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Star Wars comics go to Marvel for 2015, Dark Horse react - SciFiNow

Star Wars comics go to Marvel for 2015, Dark Horse react

Dark Horse lose Star Wars comics to Marvel for 2015, but they have a trick up their sleeve

Han Solo on the cover 1978's Star Wars #10, by artist Rick Hoberg
Han Solo on the cover 1978’s Star Wars #10, by artist Rick Hoberg

The writing has long been on the wall, but Star Wars owners Disney have revealed that from 2015 their comic line will be published by Marvel Comics, also owned by the company.

Although Marvel originally published Star Wars comics from 1977 to 1986, it’s with Dark Horse from 1989 that the Expanded Universe really began with Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy’s Dark Empire series and the sublime Tales Of The Jedi.

The company’s rich tradition of quality storytelling continues to the present, with Brian Woods’ Star Wars which fills in the gap between Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, and the adaptation of George Lucas’ original screenplay, The Star Wars.

“Dark Horse Comics published exceptional Star Wars comics for over 20 years, and we will always be grateful for their enormous contributions to the mythos and the terrific partnership that we had,” said Carol Roeder, director of Lucasfilm franchise publishing, Disney Publishing Worldwide.

“In 2015, the cosmic adventures of Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca will make the lightspeed jump back to Marvel, to begin a new age of adventures within the Star Wars universe.”

Luke Skywalker as originally envisaged in Dark Horse's The Star Wars
Luke Skywalker as originally envisaged in Dark Horse’s The Star Wars

Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson was bittersweet in his response, but teased great things, saying, “For obvious reasons, we have prepared for this eventuality by finding new and exciting projects to place on our schedule for 2015 and beyond.

“Will they take the place of Star Wars? That’s a tall order, but we will do our best to make that happen. In the meantime, 2014 may be our last year at the helm of the Star Wars comics franchise, but we plan to make it a memorable one. We know that fans of the franchise will expect no less. The Force is with us still.”

Star Wars: Episode VII is due in cinemas 18 December 2015. You can buy Star Wars: The Complete Saga for £57.99 on Blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk.