Hey there, Rebelscum fans! This week on the site we’re delving back into the world of Dark Horse comics with our coverage of the Rebellion comic book series. Today we’ll be looking at the series’ development, but stay tuned this week for a lot of great content. In addition to Bobby’s video insights on our YouTube channel, check out our “Force Facts” offering fun trivia, our “Character Spotlight” on one of our favorite standout characters, and the “Timeline Breakdown” showing connections to other media.


Dark Horse curated a stacked lineup of great Star Wars comic storylines in the middle of the 2000's. Simultaneously, the publisher ran the prequel saga Knights of the Old Republic set thousands of years before the core saga, the Republic storyline that surrounded the prequel era, and the Legacy series set over one hundred years after Return of the Jedi.


Rebellion fit nicely into this dynamic. Set shortly after the events of A New Hope, the series picked up with Luke Skywalker as he struggled with the ramifications of joining the Rebel Alliance. Running for sixteen issues between 2006 and 2008, the series explored an era that had been frequently explored in early comics and novels, but hadn’t been delved into deeply since the release of the prequels.

The approach worked, and the more fleshed out world-building of the Dark Horse comics offered a refreshing perspective on the era. Technology and events from the prequels could be incorporated for the first time, and attention was paid into Luke’s fragmented state of mind at the time. He’s suddenly burdened with the expectations of being the pilot that destroyed the Death Star, and he’s exploring a Jedi legacy that no one ever explained to him.


It also reintroduced Darth Vader as he held similar obsessions. Vader is left humiliated by the Death Star’s destruction, and the most feared figure within the galaxy returns to live up to his reputation by only continuing in his path of devastation. The second storyline “The Ahakista Gambit” was entirely Vader-centric, and showed the Dark Lord in action. It previewed the success of the current Darth Vader series at Marvel.


Unfortunately, the run of Rebellion was short-lived. After two arcs, the comics were put on hold to launch The Clone Wars tie-in comic series that ran throughout the course of the theatrical film’s release and the early stages of the series. Rebellion returned with its best storyline yet in the gripping Small Victories story arc, but unfortunately the series was officially cancelled so that Dark Horse could launch the new Invasion storyline.


However, Rebellion did have room to contribute to one of the most ambitious Star Wars storylines ever. Vector connected four generations of heroes as they encountered an ancient threat, merging Knights of the Old Republic’s Zayne Carrick, Dark Times’s Quinlan Vos, Rebellion’s Luke, and Legacy’s Cade Skywalker.


Although it was only with us briefly, Rebellion offered an expansion of a familiar era, and it's remained a favorite among comic readers. Additionally, the series has sparked some awesome comic book two-packs that collectors will want to get their hands on.

What do you think, Rebelscum fans? Did you read Rebellion? Do you wish the series had been longer? Let us know in the forums, and as always, may the Force be with you!