"Star Wars: The Official Comics Collection"

The legendary saga in a unique collection of books " Star Wars. Official Comics Collection" Publishing house DeAgostini.

Beyond the films that birthed the Star Wars legend, the power of the saga has lived on in other forms of art for decades, illuminating the history of the universe. Comic books have always played a leading role in the development of the history of the universe: since 1977, after the premiere of A New Hope, when the first Star Wars comics appeared, many works have been created with exciting stories.

Collection

In the world of comics, Star Wars characters appeared back in 1977, when Marvel released the first book. Since then, the events of the famous film have been supplemented by other stories, characters and situations that fans of the space saga have never seen on screen. The best Star Wars comics are collected in this exclusive collection of books.
Where did the Force come from? How did the Dark Side come about? Who created the Jedi Order? What happened during the Clone Wars? What happened to Luke, Han Solo and Leia after the Emperor died? You will find answers to these and many other questions in the books in the collection!

When George Lucas allowed other authors to develop the story of the Star Wars universe, he could not imagine the scale of the creative potential that was shown by a few, but very famous people in the field of comics. Comics are the perfect, flexible visual medium for bringing the saga to life: writers like Kevin J. Anderson, Randy Stradley or John Ostrander; Illustrators such as Jen Duursema, Rick Leonardi or Fred Blanchard have been able to create stories and characters that will remain in the memory for a long time.

• The most complete collection of comics about the Star Wars universe, contains the best stories created over more than 40 years of the legendary Space Saga - from the first graphic novels published in 1977 to the comics of recent years.
• The collection consists of graphic novels united in a series that allow you to go on exciting adventures with the heroes of the saga.
• Additional materials at the end of each book: information about the authors and the history of comics, original covers, chronologies of key Star Wars events, character portraits, information about spaceships and planets.

The Italian publishing house "DeAgostini" has made your dream come true! In April 2018, meet the unique edition of “Star Wars. Official Comics Collection.

Five important facts about the Star Wars series. Official Comics Collection"

This is the most complete collection of Star Wars comics. Having collected all the books, you will know absolutely everything about the Universe created by George Lucas, even what people who claim to have been fans of the Saga since childhood do not know.

1. In the first issues you will find original comics that were published back in 1977, that is, simultaneously with the showing of the first film in cinemas.
2. Graphic novels are combined into series - Empire, Clone Wars, Rebellion, Dark Times, Legacy and other parts of the epic that will not leave anyone indifferent. After reading everything, you will become a full citizen of the Universe.
3. All comics are designed in different styles. Legendary creative teams worked on the releases. From book to book, you will follow the evolution of the art of creating a graphic novel over the past forty years.
4. The collection consists of 70 books, each hardcover and containing 200 pages, printed on excellent quality paper. But that is not all!
5. In each issue you will find reprints of original magazine covers from many years ago.

When you collect the entire collection and place the books in the order they were published, you will see a beautiful drawing with the main characters of the saga. This series will become the main decoration of your home library.

Where to buy books?

Buy issues of the Star Wars series. Official comics collection" is available on our website. A new book will be published every two weeks. The recommended price of the first issue is 149 rubles, the second - 299 rubles, the third and subsequent ones - 499 rubles. If you do not want to depend on the markups of intermediaries, we recommend subscribing to the collection.

“The Force Awakens” is more anticipated on our website than the New Year. We are counting down every day until the premiere and have already booked tickets for the very first showings a long time ago. We actively discuss theories built by fans around the film, and also try to extract as much information as possible even from the music track list for the film. But in order for the picture to emerge completely, you need to use the maximum of available information. Therefore, today we offer you a tour of the comics that were published in the past year by the publishing house. In fact, they contain many details and hints about the future of the galaxy. Be careful, the material contains a lot of spoilers and shamelessly points out those fragments that you cannot pass by without paying attention!

