Star Wars Galactic Icon Variant Covers (Part 1 - Sequel Trilogy Characters)

In 2017 Marvel published forty-eight 40th Anniversary covers across their Star Wars line of comics.  Despite my initial misgivings, these covers were easily accessible to collectors when they were released and I found them to be my favorite variant cover set, even more enjoyable than the John Tyler Christopher action figure variants.

The 40th anniversary covers must have been successful, because in 2018 Marvel published thirty-six Galactic Icon variant covers and in 2019 they are releasing another thirty-six cover set called Greatest Moments.  I doubt this year will be the last year for these variant cover sets; 2020 will be the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, so I'm expecting a cover set to celebrate that milestone.

The artwork for the Galactic Icon variant covers is provided by Rod Reis and they all feature portraits of characters from Star Wars.  These covers were only printed for the ongoing Star Wars titles unlike the 40th anniversary covers that also appeared in the various mini-series published in 2017.

The covers are logically grouped by theme, with the first nine covers showing characters from the sequel trilogy.

Star Wars #41c - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 1/36

Star Wars: Darth Vader #10b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 2/36

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #16b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 3/36

Star Wars #43c - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 4/36

Star Wars: Darth Vader #11b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 5/36

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #17b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 6/36

Star Wars #44c - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 7/36

Star Wars: Darth Vader #13b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 8/36

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #18b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2018)
Galactic Icons variant 9/36

This is a nice set of covers by Rod Reis and all the characters are easily recognizable.  Maz Kanata is featured along with other characters in a scum and villainy themed group and BB-8 is grouped with the droids.