How are the more recent Marvel Star Wars comics?

[DieHard200904]

First of all, I have to confess that my main interest at Marvel is Spider-Man followed by X-Men, but I do have to ask how are Marvel's Star Wars comics? Which issues would be especially recommended by you Marvel readers?

[JKtheMac]

I only read to the end of the Vader crossover but I found them fun. But I am speaking as someone that passionately dismisses Ep7 so I certainly don't represent the modern Star Wars fan.

If you like Jason Aaron and Kiren Gillen then pick up both. If you can take them or leave them then it depends how much you like that era of Star Wars. Both SW and Vader volumes get a little fan-fiction like. They are not able to resist incorporating ideas and characters that perhaps wouldn't quite have a place between Ep4-5. But, they are comics and if you read them as fun stories they work well. I can take or leave the other minis, and have yet to catch up with the main books but plan to. Needless to say I have not looked at the Ep7 tie-ins due to lack of interest.

First of all, I have to confess that my main interest at Marvel is Spider-Man followed by X-Men, <snip>

I love the idea you feel the need to confess reading X-Men or Spider-Man. Two of the biggest names in comics. It feels like me and Batman, although I do sometimes feel bad about reading it.

[Taral-DLOS]

The main series have been great. I recommend them.

The minis are to individual taste, I think. I liked the Princess Leia one, and the Obi-Wan and Anakin one was a fun one-off story with no real consequences. If you're interested in the characters or the era, try the minis, but if not, you're not missing much.

I've not really tried Poe Dameron or Kanan yet. Depends on your feelings about those characters I guess.

[MaxGoof]

I like Soule and love the character of Poe Dameron, but the Poe Dameron comic book is almost unspeakably bad. I can't recommend it to anyone.

[WebLurker]

First of all, I have to confess that my main interest at Marvel is Spider-Man followed by X-Men, but I do have to ask how are Marvel's Star Wars comics? Which issues would be especially recommended by you Marvel readers?

Hey, no worries, Spider-Man is my most favorite thing about comics period. No close exceptions. I do like the Star Wars comics a lot to, since I like Star Wars lot (more that Spider-Man, admittedly).

So of what I've read:

There is the main Star Wars comic series (about Luke, Han, and Leia, set between ANH and ESB). It's not bad, there's some fun stuff, but it's really fluffy and I don't think it captures the charm of the movies. If you like the characters, it's worth checking out, but it's not mind-blowing.

The main Star Wars ongoing also interweaves with the first Darth Vader series (specifically the first three trade paperbacks: Skywalker Strikes, Showdown on Smuggler's Moon, and Rebel Jail), so it might be worth reading if you want try Vader. Star Wars and Darth Vader also had a crossover story, Vader Down, which was pretty good. You don't need to read the Star Wars ongoing stuff to understand either the Vader series or Vader Down but it does add to the enjoyment.

The Darth Vader series (now completed) is easily the best of the bunch so far. Set between ANH and ESB, it's about how Vader gets the power we see him exercising in ESB. So, a lot planning and working against rivals. It also has the best supporting cast, with new characters Dr. Aphra, Triple Zero, and Bee-Tee not only stealing the show, but also coming alive in a way none of the other series' characters do (the depiction of the Big Three in the main SW title honestly seems lifeless in comparison). They also have their own series now, Doctor Aphra. The Vader one I'd say is a must-read, even if you're not into comics.

The miniseries can be picked up or ignored as you wish. Han Solo and Lando are arguably the best, putting the title characters on an adventure. Easy recommendations.

Chewbacca (which has the Wookiee helping a girl free her people from a crime lord) has had pretty mixed views, some hate it, others like it. It's not the strongest story out there and there are annoying parts where it's hard to understand what's going on (Chewie's dialogue is never translated for our benefit and there are a lot of scenes with no talking). However, I think it has a charm to it that pushes it from okay to good (not excellent, though).

Princess Leia is a really weak comic (Leia goes AWOL right after ANH to help other Alderaanian survivors). Fun art style, but the story meanders and is slow. For completists only.

Anakin and Obi-Wan: has some really great flashback scenes as we witness Palpatine begin to manipulate Anakin, but the bulk of the story is boring slog as Obi-Wan and a teenage Anakin are trying to resolve a civil war on a technology-limited world. If the Palpatine scenes don't interest you, skip it.

