The world of Star Wars has existed for nearly five decades and there continues to be scores of new tales and untapped stories to explore in a galaxy far, far away. One of facet of the history of the Jedi and the Sith that continues to fascinate readers is the era of the High Republic. Taking place centuries before the era of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo’s derring-do in the Old Republic, the High Republic focuses on the growth and expansion of the Galactic Republic and throws a lens on height of the Jedi’s power, influence, and growth.
And today, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, the saga continues in Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III—Echoes of Fear #1 from Dark Horse Comics. And who better to helm the series than Star Wars best-selling author George Mann, who has explored the glory of the High Republic before, notably in Dark Horse’s Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures-The Nameless Terror. Joined by artist Vincenzo Riccardi, colorist Michael Atiyeh, cover artist Eduard Mello, and lettered by Comicraft, Echoes of Fear follows Jedi Knight Reath Silas and Jedi Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo as they attempt to glean more information and insight into the power and history of the Echo Stones, while also contending with the Sith Lord who would use the Stones’ abilities for his own nefarious ends. For folks who are fans of Mann, grand action, intrigue, and moral quandaries, this is definitely one to check out.
I spoke with Mr. Mann recently about the conceit of Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures: Echoes of Fear, where we find the Jedi and Sith in this new miniseries, what creative muscles working in the Star Wars universe lets him work, and why he keeps coming back to the world of lightsabers and Force-users. And also make sure to check out some gorgeous preview pages from renowned comic creator Vincenzo Riccardi. Just stunning!
FreakSugar: Before we get into the comic itself, for folks who might not know, what is your history with Star Wars?
George Mann: Well, my history with Star Wars overall starts with The Empire Strikes Back, which is the first of the movies I saw at the cinema. I became obsessed with R2-D2 after that, and soon I had a growing collection of toys and sticker books. As I got a little older, I started reading the Marvel comics (in their UK reprint editions) and basically never looked back.
In terms of getting involved in writing Star Wars, that was when Michael Siglain from Lucasfilm approached me about the book that would become Myths & Fables. I’m eternally grateful to him for inviting to get involved in a Galaxy Far, Far Away… It’s provided so many bucket list moments.
FS: Where do we find Jedi Knight Reath Silas and Jedi Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo at the beginning of Echoes of Fear?
GM: Well, I have to be careful not to give away anything that happens in Tears of the Nameless, but essentially it sees Reath and Amadeo in the Jedi Archives, researching various historical records and stories from the past about the Echo Stones. They’ve reason to believe that understanding the truth behind the Echo Stones might be of use to the Jedi, so they’re delving deep. The first issue sees them researching a story about the infamous Sith Lord, Darth Ravi, from a time long before the High Republic. To say anymore would be to give away spoilers!
FS: Where exactly does this fit in with your other High Republic stories?
GM: As mentioned above, the comic series ties in very closely to my new novel, Tears of the Nameless, and although Echoes of Fear can absolutely be read as a standalone series, it picks up after the events of the novel and moves the overall Phase III story on to help bridge events as we rush headlong into the final act. There are a few other links in there, too, but I’ll leave those as Easter Eggs for the eagle-eyed amongst our readers.
FS: The solicitations promise a closer look at Darth Ravi, previously mentioned in Quest of the Jedi. What can you tell us about Darth Ravi? How do you approach creating the backstory of a Sith Lord and how does it differ from tackling a Jedi’s story, if at all?
GM: Darth Ravi is a mysterious figure from Sith history who, like all Sith, was obsessed with the accumulation of power. He saw the Echo Stones as a way to find that power, and this is the tale of how that worked out for him.
We decided early on to present this story as a legend or piece of folklore, much like the short stories I wrote for Myths & Fables and Dark Legends. It’s from so long ago that we can’t be entirely sure of the retelling and that it hasn’t been embellished over the intervening years, but that provides me with huge amounts of freedom and opportunity as a writer.
