main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit Rank the Comics of the New Canon

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Darkslayer, May 26, 2017.

  1. Darkslayer

    Darkslayer #1 Sabine Wren Fan star 7

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2013
    Somebody asked if we had this thread in the "Rank the novels in the new canon" book thread so I thought this would be fun.
     
    Dimitar and Nickname320 like this.
  2. tatooinesandworm

    tatooinesandworm Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jul 30, 2015
    Some of these are a little hard because the end may not pay off on the minis, but this would be the level I enjoyed these series in.

    Dr. Aphra
    Kanan
    Darth Vader
    Han Solo
    Obi-Wan & Anakin
    Shattered Empire
    Darth Maul
    Lando
    Star Wars
    Poe Dameron
    Rogue One
    Chewbacca
    C-3PO Special
    Princess Leia
    The Force Awakens


    Sent from my Ornithopter using The Force
     
  3. spicer

    spicer Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2012
    In my opinion:

    - Lando: One of the best Star Wars comics ever, be it Legends or canon, Dark Horse or Marvel ^:)^
    - Obi-Wan&Anakin: Very underrated. A really good story with fantastic artwork.
    - Darth Vader: Only complaint I have about this series is the artwork. Otherwise it's excellent.
    - Kanan: To me this series felt a lot like a good Dark Horse comic. I hope we see more Star Wars comics from Greg Weisman and Pepe Larraz.
    - C-3PO one shot: Surprisingly good and deep, and very underrated unfortunately.
    - Doctor Aphra: Considering this series is still ongoing, its placement may vary in time, but for now I'd put it here. I find it very enjoyable, and if it continues like this it will probably rank higher.
    - Han Solo: A very fun read with top notch artwork.
    - Darth Maul: Like the Doctor Aphra series, once this mini is wrapped up, this may rank higher.
    - Chewbacca: An ok story with good art. Not a must read unless you are a hard core Chewbacca fan, but certainly not bad either.
    - Rogue One: So far so good for an adaptation.
    - Poe Dameron: I'm not impressed by this series...I feel like it lacks focus.
    - Princess Leia: I found this one to be pretty meh.
    - Shattered Empire: Great art, but I'm afraid that's about it.
    - Star Wars: Really disappointed with this series :( If I wasn't this much into Star Wars comics (i. e. reading ALL of them) I would've quit with this series long ago.
    - The Force Awakens: A perfect example of how NOT to make a movie adaptation in comic book form.
     
  4. SilentGuy66

    SilentGuy66 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 1, 2014
    Best= jedi of the republic: Mace Windu.

    I know it hasn't been released yet bit when it does it's going to be the best thing ever!:p
     
    Darkslayer likes this.
  5. redxavier

    redxavier Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 23, 2003
    Han Solo - the best and most consistent series so far, I had a lot of fun reading this.
    Star Wars Annual #1 - I liked this one shot quite a bit, a compelling story with an unexpected end
    Shattered Empire - mostly because of the artwork, scenes and characters, but it's rushed and doesn't really tell a complete story (more a series of random adventures)
    Dr Aphra - there's something about Aphra, written here as a much more fun and nuanced character, being on a completely unrelated adventure infused with history, that really makes the first arc a fun read. I hope this tone continues.
    Darth Maul - very promising so far, I just really hope it doesn't become predictable.
    Poe Dameron - has a good cast of characters and feels important, mainly because the era sets it apart and it feels like we're really learning new things and being where we haven't gone before. The first two arcs were a bit uneven but it seems to be improving. The art's great too.
    Princess Leia - I liked this one because it actually delves into Leia, looking at her following Alderaan (which is one of the few flaws in ANH). It also ends with a pretty powerful moment and has a good message about racial purity. I feel it actually meant something.
    Lando - this one was interesting mainly I feel because of the dynamic between Lando and pre-Lobot Lobot, the story is ok, but the Sith artifacts is not really my kind of Star Wars
    Chewbacca - good art and a simple story about Chewbacca helping out a brave little girl, it's not essential reading
    Vader - I didn't like what they did with Vader, it's populated with rather blatant mirror-verse characters, has some crazy designs/ideas, and the artwork is horrid.
    Star Wars - the most inconsistent series so far, it's a total gamble on whether it's good or not, and sometimes a reasonably ok arc just fizzles out (see recent Yoda story)

