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Star Wars: Empire
Series · 3 books · 2003-2006

Books in series

Star Wars book cover
#1

Star Wars

Empire, Vol. 1: Betrayal

2003

In the weeks before the events in Star A New Hope, as the Death Star is readied for its fateful first mission, a power-hungry cabal of Grand Mofs and Imperial Officers embark on a dangerous plan to kill Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader and seize control of the Empire! When word that a "Jedi" has made an appearance on a backwater world lures Vader away from his master, the cabal makes its move. But even the galaxy isn't enough of a prize to sate the ambitions of some of the conspirators, and before long the would-be assassins are turning on one another. Their plans are further complicated by the actions of bounty hunter Boba Fett. And, of course, they may have fatally underestimated the cunning of their primary Emperor Palpatine! This is the first in a new line of graphic novels set during the early days of the Rebellion, when the Empire controlled the galaxy! Collects Star Wars: Empire #1-4
Star Wars book cover
#2

Star Wars

Empire, Vol. 2: Darklighter

2003

Before Luke Skywalker, the Rebel Alliance had another hero: Biggs Darklighter. For the first time, the full story of Luke's boyhood friend is revealed; from his departure from Tatooine to attend the Imperial Academy, to his decision to lead a mutiny against the Empire and join the Rebellion, to the fateful attack on the Death Star. Writer Paul Chadwick has resurrected scenes that were shot for Star Wars: A New Hope, but which ended up on the cutting room floor, and extrapolated from them the life and times of Luke Skywalker's best friend; and artist Doug Wheatley has produced stunning artwork for one of the most acclaimed Star Wars comics stories ever. An essential companion to A New Hope, and an exciting addition to any Star Wars library! Also included: "The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell," by Chadwick and artist Tomás Giorello. A revealing look at one of the early leaders of the Rebel Alliance; a man haunted by a dark past and driven to a heroic, but self-destructive fate. Available worldwide from Dark Horse Comics (available in the UK from Titan)
Star Wars book cover
#5

Star Wars

Empire, Volume 5: Allies and Adversaries

2006

This fifth "Star Wars" graphic novel in the best-selling series is produced by some of the greatest names in comics, and set during the early days of the Rebellion - when the Empire still held the galaxy in its grip of iron. Join Boshek, the galaxy's second coolest smuggler and his gorgeous partner Rasha Bex as they fight for the future; Chewie and Han face off against some of the galaxy's most dangerous bounty hunters; and Luke Skywalker comes face to face with a relic from the an abandoned clone war trooper! These epic new stories provide essential background to the original "Star Wars" trilogy! This graphic novel includes a cover gallery and additional bonus material.

Authors

Scott Allie
Scott Allie
Author · 13 books
Scott Allie is an American comics writer and editor, best known as an editor and executive at Dark Horse Comics from 1994 to 2017.
Ron Marz
Author · 41 books

Marz is well known for his work on Silver Surfer and Green Lantern, as well as the Marvel vs DC crossover and Batman/Aliens. He also worked on the CrossGen Comics series Scion, Mystic, Sojourn, and The Path. At Dark Horse Comics he created Samurai: Heaven and Earth and various Star Wars comics. He has also done work for Devil’s Due Publishing’s Aftermath line, namely Blade of Kumori. In 1995, he had a brief run on XO-Manowar, for Valiant Comics. Marz’s more recent works includes a number of Top Cow books including Witchblade and a Cyberforce relaunch. For DC Comics, he has written Ion, a 12 part comic book miniseries that followed the Kyle Rayner character after the One Year Later event, and Tales of the Sinistro Corps Presents: Parallax and Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Ion, two one-shot tie-ins to the Green Lantern crossover, The Sinestro Corps War. His current creator owned projects include “Dragon Prince” (Top Cow) and “Samurai : Heaven and Earth” (Dark Horse). Photo by Luigi Novi.

Paul Chadwick
Paul Chadwick
Author · 8 books

Paul Chadwick (b.1957) has worked widely as an artist and writer for comic books, with collaborators like Ron Randall, Doug Wheatley, Alan Moore, John Bolton, Harlan Ellison, Jan Strnad, Randy Stradley, Archie Goodwin, Brian K. Vaughan, and others. He's most noted for his award-winning series Concrete, about a thoughtful man stuck in a brutish, rock-coated body. Born in Seattle, he grew up in its lakeside suburb Medina, then a haven for Boeing engineers and their families, now the site of palaces for Bill Gates and his ilk. His father Stephen F. Chadwick was City Attorney for the small hamlet. As a teen, he joined Apa-5, the amateur press alliance of comics fans which also provided a creative outlet for future comics luminaries like Frank Miller, Mike Richardson, Randy Stradley, Chris Warner, Randy Emberlin, and others. He attended Art Center College of Design, majoring in illustration. Around this time Chadwick lived in a courtyard apartment building, The Golden Palm, which teemed with talent. Bryn Barnard, Ron Harris, David Mattingly, James Gurney, Thomas Kinkade, Kurt Cyrus, Mark Verheiden, Andy Su, Terry Robinson all lived there, five of them as Chadwick's roommate (at different times). Chadwick graduated in 1979, and began storyboarding movies for Disney, Warner Brothers, Lucasfilm and others. Credits include Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Strange Brew, The Big Easy and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Chadwick says the auteurs behind two small films he worked on, Lies (Jim & Ken Wheat) and Miracle Mile (Steve DeJarnatt) were the greatest personal influences on his writing. Chadwick also freelanced illustration, mainly for movie advertising (Streamers and Galaxy of Terror were the only finished posters among the dozens of preliminary paintings he did) and for SF and Fantasy paperbacks. Chadwick decided to devote himself to comics, but Concrete didn't sell at first. Chadwick's first comic in print was The Life of St. Norbert, published by an order of Norbertine monks. Going from the sacred to the (mildly) profane, he next drew Steve Perry's strange and silly Salimba, about a jungle girl fighting "wormboys" and a giant three-headed were-dog. A year on Marvel's Dazzler completed Chadwick's apprentice years, and he sold Concrete in 1985 to Dark Horse comics. It has appeared intermittently ever since. A Concrete movie has been in development for years. Chadwick has written several screenplays for it, first in collaboration with Larry Wilson, then solo. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh wrote one, as well, which briefly won a green light for the film. The decision was reversed upon the release of the surprise hit The Blair Witch Project, which caused the sudden mass delusion that Hollywood could dispense with costly visual effects and stars. The fever passed, but Concrete's window had closed, at least until somebody with the clout or energy decides to brave the thousand demons that lay waiting to kill every movie. Chadwick wrote and drew (inks by Ron Randall) eight issues of The World Below, about a network of vast, mysteriously lit caverns beneath northern Washington State, and the strange beings and technology to be found there. Dark Horse plans to reissue the series as a collection. The Human Dilemma, the newest Concrete series, won an Eisner Award (best cartoonist) and a Reuben Award (best in comic books division) from the National Cartoonist Society. Chadwick is currently drawing a miniseries for DC, Seven Against Chaos, written by Harlan Ellison. He's also working on a (non-Concrete, TBA) graphic novel for Dark Horse, as well as a new Concrete miniseries. Biography updated 2010

Jeremy Barlow
Jeremy Barlow
Author · 13 books
Eisner Award nominated writer and editor—and your only hope.
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Star Wars: Empire