Star wars comics. Chronicle of Russian comics on "Star Wars"

Star Wars Droids - Time to Revolt (1995) Star Wars - Offensive Protocol (1997)

Star Wars

Star Wars is a cult and epic science fiction saga that tells the story of the confrontation of planets, civilization and factions of the "Galaxy Far Away".

Contains 7 major episodes, as well as animated television series, cartoons, films, books, Star Wars comics, video games, united by a single universe. On our site you can read Star Wars comics online for free. Invented and originally portrayed in motion pictures by American director and producer George Lucas in the early 1970s. For this reason, Star Wars is, first of all, a film saga and films with it set the canon for other works.

The official date of the birth of the project Star Wars- May 25, 1977 is the date of entry on the spacious screen of the film "Star Wars" (now it is Episode IV). Nevertheless, the main creation in the universe - the novelization book of the same name - appeared back in 1976, as the producers were afraid of failure and an enchanting bummer of the film at the box office. This episode was followed by successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).

These three films make up the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV-VI). Prequel trilogies (Episodes I-III) were released later, between 1999 and 2005. This trilogy received a more mixed response from critics and fans compared to the fan reactions to the original trilogy.

Most recently, a continuation of the trilogy (Episodes VII-IX) began with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).
All seven films were nominated for Academy Awards and were commercially successful, with a combined box office gross of $6460 million, making Star Wars the fourth highest grossing film.

Additional films outside of the main saga include the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and the upcoming anthology film series, which will begin with the release of Star Wars: Rogue One (2016).

Hierarchy of the Star Wars saga

Today, the hierarchy of the saga can be depicted as follows:

1. "Star Wars" is a single number of all materials that have been filmed under the official license of "Lucasfilm". This includes canonical and non-canonical works that make up the history of the Star Wars universe, films, literature, video games, toys, theme parks, merchandise, and more.
2. The Star Wars Universe (eng. Star Wars Universe - SWU) is a collection of all data and documentation on the subject of Star Wars, which was published under an official license, containing biographies of fictional characters, descriptions of events, fictional documents, chronologies.

Within its framework, there is a canonical division:

• Authoritative, G-canon are works whose canonicity is confirmed by George Lucas (epic, radio dramas, novelizations) and to the creation of which he was directly involved. Later works in it may overlap older retcons.
• T-canon is made up of some television series and events that took place next to epic films.
• C-canon is made up of Star Wars comics, novels, board games, video games, and series that have separate canonical elements.
• S-canon - works released in the film epic, and secondary works, later partially became components of the G-canon.
• N-canon is not canon at all, describing alternate or false events deemed by Lucasfilm.
• D-canon is formed by humorous works based on Star Wars. The database of all works, divided according to the canonical, is the so-called Holocron.

The Star Wars epic is a series of seven episode films (1977-2015) whose plots form the basis for the entire franchise.
The Star Wars Expanded Cinematic Universe serves as an addition to the old Star Wars trilogy, but it pushes the boundaries of the universe more for viewers. Telling the story from ancient and distant times to the year 137, following that film "A New Hope".
The project has a considerable number of fresh characters, stories, models of technological progress and technology, different races of humanity and animals. After the release of the seventh part of the film epic, it is considered non-canonical and belongs to the N-canon. However, some, relatively rare, elements of it are included in the canon of higher ranks.

The Universe of the "Distant Galaxy"

The opening line in all Star Wars films is "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." (Once upon a time in a very, very distant galaxy). The saga tells about the life of different civilizations and factions of this galaxy, among which there are both people and various other thinking beings, highly developed and primitive, numerous fantastic animals and plants. The story spans thousands of years from antiquity to the "current" time depicted primarily in films.

Most of the galaxy at different times was controlled by a state: the Galactic Republic, the Galactic Empire, the New Republic, or the Galactic Alliance. These states spanned thousands of planets with different populations and levels of development. The numerous species of the galaxy are people who, like on Earth, differ in facial features and skin color. Human speech is the basis for the Galactic Basic Language.

The galaxy is divided, depending on the device and value, into regions. Those in turn into sectors, planetary systems and individual planets. The main regions are the Core, Core Colonies, Inner Rim Expansion Region, Middle Rim, Outer Rim, Tingel Arm, Wild Space, and Unknown Regions.

A key concept to the Star Wars universe is the Force, the energy or field that binds all life in the galaxy. Many sentient beings know how to use the Force to gain magical-like powers.
The light side and the dark side, around which many Star Wars events revolve. Whereas the Light side is the control of thoughts and the direction of power to protect the world. The dark side is following your emotions, directing the Force to achieve personal power. Traditionally, the Light side is professed by the Jedi, and the Dark side by the Sith.

The reckoning is traditionally based on the battle over the planet Azor, in which the Galactic Empire suffered a key defeat from the rebels. The dates are respectively BBY (before the Battle of Javin) and ABY (after the Battle of Javin).

Cinematography "Star Wars"

The Star Wars cinematic cycle includes as many as six episodes, which were filmed in two stages. Stage by stage, and initially the fourth, fifth and sixth episodes were filmed, and only sixteen years later - the main first, second and third.
The seventh one came out in 2015. This episode marked the beginning of a completely new trilogy. Read right now Star Wars comics on our website!

original trilogy

1. 1977 - Star Wars. Episode IV Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
2. 1980 - Star Wars. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
3. 1983 - Star Wars. Episode VI Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

The original or, as the people call it, the “classic” trilogy consists of Episodes IV, V, VI. This numbering was chosen due to the considerable length of the original script. Lucas decided that shooting from the inside is the best option, which could be adhered to, since he placed there the most interesting, in his opinion, events.