Kanan

Chronologically, this series about a galaxy far, far away is located earlier than others released this year by the publishing house. For those who watch the series Star Wars Rebels, it will not be difficult to figure out that the main character of the series will be Kanan Jarrus, one of the main characters of the series, a former Jedi and mentor to young Ezra. The events described in the first issues of the series will quite expectedly unfold before those shown in the series. Readers get to see Kanan right after Order 66 goes into effect, and his master is killed by his former comrades in front of his Padawan's eyes.

The young Jedi, who has not yet completed his training, will have a hard time in the new world: the pursuers of the “traitor” of the Empire will constantly be on his tail, and the skills of independent survival in the real world are not included in the mandatory program of the Order. Reading the series, it becomes easy to mentally trace the route that made Caleb Dume (that’s what Kanan was called before the sad events) Kanan Jarrus. Readers will be able to understand both the reasons for his hatred of clones and his reluctance to get involved in major conflicts that could attract the attention of the Empire.

But the series is written so well that pleasant impressions await even those who are not yet familiar with the character and decided for some reason to ignore the series. The authors of the comic did not pursue scope, but concentrated their efforts on revealing the characters. Yes, most of the heroes that appear on the pages of comic books are basically stereotyped and predictable. But issue after issue they demonstrate more and more depth. But it was not Caleb who became the subject of numerous surprises, because the fans had already gotten to know him. But the smugglers into whose company the young man found himself turned out to be colorful and not always simple characters. There are both heroes and villains here, because not only the Jedi were forced to hide from the forces of the Empire.

It's also worth noting that there's an extra treat in store for those who've been pining for the Expanded Universe comics. The story itself, the manner of presentation, and even the coloring will remind readers more than once or twice of the comics published by Dark Horse. If you've read all the licensed comics, you'll no doubt appreciate the weight of this compliment.

If you can’t wait to continue getting to know the character, and you’re watching the series in ongoing mode, then you can turn your attention to the bookANewDawn. It was the first to be published within the new canon. Its events take place six years before the start of the series and will tell about the acquaintance and first joint mission of Kanan and Hera. They will have to join forces to confront the industrialist Count Vidian. The book turned out to be noticeably more interesting than the summary might suggest. In addition to meeting beloved characters, it sheds light on the economic situation in the Empire, which requires more and more resources to create a weapon of terror. Yes, although it is not stated directly, John Miller, the author of the book, managed to convey the feeling that the construction of the Death Star is already in full swing. But these are not all the strengths of the book.

Value to fandom: A standalone addition to Star Wars: Rebels. Like the series, the comic tries to expand the known boundaries of a galaxy far, far away, without using characters long familiar from the films, thanks to which it can afford more than other series.

Princess Leia

The events of the Princess Leia mini-series, which included five issues, begin immediately after Episode Four. Having rewarded the heroes of the Rebellion, Leia still decides to become concerned about the fate of her native people. In the Original Trilogy, there was no room for Leia's suffering at the loss of her home world, where her parents and her people were at that moment.

So, having stepped away from the affairs of the Rebellion for some time, Leia decides to unite the surviving Alderaanians and find them a new home. The situation is complicated by the reward on her head, for which even friends are ready to betray, and the bad character of some survivors. One can understand them, because the Empire decides to take the chance and exterminate the remnants of the intractable people.

Unfortunately, something went wrong. Among comic book readers, it is not customary to criticize a drawing just because the character bears little resemblance to himself from the previous issue, which was worked on by a different artist. The development of the industry over many decades has instilled in readers that conditional preservation of the basic elements of the image is sufficient. This work falls not only on artists, but also on screenwriters. It's not pleasant to realize that a good creative team failed, perhaps, the most important part of their work. It’s unlikely that you’ll recognize Leia from the comic as Carrie Fisher, but it’s not just a matter of external resemblance. Leah Dodsonov is sometimes even prettier, and her numerous outfits highlight this to her advantage. Throughout all five issues, Leia acts as a Princess, and not as the leader of the Rebellion on a dangerous mission. But this determined person doesn't have much in common with the Ice Queen that Leia was portrayed in the Original Trilogy. She is more reckless and soft.

