Marvel Comics is going to fill in more of the gaps between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, with a new, ongoing Poe Dameroncomic set to launch in April.
Written by Charles Soule, with art by Phil Noto, the series will focus on Dameron’s life with the Resistance movement and battling against the First Order, prior to the events of JJ Abrams’Episode VII. And yes, Poe’s loyal droid BB-8 will be co-starring.
The series will explore Poe’s standing as one of the top X-Wing pilots working for General Leia, leading his squadron on an important mission — track down Luke Skywalker. However, a new villain working for the First Order is hot on his heels, set to become Dameron’s own personal nemesis.
It’s the third time Soule has penned stories in the Star Warsuniverse, following his earlier Star Wars: Lando and the just-launched Obi-Wan and Anakin mini-series. But the appeal of Dameron as a solo star is clear.
“It’s silly not to explore the idea of a guy who grew up steeped in the Rebellion and the older Republic and all of those myths and legends,” Soule told USA Today. “If you think about it, he grew up the way we did, hearing all of these stories.”
“Sometimes it can feel like the Star Wars universe is so well trodden and so many stories have already been told,” he added, “but the way the Episode VII galaxy is set up, there are opportunities for new archetypes almost, and the bad guy we’re working with is going to feel fresh and cool.”
Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaacs, was one of the breakout characters of The Force Awakens, and is set to continue serving a key role as the sequel trilogy progresses. However, given the new comic is set before the opening of the new film, the focus will be on his relationships with his fellow X-Wing jockeys rather than with Finn or Rey — at least until Rian Johnson’s Episode VIIIis released in 2017 and the comic can jump forward a little.
Marvel has previously dabbled in the era between the classic and the sequel trilogies, with Shattered Empire set immediately in the wake of Jedi. The four-issue mini-series dealt with the fallout — both literal and metaphorical — of the destruction of the second Death Star, and introduced Poe’s parents Shara Bey and Kes Dameron.
Star Wars: Poe Dameron launches in April, though readers keen to get an insight into Poe’s earlier adventures can get a head start withBefore the Awakening, an anthology exploring the new cast’s lives.