Lit New canon - Novels vs comics

Hi guys, new member here. I'm hoping for some guidance from the experts on how to best keep up with the Star Wars lore. I was never into the EU beyond the KOTOR video games, but I'm trying to stay up-to-date with the new canon. I'm fully caught up on The Clone Wars, Rebels, and of course the saga films and Rogue One. I've read A New Dawn, Tarkin, Heir to the Jedi, Lords of the Sith, Dark Disciple, and Catalyst, and I'm halfway through Lost Stars with plans to catch up on the rest of the canon novels prior to Episode VIII.

My main question is... how important are the comic books to the main Star Wars narrative that we see on screen? I don't particularly enjoy comics in general so the only reason I'd read them is if they add significantly to the appreciation of the rest of the lore like the novels do. For example, Catalyst felt like a must-read prior to Rogue One, and Tarkin has added to my appreciation of both Rogue One and A New Hope. I've heard from some people that the comics feel more like "stand alone" stories than the novels. If that's the case, I'd be happy skipping them. I'm somewhat of a completionist so my approach to comics will be all-or-nothing.

 

I think the Vader and Star Wars mainline set between ANH and ESB are essential. Provides great backstory on and enhancement concerning Vader's relationship with the Emperor, his place in the Empire, and his discovery of information that happens offscreen before and in ESB (notably that Luke is his son, etc.). Definitely adds to your viewing experience of ESB in my opinion. The SW mainline has some fun stuff with the big 3 but also some great stuff from Kenobi's journal that helps explain how Luke advanced a bit between ANH and ESB. "Completionist" or not...I'd defintely read those two lines.

I also really like the Kanan series and the Lando comic.

 

The Vader comic is the best piece of canon material in my opinion. Both it and the Lando comic contain the definitive versions of their main characters. I think after you've read those you'll like comic books and have no trouble reading the others. Doctor Aphra is also excellent but it follows on from Darth Vader so don't read it until you've finished that. In terms of what's relevant to the new movies the Poe Dameron comic is about his adventures searching for Lor San Tekka. It's not on the level of Vader but it's pretty good.

Here's an image to tease the kind of crazy stuff that goes on in the Vader series:

 

Definitely read Vader and the main SW comic. But don't do it to fill yourself with canon stuff as if studying for a test. Go in and enjoy the ride as they're fun as hell.

 

All the Star Wars comics range from decent to great. If you had to look into only one I'll agree with everyone else and say Darth Vader. It's a great character study of Vader and it also does a lot to set up some of his actions in ESB and RotJ.

 

Thanks guys, you convinced me. Just a couple more questions.

1. Is it fair to assume that nothing in the comics is time sensitive reading, like Catalyst was for Rogue One? My plan would be to wait for TPBs rather than trying to keep up monthly.
2. I'd like to read in release order. Is there any (legal) way to read Son of Dathomir without spending $300?

 

Have you considered Digital? You can still wait for collections in this format as well if you prefer.

Comixology have a sale on the new canon SW books at the moment. They're owned by Amazon so if you prefer you can probably pick them up on Kindle and read on a tablet/kindle if you have one, or on your computer through a web browser. In the UK at least they have Son of Dathomir available too as individual issues for about $8 total.

 

I'm a collector so I'll definitely be doing physical copies for the bulk of my reading, but that's a great suggestion for Son of Dathomir.

 

Bumping a few-weeks-old thread, I've read through the first volume of both Star Wars and Darth Vader and I'd like to thank you guys for pushing me in that direction. They're really fantastic.

How would you recommend catching up with the other series? I've ordered all of the existing TPBs, but would you recommend reading each trade as a self-contained arc, or reading each issue of the different series in release order. There was some definite play between Star Wars Vol. 1 and Vader Vol. 1, but are Lando/Chewbacca/Leia more self-contained?

