Comics / Comics News

Lucasfilm Moves Star Wars Comics to Marvel

By Zak Edwards
January 6, 2014 - 16:25

Well, this was not a question of if, but when. Lucasfilm has announced that Marvel Comics will become the exclusive publisher of Star Wars and Star Wars related comics as of 2015, just in time for the major push for Episode VII.

This news surely doesn't come as a surprise for comic fans, or anyone who noticed Disney buying Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm in the past few years. Now, one more outsourced piece of Star Wars media will be produced in-house, or, as Disney says, "a homecoming" given Marvel published the first Star Wars comics back in 1977.

In a press release, Disney expressed gratitude to Dark Horse Comics for publishing "exceptional Star Wars comics for over 20 years," including recent fan favourites like Brian Wood's Star Wars and the recent adaptation of Lucas' first screenplay, called The Star Wars. "We will always be grateful for their enormous contributions to the mythos," said Carol Roeder, director of Lucasfilm franchise publishing, "And the terrific partnership that we had."

Mike Richardson, founder and publisher at Dark Horse, released a blog post not long after the announcement called "The End of an Era." "Dark Horse revolutionized the treatment of comics based on films," Richardson says, "Carefully choosing licenses and approaching them with excitement and creative energy. Our goal was to create sequels and prequels to the films we loved, paying careful attention to quality and detail."

"Star Wars has been the crown jewel of this approach."

While Dark Horse may be losing one of its most lucrative contracts, Richardson is right to point out "It is ironic that this announcement comes at a time when Dark Horse is experiencing its most successful year ever." The publisher has been taking on multiple creator-owned projects that have been garnering critical and commercial acclaim, including The Massive and the ever popular Hellboy. So, while the publisher has lost Star Wars, it remains a powerhouse to watch, especially as they reinvest in some of comics' most talented and diverse creators, including David Lapham, Gail Simone, Brian Wood, Mike Mignola, and many, many more.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12