Via StarWars.com, Lucasfilm Publishing and Mad Cave Studios have announced a new partnership for original Star Wars graphic novels, starting with two middle-grade releases from the latter’s children’s imprint Papercutz. The two books, Smugglers and Scoundrels, and Tales from the Outer Rim, will debut this fall, and respectively follow Han Solo & Chewbacca, and Luke Skywalker before the events of the original film.
Star Wars: Smugglers and Scoundrels – The Race for Jabba’s Bounty
Written by Cavan Scott
Art by Christian Colbert
Notorious crime boss Jabba the Hutt has lost a precious family heirloom… and he knows just the scoundrels who can help him get it back! Race to the finish line with some of the galaxy’s most infamous rascals and see who will get their hands on the treasure first! Will it be Han Solo and Chewbacca aboard the trusty Millennium Falcon? Or Han’s old rival, everyone’s favorite fast-talking Lepi, Jaxxon T. Tumperakki, and his lucky Rabbit’s Foot? Or will it be Boba Fett, Greedo, or another competitor who takes the crown? Find out in this rip-roaring ride full of risky maneuvers, double-crosses, and questionable morals as smugglers and scoundrels from across the galaxy race to recover Jabba’s prize!
Star Wars: Tales from the Outer Rim – The Legend of Beggar’s Canyon
Written by Greg Pak
Art by Brent Schoonover
Return to Tatooine ahead of the 50th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope in this all-new graphic novel by comics legend Greg Pak! Encounter womp rats, T-16s, krayt dragons, and more in this action-packed adventure. Like most kids his age, Luke Skywalker longs for adventure, but growing up on the distant desert planet of Tatooine, he feels more than a little stuck. And with Luke’s best friend, Biggs Darklighter, already daydreaming about leaving to enroll in the Imperial Academy, Luke feels like he’s sinking into a Sarlacc Pit! So he decides it’s time to embark on an unforgettable summer adventure of his own and brave the legendary Beggar’s Canyon! Some Tatooine locals say Beggar’s Canyon is haunted by terrifying spirits. Others say it’s home to ferocious beasts. Luke, Biggs, and their friends are determined to conquer this mysterious abyss. But will they discover the truth behind the tall tales, or be lost in the harsh desert sands forever?!
Cavan Scott and Greg Pak are both prolific Star Wars comics writers. Scott has written for the all-ages Adventures line since 2017, and penned Marvel’s High Republic series, while for Marvel, Pak wrote Age of Rebellion, the main Star Wars ongoing in 2019, and Darth Vader from 2020 to 2024. In contrast, the books mark the official Star Wars debuts of Christian Colbert (Secret S.T.E.A.M. Society) and Brent Schoonover (Ant-Man, Back to the Future). For more from the creatives in the meantime, head to StarWars.com.
Not stated in the press release was what this means for the future of Dark Horse’s relationship with Lucasfilm. The publisher, who held the Star Wars rights from 1991 to 2014, gained the all-ages license in 2021. At the time of writing, currently scheduled books include The Bad Batch — Rogue Agents (which’ll conclude with issue #4 on May 6); Pathfinders, a six-part High Republic Adventures series starting March 11; and Hyperspace Stories: Grievous, the second in a graphic novel series spotlighting various characters, out March 17.
In any case, Smugglers and Scoundrels will be released on September 15, and Tales from the Outer Rim will debut on October 13, 2026. And in further Disney and Papercutz news, be sure to also check out the line of Disney Science in Comics books, kicking off with Toy Story tie-in Age of the Dinosaurs on May 26. Star Wars will return to theaters beforehand with The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, and on Disney+ with the series premiere of Maul – Shadow Lord on April 6.