 

As one of the editors I'd say read Star Wars and Darth Vader in release order, especially to build towards Vader Down, but everything else you should be solid to read arc by arc. So glad you're enjoying the comics!

 

This is most likely a stupid question, but when people say read the Star Wars mainline comics what does that specifically mean? Did they recreate the original movie trilogy as a comic? I know there was on a long time ago if I recall. Is there a link handy to amazon point to what is being mentioned? Thanks

PS - I am good with Kindle/Comixology collections

 

I think people mean they read the comic titled just "Star Wars" when they talk about mainline. It covers the Heroes of Yavin's activities after Ep. 4 A New Hope. This comic is different from the other "spinoff" comics Marvel produces (Poe Dameron, Dr. Aphra, etc.)

 

comiXology has all four issues for $1.99 a piece. It won't do if you're a collector, but I find it a great format for reading comics (they have a "guided view" that will take you through panel by panel) and have been subscribed to all of the Star Wars titles there.

It means that Marvel is currently producing a comic that is simply titled Star Wars. There are currently twenty-six issues out. So it can be hard to tell the difference in a text conversation between Star Wars comics as a whole, and the (now fourth) comic book series known only as Star Wars.

 

Is there anything Boba Fett or Mandalorian related in the new comics? I've seen the one where Fett beats on Luke until Obi-wan's spirit whacks him with a box. Curious if there's anything else. I read some of a Vader and that was pretty good.

 

Boba Fett plays a supporting role in the first arc of Star Wars (1-6) as well as the first arc of Vader (1-6), which is what I think you're referencing. He's not in every issue of those arcs but he plays a significant role. The most significant Boba Fett content of the new canon is probably a very small but very important tidbit in the novel Aftermath, and the best Mandalorian stuff going on right now is in Rebels.

 

The last series done by Black Horse is canon and features Maul's mandalorians heavily. It's called Son of Dathomir.

 

That Son of Dathomir comic was very good. You know, the new canon novels and comic books have been very good. Way better than I thought they were going to be initially. The stories are fluid and really tie in and add to the movie experience. Don't pass them up, and if you have some extra money to spend, get some of the prior stuff too. They are still awesome, and have the special magic that drew many of us here to love the expanded universe

 

Read Aftermath Life Debt, Empires End and Claudia Gray's Bloodline to get a state of the Galaxy Report on Post ROTJ up to now

Read Cataylist for backstory on Galen and Krennic from Rogue One

Comics I'd suggest the Poe Dameron book for more Post ROTJ Era stuff

The Vader Comic is good but not essential but it does add depth to the Vader character so that's a good one.

Apart from that...You're good.

 

Read Kanan for Kanan's backstory (also a character from New Dawn appears in the comics and then in Aftermath).

Shattered Empire is a very good read - my favourite so far. It takes place immediately after ROTJ and is mostly about Poe's mother but with OT characters.

 

Lando doesn't advance the story in any way shape or form but it's worth reading just for the sake of seeing an author who absolutely understands a character and captures their voice perfectly. There's other stories that are more important or significant but as a fan of character over plot Lando's probably my favourite of the new comics to date (with Darth Vader a very close second.)

 

What he does with Lobot is ... amazing.

 

I haven't read the Lando comic for what is probably a rather petty reason: It doesn't make sense to me that Lando would be hanging out with Lobot prior to running Cloud City. To me it just seems like cheap way of shoehorning an OT character into a part of the timeline that doesn't make any sense for him to be interacting with another OT character. Lobot is from Bespin and works for Cloud City, but hey, he was already Lando's sidekick before that!


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Uhh... yeah. The Lando book completely redefines the Lobot relationship from anything suggested about it before. And it's... well, you really do need to read it if that is your complaint. Seriously.

 

I second Taalcon on this, it's a complete reinvention of the character. If anything it makes Lobot's presence (and actions) on Cloud City make more sense, not less.

 

Okay, y'all convinced me. How's the Han comic? Don't see many people talking about that one.


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