As the resident comic geek in my group of friends I'm the one who always gets hit with stupid questions when a film comes out or there's some article in the papers.
But one of them has asked something which is outside of my experience and went something like the following....
Q - Are there any Star Wars comics?
A - Aye there's hundreds
Q - Where would be a good place to start for my kid?
A - Erm don't know.
Q - Can you get them in German?
A - Erm probably.
The German part isn't terribly important but for a 7 year old kid does anyone know a good starting point? Any decent GN's?
Please don't let me down folks as my geek kudos is at risk here.
Cheers!
Possible start with the stories closer to the films, like 'Empire'? As these are set in an around the events of the trilogy.
Although Colin Wilson (Rogue Trooper, Dredd, Raindogs) and Tom Taylor's 'Invasion' is just about to be published:
//http://www.starwars.com/invasion/
It's set 25 years after the battle of Yavin (Star Wars).
Colin's Star Wars work is great.
For me you can't go wrong with the Dark Horse collections of the original Marvel Star Wars series. Its old skool but very kid friendly and incredibly good fun. When new they were pretty expensive but last couple of marts I've been to I've seen a couple going pretty cheap and eBay is always an opinion. The series was called 'Star Wars: A long long time ago..) and there are 7 in total. My personal favourite //http://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Long-Ago-Screams/dp/1840235470/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243345929&sr=8-3
The other tip from me is the Dark Horse collections of the old Archie Godwin, Al Williamson newspaper strip called 'Star Wars Classics' three of these. Agn very kid friendly and all with the most glorious Al Williamson artwork which is a joy to behold. Again eBay is a great place to find these though again I got 2 really cheap at a comic mart (like 2 or 3 quid each, though this was about 2 years ago now).
//http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Star-Wars-Rebel-Storm/dp/1569711062/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243346180&sr=1-11
http://www.darkhorse.com (http://www.darkhorse.com)
There's legacy. set i think 100+ years after the battle of yavin* (ie. star wars a new hope). When their main artist's on this it's pretty good: a decendant of skywalker named cade is the main character, he's a troubled soul, ex-pirate etc..
In this, the sith have new ideas about how to be ie. many sith under one leader.
and there's Knights of the old republic. Which is set waaay before BBOY* The art on this goes up and down but, the main protaganist Zane garrick is fantastic; he's a failed padawan who's hooked up with a con-man.
Rather than having full-on jedi powers, he's kind of reminiscent of Longshot from the x-men? In that he's unbelievabley lucky - fate definately favours him.
I bought a Boba Fett one as a book club commitment as it was drawn by Ian Gibson but it was shit. So don't tell them to get that, obviously.
Other than the Clone Wars stuff that's out at the moment, I don't think there's any comics in production with the regular film characters. KOTOR is set way before the films and Legacy is set many years after them.
As for the comics in German, the only one I know of is a fan translation of the webcomic to promote the "Star Wars: The Old Republic" game.
//http://swtor.onlinewelten.com/articles,id175,0,webcomic.html
Worth noting that, like other Dark Horse titles, they are doing Star Wars Omnibus volumes which gives you a big slab of comicy goodness.
As mentioned above it is probably best to start close to the films and work out into the Expanded Universe, so for example, with Star Wars Omnibus: Early Victories you get:
QuoteSet between "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" and "Episode VI: Return of the Jedi", Luke Skywalker is the new hero of the Rebellion after his destruction of the first Death Star. But Luke, Leia and their cohorts find there are more battles to fight against the Empire!This bumper omnibus edition collects long out-of-print stories including "Shadow Stalker", "Tales from Mos Eisley" and "River of Chaos". Also featured is "Splinter of the Mind's Eye", the story written by George Lucas and Alan Dean Foster which spawned the "Star Wars" sequels, as well as "Vader's Quest", where the Sith Lord hunts his own son!Writers and artists including Louise Simonson ("New Mutants") and Dave Gibbons ("Watchmen") make this anthology a must for every "Star Wars" fan!
There is a truly frightening list of where the comics appear on the timeline which could help (or get a bit overwhelming):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_St ... omic_books (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_comic_books)
I also second Colin's recommendation as I believe the "Star Wars: A Long Time Ago" series collects the Star Wars series that was reprinted by Marvel UK and I absolutely loved them as a kid.
