IGN INTERVIEWS SHATTERED EMPIRE WRITER GREG RUCKA!
Marvel’s first entry in the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens publishing program hit the shelves yesterday with issue #1 of Shattered Empire, a 4-issue miniseries set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The crew at IGN got the opportunity to talk to writer Greg Rucka about his new addition to Star Wars lore and about what it’s like working with Lucasfilm, the state of the galaxy after the destruction of the second Death Star, and more – including an exclusive first look at some pages from upcoming issue #2. Read on for an excerpt from the interview.
IGN Comics: How did you become attached to this project?
Greg Rucka: I was doing some work for Lucasfilm on another project. I was doing the Han & Chewie book. And Michael Siglain, who had been my editor back in DC days and is now heading up Lucasfilm Publishing and who reached out to me on the Han Solo project I guess threw my name in the ring for Shattered Empire. They’ll be announcing something else that I’m doing I think in October, but until then I’m not permitted to speak about it.
IGN: Your main characters are Shara Bey and Kes. She is an A-Wing pilot, and he’s a trooper. Did you purposely want to show two different positions in the war, one on the ground and one in the sky?
Rucka: I wanted to show the individual in the Alliance following the victory. I needed to have a point-of-view character that was somebody you’d look at and understand this is a veteran. This is somebody who’s been fighting for the last four years or so. And now these two people in particular find themselves at this point that at first blush is this wonderful turning point. Then as things progress it becomes less and less clear what the way forward is…
IGN: Will the main cast continue to be, not the focal point of the story, but supporting characters throughout the story?
Rucka: Yeah, yeah. Each issue has moments with Han and Chewie, or Leia and Lando — and that’s very much by design. These stories aren’t about them, but through what you’re seeing with Kes and Shara, you have an idea of what they are doing. You get glimpses of what matters to those characters, to the movie characters at that time.
IGN: Are there other things that you’re doing in Shattered Empire that lead us directly to things in The Force Awakens?
Rucka: Yeah. I think part of the motion of the galaxy, part of what you’re seeing, is what sets the ground for what we encounter in TFA. So, again, that was also part of what I was obligated to do in the series. If you say this is a miniseries in a publishing initiative that they’re calling “Journey to The Force Awakens,” well then we have to answer that in some way, don’t we? [Laughs] So yeah, you’re definitely seeing edges of things that will come into greater focus when Episode VII drops.
Click here for the full interview and an exclusive look at Shattered Empire #2. And stay tuned for a special conversation review of Shattered Empire #1 featuring our very own Kyle (the Cantina Comic Guy) and myself (Hard Case) with special guest from the Cantina, LadyMusashi!
Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.
*Claps in excitement*
The middle panel on that second comic page photo with the alien pilot…at first I thought it was Green Squadron’s Duro leader L’ulo…but at second glance I don’t think it is. The helmet in this image looks different from L’ulo’s in the middle panel on the third image and this character looks like he has nostrils…could this mystery pilot be Ello Asty from The Force Awakens?
The middle panel on that second comic page photo with the alien pilot…at first I thought it was Green Squadron’s Duro leader L’ulo…but at second glance I don’t think it is. The helmet in this image looks different from L’ulo’s in the middle panel on the third image and this character looks like he has nostrils…could this mystery pilot be Ello Asty “Bullhead” from The Force Awakens?
boring. why does everything have to from the rebels point of view? im sure theres lots of imperial troops that have cool stories too. its called shattered empire but is not even about the empire?
I believe that talking about the Empire at this point might spoil a lot of details about the First Order that we might get once Episode VII comes out. Afterwards I expect a lot of details from the Empire’s perspective.
If you want a look at the empire after Ep VI, I suggest you read Aftermath and Lost Stars. They both have a decent depiction of what the war is like during and after the events of the OT from the Empire’s POV. I agree with Vexander as well, a lot of what is important about TFA has to do with the Empire’s plans after Ep VI, thus we don’t hear too much about it to prevent spoilers.
Yawn….
indeed, story is boring.
*SPOILER* I flipped out and squealed with excitement when I saw that the two main characters are Poe’s freaking parents!!! Seriously, with just one short issue, Shattered Empire is already a million times better than Aftermath, and gave us a lot of what we all expected from that utterly disappointing novel. I wish Rucka had written that book instead of Wendig. 🙁