Shattered Empire is a sequel to ROTJ and stars Poe Dameron's mother. It's a good idea, but the plot is wonky and badly paced. There is no ending, the comic just stops and there's a lot of plot threads unresolved.

So, I'd recommend Darth Vader, Star Wars (at least up till Rebel Jail for reading Vader and only go on if you're liking it), the Han Solo andLando minis, and the Chewbacca mini if you're curious. The others aren't worth reading unless the subject manner interests you and even then the good parts are pretty limited.

I haven't had a chance to read Kanan (series completed), Poe Dameron, or Doctor Aphra (but it's written by the guy who did Darth Vader, so I have high hopes for it).

[Panfoot]

I gave up on Star Wars after 15 issues, that series felt like 90% filler and didn't do anything particularly interesting or new with the classic characters, the Obi Wan issues between arcs were great and the first annual is pretty good but otherwise I can't recommend it. Shattered Empire was pretty bad, good art but barely a story in it's 4 issues. Obi Wan and Anakin was fine but still just not that interesting. The current Darth Maul mini series has been the most enjoyable of the stuff i've read so far. Overall my impressions of the line is that due to the constraints of having to use certain characters (like how the main book is a Luke, Han, and Leia book) and not being able to get to away from the established canon(Star Wars and the previous Vader series being between New Hope/Empire for example), it's generally just all felt like fluff. It seems like any major developments of the new extended universe outside of the new movies are restricted to the novels and not the comics right now.

[ChrisIII]

Vader's pretty good, and like others have said it lines up thematically well with Vader's place in ESB (especially in the last issue). We also get a bit of Palpatine, and a rival for Vader not only in Cylo, but in General Tagge, who actually survived the Death Star. (He's the "The rebels are dangerous!" guy in the briefing room scene). I think including Tagge might have been a bit of a nod to Marvel's older Star Wars comics, which featured his family as antagonists and rivals to Vader as well.

The side characters are kind of fun, although a bit fanfictionesque in that they're basically 'evil' versions of Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C3PO.


SW's pretty good as well, although I haven't quite been fond of the latest Yoda storyline; it sort of feels like a bit of filler.

[The Whovian]

The main series have been great. I recommend them.

I second this. It seems like the minis are not as good, but that's just me.

[Hawkgirl_70]

Can someone link or share with me what the current Marvel Star Wars series still running?

I assume from above posts, Star Wars is still ongoing.

What other series are still ongoing?

[WebLurker]

Can someone link or share with me what the current Marvel Star Wars series still running?

I assume from above posts, Star Wars is still ongoing.

What other series are still ongoing?

- The main Star Wars comics (the Big Three between ANH and ESB)

- Poe Dameron

- Doctor Aphra

There are of course still new miniseries being made (like Darth Maul and the Screaming Citadel crossover between Star Wars and Doctor Aphra) and movie adaptations. There's also a second Darth Vader ongoing coming up soon that's set shortly after the prequels. IDW will also be making a new anthology series, Star Wars Adventures later this year (the main selling points being that it's written for both kids and adults and that it'll have stories featuring characters from all three trilogies).

[Hawkgirl_70]

[QUOTE=WebLurker;2824951]

Thank you for replying. I'm going to have to check out Doc Aphra & Poe D next buying opportunity.
I look forward to another Darth Vader series!

[WebLurker]

Thank you for replying. I'm going to have to check out Doc Aphra & Poe D next buying opportunity.
I look forward to another Darth Vader series!

No prob.

I haven't had a chance to read either of those two yet (confirmed trade waiter), but Kieron Gillen, who wrote the original Vader series, is also writing Aphra and the second Vader series, so if one likes the old Vader comics, I'm hopeful that that'll carry over into those two. (Also, the art samples I've seen from the Aphra series look really good and lively.)

[Spiritualcramp]

Def the Main Star Wars series and the Vader run (even though the Shu torun arc sucks)

IDK about Poe Dameron's newest I gave up on it after 5 issues

[Cel]

I gave up on the core Star Wars book after the Vader down crossover and the Poe Dameron book after the first story arc. I just haven't really been too pleased with Star Wars comics since Marvel regained the license--part of that probably is due to the new apparent Expanded Universe mandate of keeping everything within the confines of the movies. I know many people prefer that, but I was always the opposite.