- "Our goal was to create sequels and prequels to the films we loved, paying careful attention to quality and detail, essentially treating those films as though they were our own. Star Wars has been the crown jewel of this approach."
- ―Mike Richardson, on the end of Dark Horse's initial Star Wars publishing run
Dark Horse Comics is a publisher of comic books that over the years has produced many licensed works, a large number of which take place in the Star Wars universe.
History[]
Dark Horse began publishing comics in 1986 and soon it published titles tied to film properties, such as Alien/Predator, Terminator and others. It first published for Star Wars with Star Wars: Dark Empire in 1991,[6] taking over from the earlier Marvel Star Wars comics. While Dark Horse artists took liberties and deviated from other original properties, Star Wars demanded continuity; drawn characters looked like their respective actors, and ships and droids looked like their movie models.[7]
Unlike the "rudderless days" of Marvel, with comics created without influence from Lucasfilm, Dark Horse titles were tied directly with the rest of the Expanded Universe, and developed a creative dialogue with Lucasfilm both for Star Wars and Indiana Jones.[7]
It republished and produced several compilations of works, including the aforementioned Marvel works, in a collection of trade paperbacks known as Star Wars Omnibus. The Omnibus imprint was also used for other fictional universes, such as Indiana Jones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dark Horse has a division called Dark Horse Digital, which allows customers to view comics online.
On January 3, 2014, Disney announced that the Star Wars comics license would move from Dark Horse back to Marvel in 2015.[8] After a six-year hiatus, it was announced on November 18, 2021, that Dark Horse would return to publishing Star Wars comics alongside Marvel in 2022. Multiple series are planned for the new program, with initial titles being part of the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative[9] published in the spring of 2022. This re-launch of the Dark Horse Star Wars brand will also include one-shots, graphic novels, anthologies, and more.[10]
Published series[]
Legends[]
Republished Marvel series[]
- Classic Star Wars (1992 – 1994)
- Classic Star Wars: A New Hope (1994)
- Classic Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1994)
- Classic Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1994)
- Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures (1994 – 1997)
- Classic Star Wars: The Vandelhelm Mission (1995)
- Classic Star Wars: Devilworlds (1996)
- Classic Star Wars: Han Solo at Stars' End (1997)
- Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... (1999)
Republished Marvel collections[]
Republished PhotoComics[]
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Photo Comic (August 2007)
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Photo Comic (October 2007)
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Photo Comic (November 2007)
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope Photo Comic (February 2008)
- Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Photo Comic (April 2008)
- Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi Photo Comic (April 2008)
- Star Wars: Clone Wars Photo Comic (May 2008)
Series[]
- Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron (1995 – 1998)
- Star Wars: Republic (1998 – 2006)
- Star Wars Tales (1999 – 2005)
- Star Wars: Infinities (2001 – 2004)
- Star Wars: Empire (2002 – 2006)
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2006 – 2010)
- Star Wars: Rebellion (2006 – 2008)
- Star Wars: Legacy (2006 – 2010)
- Star Wars: Dark Times (2006 – 2010)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 – 2010)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (2009 – 2011)
- Star Wars: Invasion (2009 – 2011)
- Star Wars: Knight Errant (2010 – 2012)
- Star Wars: Agent of the Empire (2011 – 2013)
- Star Wars (2013) (2013 – 2014)
- Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 (2013 – 2014)
Miniseries[]
One-shots[]
Published collections[]
Published omnibus collections[]
Published 30th anniversary collections[]
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 1: The Freedon Nadd Uprising (March 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 2: Jedi vs. Sith (April 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 3: Darth Maul (May 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 4: Jango Fett & Zam Wesell (June 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 5: Light and Dark (July 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 6: Endgame (August 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 7: Darklighter (September 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 8: Splinter of the Mind's Eye (October 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 9: Boba Fett: Death, Lies, and Treachery (November 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 10: Crimson Empire (December 2007)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 11: Union (January 2008)
- Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collection Volume 12: Legacy (February 2008)
Manga[]
- Star Wars Manga: A New Hope Volume 1 (July 1998)
- Star Wars Manga: A New Hope Volume 2 (August 1998)
- Star Wars Manga: A New Hope Volume 3 (October 1998)
- Star Wars Manga: A New Hope Volume 4 (December 1998)
- Star Wars Manga: The Empire Strikes Back Volume 1 (January 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: The Empire Strikes Back Volume 2 (February 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: The Empire Strikes Back Volume 3 (March 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: The Empire Strikes Back Volume 4 (April 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: Return of the Jedi Volume 1 (July 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: Return of the Jedi Volume 2 (August 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: Return of the Jedi Volume 3 (September 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: Return of the Jedi Volume 4 (October 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: The Phantom Menace Volume 1 (December 1999)
