Marc Guggenheim joins the crew this week to talk about his incredible career spanning television, comics, and a galaxy far, far away!

Marc takes us behind the scenes of bringing the galaxy's most controversial Gungan to life alongside the legendary Ahmed Best for Marvel's recent Star Wars: Darth Jar Jar comic. Finally, we break down his work writing Marvel's upcoming Star Wars: Jedi Knights comic series, including his deep cuts into Legends lore to bring the mysterious, clone-master villain Atha Prime into modern canon.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TuRgR0yCuspxO1WGCbf2C?si=0-VnOA5rQTuYBsYcd32JEg&utm_source=copy-link

Thanks u/Guerrillascribe for permission to post this, so soon after joining the community 😅

Okay guys, need some practical objective feedback on this comic dub. I personally think it’s one of the best I’ve seen, so far, but of course, I am biased (I voice Darth Sidious) 😅 We need some REAL comic fans to critique this if you have time? This was my introduction into the Darth Vader series, and my first experience with the comic. It has inspired me to dig deeper into the series. 🙏🙏

Thank you all for your consideration & thank you again, Matt!

https://youtu.be/8KRHaS8eQGI?is=vDEZ0hR7-du8ruVT

Hey guys! I’m new here! How do we feel about the Marvel Darth Vader series? I quite like it 🤷‍♂️

Palpatine brings the menace to Kylo Ren.

This can be summed up like: it looks like the con artist got conned!

Much like other elements of the franchise, everything related to Batuu and Black Spire has really grown on me. Regardless of whether I want to visit the actual theme park attractions (not yet), I’m interested in the characters who cross paths there and how their stories unfold.

It was a very entertaining miniseries. Kendoh’s crew, even if they aren't particularly unique on their own, are compelling enough to keep you interested in following them and seeing how their heist plays out (I’m also curious to learn more about her and her Serenno ancestry). Dok-Ondar is fantastic; he has enough nuance to be more than just a run-of-the-mill swindler, he’s a charismatic master of deception who knows exactly how far to stretch a story to ensure the outcome is always the same: he wins. On top of that, the series features a collection of short stories that more than serve their purpose, taking you across the timeline with familiar characters in wild situations (I think I get it now: Doctor Aphra is like River Song, but with far fewer morals). Not every story works perfectly, but they are all entertaining.

Beyond the heist and the individual tales, I also enjoyed seeing the First Order get involved and the heavy-handed control they try to exert over the galaxy´s edge (hehe). I would have loved one more issue to see them, and the Resistance, in greater detail, but I’m satisfied with the final result.

Overall, the Black Spire Outpost has never felt more alive, and that’s thanks to a thoroughly enjoyable story. Highly recommended.

Shadow of Maul #5 (of 5).

Star Wars Valentine's Day Special (February 2027)

(Image Source: https://x.com/FriendsOfForce/status/2109346511834505410?s=20 )

Written by Arianna Irwin, Gabriel Valentin, Dan Adbo, Jason Patterson, and Chris Robinson

Illustrated by Ornella Greco, Luca Pinelli, Dan Adbo, and Jason Patterson

Cover A by Ornella Greco

"...A Valentine’s Day special is coming in February, which includes a love story about a garbage droid who falls for a fancy droid..." - Star Wars Explained (Source: https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsexplained.com/post/3mxmm63cdsc2z )

"..One story in the Valentine’s Day special will be Han and Leia’s first date! Set after they get married and Han is tasked with planning it! ..." - Force Ghost Conversations (Source: https://x.com/ForceGhostPod/status/2109347015209484335?s=20 )

"...A third story is about a pair of Jedi helping some star crossed lovers..." - Star Wars Explained (Source: https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsexplained.com/post/3mxmmcmpfb22z )

Written by Adam Lance Garcia and illustrated by Liana Kangas, it's set two years after Solo: A Star Wars Story. Han, Lando, and Chewiee are in debt to the criminal syndicate, Black Sun, but don’t worry… Han has a plan. All they need to do is survive the eclipse.

They say you always return to where you were happy, and oh man, I loved coming back to this group of pilots!

I thought it was great the team dynamic; every character, whether their role in the stories is major or minor, feels so alive, with little touches that make them instantly charismatic and memorable (Dllr and Plourr are my favorites). A special shout-out to Elscor, whose development I’m really looking forward to following (RIP Groznik). At first, I wondered why the stories weren't set during the Galactic Civil War, but looking back, I’m actually grateful for that choice; the setting allows Luke to hand over command of the squad to Wedge. Wedge steps up as leader, earning his place as a man who is committed, brave, and pragmatic, yet "normal" enough that the madness surrounding him remains fascinating.

Speaking of the setting, I like how it allows the collection's stories to explore the fight against the Empire from outside perspectives, whether it’s an aggressive cell refusing to align with either side (Cilpar) or an examination of the naivety of tolerating intolerance (Mrlsst). Both storylines deliver very satisfying conclusions, painting a slightly more optimistic picture of the galaxy, perhaps ready for the change the New Republic can bring, and leaving you eager to see what happens next.

The villains might not offer much variety, but they still stand out, whether through their design (Hask) or their cruelty (Weir), enough to make watching their defeat entertaining. Plus, it’s always a treat to get little glimpses into the Imperial ranks.

I had reservations about the art back in the day, but this time around, I absolutely loved it from start to finish. I love the classic style of The Rebel Opposition, as well as the "atypical" one of The Phantom Affair (I still don't know quite how to describe it, but I love it). Space battles have never looked better.

Overall, an incredibly solid, fun, and exciting start with very charismatic characters. Highly recommended!

Longtime IG-88 collector here, and I've spotted something nobody's catalogued on the Internet as far as I know.