Writing Sith is a whole heap of fun, but in truth, it’s just like writing any other character—you need to get under the skin of the character, figure out their motivations and how that drives their interactions and personality. In the case of Darth Ravi, he’s very, VERY focused on his goal, to the exclusion of all else. It’s rare we’d see a Jedi becoming that obsessed, because they usually have a support network of people around them to help keep them back from the brink. But it’s interesting juxtaposing stories like that of Darth Ravi with those of Azlin Rell. Two very different characters, one a Sith and one a Jedi, who both end up giving in to their obsessions, albeit for very different reasons.
FS: This story takes place during Phase III of the High Republic. What is the appeal of crafting stories set in that era?
GM: The whole High Republic project has been such an amazing privilege to be a part of. As a writer it presents you with so much opportunity to create, to contribute something fresh and original back to a franchise that’s given me so much over the years. I think that’s the biggest thing—the opportunity to tell new and startling tales in a way that people aren’t expecting. No one knows who’s going to live or die, how things are going to unfold. That’s as much fun for us as writers as it is for readers.
FS: Following up on that, you have written several Star Wars tales. What keeps you coming back?
GM: As I mentioned above, Star Wars is a framework for such a diverse array of storytelling, and I love its core themes of found family and the fight for peace and acceptance. So, to get to add to that ongoing mythology, to create something new that speaks to those fans and gives a little something back—it’s a great feeling. I never get bored coming up with new Star Wars stories and characters.
FS: As mentioned, you have guided so many Star Wars tales. Do you learn something new each time you revisit that universe?
GM: Absolutely. I think that’s part of the joy of it. If I didn’t feel I had something new to say, or something new to learn, I wouldn’t keep writing them. Working on Tears of the Nameless, for example, allowed me to explore a lot of personal feelings about some big life events that were happening for me at the time, and figuring out Reath’s journey through the book helped me to figure out my own journey, too. Reath definitely helped me in ways I hadn’t expected!
FS: Are there any other projects coming down the pike you’d like to discuss?
GM: I’m excited for people to read Tears of the Nameless. And also, the Qui-Gon graphic novel that’s forthcoming from Dark Horse. Beyond that, I can’t really say, except to say ‘watch this space!’.
FS: What would your final pitch be for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III—Echoes of Fear?
GM: We’re in the headlong rush towards the end of our story, and Echoes of Fear is all about bringing some of those characters into the place they need to be for the grand finale. Readers will see one of the final puzzle pieces clicking into place. But on top of that, you’re going to visit a wide variety of eras for stories both thrilling and touching as Reath and Amadeo search through the archives for the clues they need. More Pathfinders! More of Barnabas Vim! And much more of Reath and Amadeo, working side-by-side to figure this all out!
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III—Echoes of Fear #1 goes on sale today, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, from Dark Horse Comics.
From the official issue description:
Jedi Knight Reath Silas and Jedi Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo are charged with delving into the Jedi Archives to learn more about the mysterious Echo Stones and their Force-amplifying powers. In their search, they uncover the dark legend of the ancient Sith Lord, Darth Ravi, and his quest to solve an ancient puzzle that could grant him power beyond imagining . . . or destroy him utterly.
• Written by bestselling author George Mann, the writer behind Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures–The Nameless Terror and Star Wars: The High Republic–The Battle of Jedha.
Creators
- Writer: George Mann
- Artist: Vincenzo Federici
- Colorist: Vincenzo Federici
- Letterer: Comicraft
- Cover Artist: Eduardo Mello
And from the official press release about the book:
The mystery of the Echo Stones is explored in Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures: Echoes of Fear, coming soon from Dark Horse Comics and Lucasfilm Publishing. This new comic series is the latest chapter in The High Republic Adventures saga and will begin this August. It is written by Star Wars best-selling author George Mann (Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures-The Nameless Terror), illustrated by Vincenzo Riccardi (Firefly), colored by Michael Atiyeh (Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic), and lettered by Comicraft, with cover art by Eduardo Mello (Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures-The Nameless Terror).
Jedi Knight Reath Silas and Jedi Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo are charged with delving into the Jedi Archives to learn more about the mysterious Echo Stones and their Force-amplifying powers. Their journey will ultimately lead them outside the safety of the Jedi Archives into a perilous adventure. In their search, they uncover the dark legend of the ancient Sith Lord Darth Ravi, and his quest to solve an ancient puzzle that could grant him power beyond all-imagination… or destroy him.