The Crushing Comics Guide to Star Wars – your guide to watching, reading, and collecting Star Wars Expanded Universe canon films, TV shows, novels, and comic books. Last updated April 2017 with titles scheduled for release through December 2016.
The film A New Hope occurs in 0 BBY, starting with the capture of Princess Leia by Darth Vader. This period of canon stories continues through the Empire’s rise and rule through 3 ABY, when the Empire attacks the Rebel base on Hoth.
Note that some short stories, comic strips, young readers adaptations and activity books, and web browser games have been omitted from this order.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and its adaptations
Blu-Ray: Steelbook, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)
DVD: DVD, Limited Edition DVD, Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-Ray/DVD), Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI)
Novel by George Lucas (ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster) (hardcover / paperback / digital)
Young Readers: A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy by Alexandra Bracken
Comic: Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope (hardcover / paperback)
A recolored modernization of the original Star Wars (1977) #1-6 comic adaptation from Marvel.
Photo Comic: Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope Photo Comic (2008)
A comic adaptation of the film using film stills rather than illustrations.
Graphic Novel: Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel (2016)
A graphic novel adaptation of the canon story of all three of the original trilogy of films in the style of Disney animation
Other Formats
- Junior Novelization (2004) by Ryder Windham (2004)
- Young Readers Little Golden Book by Geof Smith, Caleb Meurer, and Micky Rose
- Star Wars: A New Hope Read-Along Storybook and CD
- Star Wars: The Rise of a Hero, an illustrated young readers book
- Star Wars: The Original Trilogy Stories – A Young Readers adaptation of all three of the original trilogy films
- 5-Minute Star Wars Stories & 5-Minute Stories Strike Back – A Young Readers adaptation of stories from throughout the series
Episode IV – A New Hope era canon story order
A New Hope and its adaptations occur here.
Novel: From a Certain Point of View (hardcover / paperback TBA / digital) – A short story collection expanding upon scenes and characters of A New Hope
Video Game: Star Wars Battlefront II (contains battles from throughout the film series)
Novel: Lost Stars (hardcover / paperback / digital) – This story moves through events prior to OT to extend past the end of Return of the Jedi.
Young Readers: Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure by Greg Rucka (hardcover / paperback TBA / digital)
Comic: Princess Leia #1-5 in Star Wars: Princess Leia
Also collected in oversize hardcover in Star Wars: Heroes For a New Hope along with Chewbacca (2015) and Lando (2015)
Novel: Battlefront II: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden (hardcover / paperback TBA / digital)
Comic: Chewbacca (2015) #1-5 in Star Wars: Chewbacca
Also collected in oversize hardcover in Star Wars: Heroes For a New Hope along with Lando (2015) and Princess Leia (2015)
Novel: Heir to the Jedi (hardcover / paperback / digital)
Novel: The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure by Jason Fry (hardcover / paperback / digital)
Comic: Star Wars (2015) #1-6 in Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes
Also collected in Vol. 1 Oversize Hardcover
Comic: Darth Vader (2015) #1-6 in Volume 1
This story begins during Star Wars (2015) #1-6 and ends concurrently with that story. Also collected in Vol. 1 Oversize Hardcover and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
Comic: Star Wars (2015) #8-12 in Vol. 2: Showdown on Smugglers Moon
Also collects #7, an Obi-Wan story. Also collected in Vol. 1 Oversize Hardcover.
Comic: Darth Vader (2105) #7-12: Vol. 2: Shadows and Secrets
Also collected in Vol. 1 Oversize Hardcover and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
Comic: Darth Vader (2015) Annual 1 in Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War, Darth Vader Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover, and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
Comic: Star Wars: Vader Down
Collects Star Wars: Vader Down (2015) #1, Darth Vader (2015) #13, Star Wars (2015) #13, DV14, SW14, and DV15. Also collected in Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
Comic: Star Wars (2015) Annual 1 & #15-19 in Vol. 3: Rebel Jail
Also collects #15, an Obi-Wan story. Annual 1 might be placed prior to Vader Down. Also collected in Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover
Comic: Darth Vader (2015) #15-19: Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War
Also collects Annual 1, from above. Also collected in Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
Comic: Darth Vader (2015) #20-25 in Vol. 4: End of Games
Also collected in Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
Comic: Star Wars (2015) #21-25 in Vol. 4: Last Flight of the Harbinger
Also collects #20, an Obi-Wan story. Also collected in Vol. 2 Oversize Hardcover.
Comic: Doctor Aphra (2017) #1-6 in Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 1
Comic: Star Wars (2-15) #30-31 in Vol. 5: Yoda’s Secret War
Issues #26-29 of the Secret War storyline are set in the past, prior to Phantom Menace.
Comic: Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel
Collects The Screaming Citadel (2017) #1, Star Wars (2015) #31, Doctor Aphra (2017) #7, SW32, DA8
Comic: Star Wars (2015) #33-37 in Vol. 6
Comic: Lando #1-5 in Star Wars: Lando
This occurs prior to Empire, but otherwise its placement is not clear. Also collected in oversize hardcover in Star Wars: Heroes For a New Hope along with Chewbacca (2015) and Princess Leia (2015)
Comic: Han Solo #1-5 in Star Wars: Han Solo
This occurs prior to Empire, but otherwise its placement is not clear.
Novel: Battlefront: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed (hardcover / paperback / digital) – Covers events just prior to Empire Strikes Back
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