    From the old Dark Horse days, I liked the Empire series the most, followed by Dark Empire. I had my fill of Vader stories with Dark Horse, so he's the least interesting character to have in a comic story for me. I'm not excited with the prospect of another Vader-centric series.
     
    tatooinesandworm likes this.
  6. Darkslayer

    Darkslayer #1 Sabine Wren Fan star 7

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2013
    1) Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir
    2) Darth Vader - Vader
    3) Vader Down
    4) Obi-Wan & Anakin
    5) Lando
    6) Star Wars - Skywalker Strikes
    7) Princess Leia
    8) Shattered Empire
    9) C-3PO
    10) Star Wars - Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon

    I ranked them by volume as (in general) when reading comics some of the volumes can feel like a different series. I have enjoyed everything I have read so far.
     
  7. Diego Lucas

    Diego Lucas Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2015
    Darth Vader
    Lando
    Kanan
    Star Wars
    Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir
    Shattered Empire
    Princess Leia
    Chewbacca

    That's what i read at the moment.
     
    tatooinesandworm likes this.
  8. vncredleader

    vncredleader Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 28, 2016
    Of the stuff I have read:
    Han Solo: I don't know why but I had an amazing experience with this. I have never been a Han fan but this really got to me and Mark Brooks art is just perfect.
    Darth Vader: Here are my full thoughts on the book. I have become a bit less enthusiastic upon rereading the series again but it is still really great.
    Dr. Aphra: Ancient GFFA history and Tales of the Jedi references? What more do I need? I do dislike how they have characterized Aphra cause I much prefer pure sadist Aphra that would skin you alive if it would put her ahead of someone from the Vader comic but the actual story and just pure fun of this book is to good to let that issue hurt it much.
    Obi-Wan/Anakin: Great art and some nice insight into Anakin and Obi-Wan at a time that legends never did much in beyond the Jedi Quest novels (which are great don't get me wrong)
    Lando: really fun and gives nice insight into Lobot
    Shattered Empire: Just ok. Nice art and some minor set up for TFA but it being "journey to the force awakens" was misleading and I still am annoyed at how overly shackled everything was.
    Star Wars: I have not been a fan. Aaron is not bad but it feels uninspired often and like less interesting version of good ideas or ideas others already did better. You have a lot of stuff to do but we just get "look it is the OT" zeitgeist but with little keeping me interested. Like Gillan was setting things up and expanding the lore but SW feels slow. Like set up Echo Base or the lack of resources or maybe the founding of the Rogues but nope the Alliance feels way to fully formed unless the story needs them not to.
    Princess Leia: I feel betrayed cause this was Waid who I always like elsewhere.
     
    tatooinesandworm likes this.
  9. T7-01

    T7-01 Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 11, 2016
    Well, that's hard. We had a lot of good comics but a lot of average/below average comics too.
    I will try it anyway:

    _____________________________ great
    1) Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir
    2) Kanan
    3) Darth Vader
    4) Lando
    5) Han Solo
    6) Dr.Aphra
    7) Darth Maul
    8) Star Wars Annual #1
    _____________________________ average

    8) Poe Dameron
    9) Shattered Empire
    10) Obi Wan and Anakin
    11) Rogue One
    _____________________________ below average

    12) Star Wars (The beginning was great in my opinion with the Nar Shaada Plot, Boba's hunt for Luke and the Obi Wan Part but it became very boring imho).
    13) Princess Leia (still sad they didn't put Winter in it)
    14) Star Wars Annual #2

