At San Diego Comic Con, Marvel announced at their Cup O' Joe panel that Star Wars is coming to readers with Jason Aaron writing and artist John Cassaday. While the series isn't launching until January, Aaron answered a few of our burning questions about the series.
COMIC VINE: You have the task of bringing the Star Wars Universe, along with John Cassaday, into the 21st century at Marvel. How does it feel to present Star Wars to a whole new generation of Marvel readers?
JASON AARON: As you might imagine, it's super exciting. The 7 year old kid inside me is still doing back flips.
CV: The focus of your book is in the original Star Wars timeline. What's the series about and where exactly does it take place?
JA: I view the new series as just a direct continuation of the original film. Like it's 1977 and I've just been hired to write the comic book sequel to Star Wars: A New Hope. So the first issue opens a matter of weeks after the destruction of the Death Star. All your favorite characters are there, from Luke and Vader to Han and R2.
CV: What ideas or elements from the Star Wars Universe were you really excited to play with and bring into your new book?
JA: All of it. Like I said, the cool part is that we're picking up right after the original film. But that doesn't mean we're constricted in terms of characters and ideas. We can pull from the prequel or the later films, even the new stuff. There are a lot of different ways to dance between the raindrops in terms of that stuff. Just because you've seen Empire Strikes Back, doesn't mean you know how everything went down between those two original films.
CV: Was this an intimidating project for you to take on?
JA: Of course it was. This is the first new Star Wars comic series of the new canon. The first Marvel Star Wars in decades. And it's kicking off in the same year the first of the new films is coming out. So yeah, it's a big deal. But as a writer, that's the kind of job that gets you excited to go to work.
CV: Are there moments within your series that tie into the films or is everything going to be stand alone?
JA: The great thing about this new series is that you really only need to have seen one movie to jump right into. The original Star Wars. That's it. You don't need to have ready any other comics or novel or anything. This is as clean a jumping on point for a Star Wars comic as you will ever get.
CV: What have been some of your challenges working on this series?
JA: Writing C-3PO was probably the hardest part. Just getting that voice right. But honestly, it's all been such a blast.
CV: Although the expanded universe will not officially be a part of the new series, are there stories from either the books or television series that you'd like to explore or see explored in the Marvel Star Wars universe?
JA: I'm all for keeping what worked, yeah. And finding interesting ways to cross the streams, whenever possible.
Thanks to Jason Aaron for answering our questions and make sure to check out STAR WARS, this January!