- Star Wars Manga: The Phantom Menace Volume 2 (January 2000)
Graphic novellas[]
Novellas[]
- Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire (February 1997)
- Dark Forces: Rebel Agent (March 1998)
- Dark Forces: Jedi Knight (October 1998)
Canon[]
Series[]
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories (August 2022 – December 2023)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (2022) (November 2022 – June 2023)
Miniseries[]
- Star Wars: Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir (May 2014 – August 2014)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures: The Nameless Terror (February 2023 – May 2023)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Saber for Hire (April 2024 – October 2024)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear (September 2024 – January 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone (October 2024 – January 2025)
One-shots[]
- Hyperspace Stories Annual—Jaxxon 2023 (April 2023)
- The High Republic Adventures: Quest of the Jedi (April 2023)
- Free Comic Book Day 2023: All Ages (May 2023)
- The High Republic Adventures: Crash Landing (March 2024)
- Free Comic Book Day 2024: All Ages (May 2024)
- The High Republic Adventures: Crash and Burn (September 2024)
- The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular (December 2024)
- The High Republic Adventures Phase III Annual (January 2025)
- The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Battle of Eriadu (April 2025)
- Free Comic Book Day 2025: All Ages (May 2025)
Published collections[]
- Star Wars: Darth Maul — Son of Dathomir (trade paperback) (October 2014)
- Star Wars Rebels (August 2022)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories Volume 1 – Rebels and Resistance (July 2023)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – The Nameless Terror (trade paperback) (September 2023)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 1 (Phase II) (September 2023)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 2 (Phase II) (December 2023)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories Volume 2 – Scum and Villainy (January 2024)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories Volume 3 – Light and Shadows (June 2024)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 1 (Phase III) (August 2024)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 2 (Phase III) (January 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Saber for Hire (trade paperback) (January 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear (trade paperback) (April 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — Crash Zone (April 2025)
Republished IDW collections[]
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Complete Phase 1 (August 2023)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Monster of Temple Peak and Other Stories (October 2023)
- Star Wars: Vader's Castle – The Deluxe Library Collection (October 2024)
- Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy Graphic Novel (November 2024)
Graphic novels[]
- Tales from the Rancor Pit (November 2022)
- Tales from the Death Star (October 2023)
- Hyperspace Stories: Qui-Gon (March 2025)
Current series[]
Series[]
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (2023) (December 2023 – July 2025)
Miniseries[]
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents (February 2025 – July 2025)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker (April 2025 – August 2025)
Forthcoming series[]
Miniseries[]
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Tides of Terror (July 2025)
- Star Wars: Tales From the Nightlands (September 2025)
Graphic novels[]
- Hyperspace Stories: Darth Vader (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Grievous (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Kylo Ren (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Luke Skywalker (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Mace (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Obi-Wan (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Princess Leia (TBA)
- Hyperspace Stories: Rey (TBA)
Forthcoming collections[]
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 3 (Phase III) (May 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone (trade paperback) (July 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 4 (Phase III) (August 2025)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories Library Edition Volume 1 (October 2025)
- Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Volume 5 (Phase III) (October 2025)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch – Ghost Agents (trade paperback) (October 2025)
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories – Codebreaker (trade paperback) (January 2026)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
History on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑
Contact Dark Horse on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1
Embracer Group Successfully Acquires Dark Horse Media on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Panel to Panel
- ↑ Star Wars Insider 151
- ↑
Timeline on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
- ↑
Disney's Lucasfilm and Marvel Entertainment Join Forces to Publish Star Wars Comics and Graphic Novels on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑
Dark Horse Comics Returns to the Star Wars Galaxy on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑
Star Wars: Best of 2021 on StarWars.com (backup link)
External links[]
History on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
Dark Horse Comics on Wikipedia