    Still have to read: C-3PO One-Shot, and Chewbacca (I skip the TFA Comic).
     
    tatooinesandworm likes this.
  10. vncredleader

    vncredleader Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 28, 2016
    Oh crub I forgot Poe. I would put him at about above Lando barely. It is ok but I think it should not have set up a ticking clock at the start. Also I think the things they do with battles are really standard and the supporting staff is far more interesting and likeable than Poe himself
     
    tatooinesandworm likes this.
  11. Darkslayer

    Darkslayer #1 Sabine Wren Fan star 7

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2013
    Update: I forgot Kanan

    1) Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir
    2) Darth Vader - Vader
    3) Vader Down
    4) Obi-Wan & Anakin
    5) Lando
    6) Kanan - First Blood
    7) Star Wars - Skywalker Strikes
    8) Princess Leia
    9) Shattered Empire
    10) C-3PO
    11) Star Wars - Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon
    12) Kanan - The Last Padawan
     
    tatooinesandworm likes this.
  12. Gunsmithcat

    Gunsmithcat Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Mar 13, 2017
    Thanks for those lists. I was wondering which of them are worth the money, but i guess i stick with Vader and Dr. Aphra für now. I have almost all the Dark Horse Comics (781 books), and i decided not to buy all the Marvel stuff, and only as collections. I liked how Dark Horse was so bold to have stories that are hundreds or thousands of years before or after the movies, and didn't just trot down the same path again and again. But the last couple of years, bevor the Switch to Marvel, got more mediocre books IMO. Also Marvel is too expensive for my liking.
     
  13. Coherent Axe

    Coherent Axe Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 20, 2016
    Han Solo
    Probably my favourite so far, and the best self-contained story. Imaginative and entertaining, with great characterization and excellent art. Nice to have some weird portal-using aliens as well, like the Gree and their ilk. Handled the Han/Leia dynamic much better and more succinctly than the main Star Wars run.

    Lando
    Atmospheric, creepy, cool, and shocking at turns. Probably the best and most emotional ending of all the series so far, and one that does what an expanded universe should do by enriching the movie characters. Brilliantly written and uses Lando in an interesting and unexpected way (pairing him with Sith artefacts) while still staying true to his character.

    Kanan
    Although it teases the events of Shatterpoint only to replace them with a much duller version (Depa goes from her struggle with the Jungian jungle to the generic "I lost my entire squad"), this felt like a callback to the height of the Republic and Jedi series, particularly the Yinchorri attack on the Jedi Temple and the Ostrander/Duursema era. A great expansion and exploration of Kanan as a character, and good use of the framing device (and RAE SLOANE!)

    Chewbacca
    This one seems to be derided by fans who don't enjoy Zarro or the lack of dialogue, but I thought it was an excellent translation of the Burtt/Pixar ability to convey a great deal without resorting to speech. Chewie's nicely characterized here as the reluctant hero who will still stand up for the underdogs whenever necessary, and the image of him lying in the flowers next to his crashed ship was a great one.

    C-3PO
    An interesting callback to the old Droids comics where C-3PO mingled with a menagerie of his own kind, especially the droid rebellion arc. Poses some existential questions that have been done before (Threepio seemed to question his morality a fair bit in The New Jedi Order) but the artwork matched the story well, and it's interesting to see this story figure into the LEGO games and shorts as well.

    Doctor Aphra
    I found the staging of the Rur story hard to follow by the end (although I love that it adapts the Legends Rur story, and has a distinctly Tales of the Jedi vibe) and the Indy homages were a bit too on the nose, but Aphra's a fun character whose own run is well-deserved. Lots of intriguing lore-building and hints towards the Old Republic era.

    Poe Dameron
    Unfocused and stretched out though it might be, when it's good this series recalls the Rogue Squadron comics, especially with the brief downtime interludes we've been given. Terex was interesting, if overly leaned upon as the series continued, and the more bizarre elements like the cosmic egg were a nice touch. Wonderful art in the last couple of issues too, and a lovely Carrie Fisher tribute with the "luminous beings" material.

