Much of Darth Vader’s existence is a horror. But horror as a genre has had an uneasy relationship with Star Wars. In the times before Disney, a few comics and novels dove deep. Two “Legends” novels, Death Troopers and Red Harvest flat out bring zombies to a galaxy far, far away. For now, though, most people think of Star Wars as a family friendly franchise. Most of the time it is. But Lucasfilm and Marvel remember there’s potential…
With fairly perfect timing after last week’s episode of The Mandalorian, something bad is about to happen to the Droids. The timeline might be a little wonky, as Star Wars: Dark Droids takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, while the insight we got into Droid culture on The Mandalorian takes place after Return of the Jedi. Still, how droids function and “feel” seems to be a Jedi mind trick. As James Robinson explored a few years ago in a C-3PO one-shot, we need to know more. It won’t just be a rare foray into horror; it might be a rare foray into grappling with a real-world question — what are the ethics of AI?
Or maybe it will just be fun.
From Marvel:
The future of Star Wars comics was revealed earlier today at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023! Current Star Wars storytellers Charles Soule (Star Wars), Ethan Sacks (Star Wars: Bounty Hunters), Alyssa Wong (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra), Cavan Scott (Star Wars: The High Republic), and Marc Guggenheim (Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca) joined Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and Senior Lucasfilm Creative Executive Matt Martin to reveal the upcoming sagas gracing the pages of Marvel’s hit Star Wars comics including DARK DROIDS, an ambitious new event launching this summer!
Following recent events like “War of the Bounty Hunters” and “Crimson Reign,” STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS will be spearheaded by Charles Soule who will write the main limited series alongside artist Luke Ross. Launching in August with STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS #1, the event will also spin off into new series and tie into the four ongoing series that are currently bridging the gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi films: Star Wars, Star Wars: Darth Vader, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, and Star Wars: Bounty Hunters. DARK DROIDS will be a rare horror-fueled Star Wars epic set that erupts when a new threat is unleashed throughout the galaxy, corrupting droids, cyborgs, and everything in-between!
Who or what is the Scourge — and why is no droid safe? As a corruption spreads from one droid to the next, the Rebel Alliance and the Empire both face chaos! What role does Ajax Sigma from last year’s Star Wars: Revelations one-shot play in all of this? And whose side is he on?
Here’s what you can expect in DARK DROIDS tie-in issues this August:
STAR WARS #37
LOBOT LOST!
Something has gone horribly wrong with Lobot, putting the Rebellion at terrible risk! Lando Calrissian will do anything to save his friend, even if it means betraying the Rebels. Will the SCOURGE OF THE DROIDS destroy any chance to cure Lobot, or will he be lost forever?
Star Wars: Darth Vader #37
CURSE OF THE JEDI!
Killer Droids have taken over Darth Vader’s flagship Super Star Destroyer, the Executor! But even with the powerful Kyberite shield, the Dark Lord of the Sith cannot fully control the Force! Will the lessons of Jedi Masters Qui-Gon and Obi-Warn save him from the SCOURGE — or make him a tool for its galactic conquest?
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #35
The Milestone 75th Issue of Doctor Aphra!
Something is rotten in the House of Tagge! Sent by Domina Tagge to investigate a series of strange droid malfunctions, Doctor Aphra faces a deadly enemy from the past—a horde of Clone War-Era Prototype Battle Droids designed by Domina herself! Is this sabotage? Betrayal? Or something far, far worse?
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #37
The Haunting Secret Mission of Jango Fett!
The Bounty Hunters must contend with the looming shadow of the sins of Boba Fett’s father! What is the secret that lurks on the mysterious droid outpost, The Haven? Who is Tarr Kligson and what is his connection to Jango Fett?
It’s a Star Wars epic like you’ve never seen before by some of the greatest creators in Star Wars comics history! Check out the covers as well as interior artwork and stay tuned for more news about DARK DROIDS in the months ahead!
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In addition to running Fanboy Planet, Derek has written for ActionAce, Daily Radar, Once Upon A Dime, and The Wave. He has contributed stories to Arcana Comics (The Greatest American Hero) and Monsterverse Comics (Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave). He has performed with ComedySportz and Silicon Valley Shakespeare, though relocated to Hollywood to... work in an office? If you ever played Eric's Ultimate Solitaire on the Macintosh, it was Derek's voice as The Weasel that urged you to play longer. You can buy his book "I Was Flesh Gordon" on the Amazon link at the right. Email him at [email protected].
