When Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, it meant a major reset for Star Wars lore. Suddenly, only the first six movies and the Clone Wars cartoon were considered canon. Everything else in the Expanded Universe of licensed media was relegated to non-canonical ‘Legends’ status, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo’s adventures after Return of the Jedi. In the years since, Lucasfilm has gradually filled in some of the blanks, but the revised version of what Luke, Leia, and Han were up to in their collective prime remained a mystery — until now.

On May 7, Marvel debuts Star Wars #1: the first installment in a new comic book series by writer Alex Segura and artist Phil Noto that will finally reveal what went down in a galaxy far, far away between the Empire’s final defeat at the Battle of Jakku and the events of The Mandalorian and its spinoffs. So Luke’s early exploits as a fully-fledged Jedi Knight, Leia’s struggles to establish the New Republic, and whatever scoundrel-y mischief Han got up to? All covered for the first time — in Disney-era lore, that is — in the Marvel series. 

Understandably, fans are desperate to know more, so Popverse caught up with Segura and Noto over email to get the lowdown on what to expect from Star Wars #1!

Star Wars #1 dives into an era in post-Disney canon that fans are dying to know more about: the immediate aftermath of the Original Trilogy's Galactic Civil War. What does that world look like for Luke, Leia, Han and the wider New Republic? What threats do they face, with the Empire out of the picture?

Alex Segura: I think what I find most fascinating about this period is the amount of runway we — Phil and I — have as storytellers. Unlike [Segura’s 2024-2025 limited series] Battle of Jakku, which was a blast but also very much dancing between the raindrops of established canon, the post-Jakku era is almost wide open. That’s thrilling — but also a little terrifying if you think about it too much. 

I think one of the goals for us was to show the evolution of the core characters toward the versions fans will see later, in The Mandalorian and the Sequel Trilogy, with the understanding that they shouldn’t move too, too fast. Leia must grapple with building a New Republic while also becoming a mom. Han has to struggle with leaving his life as a smuggler behind for good, and accept the job of “dad” at the same time. Meanwhile, Luke’s quest to learn more about his Jedi legacy will consume a lot of his time.

Those are character arcs, though. The action and plot comes from the threat, and we wanted to present something that felt different but no less dangerous than the Empire. What kind of issues arise now that the Empire is gone? What kind of enemies will crop up, and how will they use what the Empire has left behind? We’ll explore that, and also be mindful that it’s not a one-for-one situation where we get a new Big Bad that is the same kind of galactic threat. 

Our big goal is to present the familiar in different ways, to pull people in — but to also be a little fearless when it comes to introducing or reintroducing things into the universe.

Post-Return of the Jedi media has increasingly reintroduced and remixed legacy Expanded Universe/Legends material — most notably, the Thrawn trilogy. Have you cribbed any plot points, characters, or locations from EU canon for Star Wars #1 (and future issues)?

Segura: I wouldn’t say we cribbed, but there’s certainly one cool element from the past you might see remixed and remastered by the end of #1.

What guidance did Lucasfilm give you regarding what you could cover in the series? Was anything off the table? And was there anything they specifically asked you to include?

Segura: I think the main note was to make the stories feel big and epic without feeling repetitive, like we were just finding the ‘next Empire’ or another kind of ‘Empire’ or what-have-you. This is a key, formative period for our heroes, and we wanted to show their growth and development amidst some major challenges. I think you’ll see connective tissue to what’s coming up, but that’s not been the driving force for the stories. We want people to read and enjoy these stories for what they are, knowing they’ll fit into the greater tapestry.

What most excited you both about this point in the Star Wars timeline, visually? And was it tough striking a balance between honoring the look of the movies and shows, while also giving this ‘rise of the New Republic’ era its own unique feel?

Segura: I mean…not to be simplistic, but…it’s Star Wars! It was such a huge honor to write [the] Battle of Jakku [series] and now to start fresh with these iconic heroes, it just feels like an amazing honor that Phil and I are not taking lightly. Our hope is to showcase the characters so they’re immediately recognizable and very much themselves, but also show readers how they’re growing and changing, which is just a byproduct of (hopefully) good storytelling.

Phil Noto: Growing up as a fan of the Original Trilogy, I was always hopeful for a trilogy that would take place shortly after Return of the Jedi. Since that didn’t happen, it’s been a lot of fun coming up with visuals for a comic version of that era. There’s also been a lot of additional world-building with Rogue One, Andor, and The Mandalorian which has helped anchor some designs and environments. I have also been trying to make it all look a bit ‘80s-ish as if this was produced as a movie in 1986 or so. Nothing too slick or futuristic.

It can be tricky but it’s a fun art puzzle to solve, especially as a lifelong Star Wars fan.

Building on that last question: Lucasfilm's official announcement mentions that Phil is "reimagining" Luke, Han, and Leia with new costumes and slightly aged-up likenesses. Can you elaborate further on what went into that?

Noto: Going back to my thought process of staying in the production continuity of the Original Trilogy, I’ve tried to model the three of them on how they looked in the mid ‘80s. They’re certainly much closer to Return of the Jedi than The Force Awakens, but I still tried to add a little bit of age to each of them.

When it comes to the costumes, I’ve tried to update Han and Leia slightly taking into account where the characters are at that point. Luke is still in his peak black suit-Jedi-look. In the end, my biggest goal is for them to have recognizable likenesses, which I think I accomplished and hopefully the fans will appreciate it.

Finally, what's your elevator pitch for Star Wars #1 — what makes it a must-read for fans?

Segura: In the wake of the Battle of Jakku and the Galactic Civil War, a new threat arises to plague the New Republic in its earliest, shakiest moments. But as Luke, Leia, Han, and more dig deeper into the mystery of what’s behind it, they discover something that’s woven into the fabric of the political and criminal landscapes, and could very well threaten the balance of power in the entire galaxy.

Noto: It’s kind of like the post-WWII reorganization of the Star Wars galaxy after Return of the Jedi. The Emperor and the greater Imperial machine was defeated, but there’s a still a lot of work to do and hidden enemies to take on before the dream of the New Republic can be realized.

Or in simpler terms: it’s 1986 and this is the comic adaptation of Episode VI-point-5!

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