Star Wars - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com The comics criticism you crave Tue, 13 May 2025 17:21:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/comicsxf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/cropped-orange-favicon-2.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Star Wars - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com 32 32 107498702 Marvel’s Star Wars #1 enters the era of the New New Republic https://comicsxf.com/2025/05/13/marvels-star-wars-1-enters-the-era-of-the-new-new-republic/ Tue, 13 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52611 Darth Vader is dead! The New Republic lives! Moff Adelhard (you all remember him, right?) is defeated! For the first time, Marvel’s second run of Star Wars comics drops the Star Warriors into an ongoing series set in the post-Original Trilogy era in Star Wars #1, written by Alex Segura, drawn by Phil Noto and...

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]]> 52611 Alex Segura On Taking Marvel’s Star Wars Into A New Era https://comicsxf.com/2025/05/09/alex-segura-on-taking-marvels-star-wars-into-a-new-era/ Fri, 09 May 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=52549 May the Fourth and Revenge of the Fifth may have passed for this year, but that doesn’t mean we, or the pop culture landscape, are done with Star Wars. With a new volume of Marvel’s Star Wars ongoing launching this past Wednesday, writer and Star Wars fan Matt Lazorwitz was able to sit down with...

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]]> 52549 Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents #1 gives ‘filler’ a good name https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/17/star-wars-bad-batch-ghost-agents-1/ Mon, 17 Feb 2025 20:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51736 The Bad Batch is back for another high-octane adventure set during the Clone Wars. Their mission: to hunt down the mysterious Separatist ghost agent who executed a daring heist on Coruscant. The thief’s trail leads Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair and Tech to the seediest corners of the galaxy, where kingpins and thugs threaten the clones’ mission,...

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]]> 51736 Kylo Ren knits himself together as he explores the past in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #1 https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/06/star-wars-legacy-vader-1/ Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51645 Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #1 is a story about clenched fists in want of something to punch. In a medium that often feels predicated on the punch-as-commodity, the punch as hi-hat clap, the punch as money-shot, it’s remarkable how ineffectual Charles Soule and penciler Luke Ross make these trembling, tightly clenched hands look. The...

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]]> 51645 Star Wars: A New Legacy celebrates 10 years of new obscure characters to be precious about https://comicsxf.com/2025/02/03/star-wars-new-legacy/ Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=51565 The really bad news first: it has somehow, implausibly, gruesomely, been 10 years since 2015. I know. This means it has been just shy of 10 years since The Force Awakens inaugurated a whole new era of things for Star Wars fans to be apoplectically upset about, and 10 years since Marvel began publishing Star...

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]]> 51565 A New Bad-@$$ War Reports With Mace Windu #1 https://comicsxf.com/2024/03/12/a-new-bad-war-reports-with-mace-windu-1/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=48174 In a tale set before the downfall of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire, Jedi Mace Windu plunges into the criminal underworld to safely retrieve a secret formula that risks upending the galactic status quo in Mace Windu #1 written by Marc Bernadin, pencils by Georges Jeanty, inks by Dexter Vines, colors by...

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]]> 48174 War Reports is back with Vader and the Schism Imperial (Best Band Name Ever?) https://comicsxf.com/2024/01/11/war-reports-is-back-with-vader-and-the-schism-imperial-best-band-name-ever/ Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=47675 The Schism Imperial rises as Vader deals with the fallout of “Dark Droids” in Darth Vader #42, written by Greg Pak, drawn by Adam Gorham, colored by Federico Blee and lettered by Joe Caramanga. With “Dark Droids” behind us and the title character past the weird “my Force powers are broken so I’m going to...

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]]> 47675 Ahsoka Reaches Its Conclusion in This Week’s War Reports https://comicsxf.com/2023/10/10/ahsoka-reaches-its-conclusion-in-this-weeks-war-reports/ Tue, 10 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46777 Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra march on Thrawn as the season concludes in Ahsoka part eight, “The Jedi, the Witch and the Warlord” written by Dave Filoni and directed by Rick Famuyiwa. Austin Gorton: Sean! Welcome to the Ahsoka finale review. I assume you’ve watched all the previous episodes and are deeply versed in all the...