Quote from: "Emperor"There is a truly frightening list of where the comics appear on the timeline which could help (or get a bit overwhelming):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_St ... omic_books (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_comic_books)
Crivens! How could anyone ever assimilate that lot? That's what happens when you merchandise the hell out of a property.
I have (I think) about 90+% of the Dark Horse Star Wars comics.
For youngsters, I'd recommend the Clone Wars Digest comics.
I have two boys (7 and 4) they have both seen all the films- a number of times, and are huge fans.
They love the cartoon series on Cartton Network, and where as I have an allegiance to the IV-VI trilogy, they are much more into the I-III trilogy.
Most of the "adult" Dark Horse I've thorougly enjoyed, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for young children.
So maybe start here (//http://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Clone-Adventures-vol/dp/1840239956/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243349671&sr=1-4)
(//http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JGBPSMACL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
These digests are also relatively cheap, so it's no great loss, if they don't like them. (The artwork is similar to the initial Cartoon Network series). If you prefer the new cartoon artwork, there are a couple of new collections with that style ("sipyards of doom" and "crash course" etc etc)
Also of note is the Star Wars Adventures series, which has just been released.
here (//http://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Adventures-Hollow-Khorya/dp/1845769058/ref=pd_sim_b_22)(//http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PqdFWn7FL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) Although I have yet to read this one myself.
If you want a story of quality, then Dark Empire is the one to get.
Also, there is another recent thread on this forum (//http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24572&start=0&hilit=star+wars), where various people (including myself) have given more details.
You could go for some of the old republic stuff i.e. KOTR, Darth Bane and work your way to the future events of the new jedi order and Legacy. Take some time though.
V
Cheers for all that, went with the kiddy friendly Clone wars ones so hope his kid likes those.
And might buy them for my son too as none of my stuff is really suitable for bedtime reading.
I do think that the Clone Wars is the best way to go for kids.
I wouldn't go for some of the clone wars comics for the kids as some of the stories can be pretty dark.
V
I've lately been reading "A Long Time Ago", the second volume of collected reprints of the original 70s Marvel Star Wars comics. They're tremendous fun,and make me gooey with nostalgia but as they're only based on the first movie, there are one or two ...erm ... continuity issues.... such as the appearance of Jabba the Hutt:
(//http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd359/anaconda888/starwars001.jpg)
and the amount of inappropriate snogging between Luke and his sister!
(//http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd359/anaconda888/starwars002.jpg) (//http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd359/anaconda888/starwars003.jpg)
The funny thing is I think Lucus Film had to approve the stories so either they didn't know Luke and Leia's relationship or didn't mind a bit of inter family fun!
Great fun stories though
QuoteThe funny thing is I think Lucus Film had to approve the stories so either they didn't know Luke and Leia's relationship
It's safe to say that Lucas & Co. had no idea about Luke and Leia's deeply improbable connection right up until Return of the Jedi was being written, much as Vader-as-Luke's-father didn't exist as a concept until TESB. The Yoda/Ben exchange on Dagobah in TESB ("That boy was our last hope"/"No. There is another") is generally supposed to have referred to (at the time) Han Solo.
Quote from: "TordelBack"QuoteThe funny thing is I think Lucus Film had to approve the stories so either they didn't know Luke and Leia's relationship
It's safe to say that Lucas & Co. had no idea about Luke and Leia's deeply improbable connection right up until Return of the Jedi was being written, much as Vader-as-Luke's-father didn't exist as a concept until TESB. The Yoda/Ben exchange on Dagobah in TESB ("That boy was our last hope"/"No. There is another") is generally supposed to have referred to (at the time) Han Solo.
Really, wow I never knew any of that. I always thought Lucas had a lot of the back story worked out before even Star Wars - wasn't an original draft kinda a contracted version of all three films?
Wasn't Luke "Starkiller" originally going to be a girl?
Didn't know about Han being the "other" one. Was he going to be revealed to be a "related" Skywalker Jedi, or just a lost Jedi?
