Star Wars

May The Force Be With You (on your bookshelf): The Guide to Star Wars Comics & Canon

May 4, 2017 by krisis

While I’m seeing the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie in the theatre tonight I couldn’t let that be my only celebration of space on Star Wars day, so I spent all last month cooking up something special for you: The Guide to Star Wars Comics, Films, Canon Stories, & Legends Comics

Yes, you read that right. This is not just a guide to Marvel’s comics from 2015 forward. The guide includes all of Marvel’s current Star Wars comics, a complete Star Wars canon viewing/reading order broken up by film era, and a chronology of the old Expanded Universe comics – now known as “Star Wars Legends” and collected in Epic Collections and Omnibuses.

I know I’ll never approach being the biggest or most well-informed Star Wars geek on the internet, despite my enduring love for the franchise. I wanted to create a guide for other geeks like me – who love the movies and want to branch out to novels or comics, but don’t need an exhaustive encyclopedic list of the placement of every event and magazine short story.

Also, I’ve had a ton of recent conversations with other parents who wanted to show their young children Star Wars stories and had no idea there were young readers versions and Little Golden Books corresponding to every film in the series. That’s why every film page lists ALL of the major adaptions, including YA novelizations and read-along books/CD sets.

However, the biggest undertaking in the guide was the page for “Star Wars Legends.” With the help of CBR forum all-star Taral, I not only got the Marvel Epics in the right order, but mapped exactly what issues are still to come in each Epic line, plus listed where they appear in Dark Horse’s paperback omnibuses.

Taral is a walking Star Wars encyclopedia – I couldn’t have figured this out without his aid! He just started a new blog about comics, and he’s setting out to re-read ALL of the Star Wars Legends comics. He’s only two posts in so far, so please leave him comments letting him know you’re excited for him to continue:

I hope this guide can help you find the exact Star Wars stories you’re most interested in reading!

May the Force be with you!

Star Wars Episode VII – The Force Awakens & Expanded Universe Stories (34 ABY)

The Crushing Comics Guide to Star Wars – your guide to watching, reading, and collecting Star Wars Expanded Universe canon films, TV shows, novels, and comic books. Last updated April 2017 with titles scheduled for release through December 2016.

The film The Force Awakens begins in 34 ABY with Poe Dameron’s mission to Jakku. This period of canon stories continues at least through Rey’s arrival on Ahch-To. The period may be longer, depending on where The Last Jedi begins.

Note that some short stories, comic strips, young readers adaptations and activity books, and web browser games have been omitted from this order.

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and its adaptations

Film: Steelbook, Blu-Ray, 3D Blu-Ray, DVD

Novel by Alan Dean Foster (hardcover / paperback / digital)

Junior Novelization by Michael Kogge (hardcover / paperback / digital)

Comic: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Adaptation (hardcover / paperback TBA)
Collects Star Wars: The Force Awakens Adaptation #1-6

Other Formats

Early Readers chapter books of the film from the perspective of Rey and Finn.
Young Readers Little Golden Book
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Read-Along Storybook and CD
Star Wars: The Original Trilogy Stories – A Young Readers adaptation of all three of the original trilogy films
5-Minute Star Wars Stories & 5-Minute Stories Strike Back – A Young Readers adaptation of stories from throughout the series

Star Wars – The Rise of the Republic, Expanded Universe Stories between Episodes VI and VII (~6 ABY – 34 ABY)

There is no exact placement of the beginning of this period, but for the purposes of this guide it begins sometime after 6 ABY. It ends in 34 ABY with Poe Dameron’s mission to Jakku.

Note that some short stories, comic strips, young readers adaptations and activity books, and web browser games have been omitted from this order.

The Rise of the Republic era canon story order

Novel: Bloodline Novel by Claudia Grey (hardcover / paperback / digital)

Novel: Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson (hardcover / paperback TBA / digital)

Short Stories: “The Perfect Weapon” by Delilah S. Dawson / “High Noon on Jakku,” “All Creatures Great and Small,” “The Face of Evil,” “True Love,” and “The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku” by by Landry Q. Walker / “Bait” by Alan Dean Foster

Novel: Before the Awakening by Greg Rucka (hardcover / paperback TBA / digital) – tells the separate stories of Finn, Poe, and Rey leading up to The Force Awakens

Comic: Star Wars Special: C-3PO #1: The Phantom Limb (oversized hardcover / paperback)
Collected with Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: the Force Awakens #1-4, which directly follows Return of the Jedi.