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]]> 46777 Let me see that Thrawn: Ahsoka fulfills a Star Wars EU fanboy fantasy (War Reports) https://comicsxf.com/2023/09/26/war-reports-ahsoka-episode-6/ Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46654 In a galaxy far, far, FAR away, our crew of villains and the captive Sabine arrive on Peridia in search of their respective old friends in Ahsoka Part Six, “Far Far Away,” written by Dave Filoni and directed by Jennifer Getzinger.  Austin Gorton: Last week’s episode was fun and fan service-y and had tons of...

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]]> 46654 Fan Service Isn’t A Bad Thing in This Week’s War Reports https://comicsxf.com/2023/09/19/fan-service-isnt-a-bad-thing-in-this-weeks-war-reports/ Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46601 Ahsoka goes on a journey through her past and emerges with a new outlook (and new color scheme) in Ahsoka episode five, “Shadow Warrior”, written and directed by Dave Filoni.  Austin Gorton: Adam! I see you’ve followed the map I left in an orb buried in a temple activated by a stone plinth, and found...

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]]> 46601 Ahsoka picks up the pace in this week’s War Reports https://comicsxf.com/2023/09/13/ahsoka-picks-up-the-pace-in-this-weeks-war-reports/ Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46556 All kinds of stuff hits the fan as Ahsoka and Sabine cross blades with Baylan and Shin as they attempt to thwart Morgan’s reunion with Thrawn in Ahsoka episode four, “Fallen Jedi,” written by Dave Filoni and directed by Peter Ramsey.  Reaching the halfway point of the season by the end of the episode, “Fallen...

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]]> 46556 Ahsoka Takes Its Time In This Week’s War Reports https://comicsxf.com/2023/09/05/ahsoka-takes-its-time-in-this-weeks-war-reports/ Tue, 05 Sep 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46488 Hot on the trail of the stolen hyperdrive engine, Sabine renews her Jedi training regime to frustrating results while Hera discovers the New Republic has a lot of the same problems as the Old one in Ahsoka episode 03, “Time to Fly”, directed by Steph Green and written by Dave Filoni.  “Time to Fly” is...

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]]> 46488 Ahsoka lives somewhere on the spectrum between Boba Fett and Andor: War Reports https://comicsxf.com/2023/08/28/war-reports-2/ Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46407 The titular star of LucasFilm’s latest streaming series, Ahsoka, has a rich cross-media history in Star Wars. She debuted in The Clone Wars animated series (the canonical Dave Filoni one, not the earlier Genndy Tartakovsky one), made a smattering of appearances in the animated followup Rebels, starred in a few novels and comic book stories,...

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]]> 46407 Dark Droids #1 Headlines Our First War Reports https://comicsxf.com/2023/08/17/dark-droids-1-headlines-our-first-war-reports/ Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=46305 A new linewide crossover kicks off  as an ancient consciousness awakens in Dark Droids #1 by Charles Soule, Luke Ross, Alex Sinclair and Travis Lanham. Then, Lando has to make some tough decisions when Lobot is targeted by that consciousness in Star Wars #37, by Charles Soule, Madibek Musabekov, Rachelle Rosenberg and Claytin Cowles. The...

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]]> 46305 Darth Vader #30 Adds a Twist or Two https://comicsxf.com/2023/01/17/darth-vader-30-adds-a-twist-or-two/ Tue, 17 Jan 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=44534 There’s twists and turns aplenty as Sabé finds herself in a pickle while her fellow handmaidens make a deal with the devil in Star Wars: Darth Vader #30 written by Greg Pak, art by Luke Ross, colored by Federico Blee and lettered by Joe Caramagna. Generally speaking, Darth Vader isn’t a series which relies too...

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]]> 44534 Darth Vader #29 is a Good Example of Vader Without Vader https://comicsxf.com/2022/12/07/darth-vader-29-is-a-good-example-of-vader-without-vader/ Wed, 07 Dec 2022 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=44121 Ochi helps Dormé investigate Sabé while Sabé makes a fateful decision. Darth Vader is also there, in Star Wars: Darth Vader #29 written by Greg Pak, art by Luke Ross, colored by Federico Blee and lettered by Joe Caramagna. Who is the main character of this series? Darth Vader is the title character, of course,...

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]]> 44121 Star Wars #29 Takes Our Heroes on a Not-So-Relaxing Vacation https://comicsxf.com/2022/11/02/star-wars-29-takes-our-heroes-on-a-not-so-relaxing-vacation/ Wed, 02 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=43681 The Star Warriors take a working vacation in Star Wars #29, written by Charles Soule, art by Ramon Rosanas, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  Star Wars #29 kicks off a new story that is part of the proud (?) tradition in genre storytelling of “main characters take a vacation in the...

