n the past few years, the average Star Wars book has been on par with or better than the average DC or Marvel book, but I feel that there’s still something lacking. A quick glance at Dark Horse’s catalog reveals the missing link: nearly all of the comics currently being published are separate from the original trilogy. We have some in the near future, the far future, and the ancient past, but none during the Galactic Civil War era. I do enjoy the expanded timeline (especially the Old Republic), but the time of the Galactic Civil War is what made most of us fall in love with Star Wars, and is rife with story opportunities. Follow the cut for a Star Wars series I (and hopefully you) would gladly put my money towards.
Many of the stories set during the Civil War that don’t directly involve the plot of the original trilogy are war stories, from both the perspective of the Rebel Alliance (in both Rebellion and Rogue Squadron) and the Galactic Empire (in the aptly-titled Empire). These stories are great, but I think we’ve had enough at this point. What I think would be a good read (and am surprised hasn’t been done already) is an ongoing focusing on a small crew of smugglers. The Star Wars galaxy is incredibly vast, and a sort of tour through the eyes of a smuggler offers so many opportunities for stories, characters, and engaging moral dilemmas. In a universe with a fixed continuity, this sort of approach would be the closest to true freedom that a writer could get. In fact, I would want it to stay as far away from the story of the original trilogy as possible – maybe have one or two issues where the crew runs is hired by rebels, or have to make a choice between turning somebody in, but that’s it. And, most importantly: no Jedis. They’ve gotten enough attention.
So, who do we bring on board the smuggler’s ship? Well, I think it’s rather obvious: the fantastic combo of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. These guys are a great team no matter what they’re working on, but in particular they have a penchant for sci-fi. And damn are they good at it. Did you not read Nova or Guardians of the Galaxy? A-material, all around. They’re also masters of quip, something that I’m sure would be bountiful on a ship filled with assorted scum and villainy. DnA on a Star Wars title like this would probably end up being Firefly in the Star Wars Universe, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. To be honest, I’m surprised that they haven’t worked on any Star Wars titles – though they have done some Star Trek ones. It would break my nerdy little heart if they were diehard Trekkies that wouldn’t do a Star Wars comic on principle, but I doubt that’s the case. Money is money, don’t you know?
Now, when I think of the Star Wars setting, there’s always something very polished about it in my mind. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s a result of the overlap between sci-fi and fantasy, or maybe it’s the films. Either way, that has to go for this series. Obviously, I’m not claiming that I want shoddy pencil work on this, but in a series dealing with the very, very seedy underbelly of the Galaxy, I want someone who can do grotesque. And if Doug Mahnke has proven anything with his stay on Green Lantern, it’s that he can draw the crap out of monstrous creatures. I’d love to see him on this sort of title (particularly how he would draw a DnA script), but he’d need darker colors than those that are currently accompanying his Green Lantern art.
If you think you’re a Star Wars fan but wouldn’t buy this, you should check where your loyalties lie. Even without DnA or Mahnke, this book would have to have creators attached to it that I purposefully avoid in order for me to not buy it. And hey, Dark Horse: if you don’t have anybody on hand to write this for you, you have my email.
