuss #1
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #3
- Star Wars (2020) #16
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #15
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #13
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #4
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #14
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #16
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters – Boushh #1
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #16
- Star Wars (2020) #17
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #15
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #17
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters – IG-88 #1
- Star Wars (2020) #18
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #17
Charles Soule, Greg Pak, Alyssa Wong, Ethan Sacks, Justina Ireland, Daniel José Older, Steve McNiven, Luke Ross, Ramon Rosanas, Luca Pizzari, Kei Zama
STAR WARS: CRIMSON REIGNWar of the Bounty Hunters leads directly into a new status quo for the Star Wars books, as the criminal organization Crimson Dawn has risen to new levels of power never seen before, and both the Empire and the Rebellion have to come to terms with that fact as best they can. Spoilers: it’s not going to go well for anyone involved.
- Star Wars: Crimson Reign #1-5
Charles Soule, Steven Cummings
STAR WARS VOL. 4: CRIMSON REIGN
- Star Wars (2020) #19-25
Charles Soule, Marco Castuello
DARTH VADER VOL. 4: CRIMSON REIGN
- Star Wars: Darth Vader #18-22
Greg Pak, Raffaele Ienco
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 4: CRIMSON REIGN
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #16-20
Alyssa Wong, Minkyu Jung
BOUNTY HUNTERS VOL. 4: CRIMSON REIGN
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #18-22
Ethan Sacks, Ramon Bachs
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 5: THE SPARK ETERNAL
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #21-25
Alyssa Wong, Minkyu Jung
DARTH VADER VOL. 5: THE SHADOW’S SHADOW
- Star Wars: Darth Vader #23-27
Greg Pak, Raffaele Ienco
BOUNTY HUNTERS VOL. 5: THE RAID ON THE VERMILLION
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #23-28
Ethan Sacks, Natacha Bustos
The Crimson Dawn trilogy comes to an end as Qi’ra takes on the Empire with one final plot to destroy everything that Palpatine has built, with the help of… the Knights of Ren…? This isn’t going to end well for anyone, is it…?
- Star Wars: Hidden Empire #1-5
Charles Soule, Steven Cummings
STAR WARS VOL. 5: THE PATH TO VICTORY
- Star Wars (2020) #26-30
Charles Soule, Ramon Rosanas
The Rebel fleet is reunited and the fight against the Empire looks set to turn in their favor — except that Crimson Dawn’s own plans for self-preservation might de-stabilize everything, especially given the ongoing war between those two factions…
DARTH VADER VOL. 6: RETURN OF THE HANDMAIDENS
- Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) # 28-32
Greg Pak, Luke Ross
Sabe might have forgiven Vader to some degree, but what happens when she is faced with the evil that is the Emperor? And could Vader help her when it comes to their confrontation?
DOCTOR APHRA VOL. 6: ASCENDANT
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #26-31
Sana’s desire to save Aphra might lead both of them to some very dark places… and doom the entire galaxy in the process.
And these are just the collected editions announced as of writing — the monthly series Star Wars, Star Wars: Darth Vader, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, and Star Wars: Bounty Hunters are all continuing and available from your local comic book store…!
AFTER THE EMPIRE
Perhaps to keep things clear for The Mandalorian and related series, there’s a significant lack of comic books set in the period between Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with the majority of the comics that are set in that era acting as tie-ins to existing movies. Nonetheless, here’s what fans can read to explore a piece of what is still continuity wild space…
- Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Shattered Empire #1-4
Greg Rucka, Marco Checchetto, Angel Unsueta, Emilio Lasso
While the full story of what happened during the founding of the New Republic is something yet to be told, there’s plenty of hints to be found in this miniseries telling the backstory of the parents of one of the background characters in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. (It’s actually kind of great.)
STAR WARS SPECIAL: C-3PO
- Star Wars Special: C-3PO #1
James Robinson, Tony Harris
Why did Threepio have a red arm in The Force Awakens? All is revealed here, and it’s honestly far stranger than you’d expect.
