The Starbird Files

If like me you weren’t really paying attention to NYCC there was a lot of Star Wars publishing news to catch up on, so I went hunting for all the news and collected it here for you too! Let’s begin with High Republic News There were cover reveals for wave 2 of the Phase II Cataclysm by Lydia Kang (Adult Novel, April 2023 Del Rey) Quest for Planet X by Tessa Gratton (Young Reader, April 2023 Disney Lucasfilm) Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott (YA, May 2023 Disney Lucasfilm) There was a new book announced, a YA Anthology announced for July 2023, featuring stories connecting to all three phases, written by all the HR authors - Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, Lydia Kang, George Mann, Daniel José Older, Cavan Scott and Charles Soule. There was another new book announced, The Edge of Balance: Precedent the first manga revealed for Phase II by Daniel José Older & Tomio Ogata (Viz Media May 2023). Burryaga will return in children’s book ‘Yoda & the youngli...

  Marvel Star Wars War of the Bounty Hunters Vol.1 Written by Charles Soule Art by S McNiven, L Ross, D Messina, L Martin, N Menon, Guru-eFX I have a mixed history with the Star Wars comics, there are some I love - the first two Vader runs of the new era, The High Republic comics, I enjoy some of the short mini series like Lando and Shattered Empire. But I struggle with the main Star Wars line, that for me takes some of the mystery away from the time between the OT movies and makes it too crowded, and that was in part why I’d shied away from War of the Bounty Hunters for a while. But having seen people’s reaction to the series and the reappearance of Qi’ra piqued my curiosity to pick up this first trade paperback from the crossover event. The basic story hinges on Boba Fett’s prized bounty of Han Solo frozen in carbonite being stolen from him enroute to Jabba. The thieves are Crimson Dawn agents, led by Qi’ra who is now in charge of the organization, and they plan to auction Han of...

Welcome to a new style of review for comics, let me know what you think. In Issues 7 through 9 of the Marvel High Republic series by Cavan Scott we get the end of the first arc and the start of the second, with the focus switching from the Drengir to the Nihil, and Keeve Trennis tested further still. Issue 7 Writer: Cavan Scott    Art: P. Noto, G. Jeanty, K. Story, A. Leoni After the events of issue 6 I expected that we would be going to the Drengir home world in this chapter, and 7 really seems to slow the pace of the story down. Instead we focus on Keeve who is suffering from the after effects of her connection to the Drengir. When she meditates she has visions of them and a Sith - Darth Krall, which begs the question why? Could he have something to do with the creation of the    Drengir or their defeat? Could he be one of the lost twenty? It’s certainly a mystery that is not answered at this moment in time. Keeve is fighting the Nihil on Chortose, an agricultural ...

IDW Star Wars The High Republic Adventures: The Monster Of Temple Peak #1 Written By Cavan Scott Art By Rachel Stott, Vita Efremova, Nicola Righi I was excited to get my hands on this new limited run comic from Cavan Scott, set before the events of The Rising Storm, the central character is Ty Yorrick, Saber-For-Hire. Ty was one of favorite new characters from wave two of the books so the chance to get to know her better was something I was really looking forward to, and Cavan did not disappoint. She has been hired to capture a prize Gundark, but her old training comes out when it threatens an alien child and she kills it, although she is now a mercenary, Ty still retains her Jedi instinct to protect. There are also flashbacks to her days as a padawan in the order, her cocky friend Klias Teradine leading her astray, and we meet her teacher Master Cibaba. She takes another job, from a group of settlers on the planet Loreth whose livestock have been attacked by a Gretalax. The client, La...

  Writer: Daniel José Older Art: H. Tolibao, P. Rodrix, M. Bracchi, R. Nalty, JM Wood Issue 4 left us on a cliffhanger, with the padawans following Zeen to Quantxi as she tries to meet Krix, who shoots down the Vector she is flying, thinking it is a Jedi. The two have a confrontation and Zeen in anger chokes him, but Lula arrives to stop her and Krix escapes with Marchion Ro. The masters also arrive on Quantxi and stumble upon Elder Tromak who has escaped, he speaks with Yoda, and tells him the Nihil are seeking a ancient artifact only he knows the location of, and asks for Yoda’s help but only if he goes alone. Marchion searching for a mysterious artifact links heavily to The Rising Storm novel, and if like me you have finished that book you’ll know just what that link is, yet another example of the way these stories intertwine to such great effect. Mirroring the two youngsters contrasting experiences is something Daniel José Older has used to great effect throughout this run ...

  Writer: Cavan Scott               Art: G. Jeanty, K. Story, A. Leoni, J. Caramagna I’m starting to feel like a broken record but once again I have to gush over Phil Noto’s cover art for the sixth issue in the Marvel High Republic run, Avar Kriss riding a Rancor into battle feels iconic already, and together with the Bad Batch, Rancor fans have been fed well lately! The story of this issue takes place after a period of time has elapsed and across two fronts. The first aboard Starlight Beacon, where Sskeer is being treated for his Drengir infestation, kept in a stasis field which prevents the parasitic plants from spreading while Keeve refuses to leave his side. The second location see’s Avar still working with the Hutts fighting the Drengir on the planet of Daivak, the monsters have spread and infested hundreds of worlds during the time jump. When Avar commands all Jedi on Starlight to come to their aid, Keeve decides to take decisive action and ...

  Writer: Daniel José Older Art: H. Tolibao, R. Nalty, J.M. Wood The 4th chapter of High Republic Adventures opens with Lula leading Zeen in a Jedi meditation, I really appreciated this, as even though she isn’t being trained to be a Jedi, helping her understand the force and not be overwhelmed by it is important. It paints the Jedi as more caring and open, even if this was Lula’s decision alone. The difference between where the two kids find themselves is stark, Zeen likes the Jedi but questions what they want her to do, which they seem perfectly accepting of, whereas Krix is afraid of the Nihil and feels he must do the things they want to stay safe with them. Each time he still seeks to avoid doing them, we see him hoping to avoid having to lure Zeen in with his message, and he tries to give the Mavenzz a chance to surrender - not something you would imagine Marchion Ro would do. In this issue we finally meet  Lula’s master,  Kantam Sy properly, as they join the oth...

  Writer: Cavan Scott               Art: A. Anindito, M. Morales, A. Leoni, A. Maher First off I want to shout out that cover. Phil Noto has been doing stellar work throughout this run but he outdid himself with this cover, even if Keeve holding a prone Sskeer with a BLACK header did give me anxiety. Cavan Scott has made an art form out of torturing us, and Sskeer over the course of 5 issues of the High Republic comic series. I’ve been interested in the character ever since that first concept art was revealed and this series has made him one of my favorites of the era, but so far there has been nothing but pain for Sskeer! The trandoshan continues to wrestle with the control of the Drengir, Keeve seems to be the only one who can break through to the real Sskeer. So it is particularly impactful when he reveals to her that his connection to the force has been fading since the start of the story. Sskeer instructs Keeve to perform a “Mind ...