Unfortunately, the authors failed to create an intriguing story, which simply does not have time to hook the reader. Events jump madly from one scene to another, not allowing any of the characters to develop properly. As a result, a group of static templates operates against colorful but poorly developed backgrounds. Even if one of the main characters was overtaken by death, it is absolutely impossible to sympathize with him

However, many people don’t read Star Wars comics to get to know a bunch of new, complex characters. So if you close your eyes to what is happening (or explain everything, for example, by the unexpected conditions in which Princess Leia found herself), then some interesting fragments and hints from the story can still be pulled out.

First, the hint that Leia has the Force is given right in the second issue. Unable to resist the temptation, the authors played on the reader’s sense of nostalgia more than once or twice. We're talking about the scene in which the Princess leans towards R2D2, clearly copied from A New Hope, and Leia's dreams of a twin. And in the second issue, Leia begins her rescue campaign from Naboo, her mother’s home planet, which she does not yet know about. Of course, one of the colorful bas-reliefs of the planet was decorated with the image of Princess Amidala. When looking at the drawing, Leia sees a short vision: the image on the wall comes to life and looks at the Princess with a sad look. What is this? Is the authors nod towards prequels or something more? After all, we shouldn’t forget that Leia is Luke’s sister, even though she still doesn’t know it. And Luke has the Force so much that he is able to resist two Sith Lords at once. This means we can assume that Leia also has the beginnings of the Force. Within the Expanded Universe, several successful stories have been written around this piece of history. But judging by the promotional materials seen for The Force Awakens, Leia has not mastered any of the techniques of the Jedi. Perhaps her sensitivity to the Force helps her anticipate and sense better decisions in situations where a dry set of facts and statistics ceases to help. After all, it was by relying on the Force that Luke was able to destroy the first Death Star. So maybe Leia will also owe her successful military career to the Force?

Secondly, let's discuss General Leia in a little more detail. If you carefully read the latest interviews with the authors, you have already come to terms with the fact that Leia Organa has lost her status as a Princess and has long been known to the Galaxy as General Organa. A clear explanation for this is given in the comic. To begin with, it is worth remembering that Leia became a princess without a state. Despite the remnants of surviving Alderaanians, her state is irrevocably lost. Moreover, having gathered all the scattered groups together, she independently abdicates the throne. Having taken a completely expected step towards democracy, Leia announces that people are now free to choose their own princess. It turns out that at the time of the Fifth and Sixth Episodes, there was nothing left of the title of Princess but memories and compliments. And by The Force Awakens, they will gradually be erased.

Value to fandom: small. There are hints of Leia's abilities, the fate of the galaxy-scattered inhabitants of Alderaan, and a bit of heartbreak. Nothing that is not in other series.

Star Wars

We have already reviewed the first issue of the series, noting the talent of its authors. We decided to play it safe by giving the series with that name to real professionals in their field, so you shouldn’t be surprised at its high quality.

As we expected earlier, a feeling of nostalgia awaits the reader from the very first pages. The comic meticulously reproduces all the elements of the Original Trilogy, without allowing itself unnecessary innovations: the faces of the drawn heroes are easily recognizable, the interior design of the Empire is still as strict, and C3PO is still helpless. There is nothing to be surprised here, because the events of the series are located in the period from the Fourth to the Fifth Episodes, so the heroes will have to carry out many more missions against the Empire before it falls. It is also worth noting that this period was not very popular in the Expanded Universe, which makes the events of the series doubly interesting. But let's be honest with ourselves: the constant flow of missions to destroy military targets, copying every possible element of the Original Trilogy, would have gotten boring by the third arc, and Jason Aaron wouldn't have been himself if he had gone down this road.