    Darth Vader
    Lousy art, but excellent writing and superb treatment of Vader himself. Some of his best material (and one-liners) appears in this, although it's a shame the new canon couldn't shake Legends' propensity to have him flashback to Revenge of the Sith at the drop of a hat. Fascinating power plays between himself and the other Imperial characters, and a great dynamic with Aphra, who seems like she'd have suited Anakin a lot better than Padmé did.

    Shattered Empire
    A bit of wasted potential as the story essentially ended up as "Poe Dameron's parents build a house", especially as it seemed to keep teasing one or the other of them not making it out of the series alive. Worth it for the glimpse at the post-ROTJ world though, especially Luke's issue.

    Darth Maul
    Some great moments such as the rathtar hunt and Maul's flashback to Malachor, but the central story hasn't grabbed me yet, and Maul seems far less wrathful than his older Legends counterpart. He's a lot more talky and prone to getting beaten up or outplayed in this series, despite some callbacks to the great Ostrander/Duursema miniseries where he was basically an unstoppable killing machine. Both series have select individuals realizing Maul is a Sith, but the Ostrander one had much more of an impact. Feels like it could've been adapted from a couple of Clone Wars episodes.

    Star Wars
    Some good issues, but overall not majorly impressed with the direction this one's been taking. Feels quite bland compared with the original Marvel series, which embraced the swashbuckling adventure serial style and ran with it. Feels like there's no cohesive plan to get the characters from ANH to ESB, especially considering how many times that period has been covered in comics previously. The first couple of arcs were decent enough, the journal interludes were a nice touch, but Rebel Jail and Harbinger were not great. Screaming Citadel started off well but its recent issue was poor, and the art is all over the place.

    Princess Leia
    This one started off promising by giving Leia a field mission instead of simply standing around in command centres, and a decent foil in the Winter stand-in of Evaan. The Naboo trip was interesting (although less so than the one in Shattered Empire) but everything beyond that point felt muddled and uninteresting.

    Obi-Wan & Anakin
    Great art, and the flashbacks with Anakin and Palpatine were fantastic. The actual story didn't grab me much, but I never got into the Jedi Quest series which this seems to be akin to.

    Rogue One
    More interesting than the Force Awakens adaptation thanks to the additional scenes, though it smacks of a rush job and there are some silly continuity snarls in there. Some of the art, especially Tarkin's first scene, is shockingly bad.

    The Force Awakens
    Nice to have an adaptation along with all the others, but superfluous beyond the half-decent flashback collage for Han Solo's introduction.
     
    Helrot and redxavier like this.
  14. SpecForce Trooper

    SpecForce Trooper Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2016
    I really haven't gotten far into NuCanon comics, but from what I've read:
    Darth Vader: Pretty great series with good characters and stories. Well written, though the art wasn't very good (Especially in the Stormtrooper department. Trust me, I pay attention to that.). Besides the art my only complaint was the technological force substitute aspect felt a bit odd. Odder yet that Palpatine would actually consider using such abominations.
    Shattered Empire: Ugh. First off I didn't like the art. It just looked like it was trying too hard to be realistic, with no stylism. That and the effects that clearly weren't drawn just didn't look good to me. With that out of the way the story was awful. Why would some random lieutenant be trusted to ferry Luke, Han and Leia around? Why is Shara Bey everywhere?!?! Real nitpicky here, but why was Nein Numb on all the covers? He doesn't deserve to be there! Wedge is the real hero! Plus "Operation Cinder" was just insane. Why would anyone ever join the Empire if they actually acted like that? A Blitzkrieg on one's own territory is psychotic.
     
  15. Talos of Atmora

    Talos of Atmora Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 3, 2016
    This has basically been a recurring theme with every era/character that John Ostrander ever touched back when he was working on Star Wars with Dark Horse.
     
