Tag Archives: comics

Star Wars: Legacy to Return in 2013

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Undeterred by the announcement of Episode VII, Dark Horse Comics has announced today that Legacy will be returning in 2013. CBR has the exclusive:

Next year, fans of the “Star Wars” franchise will still be reading comic stories set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but the latest round of stories from Dark Horse will be set a little less of a long time ago.

The publisher today revealed exclusively to CBR News that “Star Wars: Legacy” will return in the new year. Set over 100 years after the events of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the newest iteration of the book will be written by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman, best known for their well-received run on BOOM! Studios’ “Planet of the Apes” comics.

Here’s the relevant bit that will get comic fans excited:

Detail are scarce on how this new series will follow up on that previous, popular “Legacy” series, which lasted 50 issues with an additional mini series wrapping in early 2011, but one solid piece of info provided by Dark Horse is that this comic will carry the Skywalker bloodline in a new way. Namely, the series lead will be a young woman who is the great-granddaughter of original movie characters Han Solo and Leia Organa! While the pair have born twins in the previous expanded universe tales, the status and the outlook of this new face remain unknown.

In addition, Dark Horse also revealed the Dave Wilkins cover for the first issue.

 

So You Want To Get Into Marvel Comics

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So you want to get into Marvel Comics but don’t know where to start.  Well kids, pull up a chair and listen to your Auntie Bria because there are absolutely some good places to begin reading comic books and you won’t even have to go all the way back to the 1960s!*  Will you likely want to jump on Wikipedia and do some research about some aspects of the history of these books or characters?  Probably.  It’s impossible to jump into a medium with such a long history as comic books without there being at least some sort of background you’d like to know more about.  However, I think that each of these suggested titles can be picked up and read with minimal confusion.  Each of these suggestions also takes place in the main Marvel Universe which is also referred to as the 616 verse.  I also tried to refrain from any company wide arcs for reading ease.** With that, enjoy these suggestions and feel free to ask any clarification questions you might have in the comments.

Astonishing X-men
[Amazon – Comixology]
I have fondly referred to this book as my gateway drug to Marvel Comics.  Not only have I used this book to get tons of my friends into comics but I consider it to be one of my favorite runs of all time.  Written by Joss Whedon and with art by John Cassaday, Astonishing X-men takes the X-men back from the black leather street looks (thanks for that, X-men films) and back to their spandex superhero roots.  Mutants have always been treated with at least some fear and distrust by the public and the X-men want to fix this.

Whedon brings together Cyclops/Scott Summers, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Beast/Hank McCoy, and Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde, a group of characters who certain have issues with each other but work together as a team because they have to astonish the world.   It’s a story that not only can stand on its own but also one which will introduce you to the characters in a way that will leave you wanting to know more about them.  Although Whedon’s run concluded back in 2007, it’s certainly a book worth reading if you’re interested in the modern X-men.  Plus, as an added bonus, Whedon introduces us to some awesome new characters, namely Hisako Ichiki/Armor and Abigail Brand.  If you have any interest in the X-men at all, this is the book to start with.

Continue reading →

Cover for Star Wars Issue 2 features X-Wings and Leia

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I meant to post this a few days ago, but with the whole Episode VII-becoming-reality-thing, it got lost in the drafts. In any case, artist Alex Ross has released the cover for issue two of the new Star Wars comic:

We’ve got some X-Wings, the Falcon, Slave I, Luke, Wedge, and Leia. Well this should be fun!

Comic Review: Captain Marvel #1-6

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Sometimes, a comic book’s first arc can take you completely by surprise because of how just gosh darn good it is.  I’ll admit that I had high expectations for the first issue of Captain Marvel and was thrilled when it exceeded them and the rest of the arc kept me entertained.  Since July, writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artists Dexter Soy and Emma Rios have delivered a solidly good book that looks like it will thankfully be around for awhile.

The first, and one of the most important things, that Captain Marvel did was give her a new costume and have her finally take on the mantel of ‘Captain Marvel’.  Both of these were excellent upgrades, no matter what naysayers might tell you.  As the editor points out in the letter page of the very first issue, her iconic black leotard with a yellow lightning bolt was not exactly a costume that most fathers want their daughters wearing for Halloween.  The new costume is not only reasonable but it really helps define and emphasize her new codename which Captain America himself makes an excellent argument for in the first issue.

This very first arc is a time travel one, surprisingly enough.  Shortly after taking the Captain Marvel mantel, Carol is left a plane by Helen Cobb, a friend and hero with many a flying record to her name.  Carol decides to take the plane up and try and replicate one of Helen’s feats but finds herself sent back in time to 1943, right in the middle of a World War II fight off the coast of Peru.

It is there that she encounters one of the best parts of this arc, a group of Women’s Air Service Pilots called Banshee Squadron.  Although they aren’t around for terribly long, they back up Carol in a crazy fight and each manage to hold their own.  They are fantastic characters and I certainly wouldn’t be averse to seeing them receive a miniseries in the future.  Carol fights back against the Japanese along side the Banshees until the plane reappears and she finds herself moved forward in time… just not all the way. Continue reading →

Cosplay Week: Captain Marvel

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We’re continuing with Cosplay Week here at Tosche Station and featuring some of the fabulous costumes we spotted at Celebration VI and Dragon*Con! Again, we don’t know who the cosplayers were for most of these so if you recognize the costumer, please let us know so we can give proper credit!