The events of this trilogy unfold in the era of domination of the Galactic Republic-Empire. Events revolve around the struggle of the rebels against the Galactic Empire, which is ruled by the Sith Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Focuses on the adventures of the crew of the Millennium Falcon, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

The original Trilogy begins with the Galactic Empire and nears the end of the space station's Death Star. This station will allow the Empire to crush the Rebel Alliance organized by the resistance, formed to fight Emperor Palpatine. The Palpatine Sith, under the master Darth Vader, captured Princess Leia. Member of the rebellion who stole the plans for the Death Star and hid them in the droid R2-D2.

R2, along with his fellow droid C-3PO, leaves for the remote planet Tatooine. There, the droids meet the boy Luke Skywalker and his step-uncle and aunt. The moment Luke was clearing R2, he inadvertently triggers a message containing a message from Leia. She asks for help from the legendary Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Luke later assists the droids in finding an exiled Jedi who given time was an old hermit under the pseudonym Obi-Wan Kenobi. When Luke asks about his dad, whom he has never met in his life, Obi-Wan Kenobi states to him that Anakin Skywalker was a grand Jedi who was betrayed and killed by Vader.

Obi-Wan and Luke recruit Han Solo and his Wookiee, secondary pilot Chewbacca, to take them to Alderaan, Leia's homeworld. So that they eventually find and destroy the Death Star.
Following both aboard the space station, Luke and Han rescue Leia while Obi-Wan allows himself to be killed during a light duel with Vader. His sacrifice allows the group to leave with plans that help the Rebels destroy the Death Star.

Luke himself, guided by his strength, fired a fire shot that destroys the deadly space station during the battles of Yavin.
Three years later, Luke travels to find Jedi Master Yoda, who is now living in exile. Luke wants to find him to start his Jedi training. However, Luke's studies are interrupted when Vader traps him, taking Han and his friends to Cloud City.

During a malevolent lightsaber duel, Vader reveals that he is the very father that Luke was so desperate to find. Vader took advantage of the moment and tries to drag him to his dark side of the Force. Luke escapes and, after rescuing Han, returns to Master Yoda to complete his training.

Luke found 900-year-old Jedi Master Yoda on his deathbed. Before his death, Master Yoda confirms that Vader is Luke's father. Moments later, Obi-Wan's Force ghost informs Luke that he must confront his father Darth one more time before he can become a Jedi, and that the Princess Leia they are trying to find is his twin sister.

As the rebels attack the second Death Star, Luke takes on Vader in another lightsaber duel. The Sith Lords intend to drag Luke to the dark side and accept him as their apprentice.
During the duel, Luke succumbs to his anger and brutally overpowers Vader, but controls himself at the last minute, realizing that he is about to kill his father. He spares Vader's life and proudly declares his loyalty to the Jedi.

Enraged Palpatine - The Sith Lord tries to kill Luke with the power of lightning. Vader, noticing this, turns around and kills the emperor. After thanking Luke for bringing him back to the light side, Anakin Skywalker dies in his son's arms while the rebels manage to destroy the second Death Star. Find out more if you start reading Star Wars comics on our website!

Trilogy - prequel

1. 1999 - Star Wars. Episode I. The Phantom Menace / Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
2. 2002 - Star Wars: Episode II. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
3. 2005 - Star Wars. Episode III. Revenge of the Sith / Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

After a divorce in 1987, George Lucas lost most of his fortune and did not want to return to Star Wars, and unofficially canceled the filming of the sequel trilogy. But after Star Wars became popular again, Lucas saw that they still had a lot of fans. In 1993, he announced that he would direct prequels. He began to create a story centered on Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader, and the transformation of the Galactic Republic into an authoritarian empire. In 1994, Lucas began writing the script for the first film, which was called Episode I: The Beginning. And at the same time began work on the second film (Episode II).

The episode was released in May 1999 and grossed $924,317,558 at the box office. The AI ​​episode was released in May 2002 and grossed $649,398,328 at the box office. Episode III was released in May 2005.
The prequel trilogy begins 32 years before the original film. The Sith Lord Darth Sirius was secretly planning a blockade to give an excuse to his alter ego, Senator Palpatine, to overthrow and replace the Galactic Republic's Supreme Chancellor.

At the request of the Chancellor, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, the younger Obi-Wan Kenobi, travel to Naboo to negotiate with the Federation. However, the two Jedi are forced, instead of helping the Queen of Naboo, to break out of the blockade and plead with her in front of the Republic Senate on Coruscant. When they spaceship damaged during their escape, they land on Tatooine for repairs, where Qui-Gon discovers nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker.

Qui-Gon begins to believe that Anakin is the "Chosen One". Qui-Gon prophesied a Jedi prophecy to bring balance to the Force, and helps free the boy from slavery so he can train as a Jedi.
The Jedi Council, led by Master Yoda, suspects Anakin of having too much fear and anger inside him, but reluctantly makes a promise to Obi-Wan to train the boy after Qui-Gon was killed by Palpatine's first apprentice, Darth Maul during battles of Naboo.

Ten years later, the Jedi Order would participate in the Clone Wars between Republic forces and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, which Palpatine secretly created to destroy the Jedi Order and lure Anakin into his service.

At the same time, Anakin and Padmé fall in love and are secretly married, and eventually Padmé becomes pregnant. Anakin has a prophetic vision in which Padmé dies in childbirth, and Palpatine convinces him that the dark side of the Force can save Padmé's life.

Desperate, Anakin submits to Palpatine's Sith teachings and Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader, the greatest villain in the Star Wars world.