  16. tatooinesandworm

    tatooinesandworm Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jul 30, 2015
    You better watch yourself around these parts. Checchetto is one of the more praised artists in the Star Wars stable right now. He also did the Screaming Citadel one shot, and is currently doing the Phasma mini series.

    I will agree with you however on the effects work in these issues. But I think that is why a different artist is credited for the computer assisted effects shots in the later issues. It doesn't match the line work at all.



    Sent from my Ornithopter using The Force
     
    SpecForce Trooper likes this.
  17. Dimitar

    Dimitar Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Jan 22, 2017
    1. Darth Vader - consistent story and art I really liked. Bonus points for introducing Aphra.
    2. Star Wars - some story arcs are awesome (Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon), some not so much (Yoda's Secret War), but, generally, I love the series. It reminds me of the serialized format of The Clone Wars TV show.
    3. Kanan - I honestly didn't expect to like this series so much. Bonus points for RAE SLOANE in the final issue.
    4. Obi-Wan & Anakin - great concept, great art.
    5. Lando - great overall, but it was kind of strange to read both about Lando and Sith lore in the same story.
    6. Poe Dameron - has some good ideas, but the story quality has been inconsistent for me.
    7. Doctor Aphra - great start for this new ongoing. Looking forward.
    8. Darth Maul - I like it so far, but I fear it will end up being inconsequential.
    9. Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir - I should have really liked this series (being a fan of TCW) - it had some dream battles and moments, but as a whole it was just "meh" for me (maybe because of the art).
    10. Han Solo - magnificent art, but inconsequential story. Still I really liked Han's characterization.
    11. Shattered Empire - it could have been way more interesting. The change of artists does not help elevate this series, either.
    12. C-3PO: The Phantom Limb - a good idea, but did not like that most of the droids were just "cannon fodder".
    13. Rogue One - a superior adaptation to The Force Awakens. Good to see some additional scenes.
    14. Princess Leia - the only thing I liked here was the first chronological appearance of Nien Nunb.
    15. Chewbacca - nothing interesting for me in this series.
    16. The Force Awakens - bland and uninteresting adaptation.
     
  18. Qel

    Qel Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 8, 2007
    Darth Vader
    Dr Aphra
    Han Solo
    Lando
    Kanan
    Star Wars
    Shattered Empire
    TFA

    Glad I wasn't alone in loving Han Solo, it has the best artwork of the new canon comics so far imo and whilst the story isn't of enormous consequence it's still a good tale that fits the character.
     
  19. iPodwithnomusic

    iPodwithnomusic Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 23, 2012
    Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir - Incredible story and artwork, a perfect comic. Always interesting to see the Sith conspiring against each other, and the battles and lightsaber duels were awesome.
    Kanan - Artwork was great and story was very well done, I loved the way all the issues were tied together
    Darth Maul - Story is great so far, ranking might change based on the last two issues
    Obi-Wan and Anakin / Shattered Empire - Beautiful artwork, story was good too
    Star Wars - First two story arcs were amazing, since then the quality has decreased, especially in the last arc. I really enjoy the Ben Kenobi stories as well.
    Darth Vader - Pretty interesting story, art was not great but at least was consistent
    Han Solo - Incredible art, the story was promising but the last issue made no sense to me
    Lando - Really cool story, but I didn't like the artwork at all
    Doctor Aphra - A fun adventure, I enjoy reading it so far but I'll have to see where it goes after the Screaming Citadel
    Poe Dameron - A few great moments but overall very forgettable. Not a big fan of the artwork but the last issue was great.
    Princess Leia - Good art, story doesn't really stand out much though. I think I need to re-read this one soon, I might rank it higher.
    Chewbacca - Neither art or story were very interesting, I'll never read this again.
     
