Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm Publishing have announced Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, the first Star Wars crossover series ever. The five-issue comic, by writer Kevin Smith and artist David Marquez (Civil War II), features a meta plot where a “reality-shattering spell” causes the Rebels and Imperials of the original film trilogy to appear on Earth-616, and to team up with its own heroes and villains. Issue #1 will be released in January, with the series finale arriving in comic book stores in time for the 50th anniversary of A New Hope in May 2027.
Michael Siglain, creative director at Lucasfilm Publishing, states, “On April 12, 1977, Marvel Comics introduced readers to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars #1. Now, 50 years later, it’s only fitting that the Star Wars galaxy collides with the Marvel Universe to celebrate the 50th anniversary of A New Hope. With Hope Assembles, Kevin Smith has written a true love letter to Star Wars, to Marvel, and to comics in general.” He adds, “[It] is exciting, unpredictable, and heartfelt. In short, it’s comics at its best, and we can’t wait for readers to experience both franchises as never before.”
Smith comments, “Back in the early ’80s, I had a subscription to Marvel’s Star Wars comics. And as fun as it was to follow the continuing adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han, I always wished that Spider-Man or Doctor Doom could cross over into their cinematic saga. So when the opportunity arose to actually tell that story, nobody had to Force my hand! I’m ecstatic to be writing Hope Assembles for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars! Many thanks to Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm for trusting me to fly the Falcon and the Quinjet!”
Marvel describes the premise as resolving the issue of the Marvel Universe “being the ‘World Outside Your Window,’ [where] the Star Wars franchise firmly exists on Earth-616.” Marquez is not quoted in the press release, but outgoing Marvel editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski reveals, “It’s an idea we’ve wanted to explore since getting the Star Wars license back over a decade ago [in 2014], but we knew we’d have to wait with the patience of a Jedi to make it happen. The 50th anniversary of A New Hope has finally given us the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring these two universes together.”
His successor Stephen Wacker adds, “Marvel and Star Wars’ histories have been intertwined for 50 years and continue to set the standard for storytelling across the world… and across the media landscape. Lifelong lovers of both Star Wars and Marvel have a lot to look forward to as we finally bring the characters together in ways fans have been dreaming about for decades!”
A Star Wars comic book crossover is a rarity for the franchise, despite how much former publisher Dark Horse loved teaming up properties. At one point in the mid-2000s, the company started developing a Superman crossover with DC, Kurt Busiek, and Alex Ross, but the project fell apart over alleged financial and creative disputes. The only time a crossover transpired was in 2004’s non-canon Star Wars Tales #19, where Indiana Jones discovers Han Solo’s body in the wreck of the Millennium Falcon.
As for Star Wars crossovers in general, that rubicon was already crossed by toys, games, and 2014’s Disney Channel special Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars. However, the concept has remained a popular topic, with Patton Oswalt‘s Parks and Recreation character infamously pitching a Marvel crossover during a filibuster on his appearance in 2013, and a Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt in “Marvel’s Star Wars” the following year.
You can check out Marquez’s covers for the series individually below. Expect more big news from Disney in the run-up to and during the D23 conference this weekend (August 14-16). For all of The Beat‘s coverage of the latest Star Wars news, click here. In the meantime, Marvel will stage another crossover to mark 50 years of a similarly beloved Disney property, The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe, on September 23, and launch a new Indiana Jones comic, The Sword of Pandemonium, this December. A darker crossover series, Alien vs. X-Men, will also begin on September 30.
Who asked for this?
No. Just no.
I can understand that Smith’s writing may not be to everyone’s taste. You may’ve preferred the Superman crossover Busiek and Ross planned, are surprised by the apparent absence of the Marvel heroine who owns a pet named after Chewbacca, or wish it had a more anthological approach like Marvel and DC’s recent crossovers.
I also understand you may feel this crossover sets a bad precedent for live-action projects, or that it makes Star Wars less special than Star Trek, Alien etc.
I also would prefer more constructive and thoughtful comments. I admit I’m biased, I’ll probably buy five TPBs for my nephews and cousins, but I’d be much more interested in reading that, than a response that’s nearly identical for news about a disgraced creator landing a publishing deal, or an openly fascist comic.
Maybe I’m just weird and pretentious. Anyway, may the Force be with you.
Finally, a cure for insomnia. Thank god.
This book is genuinely not for me (Smith’s humor doesn’t land for me and he’s too wordy) but I’m mystified by the immediate negative reaction. Star Wars has been far from a faultless property over the decades so it can’t be because this will ruin the diamond-grade quality of the franchise. The information provided gives no clue to the story structure so it could very much be “Mysterio brings movie characters to life” which would ruin the continuity-nerds’ outrage.
Who asked for this? I don’t know. Who asked for Don Rickles to appear in Jimmy Olsen? Who asked for Superman to fight Muhammad Ali? Who asked for the Punisher and Archie to crossover? This is comics and stuff like this has been par for the course for decades.
I am sure collectors will buy this slop up because it is what they do but it just stinks of just corporate branding.
I was equally outraged and disappointed by “Justice League vs Godzilla vs King Kong” and “DC X AEW”. How dare they!
Aunt May is gonna marry Palpatine, isn’t she?
Toybox Comics, man. That nine year-old playing Star Wars versus Secret Wars and also ET is there because wouldn’t that be fun to see ET in Star Wars is going to have a blast with this when he gets home from work aged fifty.
OK then, some thoughts: I have zero interest in Star Wars in any form. 1000% overrated and I have felt this way since about half way through seeing Empire for the only time in 1980. A SW crossover with the MU make zero sense, but no doubt will make lots of bucks from the SW zombies who will buy any old trash even vaguely connected to SW. Meanwhile, Smith is fantastically overrated as a comic book writer, not to mention this will never come out on time. So I will gleefully ignore this, just as I have all the former Fox crossover cash grab junk. So again, no. Just no.
Wow, I almost regret saying that now, because me thinks you doth protest too much.
I’m almost curious what you think of every film, TV show, book or game inspired by ESB, but as you say no, just no thank you.
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