While Palpatine is reorganizing the Republic into a tyrannical empire, Vader is involved in the destruction of the Jedi Order. And in a climactic lightsaber duel between himself and Obi-Wan on the volcanic planet Mustafar, Obi-Wan defeated his former student and friend, severing his limbs and leaving him to burn on the banks of a lava flow.

Palpatine arrives shortly after and rescues Vader by placing him in a mechanical black mask and armor that serves as a permanent life support system. At the same time, Padmé dies giving birth to twins Luke and Leia.

Obi-Wan and Yoda are now the only survivors among the Jedi. They agree to separate the twins and keep them hidden from both Vader and the Emperor until the time comes when Anakin's children can be used to help bring down the empire.

Trilogy - Sequel

1. 2015 - Star Wars. Episode VII. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
2. 2017 - Star Wars. Episode VIII / Star Wars: Episode VIII
3. 2019 - Star Wars. Episode IX / Star Wars: Episode IX

The third trilogy is based on Episode VII. Its events unfold 20 years after Episode VI. The plot tells about the fate of the heroes of the two previous trilogies and the struggle of the Resistance and the New Republic against the Supreme Order - an organization that continues the traditions of the Galactic Empire.

About 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, disappeared. The First Order has risen from the fallen empire and seeks to destroy Luke and the New Republic, while resistance and a small effort backed by the Republic and led by the former Princess of Alderaana, General Leia, opposes them.

On the planet Jakku, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron receives a map that leads to Luke's location. Stormtroopers under the command of Kylo Ren, son of Han Solo and Leia, captured Poe Dameron.

His droid BB-8 leaves with the map and encounters Kylo's absorber. Ren tortures Edgar and recognizes BB-8. Stormtrooper FN-2187 concludes that he cannot kill and frees Poe Dameron. Two exits in a TIE fighter, Po dubbed FN-2187 as "Finn". But still, after the accident on Jakku, Po dies.

Finn runs into Rey and BB-8, but the first encounter places them in such a way that they avoid the planet in a stolen ship, the Millennium Falcon. After leaving Jakku, the falcon would be recaptured by Han Solo and Chewbacca, who withdrew from the resistance and resumed their lives as smugglers.

Five companions on a trip to Takodana meet the pirate Maz Kanata. While they are visiting her, Rey finds a lightsaber formerly owned by Anakin and Luke Skywalker. And after the touch of her brush with the sword, she is overcome by the Force.

At this moment, the MAZ castle is attacked by the first order. Finn, Han, and Chewbacca are saved by a group of Resistance pilots led by Po, who survived the crash on Jakku, but Rey is captured by Kylo Ren and taken to Starkiller Base.

After reuniting with Leia and resisting D'Kaur, Khan, Finna, and Chewbacca traveled to Starkiller to free Rey and disable the planet's shields, allowing the resistance pilots to destroy him.

Rey is tormented by Kylo Ren, but her Force sensitivity allows her to stand up to him. She escapes using a mind trick and reunites with Han, Finna, and Chewbacca. But the group runs into Kylo Ren.

Han confronts his son, calling him by his birth name, Ben Solo, and asks him to come home. Ren appears to have returned to the light side for a moment, but then sets fire to his lightsaber and kills Khan.

Resistance pilots begin bombarding the base. Finn and Rey run to the base and are confronted by Kylo Ren. Finn draws Anakin's lightsaber, only to badly injure Ren. Rey's power pulls her lightsaber towards her, and fights Ren.

Rey, Finn and Chewbacca escape the exploding planets on the Falcon and make it back to the resistance in time. The wounded Finn remains on D'Kaura. While Rey, Chewbacca and R2-D2 use the map to find Luke Skywalker on the planet Ahch-To, where Rey introduces the silent Bow with his old lightsaber.

Expanded Universe

The Star Wars Expanded Universe or Star Wars Legends is a collection of material depicting a universe outside of the movie saga. Includes books, animations, toys, video games released before April 24, 2014. Since 2014, the expanded universe has been declared non-canonical and the works behind it are released under the brand name Star Wars Legends. Start reading Star Wars comics now on our website for free!

Main themes and interpretations

Star Wars shows the self-destructive nature of anger and hatred. Definition of Yoda's word: Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, suffering leads to hate, suffering leads to the dark side of the Force. Evil has a psychological basis, and hatred is born in a person as a result of the suffering that a person experiences.

Darth Vader was a despised slave since childhood, he never had a father and was soon separated from his mother, the subsequent tragic death could not stop him. At the same time, the young man is tempted by evil (represented by the dark figure of Dart), who refers to his ambition and leads them to eventually enter into a "satanic pact" - to surrender to him in order to satisfy their own desires and possession of omnipotence, which turns out to be illusory.

Good and Evil are clearly presented in Star Wars, but this does not mean that the world is black and white, even the Jedi (including Yoda) have their weaknesses. Even Vader is not very bad, he is an ordinary person who has evil spells.

Star Wars is a story about the power inherent in love: what the biggest and most powerful Jedi can't do - by defeating the Sith - is done through the love of son for father and father for son. The story also juxtaposes two kinds of "love": selfish, pushing Anakin to the dark side, and altruistic, leading to his ultimate survival.

Star Wars is an analysis of the birth mechanism of authoritarian and totalitarian systems. The Republic is going through a deep crisis and ceases to fulfill its function. The Senate raises taxes, which provokes opposition from the trade federation, which meets the corrupt system. This leads to a war that is aimed at overthrowing the regime.

Anakin Skywalker, standing on the side of the Jedi Order, begins to understand that this is the law that holds power in the name of democracy. Exorbitant ambition to mix it with a genuine desire to help, who becomes Darth Vader to save people from disaster.

