When I was approached for this job, I took a couple of minutes to think about what Star Wars meant to me, in order to determine if I had anything to bring to the table. I saw Star Wars in the theater; an odd decision for my mother, who tended to err on the side of caution when exposing her five-year-old to the mass media. I, of course, got a bunch of Star Wars toys, collected full sets of playing cards, and reenacted Hoth battle scenes in the snowy woods of Vermont. I was hooked, like everyone was. I realized that for the last 35 years of my life, Star Wars has been there in the background of my mind, in deep storage, waiting for something.
So I said yes to the job, thinking that if I were ever to write a Star Wars comic, this would be it, one set in the original trilogy using these characters I knew, dealing with continuity I was comfortable with, and would have the simple and iconic title of Star Wars. My original pitch document tapped into that deep storage, bringing up phrases like “the Kuat Drive Yards” and “Lancer-class frigates” and the knowledge that X-wings were built by Incom and TIEs by Sienar and that R5 astromech droids are the ones with the flowerpot heads and the bad attitudes. I didn’t know I knew all that, but I did, and I relaxed into the job.
The story I’m writing sits in the narrative space between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. It actually starts days after the end of Hope, with a homeless and rather diminished Rebel fleet searching for a world upon which to establish a new base. The Empire, also wounded from Yavin, is doing whatever they can to keep the Rebels on the defensive. One Imperial officer, a new character called Bircher, seems to have a line on the Rebels’ plans and is making a habit of deploying squadrons of TIEs right where the Rebels drop out of light speed. Leia is tasked with creating a “stealth squadron” to figure out who’s selling them out to the Empire, and why.
This is a series heavy on space battles and snubfighter dogfights. A series that gets into the emotional states of our post-Tatooine, post-Alderaan, post-Yavin characters who have lost so much yet press on in their fight for freedom. Leia, especially, a very young woman with the burden of responsibility as the figurehead of the Rebellion, finds a lot of catharsis behind the stick of an X-wing.
From Yavin to Coruscant to Tatooine to Endor, from the hangars of the Devastator and the command decks of the massive Executor, this is the Star Wars I know best, the one that I’ve known for virtually my entire life. It’s a rare honor to receive a job like this, and this fan is giving it all he’s got.
Star Wars #1, the first issue in Dark Horse’s new ongoing series by Brian Wood, is available now in print and digital formats.
Tags: brian wood, Comics, Dark Horse
Hello there! “The Return of Jedi” has been the first movie that I’ve seen in the theater, so when you’ve written “I saw Star Wars in the theater; an odd decision for my mother, who tended to err on the side of caution when exposing her five-year-old to the mass media. I, of course, got a bunch of Star Wars toys, collected full sets of playing cards, and reenacted Hoth battle scenes in the snowy woods of Vermont. I was hooked, like everyone was. I realized that for the last 35 years of my life, Star Wars has been there in the background of my mind, in deep storage, waiting for something.”, I’ve had the same feeling!! The only one difference is that I was 10 years old when that’s happened! So interesting! Best Regards.
thank you for keeping the force alive. 1 might say that I have a rather limited sphere of interest, but I like to think of Yoda as a role model for lots of people thank you
Nice, i think comics are the best way to show Star Wars Universe.
We all liked the others comics of SW
This was good (I read it with the Episode IV soundtrack playing in the background just to get the full experience).
And I too am a first generation Star Wars fan. I saw Star Wars in the theater in ‘77 as a seven-year-old, and like everyone else Star Wars was all that mattered after that. I also remember when the action figures came out that next year I bought a Darth Vadar and Stormtrooper with my very first allowance.
Memories…
Anyway, thank you, Brian Wood, for a fun first issue.
I’m really looking forward to this series. It sounds like it will be like the original trilogy. Escapist fun.
However, will the fact that you start the story a few days after the battle of Yavin with a rebel force on the run mean it retcons the wonderful Archie Goodwin/Al Williamson strip?
The homeless fleet storyline sounds like Battlestar Galactica, which, by the way, also appeared in between Episodes IV and V.
Time to head to my local comic book store and do some shopping.
I just read the first issue and Wow!!!! It is a fantastic start to the story. I work for a retailer that carries comics and I have been waiting for this one since it was announced.
Congrats Brian on the great start and can’t wait to see where you take it!
Also…in case all of you fans were not aware….there is a variant cover of the 1st issue and you can get it here!
http://ow.ly/gFksH
If Leia’s is, all of a sudden, such a great fighter pilot, then why didn’t she participate in the battle of Yavin?
What’s next? How about making her just as strong as Chewie, or as wise as Yoda? It makes no sense.
If it’s anything like Rogue Squadron, Count me in!
I have never actually read a full fledged comic series although since this project is from it’s roots I will probably purchase it gradually as the editions come out. I look forward to your comic series and I think we can all relate to many good memories that are involved with Star Wars.
Let see how it works out.
Agreed
I’ve read the Dark Horse classic Star Wars comics volumes including the Russ Manning film strip comics, and as much as I know some of it was ridiculous there is still some continuity there to be appreciated. Especially Luke finding the next Rebel base after Yavin. The Empire Strikes Back crawl alludes to Luke finding the base himself. While I look forward to your contribution to the SW world I hope you consider, and I hope your inner child you spoke about in this article considers keeping these classic stories in mind when creating your work and limit few or all continuity errors that could arise. But certainly, congratulations to you on such a great opportunity for yourself and the Star Wars community.