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]]> 43681 Darth Vader #28 Circles Back to Well-Trod Ground https://comicsxf.com/2022/10/21/darth-vader-28/ Fri, 21 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=43541 Darth Vader doesn’t fight the Emperor, then gets assigned another new mission in Star Wars: Darth Vader #28 written by Greg Pak, art by Raffele Ienco, colored by Carlos Lopez and lettered by Joe Caramagna. Darth Vader #28 is repetitious to its detriment. In following up on the reveal that the Emperor was secretly behind...

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]]> 43541 Luke Skywalker, Superhero, Stars In Star Wars #28 https://comicsxf.com/2022/10/14/luke-skywalker-superhero-stars-in-star-wars-28/ Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=43464 He’s Luke Skywalker, and he’s here to rescue the Meltons in Star Wars #28, written by Charles Soule, art by Andrés Genolet, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  There is an argument to be made that the use of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars #28 is too easy, too deus ex machina-y,...

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]]> 43464 Darth Vader Leans Into Its Comic Book-ness, But Not Enough https://comicsxf.com/2022/09/29/darth-vader-leans-into-its-comic-book-ness-but-not-enough/ Thu, 29 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=43170 A few fun moments highlight another issue in which the Governor Tauntaza plotline lumbers along in Star Wars: Darth Vader #27 written by Greg Pak, art by Raffele Ienco, colored by Carlos Lopez and lettered by Joe Caramagna. Any issue following in the immediate footsteps of last issue’s near-camp ode to Darth Vader’s intolerance of...

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]]> 43170 Star Wars #27 Is Not the Rebel Alliance’s Finest Hour https://comicsxf.com/2022/09/12/star-wars-27-is-not-the-rebel-alliances-finest-hour/ Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=42836 Jon and Bev escape from the (second) Death Star and desperately try to get the Rebels to answer their damn phones  in Star Wars #27, written by Charles Soule, art by Andrés Genolet, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg, and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  Though the tension which permeated the previous issue lingers into Star Wars #27,...

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]]> 42836 Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories #1 Brings Star Wars Back To Dark Horse – and Kids! https://comicsxf.com/2022/08/30/star-wars-hyperspace-stories-1-brings-star-wars-back-to-dark-horse-and-kids/ Tue, 30 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=42659 Star Wars returns to Dark Horse Comics and all-ages storytelling in the anthology Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories #1 written by Amanda Deibert, illustrated by Lucas Marangon, colored by Michael Atiyah, and lettered by Tyler Smith, and Jimmy Betancourt. It’s good to see the Dark Horse logo back on a Star Wars book. After all, without...

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]]> 42659 It’s Vader Vs. Sand in Star Wars: Darth Vader #26 https://comicsxf.com/2022/08/26/its-vader-vs-sand-in-star-wars-darth-vader-26/ Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=42636 Darth Vader comes face-to-face once more with his coarsest, roughest, most irritating foe, one which gets everywhere in Star Wars: Darth Vader #26 written by Greg Pak, art by Raffele Ienco, colored by Carlos Lopez and lettered by Joe Caramagna. It’s the one where Vader fights sand.  That may sound glib and/or reductive, but that’s...

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]]> 42636 Star Wars #26 is a Study in Narrative Tension https://comicsxf.com/2022/08/22/star-wars-26-is-a-study-in-narrative-tension/ Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:30:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=42583 The Rebellion celebrates putting itself back together as a new threat looms Star Wars #26, written by Charles Soule, art by Andrés Genolet, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg, and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  Star Wars #26 is a study in the way narrative tension can be deployed in different ways. Light on plot, it nevertheless marks...

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]]> 42583 It Hasn’t All Been Leading to Darth Vader #25 https://comicsxf.com/2022/07/21/it-hasnt-all-been-leading-to-darth-vader-25/ Thu, 21 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=42154 “Crimson Reign” continues to hum along, apparently, as Darth Vader finds a sandstorm in Star Wars: Darth Vader #25 written by Greg Pak, art by Raffele Ienco, colored by Carlos Lopez and lettered by Joe Caramagna. Welp, it turns out this was the conclusion to nothing.  Last issue, it seemed like the series was building...

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