Inspiration of George Lucas

As for the original saga, George Lucas was primarily inspired by the Frank Herbert novel Dune and the science fiction comic Valerian (both released in the 1960s). Of great importance and influence was also the writer John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, who wrote the famous epic novel "The Lord of the Rings" and films about samurai (for example, director Akira Kurosawa). Don't know where to read Star Wars comics? On our site comics online you can read Star Wars comics in Russian for free and without registration!

Cultural influence

There are many fan associations around the world. A large audience manifests itself in the United States and Great Britain. Mass gatherings of fans are often held in the USA, reaching costumed festivals and parades of the 501st Legion (an international fan association whose goal is to gather, disguised as stormtroopers, in Darth Vader and other antagonists). In the UK, 300,000 fans declared their desire for the concept of the Force to be recognized as the basis of their religion.

Movies

• The Star Wars Christmas Episode (1978) is a non-canonical TV movie special Christmas episode.
• Ewok Adventures Caravan of Courage (1984) is a television movie that takes place between episodes five and six.
• Ewoka: The Battle for Endor (1985) - Sequel to Caravan of Courage.
• The Great Heep (1986) is a special episode prior to the Star Wars: Droids animated series.
• Lego Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick (2005) is an animated short film based on Episode III.
• Lego Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 (2009) is a parody based on Episode II.
• Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace (2011) is a comedy special episode based on the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
• Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out (2012) is a comedy special episode based on the original trilogy.
• Rebel One. Star Wars. History (2016) is the expected prequel to the sixth episode.
• Untitled film about Gana Solo (2018).
• Untitled Bobu Feta film (2020).

TV serials

• Star Wars: Droids (1985) is an animated television series based on the adventures of robots R2-D2 and C-3PO between the events of Episode III and Episode IV.
• Star Wars: The Ewok (1985) is an animated series about the adventures of the Ewok creatures years before the events of Episode VI.
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003-2005) is an animated miniseries set between Episode II and Episode III.
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2013) - animated series.
• Star Wars Rebels (2014) is an animated miniseries set between the events of Episode III and Episode IV.
• Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles (2013) is an animated comedy miniseries.
• Lego Star Wars Droid Tales (2015) is an animated comedy mini-series.

"The Force Awakens" on our site is waiting for more than the New Year. We are counting down every day until the premiere and have already booked tickets for the very first screenings a long time ago. We are actively discussing the theories that fans have built around the film, and also trying to get as much information as possible even from the musical track listing for the film. But in order for the picture to develop completely, you need to use the maximum of available information. Therefore, today we offer you a tour of the comics that managed to be released in the past year by the publishing house. In fact, many details and hints about the future of the galaxy are scattered in them. Be careful, the material contains a lot of spoilers and shamelessly points out those fragments that cannot be passed by without drawing attention!

kenan

Chronologically, this series about a galaxy far, far away is ahead of others released this year by . For those who watch the series "Star Wars Rebels", it will not be difficult to figure out that the main character of the series will be Kanan Jarrus - one of the main characters of the series, a former Jedi and mentor of young Ezra. The events described in the first issues of the series, quite expectedly, will unfold before those shown in the series. Readers will see Kanan right after Order 66 went into effect, and in front of the Padawan's eyes, former associates killed his teacher.

The young Jedi, who has not yet completed his training, will have a hard time in the new world: the pursuers of the "traitor" of the Empire will constantly hang on his tail, and the skills of independent survival in the real world are not included in the mandatory program of the Order. Reading the series, it becomes easy to mentally draw the route that made Caleb Dume (that's what Kanan was called before the sad events) by Kanan Jarrus. Readers will be able to understand both the reasons for his hatred of clones and his reluctance to get involved in major conflicts that might attract the attention of the Empire.

But the series is written so well that pleasant impressions await even those who are not yet familiar with the character and decided for some reason to ignore the series. The authors of the comic did not pursue scope, but focused their efforts on revealing the characters. Yes, most of the characters that appear on the pages of a comic book are basically formulaic and predictable. But issue after issue they show more and more depth. But Caleb was not the subject of numerous surprises, because fans have already met him. But the smugglers, in whose company the young man got, turned out to be colorful and not always simple characters. There are heroes and villains here, because not only the Jedi were forced to hide from the forces of the Empire.

It's also worth noting that an extra treat awaits those who yearned for the Expanded Universe comics. And the story itself, and the manner of presenting, and even painting more than once or twice will remind readers of the Dark Horse comics. If you've read all the licensed comics, you'll no doubt appreciate the weight of this compliment.

If you can’t wait to continue getting to know the character, and you are watching the series in ongoing mode, then you can turn your attention to the bookANewDawn. It was the first to be published under the new canon. Its events unfold six years before the start of the series and will tell about the acquaintance and the first joint mission of Kanan and Hera. They have to join forces to resist the industrialist Count Vidian. The book turned out to be much more interesting than it might seem from the annotation. In addition to meeting beloved characters, it sheds light on the economic situation in the Empire, which requires more and more resources to create a weapon of intimidation. Yes, although it is not directly stated, John Miller - the author of the book - managed to convey the feeling that the construction of the Death Star is already in full swing. But that's not all strengths books.

Value for the fandom: A standalone expansion for Star Wars: Rebels. Like the series, the comic tries to expand the known boundaries of a galaxy far, far away without using long-familiar characters from films, thanks to which it can afford more than other series.