On the contrary, having finished with the pleasant foreplay and hooked the readers, he begins a whole series of unexpected somersaults! Some of them, like Han Solo’s wife, don’t fit well into the already established picture of the world, but others involuntarily patch up holes (for example, you never got the feeling that Luke reached heights too quickly on the path of the Force, having a rather limited choice teachers?). It is at this moment that you understand that the series is not going to turn into a boring filler about the everyday life of the popular trio on military missions of the Rebellion, but plans to take us with a breeze to all the interesting corners of this world. Does anyone doubt that there will be enough secrets and stories in the galaxy for a good hundred issues? In addition, rare nods to the original films and even prequels have not been canceled.

But besides the fact that the quality of the series is in itself a powerful argument in favor of reading these comics, the authors little by little add important details to the overall picture. First of all, we are, of course, talking about Luke's training. Almost immediately left without the only one who could guide him on the path of the Force, he does not agree to give up. We already know that Luke is not the only Jedi in the galaxy. And although he only crossed paths with Obi Wan and Yoda, there are many other ways to learn more about the Force. But in a world ruled by an Empire ruled by the Sith, one should not even hope that the search will go right. Instead of Luke's remaining Jedi, smugglers await him, and the Jedi Order will have to be temporarily exchanged for the gladiatorial arena.

Another important part of the story was the relationship between Han and Leia, which managed to touch many people with their joint scene in the trailer for The Force Awakens. But not much time was devoted to their relationship before! A couple of exchanges, a couple of touching moments, but is it too fast? Thanks to the comic, we will finally be able to see the entire path of this relationship: from the first major misunderstanding to the first kiss, right through a whole bunch of scenes of varying degrees of romance. And maybe due to the fact that our favorite heroes are in front of us, or maybe due to Aaron’s talent, watching this couple is a real pleasure.

By juggling completely different elements of history, the authors manage to create an original and unique story. You don’t expect any revelations or surprises from the period with which readers are introduced in the series. Therefore, each of them is perceived doubly more pleasant.

Value to fandom: We have already seen how the trio of main characters gained fame and respect in the galaxy. Now we have to find out what happened between these missions. This allows you to get to know the characters much better, and therefore become even closer to them.

Is it worth reading?: Most of the Star Wars series coming out these days have good plots and quality art. But Star Wars is the leader in quality. From completely understandable and well-known ingredients, the authors were able to prepare such a delicious dish that it’s time to think about magic.

Remnants of the Empire

“Fragments of the Empire” is so far the only comic book released that at least somehow reveals the fragments seen in the trailers. The events of the series, which included only four issues, begin with the destruction of the second Death Star and tell about the pilot Shara Bay. Shara is not only a talented and experienced pilot, but also the mother of Poe Dameron, one of the main characters of The Force Awakens. In a fleeting moment, we learn that the boy has already been born and now lives with the heroine’s father. But his life is somewhere behind the scenes.

And at the center of the story are several missions that Shara performs together with the heroes of the Original Trilogy. Left without Palpatine, the Empire refuses to believe in its own defeat, creating more and more dangers in the Galaxy. Alas, the missions are connected rather indirectly, so there is virtually no coherent plot with a beginning, development and denouement. Instead, we are given little glimpses into the lives of the beloved Trinity - Luke, Leia and Han - after the event at Endor. Together with them, Shara celebrates the victory over the Emperor, flies with Leia to Naboo on a diplomatic mission, helps Luke penetrate the secret laboratory of the Empire, where very interesting artifacts are kept. And each outing gives us new hints about the future of the characters.

For example, we are once again hinted at Leia's Force sensitivity. And again to Naboo. And although each of the comics in the series is filled with nostalgic elements, the second and third issues have the most of them. We will have time to walk along the streets familiar from the First Episode, meet the current princess, see familiar outfits, and even return to the very hangar from where young Anakin went into battle on a fighter. It is in the hangar that a new vision awaits Leia, but this time it is unpleasant and cold, because here Darth Maul killed Qui-Gon Jin.