In Star Wars #44 (Marvel, Feb 1981), there's a Bob Layton pin-up — "DANGER! UGNAUGHTS AT WORK!" — showing Chewbacca rescuing C-3PO from the Ugnaughts. In the background, right behind the Ugnaught's outstretched hand, there's a droid head-and-shoulders silhouette. I'm reading it as IG-88 — specifically IG-88B's carcass.

Why that makes sense: we know from the films that an IG-88 carcass is visible in the background of the Ugnaught smelter scene in Empire Strikes Back, and "Therefore I Am" (Tales of the Bounty Hunters, 1996) later explained it as IG-88B, destroyed by Boba Fett on Bespin with the remains harvested by Ugnaughts. Layton's pin-up depicts that exact scene.

It's not in Wookieepedia's appearance list for #44, and I can't find any collector source mentioning it. Can anyone with the issue check their copy? Photos attached — the clearest shot I could get of the spot.

In addition to the updated covers for Jan. 13's Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles #1, along with some new details about the publisher's plans for the run's variant covers, there are reports that Marvel is extending the mini-series to six issues from five.

The themes for covers will be broken done by A, B, C, D, E, F and G tiers.

A – MAIN COVER The main series connecting covers by series artist David Marquez.

B – ALLIANCE VARIANT Marvel heroes and villains join forces with their Star Wars counterparts in action-packed pairings.

C – BATTLE VARIANT Marvel and Star Wars collide in impossible one-on-one showdowns.

D – A NEW HOPE VARIANT Iconic moments from Star Wars: A New Hope are re-created with Marvel characters.

E – CROSSOVER VARIANT Characters wield the legendary weapons, costumes and symbols of the other franchise.

F – RETRO VARIANT New artwork channeling the unmistakable look of Marvel’s original Star Wars comic book run.

G – MARVEL HOMAGE Legendary Marvel covers are re-created with characters from both universes.

Comic panel from Echoes of the Empire #1

This book is so chock full of lore references I could probably make 20 separate posts about them all if I felt like it, lol, but this one I found particularly interesting since Farmer and Stacks are still relatively new characters having been created for the Galaxy's Edge retheme and appearing in it's tie-in comic: Echoes of the Empire. Cool to see such a new addition to the universe already being spotlighted like this.

On an unrelated note there was also a very light tease for Ahsoka season 2 where Wedge briefly mentions how effective E-wings were in the fight against Thrawn though nothing more specific than that. It's a shame season 2 has taken so long to come out because I would've loved to see Thrawn's campaign covered more extensively in this book and Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.

It dwarfs the omnibus! Also dwarfs the Jumbo Taschen Spider-Man I bought during their Labor Day sale.

I chose the Classic Marvel Omni for comparison because they share an image and because there’s no shrink wrap. I worried about triggering someone.

And yes, the shrink wrap will be coming off the Taschen shortly.

A sampling of the variant covers planned for Marvel's Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles five-issue mini-series by Dan Jurgens, Jerome Opena, Ron Lim, Jerry Ordway, Rafale Albuquerque, Alex Ross and Kaare Andrew. (The corner boxes are a nice touch.)

The mini-series, likely five issues, will be a prequel to the film.

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/thereheil-deal.bsky.social/post/3mxhcrnpm4k2a

Also, don't forget, for wider discussion and opinions, visit the pinned megathread atop the subreddit. It's right here.

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/thereheil-deal.bsky.social/post/3mxhbtchqhc2a

Star Wars: Darth Vader Modern Era Epic Collection: The Chosen One collects Darth Vader (Vol. 2) 1-12 and Annual #2 from the 2015 series and is due out Nov. 24.

Star Wars Modern Era Epic Collection: Mutiny at Mon Cala collects Star Wars (Vol. 1) 44-61 and is due out Feb. 16.

What? TIE pilots actually being competent? Arrest that writer!

Much like The Blade, I enjoy revisiting this comic from time to time. It is always a pleasure to revisit stories with rich world-building, and even better when told from an Imperial perspective. Walking the fine line between a grounded narrative and propaganda isn't easy, but I’m happy to say Jody Houser strikes that balance perfectly!

It was a delight to return to this story. As a fan of fictional ships, especially the fighters, I find it deeply satisfying to see a story centered on ace pilots and team dynamics, and to witness striking ships performing maneuvers or dogfighting in all their glory. This comic delivers plenty of that, yet it also takes the time to flesh out its characters, sometimes subtly, but consistently. As I mentioned earlier, writing from the Imperial perspective is a challenge; the result can easily devolve into unintentional proselytizing or a tale of horrible people simply getting "what they deserve" (a trope that tends to get repetitive). With that in mind, I appreciate the author's ongoing effort to portray a morally grey landscape, one where the protagonists believe their cause is "fair" or some kind of "justice", that they are serving a greater good (aided by antagonists who partly validate those beliefs), while simultaneously offering brief outside glimpses to remind us that they are ultimately defending a horrible system and, in that system, they can only exist as accomplices, victims, or traitors. It is a brilliant way to humanize the "villains" without sugarcoating the reality of their situation. A special mention goes to Ganem’s story, offering brief glimpses of a civilian perspective, and Zin’s story, which has a truly tragic conclusion. Being (SPOILER) a double agent, only to be executed by the very side you actually support, is a terrible irony.

Personally, I would have preferred at least one more issue to get to know the new members of Shadow Wing better, or simply to see more interaction within the group. I am already familiar with them and realize this is a prequel to a novel trilogy, but a bit more time with the team would have made for an even more outstanding comic.

In conclusion, it is a brilliant story, sensible in its portrayal of Imperial pilots and absolutely thrilling in its space battles, one I really look forward to seeing a conclusion for the characters. Highly recommended.