Marvel and Star Wars to Meet For the First Time in New Comic Series

Rebel Alliance ... assemble?

For the first time, Marvel and Star Wars are joining forces for a crossover comic book series. The companies just announced that they will merge for Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, a five-part series that will debut next year in honor of the 50th anniversary of the original Star Wars film.

The all-star series has an all-star creative team, too. It’s being written by Clerks director Kevin Smith and illustrated by Uncanny X-Mens David Marquez.

The first wave of preview art features the combined forces of Marvel and Star Wars, like Darth Vader teaming up with Doctor Doom, and Han Solo standing side by side with Wolverine.

READ MORE: Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

Of course, Marvel and Star Wars have a relationship dating back to the very first film. Marvel launched the first Star Wars comic in 1977; it lasted for 107 issues and ended in 1986. (The company also adapted The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi to comics as well.) After Marvel lost the Star Wars license. Dark Horse published comics based on the property for many years. But after Disney acquired Lucasfilm, Star Wars books returned to Marvel, where they have been published just about every single month for over a decade now.

None of those comics featured Marvel and Star Wars characters, interacting though — although there has been a Marvel crossover with Star Trek before. Those two properties met in the 1990s when Paramount had a deal with Marvel in the mid-1990s. The company released a one-shot where the X-Men encountered the original Star Trek crew, and a sequel where they partnered with The Next Generation cast. There was also a Star Trek/X-Men novel called Planet X published in 1998.

Speaking to StarWars.com, here’s what Smith had to say about writing this unique series

Back in the early 80’s, I had a subscription to Marvel’s Star Wars comics. And as fun as it was to follow the continuing adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han, I always wished that Spider-Man or Doctor Doom could cross over into their cinematic saga. So when the opportunity arose to actually tell that story, nobody had to Force my hand! I’m ecstatic to be writing Hope Assembles for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars!

Here is how Marvel officially describes the plot of the Hope Assembles miniseries:

The series follows Marvel heroes as they see the events of Star Wars unfolding on Earth and before their very eyes, after a spell shatters reality. The Avengers, Spider-Man, and more will team up with heroes like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, while Doctor Doom will align himself with the likes of Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire.

The first issue of Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles hits store shelves in January of 2027.