If you’re a regular reader of Tosche Station, it’s no secret that we’re big fans of Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel around here and we were definitely hoping to see some cosplayers with her new costume.  Dragon*Con costumers didn’t fail us and amongst the sea of Lokis and Hawkeyes, we found her!  Not only did her costume look great but she had some serious Carol attitude!  (Please notice the bonus defeated Deadpool we got for recognizing and loving her costume.)

Celebration VI Coverage: Dark Horse 2013 Panel

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Once again, we’re on the move so we’ll just leave the news tidbits! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter (link in the sidebar) for up-to-the-minute news and observations from CVI. Bullet points!

  • No announcements for this show, Dark Horse’s new offerings likely will be revealed at New York Comic Con.
  • Cover for new Knight Errant revealed. Looks like it’s got a Dragonriders of Pern vibe.
  • John Jackson Miller talked about the next Knight Errant arc. Kerra learns that her parents may still be alive. This will be the “most important moment in Kerra’s life.”
  • New Jedi to be introduced in the next Darth Maul arc.
  • Lost Tribe of the Sith an example of synergy between Del Rey and Dark Horse.
  • New Agent of the Empire arc will feature a lot of cameos from familiar names like Bail Organa, Leia, and Winter. Revolves around the current Count of Sereno. Both Nanci and I were particularly gleeful over this announcement.
  • There IS a new announcement! A new arc of Dark Times is coming. Gabriel Guzman will provide the interior art.
  • Cover for a new Star Wars: Purge: The Tyrant’s Fist revealed. Features Vader and stormtroopers. Look for the new Purge in December.
  • The new Star Wars comic is NOT a reboot. It’s NOT ignoring continuity. It’s NOT trampling pre-existing canon. So cool your jets on that front, so says Randy Stradley. This is going to be a gateway point for new Star Wars fans who want to get into comics.
  • Invasion stopped because a satisfying conclusion was reached. That said, Randy Stradley said to keep your eyes open to see what might happens next as far as Legacy goes.
  • No plans for more Tales Of comics, but John Jackson Miller certainly seems interested. That said, Lost Tribe of the Sith is probably your Tales of the Jedi for a while.
  • Del Rey and Dark Horse have been talking about a “really, really cool” collaboration which would culminate in a big climactic event. Another Galactic Apocalypse of the Week plot?

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Plot Synopsis Hints at Character

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Found over at io9, Marvel has apparently released a new plot synopsis of the mysterious Guardians of the Galaxy film that’s will comprise part of the second phase of the Marvel film universe.

“A U.S. pilot who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants.”

A U.S. pilot who ends up in space? Chances are it’s Peter Quill or Vance Astro, but if I could make a suggestion for someone who fits that description…

The Coruscant Craft Fair Rides Again!

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Sometimes, a girl just needs geeky shoes. Enter Etsy seller MadeInBoston and her made to order comic book heels. Hey–Star Wars has comic books that could be used for these purposes–there is even Star Wars comic book fabric now available at JoAnn’s Fabric Stores (I saw aprons made from this fabric for sale at FandomFest).

But Etsy has more treasures, ladies and gentlemen. Custom-made R2D2 beanies in four different options? Not to mention the perfect onesie for your geeky baby girl, trailing her ATAT along as her pet. (Check out the rest of EngramClothing’s shop for more awesome Star Wars wearables).

If you’re more into crafting it yourself, though, here are free directions on how to crochet yourself a Princess Leia hat.

New Dark Horse “Star Wars” Comic Goes Back to Basics

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io9 has a first glimpse into a new project from Dark Horse that’s simply called Star Wars. Randy Stradley lets fans know that they have brought in author Brian Wood (of DMZ, Channel Zero, and Northlanders fame) to helm what they’re calling a “back-to-basics” approach to Star Wars comics and narratives.

We — the Dark Horse editorial team and the folks at Lucas Books — felt that the time was right to rack focus back on the core characters of the Original Trilogy. It has been a few years since there had been any comics stories set in the era of the OT, as it’s called, and the time was just right. Both we and Lucasfilm had ideas for how to return to the classic characters, and all told it took us about a year to work out a plan with which everyone was happy.

As for how this series is “different” from past entries in this time period, I guess the answer would be that we’re trying very had to keep everything fresh — as if Episode IV had just come out in theaters. This is the Star Warsseries for everyone who has loved the films, but has never delved into any of the comics or novels. There is no vast continuity that a reader needs to know beyond the events in A New Hope. This is the beginning of the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie.

This is probably as close to a reboot of any part of the Star Wars franchise as you’ll see in your life. By the sounds of it, this project is going to be something that’s accessible to new comics and expanded universe fans, something that isn’t bogged down by thirty years of continuity dead weight. Frankly? That’s a good thing. It can be difficult for new fans to so much as set foot in the EU because there’s so many strands of continuity to keep track of. For someone that wants to get their foot in the door, a project like this might be just the gateway needed.

No doubt this is going to cause an uproar among the continuity diehards in the fandom, but I’m not worried. Maybe I’m just at the point in my personal fandom where I don’t care about the continual canon angsting anymore. If this series delivers a solid narrative, I will be more than content.

(via)