The first trailer for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” debuted today at the Star Wars Celebration Orlando event, but that doesn’t mean the road to the upcoming film -- that looks to potentially be the end of the Jedi Order -- is a short one. A whole host of novel and comic book tie-ins were also announced at SWCO -- one of the most intriguing being the aptly titled “Captain Phasma,” a comic series that looks to expand the backstory of one of the most mysterious characters that debuted in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
“Captain Phasma” will be published by Marvel Comics and penned by “Hawkeye” writer Kelly Thompson, with artwork by Marco Checchetto, whose credits include the likes of “Spider-Man,” “The Punisher” and “Daredevil.” According to the official Star Wars website, the series will run for four issues, though a slide at SWCO claimed it will run five. With this announcement, Checchetto has done comic art for every era of the “Star Wars” chronology. He illustrated “Obi-Wan and Anakin,” which took place in the prequel era, as well as “Shattered Empire” and “The Screaming Citadel” that dealt with events in the classic trilogy.
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“It’s exciting enough when someone lets you contribute to the ‘Star Wars’ universe in any real way, but when they let you create the first ever Phasma story for comics?” Thompson said in a press release. “Well, that’s about as good as it gets! Like most, I’m a huge fan of both Gwendoline Christie and Phasma. Christie is magnetic and Phasma has so much fascinating untapped potential…potential which I can’t wait to help unlock for fans in our comic.”
Thompson and Checchetto’s series will be set after the events of “The Force Awakens” and will follow Phasma’s escape from the doomed Starkiller base. The comic is part of Lucasfilm’s Journey to “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” publishing program, which also includes a young adult novel based on the life of Princess Leia and “The Legends of Luke Skywalker” novel. “Captain Phasma” looks to bridge the gap between “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi.” The first issue will release in September and feature cover art by Paul Renaud.
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Captain Phasma is the commander of the First Order’s stormtroopers and leads the faction alongside Kylo Ren and General Hux. The character wears brushed chromium armor which, according to the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens The Visual Dictionary,” was salvaged from the Naboo yacht once owned by the series’ longtime antagonist Sheev Palpatine, the Emperor of the Galactic Empire. Phasma was featured prominently in marketing for “The Force Awakens,” but her role in the film was relatively minor. In the film, Phasma is taken hostage by Finn, Han Solo and Chewbacca, and forced to lower the Starkiller base’s shields before the trio throw her in a trash compactor.