DARTH VADER is to many throughout the GALACTIC EMPIRE a symbol of fear and mysterious, otherworldly power. But there are some who have seen the DARK LORD in a different light. There are some corners of the galaxy so dark and desperate that even Vader can be a knight in shining armor. The first issue of a new STAR WARS limited series, writer Dennis Hopeless (CLOAK AND DAGGER, JEAN GREY) sheds new light on the many sides of the galaxy’s greatest villain.

    An elite squadron of TIE fighter pilots is assembled to help protect Imperial interests and hammer the Emperor’s fury down upon the treasonous and violent Rebel Alliance. But how far is this untested team willing to go to preserve law and order? And are the pilots of SHADOW WING as loyal to the Empire as they seem? This April, JODY HOUSER (THRAWN, AGE OF REPUBLIC) and ROGÊ ANTÔNIO’s (X-MEN RED) TIE fighter tale chronicles the struggles and triumphs of the heroes of the Empire in the last days of civil war — but what about the heroes of the Rebellion? Be sure to pick up the first book of TIE FIGHTER’s sister novel series, STAR WARS: ALPHABET SQUAD by Alexander Freed. From Del Rey Books, on sale this June.

    But little does he know he’s being hunted by a group of the galaxy’s deadliest bounty hunters, hired by the syndicate to take out Vader once and for all. Led by fallen Imperial Officer BEILERT VALANCE, this ragtag group of assassins will stop at nothing to kill the biggest bounty of their lives.

    The Jedi Council has sent them to the remote planet Ontotho to oversee the peaceful excavation of a mysterious temple that has been uncovered. But they will come to find that what surrounds the temple may be even more dangerous than the mysteries within it. Clandestine local resistance forces and ruthless corporate security troops in a war for the fate of Ontotho – and the Jedi are caught in the middle!

    “It’s focused on Lando set during an incident right before the film, with backstory about Lando and L3,” Siglain says. The series debuts the Wednesday after the movie opens, since its story is so closely tied in. “Coming out of the film, we think everyone is going to want ot read more about Lando.”

    But Luke refuses -- plunging into the abyss beneath Cloud City rather than turn to the Dark Side. We all remember Luke’s utter horror in this life-altering moment. But what about Vader? In this new epic chapter in the Darth Vader saga, the dark lord grapples with Luke’s unthinkable refusal and embarks on a bloody mission of rage-filled revenge against everything and everyone who had a hand in hiding and corrupting his only son. But even as he uncovers the secrets of Luke’s origins, Vader must face shocking new challenges from his own dark past. Writer Greg Pak and artist Raffaele Ienco unleash Darth Vader on his dark quest of vengeance and discovery!

    Now stranded, Chewie finds himself caught in the middle of trying to return to the rebellion and helping a young and feisty girl in need. Writer Gerry Duggan (Deadpool, 1872, Hulk) and artist Phil Noto (Black Widow, X-23, Uncanny X-Force) bring us a never-before-seen tale of the heroic Wookiee we all know and love.

    Willow Wilson (MS. MARVEL) explores a pivotal conflict in Holdo’s early career that will start the young woman down the path to heroic infamy for the rebellion! With her ship at the mercy of a dangerous enemy, it’s up to Holdo to outsmart their foe and win the confidence of her compatriots in the process. With art by Elsa Charratier! The infamous “pirate queen” of Takodana, MAZ KANATA, thought she’d seen everything in her thousand-plus years of running a bar and hiring smugglers. But it turns out that the criminal underworld is always full of new surprises…especially when she hires HAN SOLO and CHEWBACCA for a job! Story by Tom Taylor (AGE OF RESISTANCE)! And Poe Dameron’s loyal companion, the astromech droid BB-8, just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. His missions always seem to escalate into a full-blown adventures! And if it means a win for his friends and the heroic Resistance freedom-fighters the little droid will stop at nothing to get the job done! Story by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS!

    The most dangerous bounty hunter in the galaxy isn’t who you think. The cold, calculating assassin droid IG-88 had a deadly reputation. Wanted criminals should tremble in fear because IG-88 will stop at nothing to get the job done. But where did it come from? What does it want? Perfection might be a good place to start. SI SPURRIER (DOCTOR APHRA) and CASPAR WIJNGAARD (DOCTOR APHRA ANNUAL) bring the terrifying droid to life! The destruction of the Order, the death of his friends, exile — no matter what he has endured, YODA will always be a Jedi. Even in hiding on the isolated planet of Dagobah, far from the evil Empire’s reach, a Jedi’s work is never done. Marc Guggenheim (X-MEN GOLD) and ANDREA BROCCARDO (STAR WARS) will pay the wise, old master a visit! The freedom-fighting REBEL ALLIANCE has more than its fair share of heroes — like ace pilots BIGGS DARKLIGHTER and JEK PORKINS. But they’ve been fighting the evil Galactic Empire for a long time and sometimes, even noble warriors like Biggs and Porkins need a little rest and relaxation. Is anywhere truly free from the trials of the galactic conflict? Writer and illustrator JON ADAMS (the New Yorker, LOVE ROMANCES) has the answer!

    The Rebel Alliance is on the lookout for a new secret base! Rebellion leader Princess Leia goes with Han Solo to scope out a secret hideout only he knows…as well as the group of killers who want him dead!

    Will Luke find what he's looking for? Can Aphra be trusted? Or will they both wind up victims of the Citadel's Queen?

    This December, the soon-to-be thrilling Star Wars: The Last Jedi rocks movie screens across the world…and the reverberations are felt all around a galaxy far, far away! First up, learn the secret of the mineral planet Crait! Long before it became a battleground between the Resistance and the First Order, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa led the Rebellion there in search of a new home!

    If Vader ever learns of her survival, he'll hunt her to the ends of the galaxy. But for now, it's time to return to what she does best. With the droids 0-0-0 and BT-1 in tow, she's off in search of rare artifacts from the galactic center to the Outer Rim and everywhere in between.

    His cover for the assignment? Only the biggest and most infamous starship race in the galaxy! You know- the race Han has dreamt of winning his entire life. Will he keep his mind on the mission? And can he manage to pull it off while keeping the lead? Best-selling author Marjorie Liu (X-MEN) comes to the Galaxy Far, Far Away along with superstar cover artist Mark Brooks (ULTIMATE X-MEN) in his return to interior art! Face it, readers- there aren't enough scoundrels in your life!

    Having lost everything that was once dear to him, the former chosen one must take his first steps into a darker world…as Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith!