Marvel Comics is going old-school with its latest Star Wars project. Today the publisher announced that it’s reviving the original Star Wars comic for one month.
As revealed by Comicbook.com, Marvel will publish Star Wars #108 in May 2019. Not only will this standalone issue pick up where the original series left off, it’ll even feature the return of classic Marvel characters like Jaxxon, Domina Tagge and Valance the Hunter.
Star Wars #108 cover by Walt Simonson. (Marvel Comics)
Star Wars #108 will be written by Matthew Rosenberg (Uncanny X-Men) and feature a team of artists that includes Giuseppe Camuncoli, Luke Ross, Kerry Gammill and Andrea Broccardo. Rosenberg’s story will specifically serve as a sequel to 1981’s Star Wars #50, which introduced a dangerous plague called Crimson Forever.
Marvel’s official description for the issue reads, “A long time ago on a spinner rack far, far away…Star Wars comics were a LOT different than they are now! With wild and intricately plotted storylines, Marvel’s historic original run introduced an array of unique heroes and villains to play alongside George Lucas’ incredibly popular science-fantasy characters. In celebration of Marvel’s 80th Anniversary, this Legends-era sequel to legendary comic book writer Archie Goodwin’s ‘Crimson Forever’ reunites Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 with Jaxxon, Amaiza Foxtrain, Domina Tagge, and Valance the Hunter in a galaxy-threatening, nostalgic roller coaster! Strap yourselves in!”
Star Wars #108 variant cover by Carmine Infantino. (Marvel Comics)
Marvel’s original Star Wars series ran from 1977 to 1986. While the series adapted the events of all three Original Trilogy films, it was also notable for being among the first projects to expand the Star Wars franchise and explore the events in between films (and even after Return of the Jedi).
This comic is especially significant since it’s the first new Star Wars story to be set specifically in the pre-Disney “Legends” continuity. Could this be the first step toward bringing back the classic Star Wars Expanded Universe in a larger capacity?
Look for Star Wars #108 to be released on May 29.
Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.