Summary
WhenStar Warswas acquired by Disney in 2014, I was among the legion of fans disappointed by the company’sdecision to reboot the franchise’s continuity– but over the subsequent decade,Marvel’sline ofStar Warscomics has changed my mind. Ultimately, in the comics at least,rebooting the canon has afforded contemporary creators the chance to tell some of the franchise’s best stories.
As a diehardStar Warsfan, I was more than displeased when the franchise’s canon –cultivated from myriad multimedia sources over the decades since the original film’s 1977 release – was set aside. I rejected the new continuity, and for a time, refused to engage with it.
In time, however, my stance softened, and upon returning toStar Warscomics for the first time in years, I found myself developing an admiration for the way Marvel has handled the franchise. In the process, I also came to a greater understanding ofMarvel’s role inStar Warshistory.
When Disney rebootedStar Warscontinuity, only the films and select supplemental sources remained canon. All prior Expanded Universe material was rebranded as the “Legends” continuity. Subsequently, some elements of classic franchise lore have been re-canonized through their inclusion in Disney-era stories, preserving “Legends” stories as a vast bank of possible references for future writers to draw from.
Marvel’s Original Comic Book Adaptation of Star Wars Made the Death Star’s Destruction Legitimately Beautiful
Marvel’s adaptation of the original 1977 Star Wars concludes with a legitimately stunning artist rendition of the Death Star’s destruction.
“Dark Droids” Helped Me Realize Star Wars' 2014 Reboot Was The Right Move
Star Wars: Dark Droids#1-5 – Written By Charles Soule; Art By Luke Ross, Color By Alex Sinclair, Lettering By Travis Lanham
Only now can I consider – still subjectively, but from a previously unfathomable angle – the possibility that Disney made the right choice for the long-term health of the franchise.
Marvel Comics had already begun to chip away at my apprehensions about Disney’sStar Warscontinuity by the time I readDark Droids, but the series did something remarkable: it actively made me come to view the reboot as a good idea. (Honestly, it is still something I came coming to terms with myself.) The wildly ambitious crossoverbroke new ground forStar Wars, emphasizing that Marvel has only scratched the surface of what they can bring to the galaxy. It was engaging to me as more than just aStar Warsfan;Dark Droidswas effective, expansive sci-fi storytelling.
As aStar Warsfan, though,Dark Droidsdid more than just deliver a satisfying story – it helped me realize thatmy reaction to the reboot was visercal, andacknowledge that my attachment to the “Legends” canon was emotional, and sentimental.How I perceived Disney’s decision to reboot the franchise’s continuity, and my dogmatic desire to adhere to the Expanded Universe as I knew it, were deeply subjective responses. Only now can I consider – still subjectively, but from a previously unfathomable angle – the possibility that Disney made the right choice for the long-term health of the franchise.
I was already a lifelong fan of the franchise when I picked my first issue ofStar WarsTalesoff the rack at my local 7-Eleven at ten or eleven years old. Comics didn’t help me fall in love withStar Wars; in fact, it was the other way around. Discovering this thing I already loved in comic book form helped me develop an enduring fascination with the medium. Along with the novels and guidebooks published by Del Ray – and before that, Bantam – Dark Horse’s comics helped shape the core of myStar Warsfan experience.
Marvel’s Star Wars Comics Made Me Embrace The New Canon
Second Marvel Era: 2014-Present
Not only has Marvel repeatedly validated my newfound trust in them to do right by the franchise, the company has given me the sense that the best is still yet to come.
As the past decade has made clear, the difference between Disney’sStar Warscanon and the old “Legends” canon – and by extension, Dark Horse and MarvelStar Warscomics – has been a matter of width vs. depth. What Dark Horse excelled at, and what I gravitated toward as a younger reader, was the ability to make the galaxy feel appropriately vast; to make it feel wild, and lived in, and strange; to truly expand the universe outward, making it larger, more detailed, and more dense.
The reason for my intense reaction to the reboot, in essence, was that my fandom was tied to the franchise’s canon. As much as I had every moment of the films committed to memory, I was a true fan of the Expanded Universe – the decades of lore and in-timeline history that had accrued since the firstStar Warsbooks, toys, and comics had first begun to come out. The way I understood it, the movies cataloged turning points in galactic history, while the EU filled in everything else.
In the second Marvel era ofStar Warscomics, the company has instead opted to focus on adding depth and dimension to the franchise’s most iconic characters, patiently filling in the time periodaround the foundational pillars of the Original Trilogy. This has turned out to be a rich, rewarding endeavor, one that I now consider to be incredibly gratifying for longtime fans. Importantly,this was only possible as a result of rebooting canon, wiping the slate clean so that Marvel could tell its own story without any inhibitions.
Though in part, my greater appreciation for Marvel’sStar Warsrelates to a shift in my tastes, and what I look for in pop culture, the onus remained to the publisher to deliver stories that resonated with me as a reader. In many cases, they have succeeded. Moreover, they continue to get even better at tellingStar Warsstories. Not only has Marvel repeatedly validated my newfound trust in them to do right by the franchise, the company has given me the sense that the best is still yet to come.
Developing An Appreciation Marvel Comics' History With Star Wars
First Marvel Era: 1977-1987
When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate the full context of Marvel’s long history with the franchise, but now it strikes me as important to my understanding of contemporaryStar Warscomics.
I have to admit – when Disney rebrandedStar Warscanon and launched a rebooted continuity, I had already drifted away from the franchise. There was no dramatic break, I had just begun to read less and lessStar Warsnovels and comics, until the announcement of the reboot gave me a reason to stop. I would always have my “Legends” canon. Now, returning to the series as a more mature reader, I have recognized the value of Marvel’s currentStar Warscomics. Beyond that, the publisher’s crucial role in the franchise’s early development has become more meaningful to me.
By the time I began readingStar Warscomics, the publishing rights to the series had been held by Dark Horse for over a decade. This was during the gap between the release ofEpisode I: The Phantom MenaceandEpisode II: Attack of the Clones, when the prequels had freshly reinvigorated the franchise. The films opened up a whole new era for exploration in books, comics, and video games, while the renewed pop culture prominence of the franchise resulted in a proliferation of each.
The first issue Marvel’s adaptation of the originalStar Warsactually pre-dated the release of the film. From the very beginning, comics helped to generate some of the excitement for the movie, which helped make it a groundbreaking success. When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate the full context ofMarvel’s long history with the franchise, but now it strikes me as important to my understanding of contemporaryStar Warscomics. Rather than one of the dominant publishers in the industry acquiring one of the biggest pieces of IP in pop culture,Star Warsreturning to Marvel was, in fact, a homecoming.
Revisiting Marvel’s firstStar Warsrun also offers context for the company’s current work with the franchise, which I have come to view almost as a second draft. A second bite at the apple, so to speak. In the 1980s, no one truly knew yet what the franchise had the potential to be. Now, four decades later, once again,Marvelis at the forefront of exploring that potential, and is making the most of the opportunity this time. Right now, the comic book medium is where the most exciting stories set in theStar Warsgalaxy are being told.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