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI - THE STORMS OF CRAIT
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The Storms of Crait #1
Ben Acker, Ben Blacker, Mike Mayhew
It’s a prequel to The Last Jedi, but set a longtime before that movie, as Luke and Leia visit the planet Crait for the first time, setting up the dramatic final act of Rian Johnson’s beloved movie in a style that somehow still isn’t as visually dramatic as the movie itself.
THE SEQUEL TRILOGY
Unsurprisingly, with three movies to support, there’s a fair amount of comic book material published to support the Sequel Trilogy — not least of which was a Poe Dameron series that made it to issue #31. There’s a lot of the galaxy to explore out here, and comics are the way to do it.
STAR WARS: POE DAMERON VOL 1: BLACK SQUADRON
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron #1-6
Charles Soule, Phil Noto
Technically, the Poe Dameron series — which lasted almost three years — is entirely a prequel to The Force Awakens, which places it ahead of the sequel trilogy; however, there’s so much in this series, which manages to capture Oscar Isaac’s laidback charm as the title character, that feels as if it belongs with the movies… if only to build out some of the backstory of the fan-favorite character.
STAR WARS: POE DAMERON VOL 2: THE GATHERING STORM
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron #8-13
Charles Soule, Phil Noto
STAR WARS: POE DAMERON VOL 3: LEGEND LOST
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron #7, 14-19
Charles Soule, Phil Noto, Angel Unzueta
STAR WARS: POE DAMERON VOL 4: LEGEND FOUND
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron #20-25 and Annual #1
Charles Soule, Phil Noto, Angel Unzueta
STAR WARS: POE DAMERON VOL 5: THE SPARK AND THE FIRE
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron #26-31, and Annual #2
Charles Soule, Robbie Thompson, Phil Noto, Angel Unzueta, Nik Virella
- Star Wars: Captain Phasma #1-4
Just how sneaky and selfish is Phasma? As revealed in this remarkably fun miniseries, the answer is “far worse than you thought,” as the chrome Stormtrooper goes as far as possible to manipulate contexts to look as good as possible even in terrible circumstances.
Kelly Thompson, Marco Checchetto
- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge #1-5
Ethan Sacks, Will Sidney
If you were wondering what the story was with the setting for the Disney theme park attraction that is, in theory, part of actual Star Wars canon, you’re in luck: everything Galaxy’s Edge is revealed right here.
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Finn 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance Special 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Poe Dameron 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Rose Tico 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Rey 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Captain Phasma 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - General Hux 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Supreme Leader Snoke 1
- Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Kylo Ren 1
G. Willow Wilson, Tom Taylor, Chris Eliopoulos, Matteo Buffagni, Elsa Charretier, Leonard Kirk, Javier Pina, Ramon Rosanas
An anthology series celebrating the heroes and villains from the prequel trilogy, underscoring yet again how genuinely strange it is that no-one has ever tried to make more of either Finn or Rose Tico in the many spin-offs and ancillary material that emerged from the sequel trilogy. Like: doesn’t that seem like a no-brainer?
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI - DJ: MOST WANTED
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi - DJ: Most Wanted #1
Ben Acker, Ben Blacker, Kev Walker
The morally-ambiguous, ethically ambivalent character from The Last Jedi gets a chance to share more about himself and his none-more-grey philosophy in this one-off adventure. How does one survive in a galaxy torn apart by war? By keeping to the shadows, and making sure no-one has any reason to want to notice you…
- Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance #1-4
Ethan Sacks, Luke Ross
Running out of options, General Leia turns to some old allies in the run-up to events seen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Or, at least, she thought they were allies… but in this latest iteration of galactic wartime, the rules have changed, even if Leia hasn’t yet realized that.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF KYLO REN
- Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren #1-4
Charles Soule, Will Sliney
Ben Solo’s fall from grace might not have been properly explored in the movies, but that just left space for the comics to fill in the blanks — including the debut of the mentioned-but-never-explained Knights of Ren themselves.
If all this Star Wars comics reading have inspired you to have a whole TV and film watchthrough, check out Popverse's guide on how to watch all Star Wars television and film in chronological order.