The comic is a must-read for those who are intrigued by the future life of Luke, who never appeared in any of the trailers. The latest issue is dedicated to an attempt to penetrate a mysterious laboratory where Emperor Palpatine kept valuable artifacts. For example, his Messengers were kept here - unusual messenger droids that looked like the Imperial Guard. But the target of penetration was two small trees. These trees once grew in the Order on Coruscant, so they were saturated with the Force. Thanks to this, Luke was able to feel them. The question of why the only known Jedi in the Galaxy needed the trees of the Order already contains the answer. So numerous theories about his transition to the Dark Side are once again called into question.

Value to fandom: high! Although important elements are scattered unevenly and chaotically throughout the comics of the series, many useful conclusions can be drawn from them about the events preceding Episode Seven.

The Star Wars Expanded Universe games, books, and comics have enriched the galaxy far away with many great stories and characters. Admiral Thrawn, Corran Horn, Kyle Katarn, Quinlan Vos or Darth Revan deserve to be on a par with the characters from the original films. Moreover, it was the creators of the Expanded Universe who sometimes discovered new eras of the saga that were not shown in the movies. The authors created new conflicts and proved that Star Wars could be interesting without the Skywalker family.

Perhaps the most obvious example is the era of the Knights of the Old Republic. The games and comics based on it are among the best works of the Expanded Universe. Their authors climbed not only into the deep past, but also into the future of a distant galaxy. For example, the bold Legacy comic book series took place one hundred and thirty years after the events of A New Hope.

As a young man, Cade Skywalker saw the Jedi Order and his father fall to the Sith as they seized power in the galaxy. The heir to the Jedi dynasty grew up among criminals and became a clever smuggler and bounty hunter. But, although the role of the savior of the galaxy does not appeal to him, Cade will have to remember his origin and find himself at the center of the confrontation between the Jedi and the Sith.

Star Wars: Legacy Volume 1: Broken

Genre: space opera
Screenwriters Stars: John Ostrander, Jen Duursema
Artist: Jen Duursema
Original output: 2006
Publishing house: AST, 2017

Dark Horse has been publishing Star Wars comics for almost a quarter of a century, and during this time it has given fans many bright and original stories. One of the most original and daring was the “Legacy” series. Its authors moved the action into the future of a distant galaxy, creating a new era of the saga.

The series is based on the usual Star Wars elements: there is the Empire and the rebels, the Sith and the Jedi, space battles and, of course, the Skywalkers. But these elements are presented in a new way. For example, the Sith are numerous here, and they are led by the mysterious Darth Krayt, who has taken the imperial throne. The empire is not united, but is split into two camps: some recognized the Sith usurper, others remain loyal to the overthrown Fel dynasty. The dynasty is supported by imperial knights, who wield the Force no worse than the Jedi.

And the Jedi themselves, again, as after the Clone Wars, became victims of massacres and purges... But this time the surviving masters and knights did not hide on distant planets, giving up the fight, but were secretly gathering forces to strike back. Finally, the heir to the Skywalker family does not want to have anything to do with the Force and fight for the fate of the galaxy - he is content with the role of a petty bandit and does not even hesitate to hunt the Jedi.

The world of “Legacy” turned out to be dark and cruel. This becomes obvious from the very first pages, when the Sith descend on the Jedi Temple and kill the head of the order, Kol Skywalker, and his only son goes missing. Cade Skywalker falls into the criminal world, and when we meet him again a few years later, we are already a seasoned bounty hunter. Moreover, this is not a charming criminal with a heart of gold, like Han Solo - Cade is not burdened with moral principles, and for him the end justifies the means. Needless to say, we have never seen Skywalkers like this before. The main character of “Broken” is difficult to call pleasant and sympathize with him. But this is a very interesting and non-trivial protagonist, whose fate and development are interesting to watch.