That image of Jabba might have something to do with the original Jabba footage from StarWars ANH where the Irish actor (can't recal his name) is shown, and over whom Lucas CGI'ed Jabba in the remastered edition.
Quotemuch as Vader-as-Luke's-father didn't exist as a concept until TESB
Yeah, there's also a mention of Obi Wan Kenobi visiting a planet with two of his greatest pupils - Darth Vader and Luke's father.
Google the 'Secret History of Stars Wars' (sorry to lazy to find the link...although not, evidently, to type out this apology) and you'll get a good look at how more 'forethought' Lucas put into his story. I'm as big a Star Wars fan as everyone, but the best mythology Lucas has created has been the one about the creation of Star Wars. Anyway, as far as comics go, I really like the early Dark Horse stuff, Dark Empire 1 and 2, those cool Jabba stories, all those mini-series.
The new Star Wars series -- "Invasion" -- with Colin Wilson on art is ticking the right boxes for me. It looks great and I seem to be understanding it so far without having to have read about a gazillion other comics. Colin, unsurprisingly, looks like he was born to draw this sort of thing.
Good stuff.
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: "Jim_Campbell"The new Star Wars series -- "Invasion" -- with Colin Wilson on art is ticking the right boxes for me. It looks great and I seem to be understanding it so far without having to have read about a gazillion other comics. Colin, unsurprisingly, looks like he was born to draw this sort of thing.
Good stuff.
Cheers
Jim
Damn, looks like I picked the wrong title to pass up this month. I have been waiting for Dark Horse to put out a Star Wars comic that interested me (which they haven't since the old Tales of the Jedi mini-series), and this might have been it. I had it in my hands...but decided that I collect too many titles already. I suppose I'll have to take a second look at this.
Ugh, I thought the Invasion one was very weak - nice interior art to be sure, and Wilson's work on Legacy has been great as well. Knights of the Old Republic is still the way to go for me, top story, great old-school atmosphere and an endearing cast (that said, the most recent issue was meh in the extreme, centered on a clumsily-drawn 'origin of Darth Revan' segment - it's usually way better than that).
The Secret History of Star Wars stuff is actually a pretty good read, but most of the 'Lucas mythology' is exposed as such in mainstream sources like the indispensable Annotated Screenplays and even the authorised Making of Star Wars, both an excellent use of any fan's time.
The great thing you learn about Lucas in these books is that he wastes nothing, not a name, not an idea, not a concept drawing - everything gets recycled and appears on screen eventually. His claim of having it 'all worked out' (even the Prequels, lord help us) is true -from a certain point of view- in the sense that his many, many drafts and jottings included Anakins and twin Jedi children, the most powerful Jedi being one Mace 'Windy', clone soldiers, falls to evil and redemptions, even planet names like Utapau and Mustafar (from Revenge of the Sith) are being put on lists back in the early '70s. The actual sequels that emerged were (thankfully) heavily moderated by some great writers and Directors, and the plots and character arcs largely shaped on the fly - but all drew from the deep wells of Lucas' scribblings.
The (excellent) Clone Wars cartoon is the extreme example of this, where every bit of concept art Ralph McQuarrie ever produced is being dusted off and worked up as rather nice monsters and background colour.
Quote from: "TordelBack"Ugh, I thought the Invasion one was very weak - nice interior art to be sure
TBH, I have no frame of reference. I'm approaching this as someone who
isn't a big Star Wars fan. The titles I've glanced at seemed to be reliant on you having read other stuff, or be more knowledgeable about the Star Wars universe than I am. 'Invasion' seemed to be a nice, straight-forward SF story ... perhaps not particularly Star Wars orientated beyond Wilson making it
look like it belongs in the Star Wars universe, but there you go!
Cheers
Jim
Quote'Invasion' seemed to be a nice, straight-forward SF story ... perhaps not particularly Star Wars orientated beyond Wilson making it look like it belongs in the Star Wars universe
True enough, I suppose. My problem may be that I'm coming from the opposite 'obsessive fan' end of the market: the Yuuzhan Vong invasion occupied a dozen or more Expanded Universe novels, starting 10 years ago, and it just feels like a tired subject for a new comic at this point. Obviously wouldn't be the case if you were more-or-less new to it.