    Darkslayer likes this.
  20. Jedha John

    Jedha John Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2017
    TIER 1
    Doctor Aphra: My favorite comic right now...very interesting character who I hope has a long run.
    Darth Vader: Loved this book and looking forward to the next Vader series.
    Star Wars: As noted above, some arcs are better than others, but definitely a fun read. Skywalker Strikes, Showdown on Smuggler's Moon and Vader Down were excellent.
    Kanan: Very well done...enjoyed following a padawan after order 66.

    TIER 2
    Lando
    Obi-Wan & Anakin
    Poe Dameron
    Shattered Empire
     
    Dimitar and iPodwithnomusic like this.
  21. The comic of Kanan and Anakin and Obi Wan comics are the only good comics of Marvel
     
    DurararaFTW likes this.
  22. spicer

    spicer Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2012
    I agree that both of those are good, but you should give Lando a shot if you haven't already. Only five issues, or one TPB. A quick read.
     
  23. Jedha John

    Jedha John Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2017
    I know I'm late to the party in reading the Han Solo miniseries, but just finished it and WOW. Really fun read. Loved the story and the artwork is fantastic. The cast of characters are very creative. Loo Re Anno is such a likeable and interesting character. The writer captured the essence of Han Solo very well and, in 5 issues, really added more depth to the character. Not sure what I was waiting for to read this miniseries, but sure am glad I did.

    Definitely one of the Top 3 comics for me in the new canon.
     
  24. Dagobahsystem

    Dagobahsystem Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 25, 2015
    My favorites so far:
    1. Darth Vader - Vader
    2. Darth Vader - Shadows and Secrets
    3. Star Wars - Skywalker Strikes
    4. Star Wars - Showdown On The Smuggler's Moon
    5. C-3PO

    I really love the Vader comics and will be rereading quite often.
     
  25. rjrjr

    rjrjr Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Aug 11, 2009
    Kanan - This has been the crown jewel from Marvel. Highly recommended.
    Vader Down - A one-shot that kicks off a truly terrific Star Wars crossover. I value it as highly as I value Kanan. Highly recommended.
    Darth Maul - A very close 2nd to Kanan. Also highly recommended.
    Han Solo - A very close 3rd to Kanan. Again, highly recommended.
    Lando - This was a solid Star Wars tale, definitely worthy of reading. Highly recommended.
    Obi-Wan & Anakin - Another solid Star Wars tale. Highly recommended.
    Star Wars - This title was doing great, right up until the Flight of the Harbinger story arc. Since then, this title has floundered. Issue #33 was promising, so this title looks like it is on an upswing. Recommended for the initial story arcs.
    Darth Vader (1st) - This is another title that has had it's ups and downs. Doctor Aphra, 0-0-0, and BT-1 were good. The whole Cylo story line was not. Recommended for the Doctor Aphra story line.
    Shattered Empire - This mini-series was just okay. Beautiful art though. Neutral.
    Darth Vader (2nd) - So far, the initial story line was... expected. Hopefully there will be some surprises in future arcs. Neutral.
    Poe Dameron - A title I really want to love, but just have not gotten into. The initial arc was strange, but they did have a promising villain in Terex. Malarus just has not grown on me. I was hoping for more information about the New Order, the Resistance, and the general state of the galaxy. Neutral.
    Screaming Citadel - A one-shot that kicked off a decent, if not flawed crossover, due to the backstory (Rur). Neutral.
    Princess Leia - A story I remember reading, but do not really remember. Pass.
    C-3PO Special - Another story I read, but don't remember. Pass.
    Dr. Aphra - They are wasting this character's potential in a very non-Star Wars story. Rur and Ordu Aspectu is really where they want to take the backstory for the Jedi? Tales of the Jedi was so much better than this. Avoid.
    Chewbacca - The worst of the bunch. A boring story. Avoid.


    Overall, Marvel has put out some very entertaining stories that a worthy of the Star Wars brand. There are also a lot of mediocre stories. And then there have been some other stories that you wish had never been made. And one story that is bad but it just won't end. :(