Princess Leia

The Princess Leia mini-series, which spanned five issues, kicks off immediately after Episode Four. Having rewarded the heroes of the Rebellion, Leia nevertheless decides to take care of the fate of her native people. In the Original Trilogy, there was no place for Leia's suffering at the loss of her home world, where her parents and her people were at that moment.

So, having retired from the Rebellion for some time, Leia decides to unite the surviving Alderaanians and find them a new home. The situation is complicated by the reward for her head, for which even friends are ready to betray, and the bad temper of some of the survivors. You can understand them, because the Empire decides to take a chance and exterminate the remnants of the intractable people.

Unfortunately, something went wrong. It's not customary among comic book readers to scold a drawing just because a character bears little resemblance to himself from a previous issue on which another artist worked. The development of the industry over many decades has instilled in readers that the conditional preservation of the main elements of the image is enough. This work falls not only on artists, but also on screenwriters. It's frustrating to think that a good creative team has failed, perhaps the most important part of their work. It’s hardly possible to recognize Kerry Fisher in Leia from the comic, but it’s not just about the resemblance. Leah Dodson is sometimes even prettier, and numerous outfits emphasize this. Throughout all five issues, Leia acts as the Princess, and not as the leader of the Rebellion on a dangerous mission. But this determined person has little in common with the Ice Queen that Leia was portrayed in the Original Trilogy. She is more reckless and soft.

Unfortunately, the authors failed to create an intriguing story that simply does not have time to hook the reader. Events jump wildly from one scene to another, not allowing any of the characters to reveal themselves properly. As a result, a group of static templates operates against the backdrop of colorful, but poorly developed backgrounds. Even if one of the main characters died, it is absolutely impossible to empathize with him.

However, many people read Star Wars comics not at all in order to get acquainted with a bunch of new complex characters. So if you close your eyes to what is happening (or explain everything, for example, by the unexpected conditions that Princess Leia found herself in), then some interesting fragments and hints from the story can still be pulled out.

First, the hint that Leia has the Force is given right in the second issue. Unable to resist the temptation, the authors more than once or twice played on the reader's sense of nostalgia. It's about the scene in which the Princess leans into R2D2, clearly copied from A New Hope, and Leia's dream of a twin. And in the second issue, Leia begins her rescue campaign from Naboo, her mother's home planet, which she does not yet know about. Of course, one of the colorful bas-reliefs of the planet was decorated with the image of Princess Amidala. When looking at the drawing, Leia sees a brief vision: the image on the wall comes to life and looks at the Princess with a sad look. What's this? Curtsey authors in the direction of the prequels, or something more? After all, do not forget that Leia is Luke's sister, although she still does not know this. And Luke has the Force so much that he is able to withstand two Sith Lords at once. So it can be assumed that Leia also possesses the rudiments of the Force. Within the framework of the Expanded Universe, several successful stories were written on this fragment of history. But judging by the promotional materials she saw for The Force Awakens, Leia hadn't mastered any of the Jedi's tricks. Perhaps her sensitivity to the Force helps her to anticipate and feel better decisions in those situations when a dry set of facts and statistics no longer help. After all, it was by relying on the Force that Luke was able to destroy the first Death Star. So maybe Leia will owe her successful military career to the Force as well?

Secondly, let's discuss General Leia in a little more detail. If you carefully read the latest interviews of the authors, you have already come to terms with the fact that Leia Organa has lost her status as a Princess and has long been known to the Galaxy as General Organa. A clear explanation of this is given in the comics. To begin with, it is worth remembering that Leia became a princess without a state. Despite the remnants of the surviving Alderaan, her state is irrevocably lost. Moreover, having gathered all the scattered groups together, she abdicates the throne on her own. Having taken the expected step towards democracy, Leia announces that now people are free to choose their own princess. It turns out that at the time of the Fifth and Sixth Episodes, there was nothing left of the title of Princess but memories and compliments. And by The Force Awakens, they will gradually be erased.

Value for the fandom: small. There are hints of Leia's abilities, the fate of the scattered inhabitants of Alderaan and a bit of mental anguish. Nothing like the other series.

Star Wars

We have already reviewed the first issue of the series, noting the talent of its authors. we decided to play it safe by giving a series with this name to true professionals in their field, so you should not be surprised at its high quality.

As we suggested earlier, from the first pages of the reader a feeling of nostalgia awaits. The comic carefully reproduces all the elements of the Original Trilogy, without allowing itself unnecessary innovations: the faces of the drawn characters are easily recognizable, the interior design of the Empire is still strict, and C3PO is still helpless. There is nothing to be surprised here, because the events of the series are located in the segment from the Fourth to the Fifth Episodes, so the heroes have many more missions to complete against the Empire before it falls. It is also worth noting that in the "Expanded Universe" this gap was not very popular, because the events of the series are doubly interesting. But let's be honest with ourselves: the constant stream of missions to destroy military installations with copying of all possible elements of the Original Trilogy would get bored by the third arc, and Jason Aaron would not be himself if he went down this road.

On the contrary, having finished with a pleasant prelude and hooked readers, he begins a whole series of unexpected somersaults! Some of them, such as Han Solo's wife, do not fit well into the already established picture of the world, but others unwittingly patch holes (for example, you never had the feeling that Luke too quickly reached heights on the path of the Force, having a rather limited choice teachers?). It is at this moment that you understand that the series is not going to turn into a boring filler about the everyday life of a popular trinity on the military missions of the Rebellion, but plans to take us with a breeze to all the interesting corners of this world. Does anyone doubt that there are enough secrets and stories in the galaxy for a good hundred issues? In addition, no one has canceled rare curtsies towards original films and even prequels.

