Top 20 Star Wars Graphic Novels, Part 3 of 4

As we anticipate the future of Star Wars under Disney, let’s continue our series on my top 20 Star Wars graphic novels published by Dark Horse Comics.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

10) Star Wars: Darth Maul. 2001. 96 pp. 978-1-56971-542-0.

When The Phantom Menace came out, fans wanted to see more of Darth Maul because he had such short screen time. In this book, set before the events of the movie, Darth Maul infiltrates the Black Sun crime organization—a dangerous criminal organization that threatens to unravel Darth Sidious’s plan to rule the galaxy. Maul has one job—to destroy them—and he does it as only a Sith Lord can! The story is also reprinted in the Omnibus collection Rise of the Sith, which is a more recent reprinting of the collection, but this story is the gem out of the bunch and helped to solidify Jan Duursema as one of the premiere Star Wars artists.

9) Star Wars Omnibus: Infinites. 2013. 280 pp. 978-1-61655-078-3.

Star Wars with a unique twist. Collected here are three “what if?” stories, each focusing on a different path taken during the events of the three original Star Wars films. The gem of the bunch is the Return of the Jedi retelling in which the plan to rescue Han Solo goes wrong and climaxes with a battle between the Emperor and Darth Vader with both Luke and Leia. The finale is pure Star Wars fun.

8 ) Darth Vader and the Lost Command. 2011. 128 pp. 978-1-59582-778-4.

Still reeling from his loss of his beloved Padme, the new Sith Lord Darth Vader must travel to the unexplored Ghost Nebula to recover an expeditionary force led by the son of his rival, Grand Moff Tarkin. Even though he’s a villain, the book shows Vader’s humanity and paves the way for his eventual redemption at the hands of his son, Luke.

7) Star Wars: Dark Times.

Set during the period after Revenge of the Sith, Vader is sent by his Sith Master, Darth Sidious, to hunt down the remainder of the Jedi Knights in hiding. Meanwhile, the fledgling Empire begins to crush any of those who dare step in its way, but when one of the leaders of the Rebellion is a Jedi in hiding, you can be sure the Rebels won’t back down without a fight. The art by series artist Doug Wheatley is gorgeous as well.
Vol. 1: The Path to Nowhere. 2008. 120 pp. 978-1-59307-792-1.
Vol. 2: Parallels. 2008. 120 pp. 978-1-59307-945-1.
Vol. 3: Vector. 2009. 144 pp. 978-1-59582-226-0.
Vol. 4: Blue Harvest. 2010. 136 pp. 978-1-59582-264-2.
Vol. 5: Out of the Wilderness. 2012. 120 pp. 978-1-59582-926-9.

6) Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Vol. 1: Force Storm. 2012. 128 pp. 978-1-59582-979-5.

Created by the team of John Ostrander and Jan Duursema. Journey back 36,000 years before the Star Wars world we know and love. Journey back to a time before lightsabers, hyperspace travel, to a time when the Jedi Order began to learn the ways of the Force and the Light and Dark Sides of it were not yet discovered.

Tomorrow – my final favorite Star Wars graphic novels! May the Force Be With You!

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