Lit Comics Sana Starros (Marvel mini-series) by Justina Ireland (February 2023)

via SW.com: NYCC 2022: Rise of the Red Blade Inquisitor Novel Revealed, and More Highlights from the Lucasfilm Publishing Panel

Covers and some interior art:
Edited to add: Noted at the panel but not in the article, the interior art is by Pere Pérez.

Spoiler

 

This is pretty unexpected! I wonder if it’s an origin story, or something set after the current Aphra storyline. Pre-ANH or Post-ROTJ?

 

Not surprising. I would be surprised if it was an ongoing considering she is pretty much the same type of character as Aphra. But not surprising that they would want to give a character that has been a major supporting character in the comics (pretty much since they started as I believe she debuted within the first ten issues of Jason Aaron's run) her own mini.

 

I hope for post ROTJ, stories with Sana Starros.

 

Zorii Bliss comic book series when?

 

We actually got a lot of her backstory in the Poe Dameron book.

 

Why does this sound like they are recycling old abandoned Sana stuff that they canned after the backlash of "Miss Solo" in their not very well taken attempt to give Han a fake-wife? I mean by now she is redeemed and had supported the cast enough to warrant it, and the art at least looks great, but storywise I could think of lots of better ideas for comic series that are more needed than this or her.

 

Meh, I don't like thinking of stories as being "needed" or not. None of it is "needed." It's Star Wars.

 

With nary a hint of what the story might be about or when it takes place, why would you think they are "recycling old abandoned Sana stuff"? What does that even mean?

Honestly I can't even remember there being a backlash over the "Han's wife" storyline back in the day. I assume there was, since everything generates some sort of angry fan hoo-hah, but wow, talk about small potatoes compared to what was to come...

 

Did Aaron's opening storyline with Han, Sana and Leia work? Nope. It was dreadful, not even Immonen's superb art could salvage it. I wouldn't classify it as a backlash, people didn't get that hacked off over it.

After that mess though? Sana was far better in the rebel jail arc with Aphra, with whom she has history with. I need to get around to reading the Aphra omnibus, as I think she turns up there too.

 

Honestly I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that they canned future stories for Sana being Han's fake wife. They concluded that fake wife story after just a couple issues. Aaron probably already had all that written before any potential backlash even came out.

 

I have to admit, I have honestly forgotten about that bit. Yeah, even looking back the whole thing still comes off as rather silly to me (if it was all about money why play up the wife angle instead of going all "I know you're here Han, you big kriffing nerd, where's my money?") but yeah her role since then, especially her relationship with Aphra, overshadows that and makes me very excited to see a story focusing on her.

 

Honestly, it was pretty obvious where the whole "Han's wife" bit was going anyway, so any "backlash" was destined from the start to look pretty silly in the rearview mirror. And "Han's checkered past comes back to haunt him" is one of those evergreen plot devices that even the movies have dipped into more than once, so it's hard to blame Aaron for being the first to tap that particular keg in the new canon era.

At the end of the day I can definitely think of far less interesting characters to build a limited series around. She's the hard-edged mercenary that Han might have remained without the benefit of a Wookiee, a princess, and a farmboy to nudge him in the right direction, keeping her relationship with the Rebellion on a cash-up-front basis. That's interesting to explore in and of itself.

 

Argh don't remind me! That book made me absolutely despise her. She was a total jerk. Wouldn't mind a comic though, just to redeem her a little and make her more like the movie.

 

Nice to see this little side story on this.

 

It will be nice to read about this character separate from being a supporting character in Dr. Aphra, which is where it seems like she's been relegated for years now.

 

I remember most of the "backlash" being about how obvious the "twist" was especially compared to how much the issue solicits played it up and how long the issues dragged it out.

 

Solicit for issue #1, via SW.com:

Spoiler: issue #1

STAR WARS: SANA STARROS #1 (OF 5)

JUSTINA IRELAND (W) • PERE PEREZ (A)
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
Variant Cover by ERNANDA SOUZA
Variant Cover by SARA PICHELLI

STARRING IN HER FIRST EVER SOLO SERIES!

• Fresh off of a string of disappointments, Sana Starros returns to her family’s ancestral home for some downtime.
• But family time is far from relaxing for a scoundrel and her family of ne’er do wells, especially when Stormtroopers crash dinner…

 

Spoiler

If her family is involved I wonder if they will mention the High Republic Starros family and how they used to be rich and powerful.

 

That's a link I hadn't made but, considering the author, renders this mini far more intriguing.

 

With Justina Ireland scripting, it wouldn't be a stretch too far to guess that either Hynestia or Port Haileap will factor into the story in some capacity. We saw a glimpse of Hynestia in the High Republic Adventures Annual, but perhaps we'll finally get a visual depiction of the oft-mentioned but as yet unseen Port Haileap... admittedly more than 200 years later, but better late than never!

 

https://www.gamesradar.com/first-look-han-solos-first-wife-sana-starros-in-her-first-solo-series/

 

Spoiler: Issue #2 solicit

STAR WARS: SANA STARROS #2 (OF 5)
JUSTINA IRELAND (W) • PERE PÉREZ (A)
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
VARIANT COVER BY NATACHA BUSTOS
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH VARIANT COVER BY PEACH MOMOKO
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS!
• The Starros clan are on a collision course of a lifetime!
• What mysteries from Sana's past are coming home to roost?
• And whose party are they about to crash?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

 

I'm interested in how well this title will sell

 

https://www.starwars.com/news/marvel-star-wars-april-2023-covers

Spoiler: Issue #3 solicit

STAR WARS: SANA STARROS #3 (OF 5)

JUSTINA IRELAND (W) • PERE PÉREZ (A)

Cover by KEN LASHLEY

Variant Cover by JEN BARTEL

PARTY CRASHERS!

• Sana has just run into one of the roughest bounty hunters in the galaxy: DEVA LOMPOP!

• But what does she want with Sana?

• And why is Sana on a RANCOR?!