But besides the fact that the quality of the series is in itself a weighty argument in favor of reading these comics, the authors little by little still add important details to the big picture. First of all, we are talking, of course, about Luke's training. Almost immediately left without the only one who could guide him on the path of the Force, he does not agree to give up. We already know that Luke is not the only Jedi in the galaxy. And although his paths have only crossed paths with Obi Wan and Yoda, there are many other ways to learn more about the Force. But in a world dominated by the Sith Empire, one should not even hope that the search will go right. Instead of the remaining Jedi, smugglers are waiting for Luke, and the Jedi Order will have to be temporarily exchanged for a gladiatorial arena.

Another important part of the story was the relationship between Han and Leia, who managed to touch many people with their joint scene in the trailer for The Force Awakens. But after all, not much time was devoted to their relationship before! A couple of skirmishes, a couple of touching moments, but isn't it too fast? Thanks to the comic, we can finally see the whole path of this relationship: from the first major misunderstanding to the first kiss right through a whole bunch of scenes of varying degrees of romance. And maybe due to the fact that we have our favorite characters in front of us, or maybe thanks to the talent of Aaron, watching this couple is a real pleasure.

By juggling completely different elements of history, the authors manage to create an original and unique story. From the period with which readers are introduced in the series, you do not expect any revelations and surprises. Therefore, each of them is perceived doubly pleasant.

Value for the fandom: we have already seen how the trio of main characters gained fame and respect in the galaxy. Now we have to find out what happened between these missions. This allows you to get to know the characters much better, and therefore become even closer to them.

Is it worth reading: Most of the outgoing Star Wars episodes now have a good storyline and high-quality art. But Star Wars is at the forefront of quality. From quite understandable and well-known ingredients, the authors were able to prepare such a delicious dish that it's time to think about magic.

Fragments of the Empire

“Shards of the Empire” is so far the only comic book released that somehow reveals the fragments seen in the trailers. The events of the series, which included only four issues, begin at the time of the death of the second Death Star and tell about the pilot Shar Bay. Shara is not only a talented and experienced pilot, but also the mother of Poe Dameron, one of the main characters in The Force Awakens. In a moment, we learn that the boy has already been born and now lives with the father of the heroine. But his life is somewhere behind the scenes.

And at the center of the story are several missions that Shara performs together with the heroes of the Original Trilogy. Left without Palpatine, the Empire refuses to believe in its own defeat, creating more and more dangers in the Galaxy. Alas, the missions are connected rather indirectly, so there is actually no complete plot with the beginning, development and denouement. Instead, we are slowly shedding light on the life of the beloved Trinity - Luke, Leia and Khan - after the event at Endor. Together with them, Shara celebrates the victory over the Emperor, flies with Leia to Naboo on a diplomatic mission, helps Luke get into the secret laboratory of the Empire, where very curious artifacts are stored. And each outing gives us new hints about the future of the characters.

For example, we are again hinted at Leia's sensitivity to the Force. And back to Naboo. And although each of the comics in the series is filled with nostalgic elements, the second and third issues have the most of them. We will have time to walk along the familiar streets of the First Episode, meet the current princess, see familiar outfits, and even return to the very hangar from where young Anakin went into battle in a fighter. It is in the hangar that a new vision awaits Leia, but this time unpleasant and cold, because here Darth Maul killed Qui-Gon Jin.

The comic is a must read for those who are intrigued by the future of Luke, who never appeared in any of the trailers. Latest release is dedicated to an attempt to penetrate the mysterious laboratory where Emperor Palpatine kept valuable artifacts. For example, his Heralds were kept here - unusual messenger droids, outwardly resembling Imperial Guard. But the target of penetration was two small trees. These trees once grew in the Order on Coruscant, so they managed to be saturated with the Force. Thanks to this, Luke was able to feel them. The question of why the only known Jedi in the galaxy needed the trees of the Order is already answered. So numerous theories about his transition to the Dark Side are once again being questioned.

Value for the fandom: high! Although important elements are scattered unevenly and chaotically throughout the comics of the series, many useful conclusions can be drawn from them about the events leading up to Episode Seven.

Funny pictures

What comics are, I suppose, no one needs to explain. Incredibly popular American fun, in which any more or less promoted world is embodied. Star Wars is no exception: comics, along with books and games, have been shaping the face of the Expanded Universe for decades. The subject of comics is diverse: essays about the lives of beloved heroes and adaptations of famous books, tales of the knights of the Old Republic and the history of the distant future. There are cases when characters and ideas from comics were transferred to the screen and acquired new life in the Star Wars movies...

The popularity of comics in Russia is only gaining momentum. Alas, the Star Wars graphic stories did not receive due attention from our publishers, and only a few were printed in Russian. O thorny path comics into the open arms of the Russian-speaking fandom and will be discussed today.

Comics lay at the origins of the entire Star Wars universe. Just two months after the premiere of A New Hope, Marvel published the first comic book adaptation of the adventures of Luke Skywalker, after which Star Wars comics reached the shelves in an inexhaustible stream. However, now Star Wars fans are looking at those old crafts with a grin: children's stories, clumsy graphics and many inconsistencies with films have led to the fact that Marvel comics have long ceased to be considered constituent parts canonical universe.

In the 90s, Dark Horse publishing house, having decided to revive the Star Wars comics industry, takes a completely different approach. Both venerable writers (Michael Stackpole, Steve Perry) and well-established "narrow specialists" in comics (John Ostrander, Hayden Blackman, John Jackson Miller) are invited to the role of screenwriters. The quality of drawing is also noticeably improved (especially with the appearance in the publishing house of such people as Edwin Byukovich, Doug Wheatley and the queen of all Star Wars artists Jen Duursima). As a result, not only naive adventure opuses come out from the pen and brush of all this brethren, but also quite serious, self-sufficient and (most importantly) significant for the ST-universe of history. The popularity of Star Wars comics from Dark Horse has not faded for two decades.

