Dark Horse Comics had 49 Star Wars comic offerings in 1995, up from 36 in 1994. This averages out to 4 titles a month compared to 3 titles a month the previous year. If you were a Star Wars comic fan in 1995, the month of October was the most expensive with 6 publications for a total cover price of $18.80. In December 1994, Dark Empire II #1 would be the first standard-sized, non-enhanced Star Wars issue published with a cover price of $2.95 (issues of Dark Empire had a $2.95 cover price as well, but they had thick, rigid covers to warranted the higher price) and it was joined in 1995 by several more Star Wars titles at this price, even though the average cover price for comics from the major publishers was $2.50. Dark Horse had Star Wars titles at both price points in 1995 and it was not clear what criteria Dark Horse used to pick one price over the other.
Star Wars: Droids Special a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (January 1995)Star Wars: Droids #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (April 1995)
Droids Special was published in January with a gorgeous Killian Plunkett cover, reprinting the 3 part story originally published in Dark Horse Comics #17 - 19 a year earlier. A second Droids series also began in April. The first Droids volume from 1994 only ran for 6 issues and this second volume went for 8 issues. The content is humorous, not unlike the Droids title from Marvel in the 1980s. The highlight of this second series, like the first, are the Killian Plunkett covers.
Star Wars Galaxy Magazine #2a - Topps, U.S. (January 1995) contains 8 page Tales from Mos Eisley - Hegg's TaleStar Wars Galaxy Magazine #5a - Topps, U.S. (October 1995) contains 8 page Boba Fett - Twin Engines of Destruction
The quarterly Star Wars Galaxy Magazine published by Topps all contain 8-page Star Wars comic strips from Dark Horse. Issues #2 - 4 feature standalone Tales from Mos Eisley strips: Hegg's Tale, Mostly Automatic, and Light Duty. Issue #5 begins the 4-part Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction story. This title sees a price increase with the 5th issue from $3.95 to $4.95.
Classic Star Wars: The Vandelhelm Mission - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (March 1995)
The Vandelhelm Mission one-shot is published in March, reprinting Marvel's Star Wars #98. Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures ends with issue #9 a month later, putting the Classic Star Wars sub-brand on hiatus. Unfortunately for Star Wars comic fans, Dark Horse finishes publishing the Russ Manning drawn strips but never reprints the Russ Helm and Alfredo Alcala's Planet of Kadril comic strip. With the cessation of the Classic Star Wars titles, Dark Horse has shown it is ready to move beyond reprinting previous Star Wars material although they do return to the sub-brand with one more offering in 1997!
Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Gaar Suppoon Hit a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (April 1995)Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Hunger of Princess Nampi a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (June 1995)Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Dynasty Trap a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (August 1995)
Jabba the Hutt receives a series of one-shots beginning in April. While the stories are standalone, there is a continuity through the issues. These comics successfully bridge the humor found in the Droids titles with the seriousness of other Dark Horse offerings.
Star Wars: The Mixed-Up Droid - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (June 1995) sold with audio cassette from Time Warner Kids
One thing is clear when Dark Horse was custodian of the Star Wars license, they were creative in publishing comics for distribution outside of normal channels. In 1994, they published two preview comics, Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith and Dark Empire II, for inclusion in the Star Wars Galaxy and Hero Illustrated Magazines. Those magazines catered to Star Wars/comic fans and were found in comic stores, but in 1995 they published a mini-comic, The Mixed-Up Droid, for inclusion in a package with an audio cassette from Time Warner Kids. No doubt this audio tape was found at stores where parents shopped for their children and this attempt by Dark Horse to reach new readers is commendable. Over the years, they would continue to find partners to distribute comics in non-traditional ways, such as including them with toys, video games, and novels. They even published a comic on the back of Kellogg brand cereal boxes!
Star Wars: River of Chaos #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (June 1995)
The 4-issue mini-series River of Chaos starts in June. This overlooked title contains a Rebel versus Empire story that features brand new characters. Princess Leia does appear as a supporting character, but the unknown characters take center stage. The art is rich with detail and has a pulpy vibe to it.
Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (July 1995)
X-Wing Rogue Squadron starts in July. This title was only meant to last for 12 issues as a prequel to the X-Wing Rogue Squadron books from Bantam Spectra, but proves to be popular and ran for 35 issues. Starring fan favorite Wedge Antilles and written by Michael Stackpole, this title was conceived as a tie-in to the books which themselves are a tie-in to the X-Wing video game. The stories in the comics take place before the events in the novels.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (August 1995)
The 6-issue mini-series Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith wraps up in March. In August, the next chapter in the popular series within a series begins with Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War #1. This 6-part story represents the half-way mark for this series. This look at past generations of Jedi remains popular today and Dark Horse wove a rich tapestry of stories that are in inspiration for other storytellers of other eras, including The High Republic soon to be explored by both Marvel and IDW.
Star Wars: Heir to the Empire #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (October 1995)Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind's Eye #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (December 1995)
Dark Horse adapts their first two Star Wars novels to comics in 1995. The 6-issue mini-series Heir to the Empire starts in October and is based on the first book in the Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy published by Bantam Spectra. This novel along with the Dark Empire comic are responsible for Star Wars' revival and both launched the Expanded Universe in 1991. The second novel adaptation begins in December, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a 4-issue min-series based on the first ever Star Wars novel from 1978. These titles prove successful enough for Dark Horse to adapt the next two chapters in the Thrawn trilogy as well as Han Solo at Stars' End.
Star Wars: Empire's End #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (October 1995) direct
Unfortunately, Dark Horse rushes the final chapter in the Dark Empire trilogy. Empire's End is a 2-issue mini-series that begins in October. Series writer Tom Veitch is not joined by Cam Kennedy for this third outing and the condensed story does not live up to the promise of it's predecessors.
Star Wars: Boba Fett - Bounty on Bar-Kooda a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (December 1995)
Dark Horse finishes 1995 on a high note with the publication of Boba Fett - Bounty on Bar-Kooda, a one-shot drawn by Cam Kennedy. Boba Fett, a fan favorite, will be the subject of several more one-shots and mini-series.
Title
Issue
Cover Price
Date
Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures
6
$2.50
January 1995
Star Wars Galaxy Magazine
2
$3.95
January 1995
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith
4
$2.50
January 1995
Star Wars: Dark Empire II
2
$2.95
January 1995
Star Wars: Droids Special
nn
$2.50
January 1995
Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures
7
$2.50
February 1995
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith
5
$2.50
February 1995
Star Wars: Dark Empire II
3
$2.95
February 1995
Classic Star Wars: The Vandelheim Mission
nn
$2.50
March 1995
Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures
8
$2.50
March 1995
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith
6
$2.50
March 1995
Star Wars: Dark Empire II
4
$2.95
March 1995
Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures
9
$2.50
April 1995
Star Wars Galaxy Magazine
3
$3.95
April 1995
Star Wars: Dark Empire II
5
$2.95
April 1995
Star Wars: Droids
1
$2.50
April 1995
Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Gaar Suppoon Hit
nn
$2.50
April 1995
Star Wars: Dark Empire II
6
$2.95
May 1995
Star Wars: Droids
2
$2.50
May 1995
Star Wars: Droids
3
$2.50
June 1995
Star Wars: River of Chaos
1
$2.50
June 1995
Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Hunger of Princess Nampi
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