Earlier this year, we learned that Marvel would be taking back the Star Wars license from Dark Horse Comics. The change seemed inevitable given Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm. Dark Horse has released piles of great stories over the years, and Marvel will hopefully follow suit. They announced the first of their upcoming Star Wars titles at Comic-Con, and it seems like they’re off to a strong start.

At Marvel’s Cup o’ Joe panel, Joe Quesada previewed the Star Wars line, and I have the opposite of a bad feeling about this. Marvel will return to the galaxy far, far away in January 2015 with a Star Wars series by writer Jason Aaron and artist John Cassaday. It will take place right after the destruction of Death Star in Episode IV and will focus on the core cast we know and love.

Star Wars #1 by Jason Aaron and John Cassaday

And that’s not all! Two more titles will be out in February and March. Ongoing series Star Wars: Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca will explore facets of Vader’s personality we haven’t necessarily seen before. Gillen tells StarWars.com it’s about where see Vader before the beginning of Episode V.

“Vader has so many more responsibilities and problems to deal with than anyone could possibly understand. There are things that people above him may want him to do, versus what he actually needs to do to achieve his own aims, which is not the least bit to discover what the hell was going on with that mysterious fighter pilot who was strong with the Force.”

Star Wars: Darth Vader #1 by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

Finally, there’s a Star Wars: Princess Leia five-issue miniseries by Mark Waid and Terry Dodson coming in March will also take place after A New Hope and show Leia as she wrestles with the destruction of Alderaan. Waid explains the basics of the story:

“So, our story is about Leia not long after the end of Episode IV deciding, “Well, as the princess, there are still responsibilities that fall to me, like making contact with any stray Alderaanians out there who may not know what happened. It is my job as princess to deliver the bad news. It is my job to bring those who survived by being in other places, together. It is my job to help preserve some sort of cultural heritage of my people, so that everything my planet stood for and everything my people stood for doesn’t get forgotten.”

Sign. Me. Up.

Star Wars: Princess Leia #1 by Mark Waid and Terry Dodson

How do you feel about these new Star Wars titles? Jump to the comments and let us know your thoughts.

HT: StarWars.com