Comic: Poe Dameron (2016) #1-6 in Star Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 1: Black Squadron

Comic: Poe Dameron (2016) #7-13 in Star Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 2: The Gathering Storm

Comic: Poe Dameron (2016) #14-19 & Annual 1 in Vol. 3

Young Readers: Join the Resistance (hardcover / paperback TBA / digital)

Young Readers: Join the Resistance: Escape from Vodran (hardcover TBA / digital)

Back to Return of the Jedi | Collecting Star Wars | Continue to The Force Awakens

Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi & Expanded Universe Stories (4BBY – ~6 BBY)

The film Return of the Jedi occurs in 4 ABY, beginning with Luke’s arrival at Jaba The Hutt’s palace on Tatooine in 4 ABY and ending with the rebel’s victory at The Battle of Endor. This period of canon stories also includes the immediate aftermath of that victory through ~6 ABY, which saw the dissolution of the Empire and Republic’s rise through.

Note that some short stories, comic strips, young readers adaptations and activity books, and web browser games have been omitted from this order.

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and its adaptations

Blu-Ray: Steelbook, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)

DVD: DVD, Limited Edition DVD, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)

Novel by James Kahn (hardcover / paperback / digital)

Young Readers: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Beware the Power of the Dark Side! by Tom Angleberger

Comic: Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (hardcover / paperback TBA)
A recolored modernization of the original comic adaptation from Marvel.

Photo Comic: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Photo Comic (2008)
A comic adaptation of the film using film stills rather than illustrations.

Graphic Novel: Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel (2016)
A graphic novel adaptation of the canon story of all three of the original trilogy of films in the style of Disney [Read more…] about Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi & Expanded Universe Stories (4BBY – ~6 BBY)

Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back & Expanded Universe Stories (3 ABY – 4 ABY)

The film The Empire Strikes Back occurs in 3 ABY, when the Empire attacks the Rebel base on Hoth. This period of canon stories continues through Luke’s arrival at Jaba The Hutt’s palace on Tatooine in 4 ABY.

Note that some short stories, comic strips, young readers adaptations and activity books, and web browser games have been omitted from this order.

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back and its adaptations

Blu-Ray: Steelbook, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)

DVD: DVD, Limited Edition DVD, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)

Novel by Donald F. Glut (hardcover / paperback / digital)

Young Readers: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back So You Want to Be a Jedi? by Adam Gidwitz

Comic: Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (hardcover / paperback TBA)
A recolored modernization of the original comic adaptation from Marvel.

Photo Comic: Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (2008)
A comic adaptation of the film using film stills rather than illustrations.

Graphic Novel: Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel (2016)
A graphic novel adaptation of the canon story of all three of the original trilogy of films in the style of Disney [Read more…] about Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back & Expanded Universe Stories (3 ABY – 4 ABY)

Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope & Expanded Universe Stories (0 BBY – 3 ABY)

The film A New Hope occurs in 0 BBY, starting with the capture of Princess Leia by Darth Vader. This period of canon stories continues through the Empire’s rise and rule through 3 ABY, when the Empire attacks the Rebel base on Hoth.

Note that some short stories, comic strips, young readers adaptations and activity books, and web browser games have been omitted from this order.

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and its adaptations

Blu-Ray: Steelbook, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)

DVD: DVD, Limited Edition DVD, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)

Novel by George Lucas (ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster) (hardcover / paperback / digital)

Young Readers: A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy by Alexandra Bracken

Comic: Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope (hardcover / paperback)
A recolored modernization of the original Star Wars (1977) #1-6 comic adaptation from Marvel.

Photo Comic: Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope Photo Comic (2008)
A comic adaptation of the film using film stills rather than illustrations.

Graphic Novel: Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel (2016)
A graphic novel adaptation of the canon story of all three of the original trilogy of films in the style of Disney animation [Read more…] about Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope & Expanded Universe Stories (0 BBY – 3 ABY)