Star Wars Comics Updates from the SDCC Lucasfilm Publishing Panel

The Lucasfilm Publishing Panel at SDCC featured exciting news about upcoming novels, children’s books, and Star Wars comics from IDW and Marvel. Of note, the conclusion of the Poe Dameron series, the spooky Tales from Vader’s Castle, scheduled for release in time for Halloween, and Marvel’s Solo: A Star Wars Story adaptation.

Find out more below:

Charles Soule on wrapping up his Poe Dameron comic series with issue #31: “The original publishing plan was for it to stop much earlier, and then it got an extension, and then it got another extension. We were like, ‘People really sort of dig this book.’…The reason that we’re going so far as we are with it is because of you guys. You guys embraced it, you like it, you talk about it, you tell your friends about it. So, thank you very much. I loved writing Poe, it’s been a blast.”
Charles Soule on the state of the galaxy at the end of Poe Dameron, which is set after The Last Jedi: “The galaxy is devoid of help for the Resistance, and they’re just four starships. They’re in a tough spot. So that’s where we are when the series wraps up. I won’t say it’s not a happy ending, but it’s a tough ol’ galaxy out there. It really is.”

Star Wars: Tales from Vader’s Castle
Publisher: IDW
Author: Creepy Cavan Scott
Artist: Derek Charm, Chris Fenoglio, Kelley Jones, Corin Howell, Robert Hack, and Charles Paul Wilson III. Featuring variant covers by the frightening Francesco Francavilla
On-Sale: October 2018
Description: Join a ragtag band of rebels in this weekly 5-issue mini-series filled with eerie adventures from across the Star Wars saga. Told in the shadow of Vader’s castle, these spooky stories feature Hera, Kanan, and Chopper; Han Solo and Chewbacca; the Ewoks; and, of course, Darth Vader, himself! Beware the Tales from Vader’s Castle!
Cavan Scott on the setup of his spooky mini-series Tales from Vader’s Castle: “You know how you get those spooky Halloween stories where a car breaks down and there’s a creepy castle on a hill. Well, imagine a spaceship landing on a lava planet and the only place is a castle on a hill.”

Charles Soule on his comic’s trip to Vader’s castle: “It’s all been building to this. From the very beginning of the series, this was always going to be the big huge arc we were building to, which is where does he get that castle?”

Solo: A Star Wars Story Comic Mini-series
Publisher: Marvel
Author: Robbie Thompson
Artist: Will Sliney, cover art by Phil Noto & Leonard Kirk
On-Sale: October 2018
Description: A new five-issue mini-series featuring backstory and scenes not shown in the film! After leaving the Imperial Navy, a young Han Solo seeks adventure by joining a gang of galactic mercenaries—including a 196-year-old Wookiee named Chewbacca and a notorious gambler named Lando Calrissian. But there’s more to the story of the galaxy’s most beloved scoundrel than what you saw in theaters. What happened when Han was an Imperial cadet? Why does Beckett trust him? And what is the connection between the woman who stole Han’s heart and one of Han’s closest friends?
Michael Siglain on why Marvel’s comic adaption is a must-read: “Read this one closely, because you don’t know where this one is going to head to and connect to in the future.”

New Marvel Comics!
Age of Republic – Written by Jody Houser
Age of Rebellion – Written by Greg Pak
Age of Resistance – Written by Tom Taylor
On-sale: Beginning December 2018
Description: Journey through the entire Star Wars saga with Age of Republic, Age of Rebellion, and Age of Resistance, a 30-issue maxi-series chronicling the most iconic heroes & villains from across the galaxy. This epic Marvel Comics event starts in December with Age of Republic: Qui-Gon #1 and Age of Republic: Darth Maul #1.
Jody Houser on the Age of Republic series, which focuses on iconic heroes and villains of the prequel era: “It’s going to be four months, eight issues, and each month is going to have a hero story and a villain story.” Release order: Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul; Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jango Fett; Anakin Skywalker and Count Dooku; and Padmé Amidala and General Grievous.