The first volume of the series lacks scope: a large-scale confrontation between the Jedi and the Sith, political battles and battles between star fleets await us in the following issues. "Broken" focuses on Cade and his friends. Having successfully completed their next case, they encounter fugitives, on whose trail the Sith are following. Calculating profit, Skywalker undertakes to help random acquaintances, not yet suspecting that he is getting involved in a conflict between the Sith, Jedi and imperial knights. And adventures begin, fierce battles and dramatic clashes with the ghosts of the past.

Events are developing rapidly, but the authors manage to introduce us to the new era and its main characters, thus laying the foundation for the plot. This is just the beginning of the story - but it has already turned out to be incredibly exciting. And in the following volumes, “Legacy” will gain a scope worthy of Lucas’ films.

Bottom line: The Legacy series once again proves that a Star Wars setting can create new and original characters, conflicts and stories. The series has an independent plot, so the comic is suitable for those who are not familiar with the Expanded Universe. And it will delight connoisseurs with frequent references to other works of the saga.

Since the Expanded Universe evolved into the non-canon Legends, quite a few novels and comics have been released within the new canon. But for now, the plots of these works invariably revolve around the events of the films and their characters. The authors seem to be afraid to experiment and open new horizons. And there are still very few truly striking characters who first appeared outside the silver screen in the new canon. One of the rare exceptions can be considered Doctor Aphra, a kind of black archaeologist of a distant galaxy. Aphra was Darth Vader's servant and rightfully deserved her own comic book series.

Having discovered who the mysterious pilot was who destroyed the Death Star, Darth Vader became determined to find young Skywalker. Having learned from his agent where to look for Luke, Vader personally goes after him to the planet where the secret Rebel base is located. To reach the young Jedi, the Sith Lord will have to single-handedly challenge an entire army of rebels.

Star Wars: Vader Down

Genre: space opera
Screenwriters Stars: Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen
Artists Stars: Mike Deodato, Salvador Larroca
Original output: 2015–2016
Publishing house: “Come il faut”, 2017

Apart from the films, the most interesting works of the new Star Wars canon are the comic book series with the simple names “Star Wars” and “Darth Vader”. Both tell about the events after the destruction of the first Death Star, their plots develop simultaneously and are often even intertwined. Less than a year after the launch of the series, Marvel decided to link them even more closely by launching the Vader's Fall crossover.

However, the title “Vader’s Benefit Performance” would be more appropriate for the comic. From the very first pages, the Sith shows his frightening power. Already at the beginning of the crossover, he is at the helm of a fighter, single-handedly dealing with as many as three squadrons of the Rebels. Only Luke's suicidal maneuver allows this beating to stop and leads to the very fall that is included in the title. After this, father and son find themselves among ancient ruins without ships or means of communication.

Realizing that they have a rare chance to get rid of Vader, the Rebels begin hunting him. But the real hunter here is Darth - he pursues Luke, sweeping away everyone who gets in his way. Every scene featuring Vader is a reminder of why his name strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents. If at first he deals with the rebels, then it is the turn of his rival from the imperial camp: he tried to get his hands on the prey that the dark lord had set his sights on.

But Vader was not the only one who showed himself brightly in the crossover. An almost equally important role is given to Doctor Aphra, her companions - a pair of killer droids, very similar in appearance to R2-D2 and C-3PO, and also the half-mad Wookiee Black Krrsantan. This colorful company comes to the aid of Vader, and Luke is helped by his faithful friends - Han and Chewbacca. Thanks to the droids, who constantly find themselves in comical situations, the confrontation turned out to be not only exciting, but also very funny.

Unfortunately, although the crossover is great, it lacks drama. The plot centers on the main characters of the films, and the action takes place between the fourth and fifth episodes. Therefore, it is quite obvious that the tension that the authors are building up is in fact imaginary and the danger looming over Luke and his comrades will safely pass. The drawing also raises some complaints. The issues drawn by Deodato are very spectacular and beautiful, but against their background the parts for which Larroca was responsible look plain.

Bottom line: The Star Wars and Darth Vader series are some of the best in the new canon. And the crossover between them, although it did not present any special surprises, was a great success.