And what do we have? Here is a brief chronology of the release of Star Wars comics from under the printing press of domestic publishers. The chronology is really short: in each case, the interest of publishers in the Star Wars universe did not last long.

1994 - in the publishing house " Style” comes out a kind of homemade: a 16-page comic book retelling of the plot of A New Hope, made through the efforts of its own screenwriter and artist. Incredible rarity these days.

• 1997 is the first recorded attempt to localize Star Wars comics. Publishing house " Swallowtail” releases A New Hope in four parts and the first part of the Empire, but the process stalls at this point.

• 2002 - Kiev publishing house " Compass publishing” ambitiously announces the upcoming release of comics for Episodes 1 and 2, as well as several independent series like Jedi Quest and Darth Maul, but everything is limited to the release of one only “The Phantom Menace”.

• 2004-2005 - the most famous and long-running project for the release of printed Star Wars comics. Publishing house " Prime Eurosign” presented four volumes to the fans: “The Phantom Menace”, “Attack of the Clones”, “Episode 1: Adventures” and “Dark Empire”, as well as a collection of manga on “Return of the Jedi”. The project closed shortly after the release of Episode 3: it seems that the publisher felt that interest in the franchise should dry up at a rapid pace.

As you can see, the fate of all projects turned out to be approximately similar. But what usually happens when the official offices stop providing the fandom with a spectacle that is still in high demand? That's right, the fandom is starting to support itself. This is how the popular to this day Internet projects for the translation of comics appeared.

The first known attempt to localize Star Wars comics by improvised means took place in 2004. Through the efforts of comrades Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ricky Crane on the site " Imperial Bastion» publishes Russian-language versions of several comics about the adventures of brave imperial soldiers. The first pancake came out by no means lumpy: judging by the results, the work on the comics was carried out with enthusiasm and love, even if the lack of serious skills in translation and graphic layout is striking. However, any hobby tends to pass, and the comrades did not have active followers. The project, unfortunately, remained a one-day project.

In 2005, an Internet portal was opened Star Wars Timeline- a large-scale archive of scans of English-language SG comics. For many fans who know the language, this has become a major help: interest in comics is growing in the fandom. After some time, the translation of comics into Russian will also start on the portal. However, the implementation of this process turned out to be very original and, to put it mildly, not controversial: the comics were laid out page by page (and not the whole archive), and the Russian text was not drawn into balloons on top of the original; instead, when hovering over the “cloud” with English text, a mini-window with Russian appeared. This approach, of course, had its advantages, but it turned out to be more disadvantages: the text translation format was visually inferior to the graphic one, and it was only available online. The online translation project (due to lack of reader attention) was closed.

In the summer of 2006, a team of St. Petersburg enthusiasts launched the first serious project for the graphic translation of comics - " Diary of the Wills". Already the first results of their activities were attractive with bright graphics and the opportunity to see in Russian the main novelties of the foreign comics industry. About what this project lived, one of its founders and leading translators will tell in detail - Sithoid.

Tell us how the comics translation project started for you.

S.: I always had the idea of ​​translating Star Wars comics - I remember that even before the premiere of Episode III, I tried to redraw "Obsession" in Comic Sans font. So when Peter Great started translating Legacies Zero and asked me to do a couple of pages, I happily jumped in. This, one might say, was the last project of the St. Petersburg Star Wars Fan Club - around the same time, regular meetings ceased, and soon only a group of translators remained from the club. The zero issue was translated at an accelerated pace and literally by the whole team, and then the responsibilities were gradually divided. Issue after issue, series after series, and so it rolled.

What was the most difficult part of the process?

S.: I participated in the project as a translator and editor, but for some reason it seems to me that typesetting was the most difficult thing - no matter how much we searched for a second typesetter, nothing came of it. In my work, difficulties began when I came across an unsuccessful translation - oddly enough, editing a clumsy text is much more difficult than translating from scratch. But individual pearls of translators cheered up the whole team.

How many people worked on the team?

S.: At first, we attracted everyone who somehow knew how to translate. As a rule, the translator made one issue, on the basis of which we decided whether to give him a whole series - that's why there are so many different names in the first issues. Someone translated worse, someone better, someone simply had little free time. So towards the end, we formed a clear backbone of four people - Peter, Raila, Toss and I. Peter was the editor-in-chief and the only layout designer, so all issues went through him. This, by the way, was the main reason for our slow pace, and ultimately the closure of the project: everyone was able to translate and edit, and only Peter was able to typeset. Therefore, even in better times we released a maximum of 4 comics per month.

How were the comics chosen? What comics do you like the most?
S.: From the very beginning, we focused on the latest series - "Legacy", "Rebellion", "Knights of the Old Republic" ... Of these series, I liked "Legacy" the most, which combined Jen Duursima's magnificent drawings with an exciting plot and in the light, colorful language of John Ostrander. Therefore, I took over the translation of "Heritage", and in the rest of the series I gradually switched to the role of editor. As for the older comics - I've always loved the Clone Wars series by the same authors, Quinlan Vos is still my favorite character. It was because of this that we took up the translation of The Republic, but overestimated our strength - starting with the first, uninteresting issues, we would have reached the Clone Wars no sooner than in two or three years. The SWEU team turned out to be more resourceful - having taken on the series from the middle, by now they have already translated all the issues.

