Marvel’s relaunched Star Wars comic line has been one of the biggest success stories of 2015. However, almost all of the comics released so far have taken place right after the original Star Wars movie. For the purists, yes, that’s Episode IV: A New Hope.
With the Expanded Universe thrown out of continuity thanks to J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Post-Return of The Jedi era Star Wars history is up for grabs. StarWars.com has announced that Marvel will dive into that timeframe with a new miniseries called Star Wars: Shattered Empire.
That cover image is by Black Widow artist Phil Noto, and it appears to take place at the party in the Ewok village following the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of The Jedi. The novel Star Wars: The Truce At Bakura told that story in the Expanded Universe, but again, that never happened in the new continuity which is designed to tie into The Force Awakens.
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Earlier this week, Del Rey announced 20 Star Wars novels that will fill the thirty year gap between Return of The Jedi and The Force Awakens. Considering that Marvel’s Star Wars: Shattered Empire features the Journey To Star Wars: The Force Awakens banner on the cover, it is likely to have a major part in that timeline.
No creative team was announced for Star Wars: Shattered Empire, but a formal reveal will probably take place at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim next month. Star Wars: Shattered Empire will be released in September.