So, in total, The Wills Diary lasted a little less than a year and produced about three dozen comics. Gradually, the creative fuse of its creators dried up, and the project was closed. But a start had been made. A clear example has appeared: how to Russify comics in graphics, what to strive for and how this bar can be surpassed.

In January 2007, the project " SWEU comics”- at that time still an inexperienced competitor to the Diary, and now it is the largest localizer of SG comics on the Internet (more than 100 issues have already been translated). Initially, the project was engaged in graphic processing of old online translations from the Timeline, and only two people entered it: Gilad(i.e. me) as editor and Arey as a graphic designer (the latter just proposed the idea of ​​working together on the first comic book - "Obsession"). Slowly but surely, the team grew: there were four full-time layout designers, and more than twenty translators went through the project. Comics are translated perfectly different eras, but the Clone Wars and the era of the Empire have always been a priority (series " dark times”, “Darklighter”, etc.), as well as all kinds of humorous sketches. The quality bar was gradually raised: the design team masterfully mastered the Photoshop technique, and the translators managed to teach the specifics of working with comic texts relatively well. The SWEU project is alive and well and is preparing translations of comics to this day.

After the closure of The Will's Diary, SWEU remained the only comic book localizer, but did not remain so for long. Alone, the project could not pull all the popular series, and the soil turned out to be quite fertile. Thus, already in the summer of 2007, Russian-language comics were published on the site Yaga Minor: Sleipnir, Ming and Quelle r translate the “Legacy” dropped by the Wills Diary. And in the spring of 2008, he opens his comic project and " Guild of Archivists» promoted portal Jedi Council: a large team of workers under the direction of the editor-in-chief SNDP takes on the release of the Knights of the Old Republic series, as well as comics about the Empire and the early adventures of Quinlan Vos. The creative process in the Guild was distinguished by innovations: translations were carried out with the help of a joint “brainstorming” in Skype, and everything was subjected to graphic Russification, including “sounds”. However, later it was decided to abandon both practices and switch to traditional methods. What definitely benefited the team: the quality of translations has increased, and the pace has noticeably accelerated.

There were a few more comic book projects that (unlike the previous four) didn't last very long. One way or another, the potential reader slowly began to get confused in all the variety of resources that were engaged in the Russification of comics. The idea of ​​mass unification has been brewing for a long time, but all sorts of disagreements (where without them?), as well as technical difficulties, did not allow it to be implemented with a swoop. Finally, in the summer of 2008, at the ninth StarCon, interested parties signed a kind of “agreement” (sealed with a mug of beer), and already in September, the Joint Project saw the light of day.

Portal SWComics- an extensive database containing all Star Wars comics (or links to them) ever published in Russian. The first sign of the project (for starters) was the conceptual work The Force Unleashed - a 130-page comic book based on the video game of the same name, on the Russification of which representatives of all major comic projects worked together. Comics from completely new teams can also be accepted into the database (of course, if they pass quality control).

Chief creative officer, administrator, engine of progress, and also responsible for the technical and graphic side of the combined project - Queller. Let's talk with him...

Why did you decide to get into comics?

Q .: At first, I didn’t even know about the existence of comics in the Star Wars universe ... And when I found out, there were a few of them in Russian. Therefore, what he managed to find, he began to translate and typeset, and in August 2005, a graphic translation of two comics “The Freedon Nadd Mutiny” appeared on one modest site. It must be said that the translation was not the best, and the layout was even worse. But a start was made, at least for for a long time the release of graphic translations was delayed. And when the SWEU website began publishing comics translated into graphics, I offered my help. Here, one might say, it all really began - layout of comics for SWEU, then own projects, over time, the idea of ​​​​creating a joint project for translating comics based on existing teams appeared.

Well, that was the story. Let's go back to the "why" question. Because I like the universe, I like it in free time to do something not only interesting, but also useful. Plus practice in mastering the language and Photoshop.

What is the most difficult and interesting thing about working on a website and making comics?

Q.: Difficulties are there to be overcome. The most difficult thing is to please everyone, but I assure you, we are working on it. Another difficulty is that everyone works on the same enthusiasm and in their free time, although there is a plus here - we try to do everything with high quality and with love. A website is the next step in the development of our business. One thing is to make a translation, the other is to convey it to readers so that they want to read it, so that people who are unfamiliar with the Star Wars universe can find it and also like it. This means that the site itself must also be of high quality and interesting. Therefore, it contains not only translations, but also useful materials for translators, layout designers and just fans of comics.

What are the prospects for the SWComics project, and what should we expect in the future?

Q .: We have room to develop - there are still many untranslated comics, and they continue to come out, so there will be something to do. Plus, other sections of the site will develop. Now more and more people are joining the work on comics (which is good news), and I hope that this will continue. We try to create all the conveniences for this work, share our experience with those who came to us recently. To do this, the site has a complete chronology of all comics, a table of creative plans (to coordinate the work of various teams), sections with instructions for translators and typesetters, with fonts and blanks, with covers cleaned of text. Slowly, information for readers appears: articles about the main characters, reviews and other materials.

The project is really developing very rapidly. With the parallel work of several teams at once, it is possible to publish up to ten full-fledged issues per month (and the total number of translated comics has already exceeded two hundred). Both old, classic series are being translated, as well as completely new ones, only recently launched by Dark Horse: The Old Republic (a prelude to the multiplayer game of the same name) and Star Wars Invasion (about the notorious Yuuzhan Vong invasion). Not forgotten and the most popular on this moment series: "Knights of the Old Republic" and "Legacy". Will it be possible to maintain the current momentum, and what is the future of the Joint Project? Well... let's wait and see.